One 20KG suitcase for 4 people? Is this doable?

[WhyAreHolidaysSoStressful]

I've messed up. We're flying with Ryan Air (never again and we've not even left yet!) and I've only booked one 20kg suitcase for 4 of us. We managed this last time but also took small suitcases as hand luggage. I didn't realise that Ryan air hand luggage is now literally just a small backpack.

It's now going to cost £112 for another 20kg bag (the first one was only £40 when I booked).

I'm very reluctant so spend so much on extra luggage when it was supposed to be a cheap holiday in the first place.

It's a beach holiday, only six full days there with two days travelling - is it doable if we take maybe 3 lightweight outfits each?

I think this is fine. If it's a hot place it's definitely fine. We got these backpacks that are Ryan air size and couldn't loads in them too. amzn.eu/d/0cfNB7wk

We never take luggage. Always just take a soft carry on bag that shoves under the seat and buy toiletries there. We're pretty good at travelling light! 😁

Sorry not rtft but the hand luggage backpack fits more in that you think @WhyAreHolidaysSoStressful

I went away for four days recently with just the hand luggage, and yes, my bag did fit the requirements (they didn't check anyway) - underwear, mini skincare items, a book, phones and chargers, two dresses, flip flops, all fitted in easily.

I would imagine if everyone packs a careful backpack, you can then fit a few further outfits and underwear into one case. Wear trainers, flip flops in your backpack and you are good for shoes. Can always buy toiletries in Boots airside.

If you need to take beach towels then I guess it might be an issue but otherwise more than doable.

@qotsa that's the backpack I have for Ryanair and it's great! I also got my crossbody bag in it to use on the holiday.

I meant to add that I hate checking in luggage and never do it tbh for a number of reasons. Mind you it's a while since I went on a plane for a fortnight's trip.

It's not competitive underpacking - I am happy to wear a dress twice as long as I have showered and got clean underwear. Do people really wash things when they have only worn them for an evening? Some of the lists on here always make me amazed - I don't think I own 10 dresses for evening and five dresses for the day as one pp mentioned.

Ryanair is a perfectly good airline which gets you from a to b.
If you want to take excess luggage, you have to pay for it which is fair enough.
If you mess up by not booking what you need, then that’s on you and not the fault of “nasty” Mr O’Leary who has been upfront about the charges

I don’t like Ryan air; I find their website can be confusing and I think they do it as a way to trick people, get more money out of them

Indeed. Some of us (me) are grateful that Ryanair exists as it's the only airline that takes me more or less( 2 hours drive each way) from where I live to where I need to go to in France. As for the prices,yes,they are pretty easy to understand and clear for everyone to see.

Not sure of someone has suggested it already but can you not get ryanair specific hand luggage size bags and take a couple of those with clothes in as well. Loads onf amazon. Just check dimensions carefully. They take a surprising amount.

If flying ryanair i doubt your flights longer than a few hours? So you can have 2 bags with clothes in and 2 with hand luggage bits in and snacks.

Wear heavier clothes. You can get vacum type packing cubes now too.

Right! So miserable to be on holidays with one pair of flip flops and 3 dresses! Sorry no thanks!

Ok well wearing flip flops and a dress doesn’t make me miserable thanks. Losing my hold luggage has ruined a holiday tho.

This may have been mentioned already but is it definitely that price for another bag if you put it under a different passenger?

Lots of airlines charge £ for the first bag per passenger and then £££ for the second bag per passenger. So two bags booked under two different passengers is cheaper than both under the same passenger. Not sure if Ryanair works this way though. Nothing would surprise me!

But they're not limited to this.

They have backpacks, the clothes they're wearing and a quarter of the space in the suitcase. 2 pairs of sandals/flip flops each in the suitcase plus some clothes. Other stuff in the backpack. Wear jeans and a hoodie on the flight. It will be fine.

Order suncream, toiletries on click and collect or buy when you're there if you will be near a normal price supermarket.

