With the EU proposing new legislation that would see charges for hand luggage abolished, Ryanair has done a U-turn on its own cabin bag policy.
The budget airline is notorious for cracking down on passengers whose bags are even slightly over the allowed size, but in a shock move is now allowing travellers to bring bigger bags on board... for free.
The new rule relates specifically to the under-the-seat, personal item, such as a handbag or laptop, that is free for all fare types but with strict size restrictions.
Currently, passengers can bring a personal item up to 40 x 25 x 20cm in size, but the policy change will see this jump to 40 x 30 x 20 cm - a 5cm difference that might just allow for an additional pair of sunnies.
The change is set to be introduced in the coming weeks and follows a number of new travel charges in 2025, from city taxes to boarding card policy changes.
Here are what other travel changes are happening across Europe this summer.
Entry regulations
Spain
Irish citizens need a valid passport to enter Spain, but some non-EU citizens (those outside the Schengen area) travelling from Ireland may need a visa.
Much has been said about the incoming EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which is set to go live in October, but Irish citizens will not be impacted, nor will they be impacted by the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which is due to come into to place in 2026 and carry a fee of €7 per application for non-EU citizens.
Irish citizens travelling to certain cities in Spain may be asked to pay a city tax per day, which is typically added onto an accommodation bill.
The regions charging a tourist tax are: Catalonia (including Barcelona), €1.20 to €6 per night, with a €4 surcharge in Barcelona. Max up to €10 per night, depending on accommodation type.
The Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, and Formentera) also charge a city tax of between €1-€4 per night in high season while Toldedo charges between €1 and €2.50 per night, and Santiago de Compostela charges between €.50 and €2.50 and Mogán (Gran Canaria) began charging €.15 per person per night in January.
Other regions with pending tourist taxes include: Asturias, Galicia, Tenerife (Canary Islands), Alicante and Seville.
As things stand, Valencia and Madrid don't implement a tourist tax, reports Health Plan magazine.
France
Irish citizens must pay a tourist tax in France, which is determined by the municipalities and the type of accommodation.
In Paris this ranges from €.65 for one and two-star campsites right up to €15.60 per night for those staying in palaces. Accommodation not yet classified into a category, charge a rate of 5 per cent of the room cost, capped at €15.60 per night.
Portugal
Irish citizens also don't need a visa to enter Portugal, but will have to pay a tourist tax in certain regions, and the rates have been rising, with some areas doubling in cost in 2024.
Nordeste on San Miguel, which forms part of the Azores Islands, is the latest spot to introduce the tax. Lisbon, Faro, Porto and Madeira charge a tourist tax ranging from €1 to €4 per night.
That charge breaks down as €4 per night for the first seven nights of stay in Lisbon, while Porto charges €3 per person per night and Madeira charges €2 per night for the first seven nights.
Italy
As with other EU destinations, Irish citizens don't need a visa to enter Italy. The tourist tax cost depends on a number of factors, including the destination, with Rome and Venice charging the highest rate (up to €10).
The fee is also dependent on the category of accommodation, the season, and the number of nights.
Venice made headlines around the world in April 2024 when it introduced the Venice Access Fee, whereby visitors need to pay an entry fee during certain times of the day and year up to mid-July.
Those who book more than four days in advance will pay €5; otherwise, the fee is €10. See the full list of required days in 2025 here.
Greece
Irish citizens also don't need a visa to go to Greece. The amount of tourist tax due, otherwise known as the Climate Crisis Resilience Tax, is charged depending on the season and type of accommodation.
It has increased recently, with the money going to support local communities and fund climate change prevention initiatives.
From November to February, the charge is €2, while during high season (April to October) the charge jumps to €8 per day for short-term rentals up to €15 per night for high-end accommodation.
UK
Our nearest neighbour introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) entry charge in April, which amounts to €12, but the good news is that it doesn't apply to Irish (or British Citizens travelling home).
Scotland will be introducing a tourist tax, which is set to come into effect from 2026 and see visitors charged a five per cent accommodation fee, capped at five nights in Edinburgh. It will come into effect in July 2026.
A similar fee will be rolled out in Glasgow in 2027.
USA
Irish citizens travelling to the US for a holiday must have a valid passport and an approved ESTA visa waiver.
An ESTA is also required for transiting through the States. The US government requires transgender citizens to declare what it calls the traveller's biological sex at birth on application forms.
If the traveller's sex on their passport differs from their sex assigned at birth, they are advised to contact the US Embassy for further advice.
Proposed hand luggage fee change
In June, EU lawmakers voted to put an end to airlines charging additional fees for hand luggage, including for budget airlines.
The change still requires further approval from member states but if it's pushed through, it will extend to all flights within the EU, but also flights to and from the EU.
Under the new change, passengers would be permitted to bring a cabin bag measuring up to 100cm as well as a personal item no greater in size than 40 x 30 x 15 cm with no additional cost.
Ryanair policy changes
From May 2025, Ryanair moved to a fully digital policy that eliminates the option to print a boarding card at the airport with a view to moving all passengers to using the app, with some exceptions.*
Any traveller who is unable to present the boarding pass on the App or in a printed format at the Airport will have to pay a reissue fee.
Currently, passengers are permitted to bring one personal item on the flight free of charge, which must fit under the seat, with a fee for additional cabin or checked bags. In July, it was announced that Ryanair was increasing the allowed size of the free personal item.
Passengers who choose the Priority and two cabin bags option, which allows you to bring an additional cabin bag weighing up to 10kg on board, can expect to pay €6-€36 at the time of booking or €20 to €60 after booking. Checked bag fees start from €9.49 in price, with Ryanair stating that extra or oversized bags will be refused at the gate.
The airline has also urged passengers to leave plenty of time to get through the airport or risk being subjected to a missed departure fee of €100 for rebooking a flight.
*Ryanair's website states that travellers departing from a Moroccan airport to any destination or from Tirana in Albania to the UK must carry a paper printout of their boarding pass. See more here.
Aer Lingus
In 2025, Aer Lingus introduced a pre-boarding system that divides passengers into three groups, which is designed to streamline the boarding process.
Group one consists of AerClub Silver, Platinum and Concierge members, AerSpace customers and Connecting Business Class passengers.
In group two, are passengers permitted to bring a 10kg bag on board, and you'll see this marked on your boarding card as 'Carry-on bag.'
All remaining passengers are in group three. For long-haul flights, boarding starts 40-50 minutes before departure.
If not included in the ticket, customers can purchase a 10kg carry on bag for €9.95. Passengers who bring a carry-on bag when it's not purchased/ included in their ticket will be subjected to a €35 fee to have it placed in the hold. See more here.
