A carry-on has to fit the overhead bin, and most large US airlines cap it at 22 x 14 x 9 inches, wheels and handles included. That one size clears Delta, United, American, Alaska, and JetBlue. Two carriers give you more room. Southwest and Frontier allow 24 x 16 x 10 inches. Below are the exact 2026 limits for every major airline, the personal-item rules, and how to decide what rides in the cabin versus the hold.
TL;DR
- The US carry-on standard is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches, used by Delta, United, American, Alaska, and JetBlue (airline baggage policies, 2026).
- Southwest and Frontier are roomier at 24 x 16 x 10 inches, about 38% more packing volume than the standard bag.
- Frontier only gives you a free personal item; the carry-on costs extra.
- A standard checked bag maxes out at 62 linear inches and 50 pounds in economy.
- Keep liquids to 3.4-ounce containers in one quart bag, and pack medication, chargers, and a spare outfit in the cabin, not the hold.
What size is a carry-on bag?
A carry-on is the larger of your two cabin bags, and the common maximum is 22 x 14 x 9 inches including wheels and handles. Add those three numbers and you get 45 linear inches, the figure Delta and Alaska print on their policy pages. The smaller bag, your personal item, slides under the seat in front of you. Most US airlines let you bring both at no charge.
The industry settled on 22 x 14 x 9 years ago, and it has not moved. Bag makers build to it, overhead bins are sized around it, and the airport sizer boxes at the gate are cut to match. Buy a suitcase to that number and you never have to check the fine print again.
International flights play by different math. Many foreign carriers skip the strict inch limits and cap the carry-on by weight instead, often 7 to 10 kilograms. The IATA "Cabin OK" guideline suggests an even smaller 55 x 35 x 20 cm bag, but that is a voluntary recommendation, not a rule any airline enforces.
Carry-on size limits by every major airline in 2026
Seven of the biggest US airlines split into two camps: five hold the line at 22 x 14 x 9 inches, and two allow bigger bags. Southwest and Frontier both go to 24 x 16 x 10 inches. The table shows each carry-on limit, the personal-item limit, and whether the carry-on is free on the cheapest fare.
Airline | Carry-on (L x W x H) | Personal item | Carry-on free on lowest fare? |
|---|---|---|---|
22 x 14 x 9 | Fits under seat | Yes | |
22 x 14 x 9 | 17 x 10 x 9 | Usually not on Basic Economy | |
22 x 14 x 9 | 18 x 14 x 8 | Yes, even Basic Economy | |
24 x 16 x 10 | Fits under seat | Yes | |
22 x 14 x 9 | 17 x 13 x 8 | Yes, even Blue Basic | |
22 x 14 x 9 | Fits under seat | Yes | |
22 x 18 x 10 | 18 x 14 x 8 | No, carry-on costs extra | |
24 x 16 x 10 | 18 x 14 x 8 | No, carry-on costs extra |
Delta, Southwest, and Alaska publish no numeric personal-item size; the bag just has to fit under the seat. Frontier is the only one of the seven that weighs your carry-on, with a 35-pound cap.
Five of the seven largest US airlines cap carry-ons at 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches, wheels and handles included. Southwest and Frontier allow 24 x 16 x 10 inches. A bag built to 22 x 14 x 9 is accepted at all seven, which makes it the only truly safe size to buy.
Build your bag to 22 x 14 x 9 inches and it clears every major US airline, no fine print required.
For 2026, the big shake-ups at Southwest and American changed fees and seating, not bag sizes. Southwest ended its free-checked-bag policy in May 2025 and moved to assigned seating on flights departing January 27, 2026 and later. Its 24 x 16 x 10 carry-on stayed exactly the same.
Can you bring a carry-on and a personal item?
Yes. Every major US airline lets you bring one carry-on plus one personal item, and a backpack counts as either one depending on its size. A daypack that fits under the seat is your personal item; a large hiking pack that only fits the overhead bin is your carry-on. Personal-item limits vary more than carry-on limits, from United's 17 x 10 x 9 inches to American's 18 x 14 x 8.
The catch sits at the bottom of the fare menu. American and JetBlue include a full-size carry-on even on their cheapest tickets, but United's Basic Economy usually limits you to a personal item on domestic routes. Read your fare rules before you pack a full carry-on you might have to gate-check for a fee. New to all this? Our first-time flyer guide covers the whole airport sequence.
Can you bring a duffel bag as a carry-on?
