How Strict Are Airlines About Personal Item Size

Every frequent traveler has seen passengers rolling their massive carry-ons and lugging equally large bags and backpacks onto the airplane as their "personal particular." So exactly how large tin your carry-on and personal detail exist? The general rule near personal detail size is that your bag must fit nether the seat in forepart of you, though some airlines practice specify maximum dimensions. Meanwhile, airlines take a wide variety of acquit-on size restrictions. Many airlines, especially outside the U.Due south., also take weight limits for bear-on bags and personal items.

Acquit-on vs. Personal Particular: What Yous Need to Know Most Baggage Policies

For years, personal items have flown mostly under the radar, only in the new world of basic economy—in which airlines are offering cheaper base fares only charging for carry-ons—more and more people will be traveling with zip simply a personal particular.

When you're traveling on the cheap and trying to pack equally much every bit possible into a very express corporeality of space, knowing the rules is vital. Here's a expect at the personal item and carry-on size limits for ten major U.S. airlines and twenty top international carriers.

A few important notes:

The dimensions beneath reflect length, height, and width, and include wheels and handles.
Personal particular and carry-on dimensions listed beneath reflect the size limits for flyers in economy class. (Airlines frequently accept more than generous baggage allowances for flyers in first or concern grade.)
If you lot're traveling on a codeshare flight, y'all'll need to check the baggage restrictions for the airline operating the flight—non necessarily the airline through which you booked.
On shorter trips flown on smaller planes, even regulation-size bear-ons may need to be gate-checked. (In such cases, you shouldn't be charged the normal checked handbag fee.)
Because carriers tin change their rules at any time, information technology's a expert idea to double-bank check before each trip.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines Behave-on Size Limit

On Alaska flights, your deport-on must not exceed 22 x 14 x nine inches. The following items may be substituted for your carry-on bag even if they're over the limit: paintings, small musical instruments, art/advertising portfolios, human organs, line-fishing poles, and "delicate scientific equipment."

Recommended carry-on: Samsonite Silhouette 16 Expandable Conduct-on Spinner

Alaska Airlines Personal Item Size Limit

Personal items are merely defined as a "purse, briefcase, or laptop computer," and the airline notes that either your carry-on or personal item must fit under the seat in front of yous. Jackets, hats, umbrellas, personal pillows, food, child rubber seats, strollers, service animals, medications, assistive/medical devices, and a "reasonable corporeality of reading material" practice not count toward your carry-on or personal particular allowance.

Recommended personal item: Mancro Laptop Backpack

Allegiant

Allegiant Deport-on Size Limit

On Allegiant, your comport-on may exist up to 22 x 14 x 9 inches (and you'll have to pay for information technology—see Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide to larn more).

Recommended carry-on: eBags TLS Hybrid Spinner Carry-on

Allegiant Personal Item Size Limit

Your personal item on Allegiant is gratis and may measure out up to 16 10 fifteen x seven inches. Examples of personal items include purses, briefcases, and small backpacks. In addition, you may bring assistive devices, strollers, a coat, a small umbrella, a diaper bag, and food to eat during the flight.

Recommended personal item: AOTIAN Mini Nylon Backpack

American Airlines

American Airlines Carry-on Size Limit

American limits carry-on bags to 22 x 14 x 9 inches, although soft-sided garment bags up to a total of 51 inches (length + width + height) are also acceptable. Note that musical instruments and pets volition count equally a carry-on detail.

Recommended carry-on: Samsonite Silhouette 16 20″ Hardside Spinner

American Airlines Personal Particular Size Limit

Your American Airlines personal particular should not exceed 18 x 14 x viii inches and must be able to fit under the seat in front end of you. Potentially larger items that don't count every bit personal items include diaper bags, kid safety seats, and medical and mobility devices; these may exist brought aboard in addition to your comport-on and personal item.

Recommended personal detail: Lily & Drew Weekender Overnight Travel Shoulder Pocketbook

Delta

graphic showing carry-on and personal item luggage

Delta Carry-on Size Limit

The maximum comport-on size on Delta is 22 ten xiv x 9 inches or a total of 45 inches combined. There's no bear-on weight limit except at select Asian airports, where the maximum weight ranges from fifteen to 22 pounds.

