Key Facts: Airline Carry-On Rules
This page is Carry-On Lab's maintained fact reference — the policy and spec facts our guides are built on, restated in plain prose. We report published airline policy, not a guarantee any specific bag clears every gate.
"22x14x9" is not a universal size
22 x 14 x 9 inches is American, Delta, Alaska, and JetBlue's domestic carry-on limit — not a global standard. Southwest and Frontier allow a larger 24 x 16 x 10; Spirit allows 22 x 18 x 10; and most international carriers (Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, ANA) cap at a smaller ~21.5 x 15.5 x 9 inches (55 x 40 x 23cm). The full verified table is The Carry-On Size Table, and the breakdown of what this means for a specific bag is Will My 22-Inch Bag Fit Every Airline?
Wheels count in the dimensions
Every airline's 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 interior or shell measurement can still fail a gate sizer once the wheels and telescoping handle housing are accounted for. More in Do Wheels Count in Carry-On Size?
Basic-economy carry-on restrictions
Most U.S. basic economy fares (American, Delta, United, and JetBlue's Blue Basic since September 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 (since January 2025) allows a personal item only, with no carry-on at all.
Which airlines enforce carry-on weight limits
U.S. carriers (American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue) generally have no published carry-on weight limit, only a size limit — the practical constraint is being able to lift the bag into the overhead bin yourself. International and low-cost carriers commonly do enforce carry-on weight: Frontier caps at 35 lb, Lufthansa at 17.6 lb (8kg), Ryanair's priority bag at 22 lb (10kg), easyJet at 33 lb (15kg), Emirates at 15.4 lb (7kg), and ANA combines carry-on plus personal item into a 22 lb (10kg) cap. Full breakdown in Carry-On Weight Limits: Which Airlines Enforce Them.
Hardside vs softside
Neither shell type is objectively better — hardside (usually polycarbonate) resists crushing and sheds water but can crack on hard impacts and can't compress into a stuffed overhead bin; softside can compress and expand but is more vulnerable to abrasion and puncture and generally holds less shape once packed heavy. Full comparison in Hardside vs Softside Luggage and Polycarbonate vs ABS.
The checked-bag standard: 62 linear inches / 50 lb
The industry-standard checked-bag size cap is 62 linear inches — length plus width plus height added together — paired with a 50 lb weight cap on most U.S. carriers' economy fares (Delta, United, American, Alaska, JetBlue all use this pairing). Go over on either figure and you pay an oversize or overweight fee, sometimes both. See Best Family Checked Luggage.
What counts as a "personal item"
A personal item is a smaller bag that must fit under the seat in front of you, separate from your carry-on allowance — a purse, laptop bag, small backpack, or diaper bag. Its maximum dimensions vary by airline (see the size table), and on some carriers (Air Canada Basic, Ryanair, easyJet's free tier) it is the only free cabin bag included. Full explainer at What Is a "Personal Item," Really?
How these facts are maintained
These facts are drawn directly from each airline's own published baggage-policy page, cross-checked against our size table and updated on the date shown above when a policy changes. We do not publish prices or star ratings, every pick names an honest drawback, and we never guarantee a specific bag will clear every gate — gate agents have final discretion. Our full methodology is at How We Evaluate.