Are you looking for the perfect 45x36x20cm cabin bag?
Maybe you’re looking for the ‘free underseat luggage’ you can take on easyJet flights. It’s the bag that fits under the seat in front of you and you don’t need to pay any extra to take it onboard.
You might be surprised to find how spacious this size is and most people can manage with just a 45x36x20 cabin bag for a 2-3 night break.
Travel Hack Tip: It is worth noting that a 45x36x20 cabin bag will take up the majority of your leg room, so if you’re tall and have long legs it’s always worth trying to get your case into the overhead lockers! Try and board the plane first to claim a bit of space in the locker near you.
Here are 5 of my favourite 45x36x20 cabin bags
1. The Travel Hack Hybrid – Trolley + Backpack
- CABIN BAG BACKPACK WITH WHEELS - Suitable for most major airlines as carry on cabin luggage.
- LARGE - 30 litre capacity and large suitcase style opening for easy packing. The large unimpeded main compartment offers packing freedom, whilst also featuring a range of netted pockets for extra...
- HYBRID - Switch easily between Trolley and Backpack for a seamless travel experience. Glide through the airport in trolley mode or switch to backpack mode when you need extra agility, like on subway...
The Travel Hack Hybrid is the perfect easyJet hand luggage option if you want a pull-along suitcase but might also want to pick it up and easily carry it from time to time.
The trolley case can be easily converted into a backpack, giving you the best of both worlds. It’s easy to wheel around airports and equally easy to carry it like a backpack when you’re in busy areas, rough surfaces, going up and down stairs and jumping on and off public transport.
I’m a suitcase kind of girl and very rarely feel the need to carry my bags, but since using The Travel Hack Hybrid I actually find myself carrying it far more than I thought I would. It’s really handy being able to pick it up and throw it on my back.
The Travel Hack Hybrid also has stylish black and rose gold colouring. There are plenty of pockets for organisation and an exterior pocket to easily reach documents or other things you might want to access during the flight.
2. Cabin Max Anode 30L – 4 wheel spinner case
- The Anode 24L TwinWheel is the perfect size carry on suitcase (40 x 30 x 20 cm) to fit easily under the seat and save you from paying extra fees. Flies free with WizzAir.
- PERFECTLY Sized at 40x30x20 cm and weighing in at a lightweight 2.2kg, this case fits perfectly in to the Wizz Air ‘free’ luggage sizer.
- SPACIOUS interior lets you maximise your free luggage allowance and features packing straps, a zipped divider and a zipped organiser pocket that is ideally sized for chargers, travel accessories or...
The Cabin Max Anode 30L hard shell suitcase with four wheels is probably the cutest little suitcase you’ll ever see. I don’t know what it is about this suitcase but it’s adorable.
It might seem unnecessary to have such a tiny bag on wheels but a 45x36x20 cabin bag can end up being surprisingly heavy. If I pack well and also have my laptop in my case then it can be too heavy to carry for long periods of time so I really like having a tiny suitcase!
Pros
- The 4 spinner wheels makes it easy to glide through the airport
- Comes in lots of lovely colours
- 2 spacious compartments on each side
- Divider pocket in the middle for organisation
Cons
- If you need to get something out on the plane or at airport security, you have to open up the entire suitcase
3. Metz 30L Backpack – Budget backpack
- EASYJET CABIN BAG 45x36x20 cm - Maximum Capacity Underseat Hand Luggage, Perfectly Designed for Easyjet Carry-On
- TRUSTED REPUTATION - UK designed products with full UK based customer support. With decades of experience, we specialize in creating durable hand luggage, tried and tested in the actual airline...
- ORGANISED: Your Metz 30L cabin bag features a front pocket designed for seamless organization, complete with holders for travel accessories and documents. Enjoy added convenience with a side bottle...
If you’re more of a backpack kind of traveller then the Metz 30L backpack from Cabin Max is a brilliant option.
It comes in a variety of colours and has that all-important front pocket which makes it easy to access your documents, passport, phone etc.
Travel Hack Tip: The Metz 30L backpack does also come as a hybrid with the ability to use it as a backpack or a suitcase. It’s a little more expensive but worth it if you feel the pressure carrying a backpack for extended periods of time.
4. Memphis Switch – Converts to a smaller Ryanair size bag
- The Cabin Max Memphis Switch has been designed with the frequent traveller in mind. If you travel hand luggage only with Ryanair and Easyjet, quite often you may find it cheaper or more convenient to...
- ·Use as a 30L backpack on Easyjet, or slim the Memphis down to 20L and comply with the free bag allowance of airlines like Ryanair, Wizz Air, Volotea, Vueling and Norwegian. Also a great second bag...
- ·Internal device pockets for an iPad, kindle or compact laptop. Key clip, rear luggage passthrough and front quick stash pocket for your travel essentials.
If you’re looking for easyJet hand luggage but you actually often travel with Ryanair too then you might be interested in the Memphis Switch by Cabin Max. It can be easily converted from a 45x36x20 cabin bag (easyJet cabin bag) to a 40x20x25 (Ryanair cabin bag).
This is great if you regularly travel with both airlines and only want to buy one bag. And better still if you’re flying out with one airline but returning with another!
