Short answer: there is no universal “standard cabin suitcase.” A 55 × 40 × 23 cm bag meets Lufthansa and Finnair's larger cabin-bag dimensions only when that allowance is included in your fare or purchased separately; the weight limit still applies. Finnair Economy Superlight, for example, does not include a larger carry-on bag. The same bag exceeds Ryanair's free allowance and does not match Pobeda's basic calibrator. A rule can change within one airline because of the fare, cabin, flight number, route or aircraft size.
This open dataset covering 25 airlines was compiled on 4 September 2026 from the cited sources. Check dates and evidence are recorded in the data; this does not mean every source page was fully accessible for independent verification. The table starts with the baseline condition a traveler should check, not the most generous upgrade. “Not stated” weight does not mean unlimited; it means that the cited page does not publish a numeric limit for that allowance.
This is research into published rules, not a record of our own airport tests. The booking and operating carrier remain authoritative. Airport staff can gate-check a size-compliant bag because of aircraft type, full overhead bins or safety requirements.
The main table: what the baseline condition includes
| Airline | Baseline condition | Size | Weight | Easy-to-miss condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pobeda | All cabin items together in the closed calibrator | 36 × 30 × 27 cm | Not stated | Several items work only when everything fits together |
| Ural Airlines | Economy, one piece | 55 × 40 × 25 cm | 10 kg | The 25 cm depth took effect on 1 February 2026 |
| Utair | Minimum/Optimum, one piece | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | 5 kg | Premium adds a separate 55 × 40 × 25 cm, 10 kg piece |
| Red Wings | Base allowance, one piece | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | 5 kg | 55 × 40 × 25 cm at 10 kg is a paid upgrade |
| Nordwind | Light/Optimum or charter | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | 10 kg | Premium uses 55 × 40 × 20 cm; scheduled and charter scopes differ |
| Azimuth | Light/Flexible, one piece | 55 × 40 × 20 cm | 5 kg | Basic/Free uses the same size at 10 kg |
| Rossiya | SU/FV 5501–5999, Economy | 55 × 40 × 25 cm | 5 kg | SU 6001–6999 Economy/Comfort uses 10 kg; Business 15 kg |
| Uzbekistan Airways | Economy, one piece | 55 × 35 × 25 cm | 8 kg | Route and fare exceptions can apply |
| Ryanair | Small under-seat bag | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | Not stated | Priority adds a 55 × 40 × 20 cm, 10 kg overhead bag |
| easyJet | Small under-seat bag | 45 × 36 × 20 cm | 15 kg | The 56 × 45 × 25 cm large bag needs a fare, option or membership |
| Lufthansa | Short/medium-haul Economy Basic | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | Not stated | Other Economy fares use 55 × 40 × 23 cm at 8 kg |
| Wizz Air | Under-seat bag | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | 10 kg | WIZZ Priority adds 55 × 40 × 23 cm at 10 kg |
| British Airways | Personal item plus cabin bag | 40 × 30 × 15 + 56 × 45 × 25 cm | 23 kg | You must lift the cabin bag into the locker unassisted |
| Air France | Basic: one small bag | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | Not stated | Cabin bag is 55 × 35 × 25 cm; Economy combined weight 12 kg |
| KLM | Basic: one small bag | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | Not stated | Light/Standard/Flex add 55 × 35 × 25 cm, 12 kg combined |
| Turkish Airlines | Economy: personal item plus cabin bag | 40 × 30 × 15 + 55 × 40 × 23 cm | 4 + 8 kg | Business allows two 8 kg cabin bags |
| Qatar Airways | Economy, one piece | 50 × 37 × 25 cm | 7 kg | Brazil-issued tickets and local rules can differ |
| American Airlines | Personal item plus carry-on | 45 × 35 × 20 + 56 × 36 × 23 cm | Not stated | Handles and wheels count |
| Delta | Personal item plus carry-on | Under seat + 56 × 35 × 23 cm | Not stated | Delta Connection aircraft up to 50 seats tag larger bags for cargo |
| Air Canada | Standard policy | 43 × 33 × 16 + 55 × 40 × 23 cm | Not stated | Economy Basic on listed Americas routes can mean personal item only |
| Southwest | Personal item plus carry-on | Under seat + 61 × 41 × 25 cm | Not stated | A partner airline can use different rules |
| JetBlue | Personal item plus carry-on | 43.2 × 33 × 20.3 + 55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm | Not stated | You must be able to lift the bag |
| Alaska Airlines | Personal item plus carry-on | Smaller item + 56 × 36 × 23 cm | Not stated | Wheels, handles and expanded pockets count |
| Finnair | Economy Superlight: small bag | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | 8 kg | Other Economy fares add 55 × 40 × 23 cm; weight is combined |
| ANA | Aircraft with 100 or more seats | 40 × 30 × 20 + 55 × 40 × 25 cm | 10 kg combined | Under 100 seats: carry-on is 45 × 35 × 20 cm |
Download CSV · Download JSON with conditions and sources. Each file records the verification date and can be filtered or updated row by row.
