Most travelers are familiar with a weight limit for checked bags on flights, but did you know there is a carry-on weight limit as well? While many things are allowed in your carry-on and personal item when you travel, be sure to consider things that are limited for your safety. However, the rules can vary by airline.
Before heading to the airport, the most common way to weigh your carry-on bag is to use an at-home scale. While the results might vary slightly from an airport scale, this is the easiest way to determine if your bag will be free to fly.
Carry-On vs. Personal Item: What's the Difference?
A carry-on bag is typically stored in a plane's overhead bin, while a personal item should fit under the seat in front of you. You can bring only one carry-on item along with your personal item. Your carry-on must fit in in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. If it doesn’t fit, it will need to be checked. Your personal item like a purse or small handbag must fit under the seat in front of you.
Also note that carry-on bag fees, which typically start at around $30, depend on your destination, and that prices are cheapest if you add baggage when you make your booking. You'll pay more to add it later, especially if you do so at the airport.
There's one notable exception for carry-on baggage with United: Passengers with a basic economy ticket can only take one personal item on board - no carry-on bag.
Read also: Heavy Bag Workout
Carry-On Size and Weight Restrictions
Typically, a carry-on bag should not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches (inclusive of the handle and wheels). However, the rules can vary by airline.
For example, American Airlines' carry-on luggage size is 22 x 14 x 9, while Southwest allows a slightly larger carry-on measuring 24 x 16 x 10. Yes, a 24-inch bag can be used as a carry-on suitcase when flying with the following airlines: Frontier, Southwest and Sun Country.
Height by width by depth: Most - but not all - airlines measure bags by inches or centimeters using this formula: height by width by depth, such as 22 x 14 x 9 inches.
Linear inches: A few airlines have linear inch restrictions for carry-on baggage, meaning the airline gives one number for the total of all three dimensions. Singapore Airlines has an unusual method for measuring carry-on bags - the dimensions of the bag must not add up to more than 45 linear inches total.
Is there a weight limit for carry-on bags? Most major domestic airlines do not impose a weight limit on carry-on bags; however, several international airlines have weight restrictions for carry-on luggage and, in some cases, personal items. Air Canada says your carry-on bag should be light enough that it can easily be lifted into the overhead bin.
Read also: Heavy Duty Polythene Bags for Diverse Needs
If your carry-on is too large - or too overstuffed - you might get stopped at the gate before boarding. Sometimes flight attendants will have to tag your bag and send it off to be stowed with checked luggage.
Airline-Specific Carry-On Policies
Here are some airline-specific carry-on policies you should be aware of:
- Aer Lingus: For trans-Atlantic flights, you can bring one carry-on bag within the dimensions above, plus a small personal item for free. If you're flying within Europe on Aer Lingus, the rules are a bit different: You'll have to pay a fee to bring a carry-on with you on board, starting at 5.99 euros.
- Aeroméxico: All Aeroméxico customers can bring a standard carry-on bag and a personal item on board, but for international flights or basic fare flights within Mexico, these two items combined cannot weigh more than 22 pounds.
- Air Canada: Note that both your personal item and carry-on bag (referred to as "hand baggage") combined must not weigh more than 26 pounds if you're traveling economy.
- Cathay Pacific: Passengers are generally permitted to bring one carry-on bag plus a small personal item, but it's best to check your booking carefully to confirm the exact allowance.
- easyJet: Standard fares only allow customers to bring one personal item (called a "small cabin bag") aboard for free.
- Qatar Airways: Laptops and laptop bags do not count as personal items and must fit within your main hand baggage allowance.
- Ryanair: Unless you pay extra, you can only bring one small bag that fits under the seat in front of you, per the personal item guidelines above.
- Scandinavian Airlines (SAS): Most fares allow you to bring one traditional carry-on bag, plus a personal item, which SAS calls an "underseat bag."
- Singapore Airlines: The dimensions of the bag must not add up to more than 45 linear inches total. All passengers can bring one bag of this size, plus a smaller personal item.
- Virgin Atlantic: Laptops do not count as personal items on Virgin Atlantic and should fit into your main carry-on bag.
Tips for Packing Your Carry-On
First things first: Decide which luggage you’re going to use. There are many different types of carry-on bags, so consider which one fits your needs for the length of your trip. No need to fuss with a bulky bag - choose a lightweight carry-on that’s designed to make traveling a breeze and is accommodating for over-packers, since its weight alone won’t tip the scale.
Be sure you can also lift it and place it in the overhead bin. Many airlines also have a sizer bin at the ticket counter, where you can make sure your bags are small enough to fit in the overhead bin of the aircraft before going through security.
Сколько вмещает чемодан для ручной клади
Here are some additional considerations:
Read also: Advantages of Foam Heavy Bags
- Liquids: Most countries restrict the size of containers with liquids, gels, aerosols and pastes - even in partially empty containers during security.
- Medications: Always carry your prescription medication with you on board in your carry-on bag.
- Valuable Items: There are some items that can only travel in your carry-on bag (and some items that must be checked).
Special Circumstances
There are cases where you may be exempt from the policy and can either bring a carry-on bag on board or check it, free of charge. Passengers traveling on Delta Connection flights, including flights with 50 seats or less, are only permitted to carry personal items on board the aircraft due to limited overhead space.
Regional flights on American Eagle® planes have limited overhead bin space. If your carry-on is larger than the personal item dimensions, you must valet your bag before boarding.* We’ll tag and check your bag at the gate for you free of charge.
On full flights, we may ask customers travelling on fares that include a standard carry-on bag to check their bags voluntarily to save overhead bin space.
TSA allows certain duty-free liquids through security in your carry-on bag if they’re packaged in a security tamper-evident bag. Some countries have a program that lets you purchase duty-free items, which are placed in specially sealed bags by the vendor.
If your travel takes you through a security check-in in a country that does not recognize the same program, you may or may not have the opportunity to place the item in your checked baggage.
Wedding dresses can be carried on board and stored in the overhead bin provided the garment bag does not exceed maximum carry-on limits. Your soft-sided garment bag cannot exceed 51 inches / 130 cm (length + width + height).