If you have plans to travel in 2024, January is a brilliant time to pick up some cut-price luggage from some of our favourite big-name brands.
With up to 60% off carry-ons and cabin cases, you can snap up carefully curated prices from the likes of Antler, Samsonite, American Tourister and more. Designed to meet the exacting size restrictions of most British airlines including Ryanair, British Airways and Jet2 you can keep your travel essentials at hand on the go.
Whether you need a compact carry-all to stash under the seat on a Ryanair flight or something large enough for a weekend away with easyJet, buy now for less to take more with you this summer. With cheap summer holiday deals also easy to come by in the January travel sales, you really could be quids in with on your next holiday.
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Airlines have bag restrictions to enable the luggage to fit sideways in the overhead compartments. Different airlines have different-sized overhead lockers, meaning that the size of the case or bag they can comfortably fit will vary.
Here in the UK, Ryanair has the smallest free bag size restrictions, while Jet2 and British Airways are much larger by comparison. Most airlines will let you “buy” more packing power with larger carry-ons included with more expensive ticket prices.
To help you save money without compromising on those all-important extra inches, we’ve rounded up some of the best airline-friendly luggage your money can buy.
British Airways
The flag carrier allows each passenger to bring one cabin bag measuring no more than 56 x 40 x 23cm and one personal item measuring no more than 40 x 30 x 15cm with them on the flight. Passengers must also be able to lift them into the overhead lockers.
Due to the generous allowance, there are lots of lovely bags that BA passengers can take with them. Despite the wide array of choices, these are some of the best deals out there:
Tui
The holiday company allows one piece of hand luggage measuring no more than 55 x 40 x 20cm. It must weigh no more than 10kg and be able to be lifted into the overhead locker. This rule remains the same whether you are travelling on a package holiday or a flight-only basis.
As a pretty standard size allowance for a larger piece of hand luggage, most cabin cases and bags will fit the bill. Passengers could even find a TUI-friendly cabin case that is just big enough for a week in the sun like these ones:
EasyJet
The budget airline allows each passenger to bring one cabin bag measuring no more than 45 x 36 x 25cm and weighing no more than 15kg on board with them for free. These dimensions are a little smaller than some of the other major British airlines, so if don’t want to be stung with extra luggage fees, be sure to check your sizes carefully before you reach the airport.
Despite the slightly smaller dimensions, there are still plenty of great cabin bags to choose from. Some of the best easyJet-sized suitcases we’ve found in the January sales include:
EasyJet passengers can also book an additional large cabin bag measuring no more than 56 x 45 x 25cm for an additional cost, as can passengers who have booked a FLEXI fare ticket. If you are happy to pay a little more for those extra inches, these five cases offer great value for money in the sales:
Ryanair
Ryanair has the smallest and strictest size restrictions, with all ticket holders entitled to bring one small bag measuring no more than 40cm x 20cm x 25cm onboard. The bag must be able to fit neatly into the sizer at the airport and must not weigh any more than 10kg.
Priority boarding passengers can bring a little more, with a larger cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20cm) with a maximum weight allowance of 10kg included. These seats will cost more though and are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.
One Ryanair-size cabin bag went viral on TikTok with its compact dimensions and surprisingly spacious interior. Costing just £9.99, the little Narwey bag made a big dent on social media and I even tried one to see what the fuss was all about. You can read my thoughts on it here. Other compact bags that will meet the under seat measurements on Ryanair include:
Jet2
Jet2 allows one piece of hand luggage per passenger free of charge, as long as it weighs no more than 10kg and is no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm. Offering one of the most generous cabin bag allowances in the UK, Jet2 passengers can save money on hold luggage with these super-sized cabin cases:
Can’t see the case you want? Ahead of the high season, retailers such as John Lewis, Argos, Marks and Spencer and Next are making the most of the January sales by dropping prices on cabin cases, carry-ons, luggage sets and more.