@Bjorkdidit well exactly! The two dresses and a book and some flip flops is just in the carryon - the group has a big suitcase as well.

Excellent idea, I think they prob do the suncream, wouldn’t this have to fit into hand luggage too though?

You can get more than you think in the Ryan Air-sized cabin bags! We’ve always done European trips for 5 days or so just with those bags. Piece of piss with a huge suitcase on top too, and I’m also someone who has to bring their own toiletries for allergies. Do a trial run and maybe invest in some packing cubes or one of those portable vacuum but definitely don’t pay £112 for a suitcase - you’ll manage absolutely fine I’m sure!

No, you are allowed to carry on a bag of duty free and anything you buy once you have gone through check in

Someone has probably already said this but on Amazon search for cabin luggage Ryan air and there's a bag for a tenner. It's amazing what you can fit in there. We just went to Salou for four days with two teens and only had hand luggage. I was worried but it was absolutely fine. Clean clothes each day.

If we got in the shit I was going to wear layers of my outfits.

You will be fine. You're packing too much shit if you aren't.

Actually, clean clothes twice most days. I didn't pack a Towel tho, the hotel has them.

I've never heard of competitive underpacking before 😂

I take hand luggage only, but I rarely need more than 2 pairs of sandals, swimming cossie, underwear and a few outfits to rotate over a week or so. I buy toiletries wherever I am and there's always towels, so it's fairly easy tbh.

I also think it depends on the holiday. There's probably a fair difference between a chilled week in a quiet village in Tuscany and a week in Dubai, for example!

'Competitive under packing' is how those on MN with unlimited resources describe how people who do things normally pack for holidays.

Meanwhile back in the real world, when faced with a charge of over £100 to take a second suitcase in addition to a carry on bag each, we pause to question the necessity of said second suitcase.

No-ones talking about making the same pair of pants last all week. Just that, when considered rationally, the planned luggage allowance is sufficient for 6 days holiday where the weather will be reliably warm so there's no need for heavy clothes or layers.

OP if it's the availability of suitable carry on bags and beach towels that's making it difficult, it would probably be a good investment to buy cheap cabin max style bags that fit Ryanair's dimensions and hamman towels that fold down to nothing as these will help you maximise your luggage allowance and obviously you'll then have them for future trips.

I also think some people (and I'm one of them) just don't feel like their holiday is hugely influenced by what they're wearing.

I've also got pretty good at packing densely. I was away recently and fitted 5 dresses, a pair of trousers, pair of shorts, 4 t shirts, 14x pants and socks, 3 bras, a jumper, leggings, raincoat, 2x pjs, lightweight beach towel, swimming cozzie, medication x quite a lot, spare glasses, goggles, toiletries and two spare pairs of shoes into a Ryanair overhead carry on.

So I think I could fit a dress or two and a spare pair of shoes into the not-overhead bag, and pack the rest into a quarter of a 20kg suitcase and it just wouldn't ruin my holiday. Clearly if it would ruin your holiday you'd have to suck up the extra fee, but if it doesn't bother you it would be physically possible.

You can do this easily OP. I have just come back from a UK beach holiday for 8 nights with just a 15l backpack for me. Most “medium” suitcases are around the 60l point. Wear trainers, take flipflops. I definitely wasn’t competitively underpacking, I just took what I needed!

It's also worth knowing that as long as you don't tip over into the next full kilo, you won't get charged extra for the luggage. So you can get away with it being up to 20.9 kg.

Also if its over that, it might be worth paying a little bit over as 2 or 3 kg will be nowhere near £112 (check this though).

Also if your bag is a bit too heavy, you can take things out and wear them or put them in your pockets as then the weight doesn't count.

We just did this with 5 people and it was fine. DC had jumpers in hand luggage, we rolled up clothes in suitcase. We packed some toiletries (sun cream, toothpaste) but bought shampoo, conditioner and shower gel when we got here. Also helps that we have a washing machine and that my DC are boys who have been telling me that I overpack for years!