EU free cabin bag rule: what changes on 23 October 2027
A new EU regulation guarantees a free personal item in the cabin. It does not apply yet, and it does not say that bigger cabin bags must be free.
The short version
- Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, which amends the EU air passenger rights regulation 261/2004, was published in the Official Journal on 2 October 2026.
- It applies to passengers departing from an airport in the EU, and to flights from outside the EU to the EU operated by an EU airline.
- Article 11a: airlines must permit a personal item in the cabin at no extra cost.
- The personal item must meet safety and security requirements and either fit within 40 x 30 x 15 cm or fit under the seat in front.
- Airlines must also, subject to cabin capacity, permit a piece of hand baggage in the cabin, but the text does not say it must be free, and it sets no common size or weight limit. Airlines may still sell fares without it to passengers who choose to travel without hand baggage.
- Airlines and booking sites must show fares that include a hand baggage allowance by default before booking starts.
- If safety, capacity or a change of aircraft means the item or bag cannot go in the cabin, the airline may require it to go in the hold, but at no further cost to you.
- It applies from 23 October 2027. Nothing changes for your next trip.
Key dates
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Signed | 16 September 2026 |
| Published in the Official Journal | 2 October 2026 |
| Entered into force | 22 October 2026 |
| Applies | 23 October 2027 |
What it means for your bag
The free item is the small bag that goes under the seat, not the trolley case for the overhead locker. Many airlines already allow a personal item of about this size for free, and our personal item sizes table shows the current size and price for each one. Airlines that now charge for a personal item, or allow a smaller one, will have to change from 23 October 2027.
For the larger cabin bag, check your airline's own page or the cabin bag size chart. Airlines keep their own size and weight limits for that bag.
Source
This page follows the text of Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 in the Official Journal: the definitions of personal item and hand baggage, Article 3 (scope), new Article 11a (personal item and hand baggage) and the application date in Article 3 of the amending regulation. We read the English text on 4 November 2026. Compensation for long delays is a separate part of the regulation and is covered on TravelRightsChecker.
Checked against the Official Journal text on 4 November 2026. Airlines can change their rules, so always confirm with your airline close to your travel date.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the EU making cabin bags free?
- Only the small personal item. The regulation guarantees a personal item in the cabin at no extra cost. The regulation does not say a larger cabin bag for the overhead locker must be free. Airlines must permit one, subject to cabin capacity, and must show fares that include it by default, but they may still sell cheaper fares without it to passengers who choose to travel without hand baggage.
- What size is the free personal item?
- The regulation defines a personal item as a piece of unchecked baggage that meets security and safety requirements and either has maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 15 cm or fits under the seat in front of the passenger.
- When does the free personal item rule start?
- It applies from 23 October 2027. The regulation was signed on 16 September 2026, published on 2 October 2026 and entered into force on 22 October 2026. Until 23 October 2027 each airline's own rules apply.
- Which flights does it cover?
- Flights departing from an airport in the EU. Flights from an airport outside the EU to the EU are covered if the airline is an EU airline, unless the passenger already receives equivalent benefits in that country. Flights from the EU on a non-EU airline are covered because they depart from an EU airport.
- Does this change what I can take today?
- No. Until the rule applies, check your airline's own page. Our personal item sizes table shows the current size and whether it is free for each airline.