Testing three common bag sizes
For a reproducible size test, we may rotate a bag but do not assume it compresses. Every side must fit within a corresponding maximum side.
| Bag | Where the dimensions commonly fit | Where the problem starts |
|---|---|---|
| 40 × 30 × 20 cm | Ryanair, Wizz Air, Utair, Red Wings, Nordwind and most larger limits | Lufthansa, Finnair, Air France and KLM typically limit the small item to 15 cm depth; Pobeda uses a different calibrator |
| 55 × 40 × 20 cm | Many full European allowances, Ural, Azimuth and Rossiya | Not included in base Ryanair, Wizz, easyJet, Lufthansa Basic, Air France Basic, KLM Basic or Finnair Superlight |
| 56 × 45 × 25 cm | British Airways and an eligible or purchased easyJet large bag | Too wide or long for most 55 × 40 × 23/25 cm limits |
This is geometry only. It does not test weight, item count, purchased fare or available cabin space. A 40 × 30 × 20 cm bag fits the Wizz Air dimensions but still has a 10 kg ceiling. A large British Airways bag fits the published size, yet the passenger must be able to lift it without assistance.
When the smaller bag is genuinely better value
Do not buy a larger cabin allowance automatically. For a two- or three-day trip, a 40 × 30 × 20 cm bag can cover the whole route and preserve one simple condition across connections. Pack the non-negotiable items first: documents, medicine, a charger, one change of clothes and anything that should not be checked. Then weigh the packed bag rather than the empty shell.
A larger option earns its price when it replaces checked baggage, protects necessary work equipment or avoids baggage-claim time. Compare the fee in both directions, not on one segment. If two airlines operate the itinerary, design around the stricter leg: buying WIZZ Priority does not change the base Ryanair rule on the next flight. Sometimes one compatible small backpack is cheaper; sometimes adding checked baggage once to the booking is more sensible. The table exposes the constraint, while the contents and total trip price determine the decision.
Why “operated by” matters more than the largest logo
A codeshare ticket can display a marketing airline prominently while another carrier operates the aircraft and applies its baggage rule. Find “operated by” on every segment, then read that carrier's page. Delta warns that partner rules may differ, Finnair tells mixed-itinerary passengers to check the other airline, and Qatar limits its published cabin table to Qatar Airways-operated flights.
Rossiya shows why the airline name may still be insufficient: SU/FV 5501–5999 and SU 6001–6999 have different weights. ANA changes the dimensions by aircraft seating capacity. Air Canada's Economy Basic exception applies on named Americas routes. A comparison that hides these scopes creates false certainty.
A five-minute ticket check
- Identify the operating carrier. Repeat for every segment.
- Record the exact fare and cabin. Basic, Light and Superlight often remove the overhead bag while retaining an under-seat item.
- Measure the packed bag. Wheels, handles and protruding pockets usually count.
- Separate personal item from cabin bag. Two items may have a combined limit, as with KLM, or separate limits, as with Turkish.
- Save the allowance shown in the booking. It is more useful than an old screenshot after a flight or aircraft change.
Where to compare tickets after choosing the baggage
Decide how much cabin baggage you need first. Then compare the same route with the same baggage included. A lower headline fare without the required bag is not the same product.
Trip.com
Use it as an international comparison point. Before payment, match the operating carrier, fare on every segment and baggage line in the final order.
OZON Travel
For routes available in its market, compare the final total after adding the bag you need. The exact fare and flight number matter more than a generic airline card.
Yandex Travel
Review every segment when an itinerary combines carriers. Read the baggage line once more after reaching the final payment step.
What the table does not promise
It does not guarantee boarding with a specific bag and does not rank one airline as “best.” British Airways' 23 kg ceiling does not automatically make its ticket better; fare, route and total cost matter. A US carrier without a numeric limit does not invite an unliftable bag: it must fit and be stowed safely.
Before travel, open the official source in the relevant row and compare it with the booking. If they conflict, ask the operating carrier for written clarification. The dataset is a useful control sheet and a starting point, not a replacement for the ticket conditions.
AI assisted with discovery, field normalization and drafting. The responsible editor checked sources and excluded airlines whose current rule could not be confirmed without guessing. The cover is a conceptual diorama, not a photograph of an airport or airline.