Passengers traveling by plane within the European Union will have the right to bring, at no extra cost, a carry-on bag weighing up to 7 kilograms, in addition to the small bag or backpack they can place under the seat.
The new rule will apply from October 23, 2027, and will also change the way airlines must display ticket prices.
The European regulation introducing the new rights was published on October 2, 2026, in the Official Journal of the European Union. It concerns Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, which amends European legislation on air passenger rights.
What you can take for free on the plane
Basically, each passenger will be entitled to two things:
- a personal item, such as a bag, a small backpack, or a laptop bag that fits under the front seat;
- a carry-on bag weighing up to 7 kg, without an additional fee.
However, this does not mean that all tickets will necessarily have the same price and include the 7 kg bag. The rule is that the fare displayed by the airline by default must include the carry-on bag, without an additional fee being added later. The passenger can choose to travel without this bag, in which case the airline may offer a cheaper ticket.
There are also size limits. For the personal item, the maximum dimensions are 40 × 30 × 15 cm or it must be able to be stored under the seat.
For the carry-on bag of up to 7 kg, the sum of the three dimensions - length, width, and height - must not exceed 100 cm.
This is a significant change especially for passengers of airlines that, with the cheapest tickets, currently only allow a small backpack or bag for free and charge extra for a larger carry-on bag.
What happens if there is no more space in the cabin
The fact that the bag is included for free does not mean that it will necessarily end up in the overhead compartment.
The regulation states that the transport of the carry-on bag depends on the available capacity of the aircraft. If it cannot be taken into the cabin due to reasons such as available space, safety, or aircraft type, it can be transported in the hold at no extra cost to the passenger.
The price with baggage will have to be displayed from the beginning
Another significant change occurs right when you search for a ticket.
Airlines will have to display, before the start of the booking process, the fare that includes the right to carry-on baggage. The purpose is for passengers to be able to more easily compare prices between companies and know from the beginning how much the trip actually costs.
When the rules change
The new rules do not apply immediately. The regulation was published in the Official Journal of the EU on October 2, 2026, and comes into effect 20 days after publication, but its provisions will apply starting from October 23, 2027.
Until then, the rules established by each airline at present remain valid. This means that, for flights in the following year, passengers still need to carefully check what baggage is included in the purchased fare and what they need to pay for separately.