What is the maximum size for carry on luggage

A small item is something carried outside of your main item and is capable of fitting under the seat in front of you.

Common small items include:

  • A purse or handbag
  • A laptop in a thin case
  • A coat or blanket
  • An umbrella
  • A camera
  • Infant food and other baby items
  • Approved duty free goods

Avoid fees at the airport

We monitor carry-on baggage at the airport and fees apply if you exceed your allowance. Extra items may also need to be checked in.

If you know you're likely to go over your allowance, it's cheaper to purchase extra baggage online before you arrive at the airport. You can do this when you book or at Manage booking.

Dangerous goods

Some items are prohibited as carry-on baggage so make sure you remove restricted items and don’t forget to check liquids, aerosols, gels and powders if you are flying from an international terminal.

Travelling with medication

If you need to bring essential medication on your flight, please check our travelling with medication requirements.

Travelling with infants and children

On all flights you can bring an approved car seat on board for your infant or child to sit in, in addition to your other carry-on items, free of charge.

If your stroller collapses to our carry-on baggage dimensions (56cm x 23cm x 36cm) and it’s securely packed within a protective cover/bag, then it can be carried on board most Jetstar flights. It will count towards your carry-on baggage allowance.

Since carry-on baggage comes in all shapes and sizes, measurement restrictions vary by airline. But don't worry – they don't vary so much that you'll need to buy a different carry-on bag for each airline.

Is there a weight limit for carry-on bags?

Yes, sometimes carry-on luggage size restrictions may include weight limitations. Most major airlines do not impose weight rules, however.

Carry-on vs. personal item: What's the difference?

Most airlines allow economy passengers to bring one carry-on and one personal item – such as a briefcase, purse, laptop bag or small backpack – at no extra cost. A carry-on bag is typically stored in a plane's overhead bin, while a personal item should go under the seat in front of you. There often aren't any size restrictions for a personal item, save for on budget airlines.

Speaking of budget carriers, many of them (such as Spirit, Frontier and Ryanair) only allow a single personal item free of charge, forcing customers to check – and pay for – all other luggage. Some nonbudget airlines also have a similar rule on their cheapest fares, such as basic economy on United or the Blue Basic fares on JetBlue.

Can I use a duffel bag as a carry-on?

Yes, a duffel bag can be used as a carry-on provided it meets airline size restrictions. Garment bags and, on some airlines, pet carriers are also considered carry-on luggage.

Is a diaper bag considered a carry-on? What about other baby items?

Baby items such as diaper bags, FAA-approved child safety seats and travel strollers generally don't count toward hand baggage allowances and can be brought on the plane in addition to your carry-on bag and personal item.

Do assistive devices count toward carry-on allowances?

Mobility aids (such as canes or walkers) typically don't count toward carry-on luggage or personal item allowances, though they may be considered a personal item on some airlines.

Let’s be honest, finding the right carry-on to bring on your trip can get stressful. Many of us have surely encountered a scenario where last minute before our trip we debate whether our carry-on luggage might be too big to bring on board, but we still decide to bring it. We get to the airport and stand on the check in line fearing our carry-on luggage might be too big and hoping the airline staff will go easy on us and let us bring it on board regardless. But, for safety purposes and for your peace of mind, you should refer to the official carry-on allowance policies before your flight’s departure.

Every airline has their own rules and trying to search for the information on maximum size/weight of carry on allowance can get time consuming. At Briggs & Riley, we like our trips to be as stress-free as possible, so we want to make it easy for you! We put together a list of size and weight allowance of each airline you can refer to when packing your hard shell or soft shell suitcase for your next trip.

Please note that airline carry-on allowance policies and guidelines are subject to momentary changes and based on Economy standards. For the most up-to-date information, please check your airline’s website prior to departure.

AirlineSize AllowanceMax Weight Per Piece

Aer Lingus

18.5in x 13in x 8in
48cm x 33cm x 20cm

15lbs
7kgs

AeroFlot

21.5in x 15.5in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

22lbs
10kgs

Aeroméxico

21.5in x 15.7in x 10in
55cm x 40cm x 25cm

22lbs
10kgs

AirTran

24in x 16in x 10in
61cm x 40cm x 25cm

No Limit
No Limit

Air Canada

21.5in x 15.5in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

Although no weight limit applies to

carry-on baggage, your bag must be 

light enough that you can store it in the

overhead bin unassisted.

Air China

22in x 15.7in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

11lbs
5kgs

Air India

22in x 14in x 10in
55cm x 35cm x 25cm

17.6lbs
8kgs

Air New Zealand

22in x 14.5in x 9.4in
57cm x 37cm x 24cm

15lbs
7kgs

Air France

21.7in x 13.8in x 9.9in
55cm x 35cm x 25cm

26.5lbs
12kgs

Alaska ( & Horizon)

22in x 14in x 9in
61cm x 43cm x 25cm

No Limit
No Limit

 

Alitalia

21.5in x 13.75in x 10in
55cm x 35cm x 25cm

17.6lbs
8kgs

All Nippon Airways

22in x 16in x 10in
55cm x 40cm x 25cm

22lbs
10kgs

 

 

Allegiant

22.04in x 14in x 9in
55.9cm x 35.6cm x 22.9cm

No Limit
No Limit

American (& US Airways)

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

 

