Personal-item bag · 11 × 8.9 × 4.9 in (28 × 22.5 × 12.5 cm)
Personal item size by airline
The personal item is the free bag that goes under the seat in front of you. Of the 158 airlines we track, 116 publish a size for it and 42 just say it has to fit under the seat. Checked 5 October 2026.
Check your bag against one airline
US airlines
| Airline | Personal item |
|---|---|
| American Airlines | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) |
| United Airlines | 17 × 10 × 9 in (43 × 25 × 22 cm) |
| JetBlue | 17 × 13 × 8 in (43.2 × 33 × 20.3 cm) |
| Frontier Airlines | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 cm) |
| Allegiant Air | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) |
| Alaska Airlines | no size published |
| Delta Air Lines | no size published |
| Southwest Airlines | no size published |
The smallest personal items
| Thai Airways | 37.5 × 25 × 12.5 cm (15 × 10 × 5 in) |
| Singapore Airlines | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| EVA Air | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (16 × 12 × 4 in) |
| AirAsia | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| Scoot | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
The most generous
| Riyadh Air | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| SKY Airline | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| JetSMART | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| ZIPAIR | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| Allegiant Air | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) |
Bags that fit the most airlines as a personal item
Counted against the 116 airlines that publish a size, with at least 1 cm to spare on every side.
Tote · 10.6 × 10.2 × 3.9 in (27 × 26 × 10 cm)
Tote · 10.6 × 10.2 × 3.9 in (27 × 26 × 10 cm)
Tote · 12.2 × 11 × 5.5 in (31 × 28 × 14 cm)
Personal-item bag · 11.8 × 9.8 × 4.7 in (30 × 24.9 × 11.9 cm)
Personal-item bag · 14.4 × 9.7 × 4.3 in (36.6 × 24.6 × 10.9 cm)
Personal-item bag · 34.5 × 25 × 12 cm (13.6 × 9.8 × 4.7 in)
Personal-item bag · 34.5 × 25 × 13 cm (13.6 × 9.8 × 5.1 in)
Herschel Retreat Backpack Mini: 101 airlines · Herschel Heritage Small Quilted Capsule Tote: 95 airlines · Herschel Peanuts Herschel Heritage Small Tote: 95 airlines · Herschel Cloudform Tote Small: 92 airlines · Pacsafe CX Anti-Theft 8L Backpack Petite: 92 airlines · Pacsafe EXP 12" anti theft sling crossbody: 91 airlines · Horizn Studios Aoyama Totepack: 90 airlines · Horizn Studios Shibuya Totepack: 90 airlines
Every airline
| Airline | Personal item |
|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Aer Lingus | 33 × 25 × 20 cm (13 × 10 × 8 in) |
| Aeroitalia | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Aerolíneas Argentinas | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Aeromexico | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air Arabia | 33 × 25 × 20 cm (13 × 9.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Air Canada | 17 × 13 × 6 in (43 × 33 × 16 cm) |
| Air Caraïbes | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Air China | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air Dolomiti | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Air Europa | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Air France | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 6 in) |
| Air India | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15 × 11 × 7 in) |
| Air India Express | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| Air Mauritius | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air New Zealand | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air Nostrum (Iberia Regional) | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air Serbia | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air Tahiti Nui | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Air Transat | 17 × 12 × 5 in (43 × 31 × 13 cm) |
| AirAsia | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| airBaltic | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Akasa Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Alaska Airlines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Allegiant Air | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) |
| American Airlines | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) |
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Arajet | 40 × 25 × 20 cm (15 × 9 × 7 in) |
| Asiana Airlines | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Austrian Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Avelo Airlines | 17 × 13 × 9 in (43 × 33 × 22 cm) |
| Avianca | 45 × 35 × 20 cm (18 × 14 × 8 in) |
| Azul Brazilian Airlines | 45 × 35 × 20 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Bahamasair | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Bangkok Airways | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Binter | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Breeze Airways | 17 × 13 × 8 in (43.2 × 33 × 20.3 cm) |
| British Airways | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 6 in) |
| Brussels Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Caribbean Airlines | 43 × 33 × 15 cm (17 × 13 × 6 in) |
| Cathay Pacific | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 6 in) |
| Cayman Airways | 14 × 14 × 10 in (35.6 × 35.6 × 25.4 cm) |
| Cebu Pacific | 35 × 20 × 20 cm (13.8 × 7.9 × 7.9 in) |
| China Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 6 in) |
| China Eastern | 35 × 32 × 18 cm (13.8 × 12.6 × 7.1 in) |
| China Southern | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Condor | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Copa Airlines | 43 × 25 × 22 cm (17 × 10 × 9 in) |
| Corendon Airlines | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Corsair | 33 × 25 × 20 cm (13 × 9.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Croatia Airlines | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| Delta Air Lines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Discover Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| easyJet | 45 × 36 × 20 cm (17.7 × 14.2 × 7.9 in) |
| Edelweiss Air | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| EgyptAir | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| El Al | 38 × 30 × 18 cm (15 × 11.8 × 7.1 in) |
| Emirates | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Enter Air | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Ethiopian Airlines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Etihad Airways | 39 × 23 × 19 cm (15.4 × 9.1 × 7.5 in) |
| Eurowings | 40 × 30 × 25 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 9.8 in) |
| EVA Air | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (16 × 12 × 4 in) |
