Ryanair, EasyJet or Wizz Air: Which has the cheapest carry-on charges?
If you are booking a low-cost carrier for a cheap flight to Europe, you might know that you will have to pay extra to check-in a bag, select your seat or have something to eat and drink on board. If your flight is only $28, you might be more than happy to either forego these benefits or pay more for what you need.
There are then some ultra-low-cost carriers where you will need to pay even to take a full-sized carry-on bag on board with you. You can still take a small personal item that can be stored under the seat in front of you for free, such as a handbag or laptop, but if you want to take a larger bag on board that will go in the overhead compartment, you will need to pay extra.
There are loads of benefits of traveling with carry-on baggage only, but if you're traveling for more than a day or two, you'll likely want to take more than a small personal item with you.
Here are what the most popular ultra-low-cost carriers of Europe charge for carry-on bags.
As charges can range depending on the length of the flight, I've looked at the charges of EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air of the shortest and longest routes that all three carriers fly.
Related: Comparing Europe’s top 4 low-cost carriers: Ryanair, EasyJet, Jet2 and Wizz Air
London (LGW/STN/LTN) to Grenoble, France (GNB) — 474-mile flight:
- Ryanair: $8 (includes priority boarding)
- Wizz Air: $19 (includes priority boarding)
- EasyJet: $21 (includes priority boarding and choice of premium seat)
London (LGW/STN/LTN) to Tenerife, Spain (TFS) — 1,861-mile flight:
- Ryanair: $14 (includes priority boarding)
- Wizz Air: $32 (includes priority boarding)
- EasyJet: $21 (includes priority boarding, and choice of premium seat)
Related: 6 items you should always pack in your carry-on bag
With all three carriers, you will receive priority boarding if you purchase a full-sized carry-on bag whether you want it or not. While this might seem like a great perk for an ultra-low-cost carrier, remember that half the plane might have also purchased the same type of fare, so the priority boarding queue is likely to be quite long.
For all of the criticism of Ryanair, its carry-on baggage prices are by far the lowest and will keep your costs down even on its longest routes.
EasyJet's prices are frustratingly high even for its shortest flights — you'll need to pay to select the most expensive seats on the plane if you want to take a full-sized carry-on bag onboard, even if you don't care where you sit.
Spanish carrier Vueling also charges for full-sized carry-on bags. This airline only flies a fraction of the routes from the U.K. that Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz do (and do not fly direct to Grenoble or Tenerife for comparison purposes). It only flies direct to a handful of destinations in France, Italy and mainland Spain.
However, you can choose to check-in your full-sized carry-on bag at the check-in desk for no extra cost, or pay around $12, depending on the exact flight length to take it on board and enjoy priority boarding.
Bottom line
Depending on how you look at it, paying for a full-sized carry-on bag on these airlines can be a blessing or a curse. If you don't want to take one on board, perhaps because you are checking in a larger bag, or only traveling for a day or two, it helps keep fares incredibly cheap — you can fly for $14.
If you are traveling with a normal carry-on bag, then it makes it difficult to compare the cost of flights on the same route on a platform like Google Flights, given their extra charges differ so much. Ryanair will be your cheapest option, with Wizz's prices rising sharply the longer the flight.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.