Guide
Personal item size by airline (2026 chart)
Short answer: there's no standard size. United is the strictest US airline at 17 × 10 × 9 inches, while American and Frontier allow 18 × 14 × 8 inches. Delta and Southwest don't set a size at all: it just has to fit under the seat.
In Europe, Ryanair allows 40 × 30 × 20 cm and easyJet 45 × 36 × 20 cm. If you're flying several airlines, a bag of about 40 × 25 × 15 cm fits every limit in this chart.
The personal item is the one bag every fare includes, even basic economy, and the one with the least consistent rules. Here's each airline's limit, taken from its own website, and the size that works on all of them.
US airlines
| Airline | Personal item size | In cm |
|---|---|---|
| United | 17 × 10 × 9 in | 43 × 25 × 22 cm |
| JetBlue | 17 × 13 × 8 in | 43 × 33 × 20 cm |
| American | 18 × 14 × 8 in | 45 × 35 × 20 cm |
| Frontier | 18 × 14 × 8 in, checked at boarding | 46 × 36 × 20 cm |
| Delta | No set size: must fit under the seat | n/a |
| Southwest | No set size: must fit under the seat | n/a |
United's limit is the one that catches people out. At 10 inches wide, it's narrower than most laptop backpacks. If you fly United regularly, measure your bag before you rely on it.
European airlines
On Ryanair and easyJet, size matters most, because the personal item is often the only free bag.
| Airline | Free small bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | Included with every fare; a larger cabin bag costs extra |
| easyJet | 45 × 36 × 20 cm, up to 15 kg | Must go under the seat in front of you |
| British Airways | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | A handbag or laptop bag, alongside a cabin bag |
Flying more than one airline? Work to the smallest
On a trip with several airlines, your bag has to pass the strictest rule on each dimension, not the strictest airline overall. Take the smallest number in each column across this chart:
- Length: 40 cm (Ryanair and British Airways)
- Width: 25 cm (United)
- Depth: 15 cm (British Airways)
So a bag of 40 × 25 × 15 cm (about 16 × 10 × 6 inches) fits everywhere in this chart. Soft bags help too: a half-full backpack can squeeze into a sizer that a rigid case can't.
1Measure the bag, not the label
Measure the longest point on each side, including wheels, handles, straps and side pockets. A bag sold as "personal item size" may only fit one airline's rules.
2Pack it the way you'll carry it
A backpack that measures 20 cm empty can be 28 cm deep once it's full. Measure it packed, the night before.
3Check every airline on the booking
Your outbound and return flights, or the legs of a connection, can be on different airlines with different rules. On a codeshare, the airline operating the flight may have different rules from the one you booked with, so check both.
Before you fly
- Find out which airline actually operates each flight
- Measure your bag packed, including straps and pockets
- Keep liquids, chargers and medicine in the personal item, in case your carry-on is gate-checked
- On a budget airline, check whether your fare includes anything beyond the personal item
Airlines change their bag rules, and limits can vary by fare, route and aircraft. Sizes here were checked on each airline's own website in November 2026. Check your airline's page before you fly.
Questions people ask
What counts as a personal item?
A smaller bag that fits under the seat in front of you: a purse, laptop bag, small backpack or briefcase. Airlines list similar examples. Some items, such as assistive devices, don't count towards it, and each airline publishes its own list.
Is a backpack a personal item?
It can be, if it fits the airline's personal item size and goes under the seat. A full-size hiking backpack usually won't, and will count as your carry-on instead.
Do airlines actually measure personal items?
Some do. Frontier says it checks the size of your personal item at boarding, and budget airlines in Europe have sizers at the gate. Full-service airlines are usually less strict, but a bag that clearly won't fit under the seat can be sent to the hold.
Can I bring a personal item on a basic economy fare?
Generally yes. Basic fares often restrict the full-size carry-on, but airlines like Ryanair, Frontier and JetBlue include a personal item with every fare. Check your fare's details when you book.