| Fiji Airways | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Finnair | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Flair Airlines | 17 × 13 × 6 in (43 × 33 × 15 cm) |
| flyadeal | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Flybondi | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| flydubai | 33 × 25 × 20 cm (13 × 9.8 × 7.9 in) |
| flynas | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| FlyOne | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| FlySafair | 40 × 20 × 15 cm (15.7 × 7.9 × 5.9 in) |
| French bee | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Frontier Airlines | 18 × 14 × 8 in (45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 cm) |
| Garuda Indonesia | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| GOL | 43 × 32 × 22 cm (16.9 × 12.6 × 8.7 in) |
| Gulf Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Hainan Airlines | 30 × 30 × 20 cm (12 × 12 × 8 in) |
| Hawaiian Airlines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Iberia | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Iberia Express | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Icelandair | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| IndiGo | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| ITA Airways | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Japan Airlines (JAL) | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Jeju Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Jet2.com | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| JetBlue | 17 × 13 × 8 in (43.2 × 33 × 20.3 cm) |
| JetSMART | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| Jetstar | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Jin Air | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Kenya Airways | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| KLM | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| KM Malta Airlines | 40 × 34 × 18 cm (15.7 × 13.4 × 7.1 in) |
| Korean Air | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Kuwait Airways | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| LATAM Airlines | 45 × 35 × 20 cm (17.8 × 13.8 × 7.9 in) |
| LEVEL | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Lion Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Loganair | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| LOT Polish Airlines | 40 × 35 × 12 cm (15.7 × 13.8 × 4.7 in) |
| Lufthansa | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Luxair | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Malaysia Airlines | 36 × 25 × 25 cm (14.2 × 9.8 × 9.8 in) |
| Marabu Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Neos | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Nok Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Norse Atlantic Airways | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.5 × 11.5 × 5.5 in) |
| Norwegian | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Oman Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| PAL Airlines | 16 × 13 × 6 in (40.6 × 33 × 15.2 cm) |
| Peach Aviation | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Pegasus Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Philippine Airlines | 45 × 35 × 20 cm (18 × 14 × 8 in) |
| Plus Ultra | 35 × 30 × 20 cm (13.8 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Porter Airlines | 17 × 13 × 6 in (43 × 33 × 16 cm) |
| Qantas | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Qatar Airways | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Rex Airlines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Riyadh Air | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| Royal Air Maroc | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Royal Jordanian | 40 × 35 × 20 cm (15.7 × 13.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Ryanair | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| SAS Scandinavian Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Saudia | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Scoot | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| Singapore Airlines | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| SKY Airline | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
| SKY express | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Smartwings | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| South African Airways | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 3.9 in) |
| Southwest Airlines | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| SpiceJet | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| STARLUX Airlines | 40 × 30 × 10 cm (16 × 12 × 4 in) |
| Sun Country Airlines | 17 × 13 × 9 in (43.2 × 33 × 22.9 cm) |
| SunExpress | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| SWISS | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| T'way Air | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| TAP Air Portugal | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 5 in) |
| TAROM | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Thai Airways | 37.5 × 25 × 12.5 cm (15 × 10 × 5 in) |
| Transavia | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| TUI Airways / TUIfly | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Turkish Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| United Airlines | 17 × 10 × 9 in (43 × 25 × 22 cm) |
| VietJet Air | must fit under the seat; no size published |
| Vietnam Airlines | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Virgin Atlantic | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 0 in) |
| Virgin Australia | 45 × 33 × 20 cm (17.7 × 13 × 7.9 in) |
| Viva Aerobus | 45 × 35 × 20 cm (18 × 14 × 8 in) |
| Volaris | 45 × 35 × 20 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Volotea | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| Vueling | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| WestJet | 16 × 13 × 6 in (41 × 33 × 15 cm) |
| Widerøe | 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) |
| Wizz Air | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| World2fly | 35 × 20 × 20 cm (13.8 × 7.9 × 7.9 in) |
| ZIPAIR | 45 × 35 × 25 cm (17.7 × 13.8 × 9.8 in) |
Questions people ask
What is the standard personal item size?
There isn’t one. American Airlines: 18 × 14 × 8 in; Frontier Airlines: 18 × 14 × 8 in; United Airlines: 17 × 10 × 9 in; Ryanair: 40 × 30 × 20 cm; Wizz Air: 40 × 30 × 20 cm; easyJet: 45 × 36 × 20 cm.
Does a backpack count as a personal item?
Yes, if it fits the airline’s personal-item size and under the seat in front. A 20–25 litre backpack usually does; a 30 litre or bigger travel pack usually doesn’t.
What if my personal item is too big?
On low-cost airlines it’s usually charged as a carry-on or checked bag at the gate, at the highest price. Full-service airlines may let a slightly big bag through if it fits under the seat, but that’s their call.