The Carry-On Size Table
There is no universal carry-on size. "22 x 14 x 9 inches" is American, Delta, Alaska, and JetBlue's number — not a global standard. This table is the verified, per-airline reference: carry-on and personal-item maximum dimensions and weight limits for 15 major U.S. and international carriers, each row sourced directly from that airline's own published baggage policy page and dated below.
Verified July 2026 — airlines change these without notice. Check the linked source for your airline before you fly.
The size table
| Airline | Carry-on max | Carry-on weight | Personal item max | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm) | No enforced limit (must be liftable into overhead bin) | 18 x 14 x 8 in (45 x 35 x 20 cm) | Policy page |
| Delta Air Lines | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 35 x 23 cm) | No published limit | Must fit under the seat (no published max dimensions) | Policy page |
| United Airlines | 9 x 14 x 22 in (22 x 35 x 56 cm) | No published limit | 9 x 10 x 17 in (22 x 25 x 43 cm) | Policy page |
| Southwest Airlines | 24 x 16 x 10 in (61 x 41 x 25 cm) | No enforced limit | 18.5 x 8.5 x 13.5 in (must fit under seat) | Policy page |
| Alaska Airlines | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm) | No enforced limit | Must fit under the seat (no published max dimensions) | Policy page |
| JetBlue | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm) | No published limit | Must fit under the seat (no published max dimensions) | Policy page |
| Spirit Airlines | 22 x 18 x 10 in (56 x 46 x 25 cm) | No set carry-on weight limit; gate-checked bags capped at 40 lb | 18 x 14 x 8 in (45 x 35 x 20 cm) | Policy page |
| Frontier Airlines | 24 x 16 x 10 in | 35 lb | 18 x 14 x 8 in, 35 lb | Policy page |
| Air Canada | 21.5 x 15.5 x 9 in (55 x 40 x 23 cm) | No enforced limit (must be liftable unassisted) | 13 x 17 x 6 in (33 x 43 x 16 cm) | Policy page |
| British Airways | 22 x 18 x 10 in (56 x 45 x 25 cm) | Combined with 2nd bag: 51 lb (23 kg) | 16 x 12 x 6 in (40 x 30 x 15 cm) | Policy page |
| Lufthansa | 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 in (55 x 40 x 23 cm) | 17.6 lb (8 kg) | ~15.7 x 11.8 x 3.9 in (40 x 30 x 10 cm) | Policy page |
| Ryanair | Priority add-on only: 21.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 in (55 x 40 x 20 cm), 22 lb (10 kg) | 22 lb (10 kg) on priority cabin bag | 15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 in (40 x 30 x 20 cm) — free, under-seat only | Policy page |
| easyJet | Large cabin bag (paid/Plus only): 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in (56 x 45 x 25 cm), 33 lb (15 kg) | 33 lb (15 kg) | 17.7 x 14.2 x 7.9 in (45 x 36 x 20 cm) — free, under-seat only, 33 lb | Policy page |
| Emirates | 21.7 x 15 x 7.9 in (55 x 38 x 20 cm) | 15.4 lb (7 kg) | Not separately itemized — one cabin bag only in Economy | Policy page |
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) | 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.8 in (55 x 40 x 25 cm), 115cm total linear | Combined carry-on + personal item: 22 lb (10 kg) | Included in the 10kg combined cap above | Policy page |
"22x14x9" is not universal — the truth
"22x14x9" is not a universal carry-on standard — it's American/Delta/Alaska/JetBlue's number. Southwest and Frontier allow a larger 24x16x10, Spirit allows 22x18x10, and nearly every international carrier (Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, ANA) caps at a smaller ~21.5x15.5x9in (55x40x23cm). A bag sized for U.S. domestic flying can get gate-checked in Europe or Asia.
Wheels count in the dimensions
Every airline's stated carry-on dimensions include wheels, handles, and any external pockets — the size is the outside footprint of the bag as it sits, not the shell alone. A hardside case advertised as "21-inch" that measures 22.5in with its wheels and telescoping handle housing can fail a gate sizer even though the shell itself is compliant.
