Hidden Costs of a Cheap Flight: What £27 Actually Becomes
We publish fares from £27, so it's only fair we tell you what happens next. On a standard ticket, Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air no longer include a cabin bag in the price — British Airways and Jet2 still do. Consumer research put baggage and seat selection at an average of £52 with easyJet, £57 with Ryanair and £113 with Wizz Air across three routes. A £27 headline fare and £52 of extras is £79. The fare is real; it just isn't the price.
What the extras actually cost
The averages come from consumer research across three routes and are not a fixed price list — your own total depends on route, how far ahead you book and how much you're carrying. The dashes are where we don't hold a verified figure, and we'd rather leave them blank than estimate.
| Airline | Cabin bag included? | Example fees | Baggage + seats, average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jet2 | Yes — 10kg, 56x45x25cm, plus an under-seat bag 40x30x20cm | ||
| British Airways | Yes | ||
| easyJet | No on standard tickets | Second cabin bag from £5.99 | £52 |
| Ryanair | No on standard tickets | £6 to bring a 10kg bag on board; up to £10 to check it instead; £25 for a larger hold bag | £57 |
| Wizz Air | No on standard tickets | £113 |
Why we're telling you this
We list live fares and some of them genuinely are £27. Being straight about what sits on top is the whole point: we get paid whether you book a cheap flight or an expensive one, so we have no reason to hide it.
An airline selling the seat does.
The cabin bag is the big one
This is the change most people haven't caught up with. Jet2 and British Airways still include a cabin bag in the overhead locker. Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air don't on their standard fares.
For a family of four that's four charges, applied twice if you're comparing a return.
Seat selection is optional until it isn't
Technically you can decline it and be allocated seats free. In practice, families travelling with young children usually pay rather than risk being split up.
That's the fee airlines rely on, and it's why the research figures are as high as they are.
How to compare fares honestly
Add the bag you'll definitely take and the seats you'll realistically pay for, then compare.
A Jet2 fare that looks £30 more can be the cheaper ticket once a cabin bag is priced in. Do the comparison on the total, not the headline.
What this means for the prices on this site
Our fares come from live partner data and are indicative “from” prices, confirmed on the booking site before you pay.
They are the fare, not the finished total, and we'd rather say so here than have you find out at the gate.
Sources
Fees and allowances checked 16 August 2026. Airline pricing changes frequently — confirm on the airline's own site before booking.
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