A duffel counts as a carry-on as long as it fits 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or whatever your airline allows. Soft-sided duffels have one real edge over hard shells: they squish. A soft bag packed a touch over can still compress into the gate sizer, while a rigid case at the same measurement won't drop in. The gate agent checks with a metal sizer box, and a bag that does not fit gets checked at the counter.
Overstuffing is where duffels fail. Cram one round and it bulges past the depth limit, so pack the flat side out and keep the shape square. Before you leave for the airport, run this quick check.
Measure with the wheels and handles included, not just the bag body.
Add length, width, and height. Stay under 45 linear inches for a standard airline, 50 for Southwest or Frontier.
Pack it full, then measure again. A stuffed bag gains an inch.
Weigh it if you're flying Frontier or any international carrier, since they cap the carry-on at 35 pounds or a set number of kilograms.
How big can a checked bag be?
A standard checked bag maxes out at 62 linear inches (length plus width plus height) and 50 pounds in economy on Delta, United, American, and most US airlines. Go over either number and you pay an oversize or overweight fee that often runs 100 dollars or more. A typical large suitcase, around 30 x 20 x 12 inches, lands right at that 62-inch line.
First-class and top-tier elite flyers usually get 70 pounds per bag instead of 50, but the 62-inch size cap holds across cabins. If you are close to the weight limit, move your heaviest items into the carry-on, which no US airline weighs except Frontier.
What to pack in your carry-on vs your checked bag
Anything you can't replace or can't fly without goes in the carry-on: medication, your passport, phone and laptop chargers, a spare outfit, and valuables. The checked bag takes clothes, full-size toiletries, shoes, and anything heavy or bulky. Pack the cabin bag as if the checked one might vanish, because it should carry you through a full day on its own.
Keep these in the carry-on every trip:
Medication in its original packaging, plus a copy of the prescription. Our guide to flying with medication covers the TSA rules and quantities.
A battery pack and all charging cables. Lithium batteries are banned from checked bags and must ride in the cabin.
One change of clothes and any essential toiletries in 3.4-ounce containers inside a quart bag.
Passport, boarding documents, keys, wallet, and anything valuable or fragile.
The right split shifts with the trip. On a long-haul international flight, add a pen for landing cards, snacks, headphones, and a refillable water bottle you fill after security. For a cruise, keep your first-day essentials and swimsuit in the cabin bag, since checked luggage can take hours to reach your stateroom. Our full carry-on packing list breaks it down item by item, and the TSA carry-on guide covers what you can and cannot bring through the checkpoint.
Is a "cabin bag" the same as a carry-on?
Does the carry-on size include the wheels and handles?
Can I bring a carry-on on a Basic Economy ticket?
What happens if my carry-on is too big at the gate?
Related questions
What is the cabin size luggage size for 2026?
Cabin, or carry-on, luggage in 2026 is capped at 22 x 14 x 9 inches on most US airlines, including Delta, United, American, Alaska, and JetBlue. Southwest and Frontier allow 24 x 16 x 10 inches. International carriers usually add a weight limit, commonly 7 to 10 kilograms.
What is the new carry-on size?
There is no new universal carry-on size for 2026. The long-standing 22 x 14 x 9-inch standard still applies at Delta, United, American, Alaska, and JetBlue. The recent changes are about fees, seating, and boarding rather than dimensions, such as Southwest ending free checked bags in 2025 and moving to assigned seating in January 2026.
Measure your bag with the wheels on before you leave home, then open your airline's baggage page to confirm your fare includes a carry-on. For a tested list of what actually earns a spot in the cabin, start with our carry-on packing list.
Sources
Delta Air Lines, Carry-On Baggage (retrieved 2 July 2026)
Delta Air Lines, Baggage Policy and Fees (retrieved 2 July 2026)
United Airlines, Carry-on Bags (retrieved 2 July 2026)
United Airlines, Basic Economy (retrieved 2 July 2026)
American Airlines, Carry-on bags (retrieved 2 July 2026)
Southwest Airlines, Carryon and Personal Item Policy (retrieved 2 July 2026)
Southwest Airlines, Assigned Seating (retrieved 2 July 2026)
JetBlue, Carry-On Bags (retrieved 2 July 2026)
Alaska Airlines, Carry-on luggage size limit (retrieved 2 July 2026)
Spirit Airlines, Bag Info (retrieved 2 July 2026)
Frontier Airlines, Bag Size and Weight Limits (retrieved 2 July 2026)
IATA, Travelers Baggage (retrieved 2 July 2026)
TSA, Liquids, Aerosols, and Gels Rule (retrieved 2 July 2026)