No Limit
No Limit

Asiana

21.5in x 15.5in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

22lbs
10kgs

Austrian Airlines

21.5in x 15.5in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

17.6lbs
8kgs

British Airways

22in x 18in x 10in
56cm x 45cm x 25cm

51lbs
23kgs

Cathay Pacific

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Cebu Pacific Air

22in x 14in x 10in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

11lbs
5kgs

China Air

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

China Eastern

22in x 16in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

22lbs
10kgs

China Southern Airlines

45 Inches (length + width + height)
115cm (length + width + height)

11lbs
5kgs

Delta

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 35cm x 23cm

No Limit
No Limit

EasyJet

22in x 18in x 10in
56cm x 45cm x 25cm

No Limit
No Limit

EasyJet Guaranteed

19.6in x 15.7in x 7.8in
50cm x 40cm x 20cm

No Limit
No Limit

El Al

22in x 18in x 10in
56cm x 45cm x 25cm

17lbs
8kgs

Emirates

22in x 15in x 8in
55cm x 38cm x 20cm

15lbs
7kgs

Etihad

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Eva Air

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Finnair

22in x 16in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

17.5lbs
8kgs

Frontier

24in x 16in x 10in
61cm x 40.5cm x 25cm

35lbs
15.8kgs

Garuda

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Hawaiian

22in x 14in x 10in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

25lbs
12kgs

Hong Kong Airlines

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15.4lbs
7kgs

Iberia

22in x 18in x 10in
56cm x 45cm x 25cm

17.5lbs
8kgs

Icelandair

21.6in x 15.7in x 7.8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

22lbs
10kgs

Japan Airlines

21.6in x 15.7in x 10in
55cm x 40cm x 25cm

22lbs
10kgs

Jet Blue

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

No Limit
No Limit

Jetstar

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

22lbs
10kgs

KLM

21.5in x 13.5in x 10in
55cm x 35cm x 25cm

26lbs
12kgs

Korean Air

22in x 15.7in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

26lbs
12kgs

LanChile

21.6in x 13.5in x 10in
55cm x 35cm x 25cm

17lbs
8kgs

Lufthansa

21.6in x 15.7in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

17lbs
8kgs

Malaysia Airlines

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Olympic Airlines

21.6in x 15.7in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

17lbs
8kgs

Philippine Airlines

45 Inches (length + width + height)
115cm (length + width + height)

15lbs
7kgs

Qantas

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Qatar

20in x 15in x 10in
50cm x 37cm x 25cm

15lbs
7kgs

Ryanair

21.6in x 15.7in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

22lbs
10kgs

SAS

22in x 16in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

17lbs
8kgs

Singapore Airlines

22in x 15in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

15lbs
7kgs

South African Airways

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

18lbs
8kgs

Southwest

24in x 16in x 10in
61cm x 40.5cm x 25cm

No Limit
No Limit

Spirit

22in x 18in x 10in
56cm x 46cm x 25cm

No Limit
No Limit

SWISS

22in x 15.7in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

18lbs
8kgs

Thai Airways

22in x 18in x 10in
56cm x 45cm x 25cm

15lbs
7kgs

Thomas Cook

22in x 15.7in x 8in
55cm x 40cm x 20cm

11lbs
5kgs

Turkish Airlines

22in x 15.7in x 9in
55cm x 40cm x 23cm

17lbs
8kgs

United

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 35cm x 22cm

No Limit
No Limit

Vietnam Airlines

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

15lbs
7kgs

Virgin Atlantic

22in x 14in x 9in
56cm x 36cm x 23cm

22lbs
10kgs

WestJet

21in x 15in x 9in
53cm x 38cm x 23cm

No Limit
No Limit

 

Frequently asked questions


1. Can a 24 inch luggage be a carry on?

Unfortunately no, the standard carry-on size is typically 22” x 14” x 9”, so a 24 inch bag is too large to bring on board of most economy standard airlines.

2. Is there a size limit for carry on bags?

Yes, every airline has their own unique rules when it comes to carry-on luggage. Please refer to our carry-on baggage size allowance chart or your airline's website to find the right information prior to departure.


3. Is a 22 inch carry on too big?

No, a 22 inch carry-on bag is not too big, since it’s a standard size for most airlines. But we always advise to double check the size allowance before your trip to be safe.


4. Are you allowed a backpack and a carry on?

Yes, you’re allowed to bring a travel backpack as it counts as a personal item. However, make sure that’s it’s smaller in size/weight compared to your carry on. In addition, make sure that your airline allows a personal item as most airlines have their own rules.

Can a 24 inch luggage be a carry

Can a 24 inch luggage be a carry on? Unfortunately no, the standard carry-on size is typically 22” x 14” x 9”, so a 24 inch bag is too large to bring on board of most economy standard airlines. 2.

What is the largest size carry

Carry-on bags shouldn't be larger than 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high including handles and wheels. Dimensions of personal items should not exceed 18 inches long, 14 inches wide and 8 inches high. There are no weight restrictions for carry-on luggage.

Is 22 size cabin luggage allowed?

Though you might find an inch or two of a difference with various airlines, the standard domestic carry-on luggage size is 22" x 14" x 9", which includes the handle and the wheels. This size limit ensures your bag — and ideally everyone else's — will be able to be stored safely in the overhead bin for your flight.

How big is too big for a carry

Most airlines' carry-on size limit is 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 33 cm), including the wheels and handles of the bag. There are, however, some airlines that have a smaller size limit, so you should always check the airline's website or call them to double-check before you pack for your trip.