Did you realise that it’s possible to take a suitcase as your free small cabin bag on Wizz Air? Before you get too excited though, most small suitcases won’t fit the airline’s underseat allowance, and many could see you slapped with a hefty charge at the gate.
Here’s everything you need to know before you travel, plus our top suitcase picks that fit the rules.
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Can You Take a Suitcase as a Free Bag on Wizz Air?
A free bag for Wizz Air will be the one that fits under the seat in front of you. Most people opt for a backpack or soft bag for this, which can make it hard to find suitcases in this category.
We’ve pulled together some options to show you ones which fit the free category, but first we have some frequently asked questions.
What’s the difference between a under-seat bag and a trolley bag?
Wizz Air use two names for their small cabin bag: it’s either called a carry on bag or an under-set bag.
For an extra cost, you can take on board a larger bag, which they call a trolley bag and this should go in the overhead bins.
A checked bag is the one that goes into the hold and you only access it again after you’ve landed at your destination.
How big can the free carry on bag be on Wizz Air?
All Wizz Air flights include one free carry-on bag measuring 40x30x20cm and weighing no more than 10kg. This is the underseat bag size, small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.
Their trolley bag sized 55x40x23cm, which goes in the over head cabin.
What type of luggage can you take as the free carry on bag?
In Wizz Air’s baggage policy, they state you can take a laptop bag, women’s purse or small backpack as your carry on bag. It must not be over 10kg, though they do state that wheels are allowed.
Can you take a suitcase for the small cabin bag?
Although a suitcase isn’t listed in the examples of bags you’re allowed as a carry on bag, the mention of “wheels allowed” would indicate that they shouldn’t have a problem with suitcases as long as they fit the requirements.
How do airport staff check your luggage meets the requirements?
There’s usually a baggage sizer at the gate which will have slots for you to place your bag into. There will be one for their carry-on bag and one for the “trolley bag” – the one that goes in the overhead bins. You might not get asked to put your bag in the baggage sizer at all, but you never know!
What happens if your bag is too big for Wizz Air?
The staff might tell you that you need to pay to take your bag on as a trolley bag or checked luggage and the fee for this will probably be more than it would have been if you had added it on at the time of booking.
Which bag is free on Wizz Air?
Wizz Air charges for any bags that aren’t the carry-on bag – so if you’ve got luggage that’s going in the overhead bins or being checked in, you’ll have to pay for it. The dimensions for this free bag are 40x30x20cm.
The Best Small Cabin Bag for Wizz Air
Here are some of my favourite cabin bags, we’ve tried and tested on trips ourselves.
Honest Review
Bought & tested ourselves
- Works as a duffel bag or a suitcase
- External zipped pocket
- Handle can be hidden with zipped pocket
This was our first foray into the world of Primark Ryanair/Wizz Air luggage and we’ve been hooked ever since. I took this on a trip to Estonia and it is a decent hybrid of trolley duffel bag and suitcase, with two wheels so you can pull it behind you.
Having said that though, the fact that it’s got two wheels instead of four made it a bit more wobbly in my experience and it was difficult to pull behind me on those old European cobblestones.
- Removable wheels
- Comes in a variety of colours
- Cup holder
This suitcase from WOW Travel is perfect for travelling with Wizz Air as it fits their small cabin bag dimensions (40x30x20cm) but has the added plus of removable wheels. You can maximise your packing space whilst still fitting the baggage restrictions.
It also comes with a little bag to pop the wheels into, a cup holder on the back of the case, and reinforced wheels and handle. It’s often on sale and comes in a variety of colours.
- Removable wheels
- Comes in a variety of colours
- Telescopic handle
This suitcase fits Wizz Air dimensions exactly (Ryanair and Wizzair are the same for the small cabin bag) when the wheels are removed and this also means you fully maximise the space available to you by not having the wheels included.
This one does sell out a lot in store, but there’s a store checker tool on Primark’s website if you really want to get your hands on it.
More Wizz Air Underseat Bags Worth Considering
Some other bags we’ve not bought and tested personally, but are brands that we like.
- Removable wheels
- Four spinner wheels
- ABS water repellant hard shell
This has got removable wheels so you really maximise the space available to you and comes in a variety of colours. LUGG is also quite a reputable brand if you want to feel like you’re making a solid choice – plus it’s got over 2,700 ratings with an average review of 4.3 stars.
- Can be used as a backpack or a suitcase
- External zipped pockets
- 3 year warranty
This is another hybrid situation – but this time it’s a backpack suitcase combo. I’ve not tested this one personally but I’ve tested other Cabin Max backpacks and they’ve always been a solid choice and I get recommended this brand by my followers all the time.
The only thing I’d mention with these hybrid styles is that the wheels at the back might eat up into some precious packing space but if you’re looking for a hybrid model and can compromise on space, this is a great shout.
Finding a suitcase that works as a free cabin bag on Wizz Air used to be almost impossible, but there are now far more options available than there were a few years ago.
If you’re always struggling with the baggage restrictions, it might be worth considering Wizz Class. You get extra baggage allowance plus a range of other perks — we’ve covered everything you need to know in our Wizz Class guide
