Which has the bigger carry-on allowance, Ryanair or Virgin Atlantic?

Ryanair: 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in), up to 10 kg (22 lb). Virgin Atlantic: 56 × 36 × 23 cm (22 × 14.2 × 9.1 in), up to 10 kg (22 lb). Virgin Atlantic allows the larger bag.

Do Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic include a carry-on on basic economy?

Ryanair: The Basic fare includes only the small under-seat bag. Virgin Atlantic: Economy Light includes a carry-on and a personal item, but no checked bag.

Where do Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic fly from?

Ryanair's main hubs are Dublin (DUB), London Stansted (STN). Virgin Atlantic's are London (LHR). The better pick is often whichever flies nonstop from your airport.

Are Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic partners?

They aren't in the same alliance (Ryanair: none; Virgin Atlantic: SkyTeam), so miles and status generally don't transfer between them.

FR vs VS · 2026 comparison

Ryanair vs Virgin Atlantic

Ryanair wins on a bigger personal item; Virgin Atlantic wins on a bigger carry-on, a carry-on on its cheapest fare and cheaper checked bags. Here's how they compare on bags, fees, comfort, reliability and loyalty.

Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction

Ryanair

Wins 1 category

A bigger personal item

Virgin Atlantic

Wins 3 categories

A bigger carry-on
A carry-on on its cheapest fare
Cheaper checked bags

Quick verdict

Ryanair wins on a bigger personal item; Virgin Atlantic wins on a bigger carry-on, a carry-on on its cheapest fare and cheaper checked bags. Check the cheapest fare's bag rules before you compare prices.

Carry-on size: Ryanair: 55 × 40 × 20 cm · Virgin Atlantic: 56 × 36 × 23 cm
Carry-on on the cheapest fare: Ryanair: Costs extra on basic fares · Virgin Atlantic: Included on every fare
First checked bag (regular economy): Ryanair: $20–$56 · Virgin Atlantic: 1 free bag

Side by side

	Ryanair	Virgin Atlantic
Bags
Carry-on size	55 × 40 × 20 cm	56 × 36 × 23 cm
Carry-on on the cheapest fare	Costs extra on basic fares	Included on every fare
Carry-on weight limit	10 kg (22 lb)	10 kg (22 lb)
Personal item	40 × 30 × 20 cm	40 × 30 × 15 cm
First checked bag (regular economy)	$20–$56	1 free bag
Network
Alliance	None	SkyTeam
Loyalty program	None	Flying Club
Main hubs	DUB, STN	LHR

Highlighted values are better for travelers. Fees are for U.S. domestic economy flights; on-time data is 2025 U.S. DOT figures for each airline's own flights.

Bags and fees

Ryanair allows a carry-on up to 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in), and Virgin Atlantic up to 56 × 36 × 23 cm (22 × 14.2 × 9.1 in), so Virgin Atlantic's is roomier.

Ryanair charges for it on its cheapest fare, while Virgin Atlantic includes it on every fare.

Carry-on weight limits: 10 kg (22 lb) on Ryanair, 10 kg (22 lb) on Virgin Atlantic.

Personal items: 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) on Ryanair, and 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) on Virgin Atlantic.

A first checked bag on Ryanair costs $20–$56 on flights within Europe, and Virgin Atlantic includes one bag with Economy Classic on flights between the U.S. and the UK.

Basic economy

Ryanair (Basic): The Basic fare includes only the small under-seat bag.

Virgin Atlantic (Economy Light): Economy Light includes a carry-on and a personal item, but no checked bag.

Loyalty and where they fly

Ryanair is not in an alliance and Virgin Atlantic is in SkyTeam.

Loyalty programs: none (Ryanair) and Flying Club (Virgin Atlantic).

Ryanair's main hubs are Dublin (DUB), London Stansted (STN). Virgin Atlantic's are London (LHR). The best choice often comes down to which airline flies nonstop from your airport.

Which should you book?

Choose Ryanair if you want…

a bigger personal item
nonstops from DUB, STN

Choose Virgin Atlantic if you want…

a bigger carry-on
a carry-on on its cheapest fare
cheaper checked bags
to earn and use SkyTeam miles and status
nonstops from LHR

On a route both fly, the cheaper ticket isn't always the cheaper trip: add the bags you'll actually bring, and check the fare rules before you book.