Recommended carry-on: Briggs & Riley Sympatico CX Int'l Carry-On Expandable Spinner

Delta Personal Item Size Limit

Delta does not requite size dimensions for personal items, merely says they should be approximately the size of a purse, briefcase, laptop bag, or diaper handbag. Things that can exist brought aboard in addition to your personal particular include jackets, umbrellas, nutrient and drinks purchased in the terminal, strollers, child seats, and medical and mobility devices.

Recommended personal item: CAMTOP Weekend Overnight Handbag

Frontier

Frontier Bear-on Size Limit

Borderland permits behave-on numberless up to 24 x sixteen x 10 inches and 35 pounds. You'll demand to pay for your carry-on bag unless you're an Aristocracy flyer (encounter Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide to learn more than).

Recommended carry-on: AmazonBasics 20″ Hardside Spinner Luggage

Frontier Personal Item Size Limit

Your personal item can exist up to 18 10 xiv x 8 inches and must fit nether the seat in front of yous. All flyers can bring a personal detail for free. Coats, diaper bags, canes, assistive devices, and foot rugs "for apply during prayer" can all be brought aboard as boosted costless items.

Recommended personal particular: Samsonite Silhouette 16 Wheeled Hardside Underseater

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines Carry-on Size Limit

On Hawaiian Airlines, your carry-on may be up to 22 10 14 10 nine inches and 25 pounds.

Recommended carry-on: Briggs & Riley Sympatico CX Int'l Carry-On Expandable Spinner

Hawaiian Airlines Personal Item Size Limit

The airline doesn't offer specific dimensions, merely notes that your personal item should be a "laptop pocketbook, briefcase, handbag, or haversack that tin fit nether the seat in front of yous."

Recommended personal particular: Kenneth Cole Reaction Dot Matrix Figurer Shoppers Tote

JetBlue

JetBlue Carry-on Size Limit

On JetBlue, your deport-on must non exceed 22 ten 14 x 9 inches. The airline does not have a weight limit for carry-on numberless.

Recommended carry-on: Samsonite Silhouette 16 Expandable Carry-on Spinner

JetBlue Personal Item Size Limit

Personal items should not exceed 17 x 13 10 viii inches and must fit nether the seat. You can also bring duty-gratuitous items (in "a reasonable and express amount"), a diaper bag, assistive devices, a coat, an umbrella, and/or an babe car seat without eating into your deport-on or personal item allowance.

Recommended personal item: Briggs & Riley Baseline 17″ Double Expandable Tote

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Acquit-on Size Limit

Southwest has a more generous deport-on limit than near U.S. airlines, allowing bags up to 24 10 16 x 10 inches. If you're bringing a pet, its carrier volition count as either your carry-on or personal item.

Recommended carry-on: AmazonBasics 20″ Hardside Spinner Luggage

Southwest Personal Detail Size Limit

On Southwest, your personal item must be 18.v ten xiii.5 x 8.5 inches or less, and fit under the seat in forepart of you. Assistive/mobility devices, jackets, canes, umbrellas, and food to eat during the flying all count as extras that you can bring in improver to your bear-on and personal particular.

Recommended personal detail: Ronyes Unisex College Bag

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines Behave-on Size Limit

Spirit has a slightly more generous size limit for its carry-ons than most other U.S. airlines, with a maximum of 22 x 18 x 10 inches. The catch, though, is that you'll have to pay extra to bring anything across a personal item (see Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide to learn more).

Recommended conduct-on: eBags TLS Female parent Lode Mini 21″ Wheeled Behave-on Duffel

Spirit Airlines Personal Particular Size Limit

Personal items can be up to 18 x 14 x 8 inches, large enough to include a sizable purse or smaller backpack.

Recommended personal item: Samsonite Eco-Nu Wheeled Underseater Behave-on

United Airlines

United Airlines Acquit-on Size Limit

On United, the maximum carry-on size is 22 10 14 10 9 inches. Notation, notwithstanding, that if you're traveling in basic economy, you may simply bring a personal item. (At that place are a few exceptions: those traveling on transatlantic flights, and Premier members or primary bill of fare members using qualifying MileagePlus credit cards.)

