Research has revealed that EasyJet is the airline where travellers risk the lowest penalty for overweight hold baggage, at £5 per kilogram.

As the cost of living continues to bite, UK fliers are being warned that overweight hold luggage could be costing them a small fortune this spring. Fliers could be landed with a bill of up to £200, based on the latest airline data.

Fliers who have booked with Virgin Atlantic this year are set to risk as much as £200, if their luggage exceeds the size allowance.*

The research analyses the major European and long-haul airlines operating in the UK & IE to find the airlines which have ample allowance for fliers to get the most baggage for their buck.

Heavy packers are advised to check the hold baggage allowance before booking. United Airlines allows for 34% more than the standard for major airlines, with 31kg, followed by Wizz Air with 13% more, at 26kg. In contrast, RyanAir offers over 57% less allowing just 10kg.

Searches for hold luggage backpacks, now offered by many travel apparel trend-leaders such as Zalando, Antler, and Nordace, have risen sharply as fliers are increasingly looking to navigate the tighter luggage restrictions. Holidaymakers searching for “cabin bag Ryanair” have nearly tripled (+195%) so far this year, compared to 2022.