Carry-On Limits, Airline by Airline, in Centimetres
Carry-on and personal-item limits for major airlines, in centimetres with inches in brackets, and how to measure a bag the way the gate does.
Reviewed by Maya Ellis · Updated Sep 19, 2026
No international carry-on standard exists. The 22 x 14 x 9 in box US carriers converged on is a domestic convention; European low-cost carriers do not use it. Figures came from each airline’s own baggage page on 19 September 2026.
| Airline | Carry-on | Personal item |
|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 56 x 36 x 23 cm (22 x 14 x 9 in) | 45 x 35 x 20 cm (18 x 14 x 8 in) |
| Delta Air Lines | 56 x 35 x 23 cm (22 x 14 x 9 in) | not published |
| United Airlines | 56 x 35 x 23 cm (22 x 14 x 9 in) | 43 x 25 x 22 cm (17 x 10 x 9 in) |
| Alaska Airlines | 56 x 36 x 23 cm (22 x 14 x 9 in) | not published |
| JetBlue | 56 x 36 x 23 cm (22 x 14 x 9 in) | 43 x 33 x 20 cm (17 x 13 x 8 in) |
| Lufthansa | 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 in) | 40 x 30 x 15 cm (15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in) |
| easyJet | 56 x 45 x 25 cm (22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in), paid | 45 x 36 x 20 cm (17.7 x 14.2 x 7.9 in), free |
| Ryanair | 55 x 40 x 20 cm (21.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 in), paid | 40 x 30 x 20 cm (15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 in), free |
Three bags, three different rules
Your personal item goes under the seat in front of you, your carry-on in the overhead bin, and a checked bag in the hold at 158 cm (62 in) total. They are separate allowances, and the personal item is the one most travellers breach, because it reads like an exemption rather than a measurement. United’s limit is smaller than American’s, so one backpack can be both.
Where the fare class changes the answer
Size is only half of it. United’s Basic Economy removes the carry-on except on transatlantic, transpacific and South America routes, and Lufthansa’s Economy Basic on short- and medium-haul allows one personal item of 40 x 30 x 15 cm. A bag that clears American Airlines is a paid upgrade on Ryanair, whose only free bag is 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Ryanair’s own news release quotes 40 x 20 x 25 cm for that bag; go by the policy page.
Weight, where anybody publishes it
Lufthansa states 8 kg, easyJet 15 kg and Ryanair 10 kg on its paid bag. Only these three publish a carry-on weight limit; American, Delta, Alaska, United and JetBlue publish none, and where no number exists the test is whether you can lift the bag into the bin. hard-shell luggage hides weight less well than a soft bag.
Measure the way the gate measures
Measure packed, not empty, at the longest point of each dimension, and include wheels, handles, straps and any pocket that bulges when full. Delta caps length plus width plus height at 114 cm (45 in). The sizer decides, not your tape measure.
Confirm the figure the week you fly
The airline’s own baggage page is the only source worth trusting, and the one that changes. Check the operating carrier for every segment, and pack to the strictest limit on a mixed itinerary — the same logic that decides an underseat bag.
FAQ
- Is there a standard carry-on size across airlines?
- No. Several US carriers have converged on 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm), but European low-cost carriers use different numbers, and a bag that passes one airline can be a paid upgrade on another.
- Why do airlines publish a personal-item size but no carry-on weight?
- Because size is what the airport sizer checks and weight is what staff assess by hand. Carriers that publish no number usually describe the practical test instead: you must be able to lift the bag into the bin yourself.
- Do I measure my bag empty or packed?
- Packed. Measure the longest point of each dimension and include wheels, handles, straps and any pocket that bulges once it is full, because that is how the sizer sees it.
Maya Ellis
Writes about garment construction, leather goods and footwear specs. Started in retail floor management before moving to editorial research. How we research.