Recommended carry-on: Samsonite Silhouette xvi 20″ Hardside Spinner

United Airlines Personal Particular Size Limit

United personal items must fit nether the seat in front of you and may not be larger than 17 x 10 x 9 inches. Items such equally jackets, umbrellas, diaper bags, nutrient purchased in the airdrome, assistive devices, child prophylactic seats, pet carriers, cameras, and reading material may be brought aboard in addition to your comport-on and personal detail.

Recommended personal item: Katloo Mini Nylon Backpack

Carry-on and Personal Item Size Limits on International Airlines

The chart beneath features the maximum sizes for carry-on bags and personal items on 22 major international airlines. Note that baggage restrictions may vary depending on your specific route. Some measurements are approximate, having been converted from centimeters into inches or from kilograms into pounds.

Airline	Carry-on Size Limit	Personal Item Size Limit
Aer Lingus	21.5 x xv.5 x nine.5 inches; 22 pounds	13 x 10 10 8 inches
Aeroflot	21.5 x xv.75 x 10 inches; 22 pounds	31.5 inches total (length + height + width); 11 pounds
Air Canada	21.5 x 15.v ten nine inches; no weight limit	17 x 13 10 half-dozen inches; no weight limit
Air China	22 x 16 x viii inches; xi pounds	Not specified
Air France	21.vii 10 13.8 10 9.nine inches; 26 pounds total for carry-on plus personal particular	16 ten 12 x 6 inches
Air New Zealand	46.5 inches full (length + height + width); fifteen pounds	Not specified
British Airways	22 x eighteen x 10 inches; 51 pounds	sixteen 10 12 x 6 inches; 51 pounds
Communist china Pacific	22 10 14 10 nine inches; 15 pounds	16 x 12 x half dozen inches
China Eastern	22 x 17.seven x ix.8 inches, simply full must be no more than 45 inches; 22 pounds	Not specified
China Southern	45 inches full (length + height + width); 11 pounds	Not specified
easyJet	22 x 17.vii 10 9.viii inches; no weight limit	Non specified
Emirates	21.7 10 15 x 7.ix inches; 15.4 pounds	Not specified
Ethiopian Airlines	21.7 ten 15.75 x nine inches; 15 pounds	Dimensions not specified; 11 pounds
Etihad Airways	19.7 x 15.75 ten 10 inches; 15 pounds	Dimensions not specified; eleven pounds
KLM	21.five x thirteen.5 x 10 inches; 26 pounds total for carry-on plus personal item	sixteen x 12 x 6 inches
Lufthansa	21.7 10 15.75 x 9 inches; 17 pounds	15.75 ten 11.eight 10 iv inches
Norwegian	21.7 x 15.75 x 9 inches; 22 pounds full for acquit-on plus personal particular (LowFare+ only)	11.8 ten 7.9 x xv inches; 22 pounds (LowFare)
Qantas	22 10 14 x ix inches; fifteen pounds	Not specified
Ryanair	21.7 x fifteen.75 10 seven.9 inches; 22 pounds (Priority merely)	fifteen.75 ten 10 x 7.9 inches (Non-priority)
Singapore Airlines	45 inches total (length + height + width); fifteen pounds	15.75 x 11.viii x iv inches
Turkish Airlines	21.vii x xv.75 x ix inches; 17.6 pounds	Not specified
WestJet	21 x 15 x 9 inches; no weight limit	16 10 thirteen ten 6 inches; no weight limit

Best Deport-on and Personal Item Options

Carry-On Options for Your Adjacent Trip 1

Comport-On Options for Your Next Trip 2

More from SmarterTravel:

The Comport-on Claiming: How to Pack Lite Every Time
The Essential Comport-on Purse Packing Listing
7 Things Non to Do When Packing a Carry-on Bag

Jamie Ditaranto is a writer and photographer who is ever looking for her next adventure. Follow her on Twitter@jamieditaranto.

Editor'south note: Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story. This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the nearly current information.

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