In 2025, Ryanair increased the size of their underseat bag and with it came a new range of bags and suitcases to cater for budget travellers’ needs.
I got my hands on the latest Ryanair suitcase from WOW TRAVEL – where the wheels come off to allow you to maximise space – to see if it fits the new allowances, and whether Ryanair will even allow it on board.
This article may include mentions of products from one or more of our affiliate partners. Unless explicitly stated, we are not being paid to include these. To learn more about our advertising policy, please refer to our Terms of Service.
The New Ryanair Small Bag Size
Thanks to an EU ruling in 2025, Ryanair increased the size of their ‘small bag’. This is the bag you can take into the cabin for free that needs to fit underneath the seat in front of you.
What size is the Ryanair ‘small bag’ in 2025?
The size went from 40x25x20cm to 40x30x20cm.
Whilst 5cm doesn’t sound like much, it does make a noticeable difference to the overall volume of the bag you take. In fact, the extra space can allow you to pack up to 4 litres more.
Can you take a suitcase as a Ryanair ‘small bag’?
Technically, a suitcase is allowed as a small bag on a Ryanair flight as long as it meets the correct dimensions.
However, some travellers have had issues with staff who say that it must be a handbag, laptop bag or backpack, though the baggage policy actually only says that it can be.
Is this the same size as Wizz Air’s carry on bag?
Yes, thanks to the increased allowance, Ryanair now has the same small bag allowance as Wizz Air, making things a lot easier if you’re someone who travels on both airlines!
WOW TRAVEL 40x30x20cm Suitcase Review
Who are WOW TRAVEL?
WOW TRAVEL is a British brand that specialises in innovative luggage and travel accessories.
They started to gain popularity in 2024 after launching a suitcase concept where the wheels popped off. This meant they could make slightly bigger suitcases that would still fit in airlines’ baggage sizers – meeting their strict size criteria.
WOW TRAVEL sells direct through their website, but you can also buy their products on Amazon, Temu and TikTok Shop. They ship internationally but not to every country.
The suitcase
The WOW TRAVEL underseat suitcase is a compact and lightweight wheelie suitcase with removable wheels.
Dimensions
It’s lightweight at just 3.2kg, and the suitcase measures 40x30x20 cm without its wheels.
WOW TRAVEL say they’ve developed this model specifically for Ryanair’s recently-revised maximum cabin bag dimensions, meaning you get maximum packing space without risking the potential for a hefty oversized baggage fee.
Key features
The suitcase has a hard shell case and comes in various colours, including purple, white and rose gold.
There’s a grab handle, a pull out handle and a TSA approved lock. On the back of the suitcase, there’s a cup holder too.
However, the most well known feature is the 4 removable wheels and the bag that allows you to keep them somewhere safe when you need to remove them.
Price
The company says that their suitcase retails for £45 but it’s rarely that price, and often on offer for £29. Also, seasonal sales may save you even more.
My experience flying on Ryanair with the WOW TRAVEL suitcase
I took the WOW TRAVEL 40x30x20cm suitcase with me on a recent trip to Portugal so that I could give it a proper test.
First impressions
Having made a lot of videos with the smaller Ryanair suitcase with removable wheels, I instantly could tell that this suitcase had a lot more space.
I liked the colour and it seemed fairly well made, though I was disgruntled to find a drinks holder at the back. I don’t want a gimmick, I want as much space as possible!!
I also felt that the handle was a little short – it was just about long enough for me as a 5’8″ human (that’s 173cm) – but otherwise, I had high hopes that this could be a good option for people.
Packing
In one side, I packed one large compression packing cube which had enough clothing for around 3 autumnal days. I also squeezed in my underwear, socks and a bikini in there too. In the other side I packed a pair of trainers, my toiletries bag and my cable bag and travel adaptor.
Whilst I didn’t pack it inside the suitcase for this trip, you can fit a laptop in here though you would need to leave enough space for a padded laptop case too!
With what I had packed, I was able to easily zip it up with a small amount of pressure on top of the case and even had a bit of space to work with.
Actual Measurements
WOW TRAVEL states that this suitcase measures 40x30x20cm but I found it actually came up a little short when I took my tape measure out. It’s a bit more conservative, around 38.5x29x19cm.
However, this does give ample space for you to overpack a little – yes it can even be done with a suitcase! – and means that if anyone is being strict about handle measurements, you should be fully covered.
Handling
As it has 4 wheels, the suitcase glides really smoothly on smooth surfaces. On the Portuguese cobbles, it was a little more difficult but it did still work – though the drinks holder popped open a couple of times.
I actually ended up carrying the case in these moments as my case was so light, but I appreciate that defeats the point!
Ryanair Baggage Sizer
With its 4 wheels on, the suitcase unsurprisingly did not fit in the Ryanair small bag baggage sizer.
However once they were off, it slid in very easily and it’s here that you can see that the measurements are indeed a little on the conservative side since there’s plenty of clearance between the suitcase and the Ryanair maximum allowance.
Though, perhaps it could be said that the baggage sizers are a little bigger than Ryanair give them credit for… (I think this is the case!)
Boarding the plane
As I passed through the gate at Porto with the wheels off and my suitcase in my hand, the Ryanair staff didn’t even look twice at what I had.
Whether this means it’s allowed, or that they simply didn’t care, is up for debate!
Is the Wow Travel Ryanair suitcase worth it?
The WOW TRAVEL suitcase is a good option if you prefer a wheelie suitcase as your small carry on bag on Ryanair or Wizz Air.
First of all, it’s a really decent price and unlike the Primark suitcase, it may be easier to get your hands on.
As for the size, you can definitely tell there’s extra room, and I was surprised at how much I was easily able to pack into the inside.
It was also easy to handle on smooth surfaces, and I can see how it would really help someone with accessibility issues – or someone who can’t be bothered to lug a heavy bag around with them!
However, if you are taller than 5’8″, I think you may find the handle length a little frustrating! And don’t get me started on that drinks holder which kept randomly popping out for me!!
Overall, I still think that the best bag for fitting the most amount of things in is a backpack – which also keeps your hands free.
Ultimately, it’s about what works best for you but if you are someone who’s after a small suitcase, I will give this one a thumbs up!