Basic-economy carry-on restrictions
Most U.S. basic economy fares (American, Delta, United, JetBlue's Blue Basic since Sept. 2024) include a full-size carry-on. Spirit and Frontier are the opposite: a carry-on bag is a paid add-on on every fare tier, not just the cheapest one — only the personal item is free. Air Canada's Basic fare (as of Jan. 2025) allows a personal item only, no carry-on, at all.
The checked-bag standard: 62 linear inches / 50 lb
The industry-standard checked-bag size cap is 62 linear inches (length + width + height added together, not each dimension), and the standard weight cap on most U.S. carriers' economy fares is 50 lbs — Delta, United, American, Alaska, and JetBlue all use this pairing. Go over on either linear inches or weight and you pay an oversize or overweight fee, sometimes both.
Caveats — read before citing a row
- Policies change without notice. Every row is cited to the airline's own page as of the verification date above — always re-check the linked source for travel more than a few months out.
- Regional/codeshare flights can differ. A regional jet operated under a major airline's brand (e.g. American Eagle, Delta Connection) can have a smaller overhead bin and stricter enforcement than the mainline policy listed here.
- Weight limits marked "no enforced limit" can still fail at the gate if a single agent judges a bag too heavy to lift into the overhead bin safely — "no published limit" is not a guarantee.
- Currency conversions (in/cm, lb/kg) are rounded to the nearest tenth for readability; the airline's own native unit (as published) is the authoritative figure.
- This table is a policy reference, not a guarantee that any specific bag will be accepted at every gate — gate agents have final discretion.
Methodology & versioning
Version 1.0 — published July 30, 2026. Every row was checked directly against the named airline's own official baggage-policy page (linked in the Source column) as of the verification date above. We do not aggregate third-party luggage-brand size charts as a primary source — those pages are cross-referenced only to catch outliers, with the airline's own published policy treated as ground truth. Corrections: if an airline changes its policy, this page and the CSV below are updated in place and the version/date bumped — see How We Evaluate for our full editorial policy.
Machine-readable download: the full table is available as CSV at /carry-on-sizes.csv, and a condensed digest is maintained in /llms-full.txt.
Licensed under CC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution. Suggested citation: Carry-On Lab Editorial Team. (2026). The Carry-On Size Table (Version 1.0) [Data set]. Carry-On Lab. https://carryon-lab.pages.dev/carry-on-sizes/
This page reports published airline policy facts as of the verification date, not a guarantee for your specific flight, fare, or gate.
Frequently Asked Questions
A normalized, per-airline reference of carry-on and personal-item maximum dimensions and weight limits for 15 major U.S. and international airlines, each row cited to that airline's own published baggage policy page and date-stamped for when it was last verified.
No. It's American, Delta, Alaska, and JetBlue's domestic carry-on limit, but Southwest and Frontier allow a larger 24 x 16 x 10, Spirit allows 22 x 18 x 10, and most international carriers (Air Canada, Lufthansa, Emirates, ANA) cap at a smaller ~21.5 x 15.5 x 9 (55 x 40 x 23cm). See our full breakdown at Will My 22-Inch Bag Fit Every Airline.
Yes, on every airline in this table. Published carry-on dimensions are the bag's total outside footprint including wheels, handles, and side pockets — not the shell alone. A case advertised by its shell size can still fail a gate sizer once wheels and handle housing are accounted for.
Spirit and Frontier charge for a carry-on bag on every fare tier, including their base fares — only the personal item is free. Air Canada's Basic fare (since January 2025) allows a personal item only, with no carry-on at all. Most other U.S. carriers' basic economy tiers (American, Delta, United, and JetBlue's Blue Basic since September 2024) do include a full carry-on.
Airlines change baggage rules, sizer enforcement, and fees without notice, so treat the verification date at the top of this page as the freshness signal — check the linked source URL for that specific airline before you fly if your trip is more than a few months out.