A cheap ticket isn't yet a cheap trip. If you buy a "basic" fare and turn up with the wrong size suitcase, you'll end up paying more at the gate than for the ticket itself. The three carriers that dominate the Lithuanian market, Ryanair, Wizz Air and airBaltic, have different baggage rules. This guide gives you the exact centimetres, kilograms and euros so there are no surprises at the airport.

Personal item (free)

• Ryanair 40 x 20 x 25 cm. Must fit under the seat in front. Weight is not officially limited but realistically up to 10 kg. The only free bag on the "Basic" fare.
• Wizz Air 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Also has to fit under the seat. Weight is technically unlimited, but the gate sizers are strict.
• airBaltic 30 x 40 x 10 cm (laptop bag, small handbag, etc.). Unlike the low cost carriers, it's automatically included with every ticket.

Carry on bag (the 10 kg class)

• Ryanair 55 x 40 x 20 cm, up to 10 kg. Only with a paid add on: Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, 6-36 euros depending on the route and date.
• Wizz Air 55 x 40 x 23 cm, up to 10 kg. Paid "WIZZ Priority" add on, from 5 to 40 euros. Also includes priority boarding.
• airBaltic 55 x 40 x 23 cm, up to 8 kg. Included in every fare, even the cheapest "Basic". This is one of airBaltic's biggest advantages.

Checked baggage

• Ryanair 10 kg (55 x 40 x 20 cm) from €12.99 or 20 kg from €24.99. In peak season it can reach 45-60 euros. Overweight, 11 euros/kg.
• Wizz Air 10, 20 or 32 kg. Prices: 10 kg, from 14 euros, 20 kg, from 25 euros, 32 kg, from 50 euros. Overweight, 11-19 euros/kg.
• airBaltic 20 kg (up to 23 kg allowed) from 15 euros, often already included in "Premium" and "Business" fares. Overweight (24-32 kg), a flat 50 euros.

Priority boarding

• Ryanair included in "Priority" and "Plus" fares, separately 6-20 euros. Lets you bring a larger 55 cm bag into the cabin.
• Wizz Air the "WIZZ Priority" package (5-40 euros). Also entitles you to a 10 kg carry on.
• airBaltic free for "Business" and "Premium" fares. Not sold separately.

Gate check

This is the most painful part of low cost flying. If your hand luggage doesn't meet the rules (too big or no add on purchased), the carriers behave differently:

• Ryanair a 70-75 euro fine for "not allowed to board" hand luggage at the gate. Staff check actively, especially on short routes.
• Wizz Air an 85 euro fine for bags that don't fit the metal sizer.
• airBaltic 50-70 euros, but checked less often and more leniently.

Special baggage

• Sports equipment (skis, bike, golf) Ryanair 35-70 euros, Wizz Air 40-65 euros, airBaltic 50-80 euros. Always register it online in advance, at the airport it's 20-30 % more expensive.
• Musical instruments all three allow small instruments (violin, guitar) in the cabin if they fit carry on dimensions. For large ones, a separate seat ticket is purchased.
• Pets Ryanair DOES NOT carry animals (except guide dogs). Wizz Air doesn't either. airBaltic carries cats and small dogs in the cabin for 50-75 euros, larger ones in the hold.

Tips for avoiding extra fees

• Measure your bag accurately at home including wheels and handles. 55 cm is 55 cm, not 56.
• Wear the heavy stuff winter coat, shoes, books. The carriers don't limit what you can wear or carry in your hands (e.g. a laptop).
• Buy baggage in advance 24-48 hours before the flight at the airport the price jumps 30-50 %.
• Soft suitcase beats hard that 1-2 cm of "squish" can save you 70 euros. Hardshells have no tolerance.
• Weigh at home kitchen scale + bathroom scale: weigh yourself with and without the bag. The difference is the exact weight.
• Pick airBaltic for longer weekends the free 8 kg carry on often makes up for the ticket being 20-40 euros more expensive.
• Travel as a family two of you can take 2 x 10 kg carry ons, often enough for a week. Cheaper than a single 20 kg checked bag.

Summary: which carrier is the most baggage friendly?

If you're a "carry on only" traveller, all three are similar, but airBaltic is unambiguously the best, because the 8 kg carry on is free for everyone. If you're taking checked baggage, Ryanair usually offers the cheapest overall deal when you add the bag in advance. Wizz Air is the most convenient in terms of flexibility (especially with a WIZZ Discount Club membership).

Using the Windly search tool you can see the total price, with baggage included, for all three carriers at once, so you actually see which deal is the cheapest.