What Size Is a Carry-On Trolley? Allowed Dimensions by Airline and How to Choose

A carry-on trolley is a 20-inch suitcase, and its size is usually about 55×40×20 cm including the wheels and handles, with a capacity of 35 to 50 liters. The number that decides is the airline's limit: on El Al, Israir and Arkia up to 56×45×25 cm and 8 kg, and on airlines like Ryanair up to 55×40×20 cm.

Why it's called a trolley, and what 20 inches means

A "trolley" is the small suitcase with wheels and a telescopic handle, the one that goes with you into the bin above your seat. Suitcases are measured in inches by their height, and the trolley is the smallest size in the series: 20 inches. After it come 24 inches (medium), 28 (large) and 32 (extra large). On the 20-inch suitcases we sell, the height is 49 to 55 cm including wheels, and the capacity 35 to 50 liters. We've detailed every size in our guide to suitcase sizes.

Note that "20 inches" is the name of a size, not an exact measurement. Two 20-inch suitcases can differ by a few centimeters in depth or width, and that decides whether they pass the measurement at the gate.

Allowed trolley dimensions by airline

The dimensions include wheels and handles. Here's the table for the airlines travellers fly most often:

The dimensions were checked in September 2026. On low-cost airlines the basic fare includes only a small bag that fits under the seat, and the trolley costs extra. On Wizz Air the size is without wheels, so comparing it with dimensions that include wheels is stricter. On the major airlines it's included, but the weight is sometimes checked at the counter. How much you're allowed to carry and what to do when the trolley is too heavy, we covered in our trolley weight guide.

The most surprising number: the depth

Most 20-inch suitcases are 54 to 55 cm tall, so the height is almost never the problem. What decides is the depth. El Al allows up to 25 cm, Ryanair and Emirates only 20. A suitcase 23 cm deep will board an El Al flight without a problem, but won't fit in Ryanair's sizer.

This is especially true of expandable suitcases. The expansion zipper usually adds 3 to 4 cm to the depth. A 20 cm suitcase with the expansion open becomes 23 or 24 cm, and may exceed the low-cost airline's limit. The simple rule: if you're flying Ryanair or Emirates, close the expansion before the airport. The expansion is more useful for a suitcase that goes in the hold, or for El Al flights.

How to measure a trolley correctly

1. Height: from the floor to the top of the handle when it's fully closed, including the wheels.
2. Width: at the widest point, including the side handle.
3. Depth: from the back to the most protruding part of the front, when the suitcase is packed, not empty. A full front pocket adds centimeters.

A size listed on a website without wheels is off by a few centimeters. Every suitcase on our site lists the external dimensions including wheels, and with the checker at the top of the page you can choose an airline and see which of our suitcases it accepts in the cabin. A detailed explanation with photos is in our guide to measuring a suitcase.

A trolley plus a small bag: what else you can take

Most airlines let you take a small personal item that fits under the seat alongside the trolley, like a small backpack or a crossbody bag. On low-cost airlines this is actually the only bag included in the basic fare, so its dimensions matter just as much:

If you fly with only the small bag, you need a backpack that stays within the dimensions even when it's full. Which capacity fits each size, we covered in our guide to backpack size for flights.

What to check before buying a trolley

• Dimensions including wheels against the airline you fly most. For El Al flights up to 25 cm deep, for low-cost up to 20.
• The weight of the empty suitcase. Our trolleys weigh 2.2 to 3 kg. When the limit is 8 kg, the difference between a 2.2 kg suitcase and a 3 kg one is almost another kilo of clothes.
• Four spinner wheels. The suitcase rolls beside you in the narrow aircraft aisle and in the security line, without being dragged behind.
• Hard-shell or fabric. A hard-shell suitcase protects what's inside better. A fabric suitcase is lighter and sometimes has an outer pocket you can reach without opening it.
• A built-in combination lock, so there's no separate lock to lose.
• Warranty. Ours is 12 months on the wheels, handles, telescopic handle mechanism and zipper pullers. Hard-shell suitcases made of 100% polypropylene, like the Navigator, also have a 10-year warranty on the hard shell.

You can see all our carry-on suitcases in the 20-inch suitcases category.

When a trolley isn't enough

A 35 to 50 liter trolley is meant for short trips, like a weekend abroad or a business trip. For a longer trip, or when the large suitcase is already included in the ticket, it's worth adding a 24 or 28-inch suitcase in the hold and keeping in the trolley only what you need on the flight. And before you pack, it's worth going over what you can't take on a flight: a power bank, for example, must stay in the bag under the seat.