Israel’s national airline, El Al, has revised its carry-on baggage policy for economy class passengers, introducing new rules that take effect on most of its routes starting May 21th 2025.
The updated policy applies specifically to passengers traveling between Israel and destinations in Europe and the United Arab Emirates — and only affects those who purchased tickets under the airline’s lowest fare category, Lite.
Under the new rules, Lite fare passengers will no longer be allowed to bring a standard carry-on suitcase into the cabin. Instead, they will be required to hand over their carry-on at the gate, where ground staff will check it into the aircraft’s hold — free of charge. Travelers will still be permitted to carry one personal item into the cabin, such as a laptop bag, small backpack, or briefcase, not exceeding 38x30x18 cm in size.
Passengers who purchased Classic or Flex economy fares are not affected by the change and can continue to bring a carry-on bag (up to 56x45x25 cm and 8 kg) in addition to a personal item of the same maximum size as above.
Industry analysts suggest this move could signal the beginning of a shift in El Al’s baggage policies, potentially paving the way for future charges for cabin baggage — a model widely adopted by Europe’s low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air. These airlines allow only a small personal item onboard free of charge, with any larger bag requiring an extra fee that can sometimes rival the ticket price itself.
In 2023, Finnair became the first traditional full-service carrier in Europe to introduce fees for cabin baggage for passengers booking the cheapest fares, marking a significant shift in industry norms.
El Al has not yet announced whether it plans to follow suit with a similar pricing strategy, but today’s policy change is seen by many as a clear step in that direction.