It’s also a really nice bag, whether you’re using it as an easyJet cabin bag or a Ryanair cabin bag!
5. Kono Duffel – Best budget cabin bag
The Kono Duffel went viral online after TikTokers proved how much you can pack inside this tiny bag! And at just £9.99, you can’t beat the price!
This bag is collapsible so it won’t get in the way when you’re at home as it folds into a tiny pouch. It’s also super light weight at just 200g!
OK, the quality probably isn’t amazing. This little easyJet cabin bag won’t last forever and it isn’t the most convenient bag to carry but if you just want a cheap bag then this is the one for you.
I do like that it has a front pocket which is ideal for your phone, passport and other documents. It also has a sleeve so you can hook it onto the handle of a hard shelled suitcase.
Do I need to worry about my 45x36x20 cabin bag being too big…?
Here’s a question lots of people ask. Does it really matter if your easyJet hand luggage is too big?
To put it simply, yes. It does matter because you do hear about people having their luggage checked and being told they have to pay extra to take their oversized bag on board.
This is annoying because it’s way more expensive to pay for your bags at the airport (rather than paying in advance online). But it’s also annoying because your bag might go in the hold of the plane so you’ll now need to queue up to collect it at the baggage carousels when you arrive. You also won’t have access to all of your stuff during the flight.
Having said this….and I realise this is something I shouldn’t really say but…. I often take a bag on board that is technically a bit too big and I’ve never been checked.
Here are some tips if your cabin bag is actually too big:
- Don’t draw any attention to yourself
- Make sure your documents are ready to go so you can breeze through quickly
- Make it look like your bag is very light
- If you’ve got straps on your bag, always carry it on your back
- If it’s on your shoulder, try and disguise it with a coat in your arm
- Avoid looking flustered or like you have lots of carry (avoid extra carrier bags, coffee cups, Duty Free shopping, snacks etc)
From my experience, the people who get stopped at security because their bags are oversized are the people who are:
- Drunk
- Late
- Flapping and stressed
- It looks like their bags are so heavy they must be filled with bricks
- They have lots of little bags as well as their cabin bag
Do I need to worry about my 45x36x20 cabin bag being too heavy?
The majority of airlines in the UK actually don’t have a weight limit on their small, personal, underseat luggage. Airlines will monitor the size of the bag and make sure it’s within the 45x36x20cm size restriction, but they won’t actually weigh it.
So technically, no, you don’t need to worry about your 45x36x20 cabin bag being too heavy.
You just need to be mindful that you can:
- Lift the bag above your head if you plan to put it in the overhead locker (if there’s space)
- You can comfortably carry it up and down stairs
- You can carry it during a long walk through the airport
- The bag is strong enough and won’t break under the strain of your belongings!
If there is a weight restriction on your bag or you’re worried about the weight of your cabin bag then I’d recommend getting a pair of travel scales to weigh the bag. You could weigh it on your bathroom scales at home but it’s unlikely you’ll have access to bathroom scales for your return journey.
Technically, you could use vacuum bags to remove all the air from your clothing so you can fit even more in your 45x36x20 cabin bag. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to use a vacuum cleaner to remove the air from a vacuum bag, you can simply squeeze the air out and seal the bag meaning you can use it for your return journey when you don’t have access to a vacuum cleaner.
Using vacuum bags means you can fit WAY more in your cabin bag but it does mean:
- You bag can be extremely heavy
- Your bag might not be able to cope with the extra weight
- Your clothes will be very creased
Tips for travelling with just an underseat cabin bag
If you’re travelling for just a few days and plan to take nothing but a small underseat cabin bag then I have some great tips to ensure you can pack light.
- Don’t pack any shoes, just wear one versatile pair
- Decant your toiletries into tiny pots (read this about packing your hand luggage toiletries for travel)
- Plan a rough itinerary for your trip so you can plan your outfits
- Don’t worry about wearing items (especially jeans) more than once
- Use vacuum bags
- Or use compression packing cubes
- Wear your bulkiest items (like jumpers) on the plane
- Pack clothing with thin fabrics (like satin skirts, cotton dresses and silk blouses)
- Take dry shampoo rather than shampoo, conditioner, styling products and hair styling tools
- Hide a small handbag inside your coat or under your jumper
Tips for packing light
I’ve got lots more blog posts with tips for packing light so check them out here:
- 10kg luggage example + bags to use + how to fit everything in!
- Can you take razors in hand luggage? FAQs + the surprising answers!
- Packing list for a UK holiday
- 10 things you need to know about travelling with toiletries in your hand luggage (2023 UK version)
- Can you take hair straighteners on a plane in hand luggage?
- 7 Stylish airplane outfits + inspo for comfy women’s travel outfits
- How to travel light: 12 travel hacks to travel light
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- The #1 travel hack to pack light for winter travel
- Your family holiday packing list with printable holiday checklist
- Using vacuum sealed bags for travelling: The BEST way to save luggage space
- Are packing cubes worth it and do packing cubes really save space?
- Holiday packing tips: 10 travel hacks to pack light for long holidays
- 10 unnecessary items every traveller thinks they need (But I NEVER used)