Ryanair's 10kg carry-on weight limit is real, increasingly enforced, and the source of enormous stress at boarding gates across Europe. The limit applies to your entire carry-on allowance, including your personal item if you do not have Priority boarding. Here is what 10kg actually looks like in practice.

What the Limit Means

Ryanair's standard fare gives you a small personal bag (40x20x25cm) that must fit under the seat. To bring a cabin bag (55x40x20cm) in the overhead bin, you need Priority boarding or a higher fare. That Priority bag allowance is 10kg combined for both bags.

EasyJet's standard fare allows one cabin bag (56x45x25cm) up to a weight limit that varies by route — check at booking. Wizz Air gives you a 10kg personal item on basic fares.

The point is: budget airline carry-on limits are real and weighed more frequently than they used to be. Assume you will be weighed.

What 10kg Looks Like

The bag itself typically weighs 1.0-2.0kg depending on the brand. A standard cabin-size hard-shell suitcase weighs around 2kg. A lightweight fabric cabin bag (think Osprey Farpoint 40 or Cabin Max Metz) weighs 0.7-1.2kg. Your choice of bag gives you immediately more or less room within the limit.

That leaves approximately 8-9kg of contents.

A Realistic Packing List with Weights

Item Approximate weight
Jeans (one pair) 700g
Chinos or lightweight trousers 400g
T-shirts x3 450g
Merino wool jumper 350g
Packable rain jacket 300g
Underwear and socks x4 300g
Walking trainers 700g
Toiletries (100ml bottles, solid products) 500g
Phone charger, cables, adaptor 300g
Small day bag / packable tote 200g
Guidebook or Kindle 200g

Total contents: approximately 4.4kg. Total with a 1kg bag: 5.4kg.

This leaves you 4.6kg of headroom. That is more than most people imagine. The issue is usually not weight but volume — a 10kg allowance that you cannot physically fit in a 55x40x20cm bag because the bag is too full.

What Kills the 10kg Budget

Heavy shoes are the main offender. Leather boots or thick-soled shoes are 1.0-1.5kg each. Wear your heaviest shoes on the plane.

Liquids in full-size bottles. A full shampoo bottle alone is 300-400g. Decant into travel sizes or buy on arrival.

Jeans: a second pair of jeans costs you 700g you do not need.

Electronics: a full laptop, a heavy camera, multiple chargers and accessories can add 2-3kg alone.

The Smart Move: Wear the Heavy Things

Wear your heaviest shoes and your heaviest outer layer through the airport. This is your unrestricted carry item once it is on your body. Jacket, boots, jeans — all can be worn rather than packed, and none of it will be weighed.