Most major airlines cap carry-on bags at 22 × 14 × 9 inches (56 × 36 × 23 cm). Southwest and Frontier are the two US exceptions that allow 24 × 16 × 10 inches (61 × 41 × 25 cm) — and five of the 14 airlines below also enforce a cabin weight limit that no amount of careful measuring will get you past.
If your trip involves more than one airline, only one number matters: the smallest limit on your itinerary. Pack to that one and you clear every leg.
The four numbers worth memorising
· 22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 36 × 23 cm) — the most common carry-on limit in the world. American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian all publish it.
· 24 × 16 × 10 in (61 × 41 × 25 cm) — Southwest and Frontier. Two inches (5 cm) more in length and width than the standard.
· 40 × 20 × 25 cm — Ryanair's free under-seat bag. The smallest free allowance of any airline here.
· 7 kg (15 lb) — Emirates Economy. The tightest cabin weight limit in this table.
US airline carry-on size chart (2026)
|
Airline |
Max carry-on (in) |
Max carry-on (cm) |
Cabin weight limit |
Personal item |
|
American Airlines |
22 × 14 × 9 |
56 × 36 × 23 |
None published |
18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) |
|
Delta Air Lines |
22 × 14 × 9 (45 in / 114 cm combined) |
56 × 36 × 23 |
None published |
Must fit under the seat |
|
United Airlines |
22 × 14 × 9 |
56 × 35 × 23 |
None published |
17 × 10 × 9 in (43 × 25 × 22 cm) |
|
Southwest Airlines |
24 × 16 × 10 |
61 × 41 × 25 |
None published |
Must fit under the seat |
|
JetBlue |
22 × 14 × 9 |
56 × 36 × 23 |
None published |
17 × 13 × 8 in (43 × 33 × 20 cm) |
|
Alaska Airlines |
22 × 14 × 9 |
56 × 36 × 23 |
None published |
Must fit under the seat |
|
Frontier Airlines |
24 × 16 × 10 |
61 × 41 × 25 |
35 lb (15.9 kg) |
18 × 14 × 8 in (46 × 36 × 20 cm), free |
|
Hawaiian Airlines |
22 × 14 × 9 |
56 × 36 × 23 |
None published |
Must fit under the seat |
Three things stand out in this table. First, 22 × 14 × 9 inches is genuinely the US default — six of the eight airlines publish exactly that. Second, Frontier is the only US carrier here that weighs the bag you carry on, and 35 lb (15.9 kg) sounds generous until you pack a hard-shell for a two-week trip. Third, Southwest and Frontier are the only two allowing 24 × 16 × 10 inches, which is enough extra room to matter if you pack bulky items — but remember Frontier's carry-on is a paid add-on, while Southwest's is free on every fare.
International airline carry-on size chart (2026)
|
Airline |
Max carry-on (cm) |
Max carry-on (in) |
Cabin weight limit |
Notes |
|
British Airways |
56 × 45 × 25 |
22 × 18 × 10 |
23 kg (51 lb) |
Plus a 40 × 30 × 15 cm personal item. BA does weigh cabin bags. |
|
Ryanair |
40 × 20 × 25 (free, under seat) |
16 × 8 × 10 |
None published |
A 55 × 40 × 20 cm overhead bag needs paid Priority boarding (10 kg). |
|
easyJet |
45 × 36 × 20 (free, under seat) |
18 × 14 × 8 |
15 kg (33 lb) |
A 56 × 45 × 25 cm overhead bag is a paid add-on, also 15 kg. |
|
Emirates (Economy) |
55 × 38 × 22 |
22 × 15 × 8 |
7 kg (15 lb) |
Premium Economy 10 kg. Business/First: two pieces, 14 kg combined. |
|
Air Canada |
55 × 40 × 23 |
21.5 × 15.5 × 9 |
None published |
Personal item 33 × 43 × 16 cm. Economy Basic within North America is personal item only. |
|
Lufthansa |
55 × 40 × 23 |
21.7 × 15.7 × 9 |
8 kg (17.6 lb) |
Personal item 40 × 30 × 15 cm. Short-haul Economy Basic is personal item only. |
Outside the US, the two things that catch travellers are stricter widths and published weights. British Airways and Lufthansa both allow a bag 45 cm (17.7 in) wide — 10 cm wider than the 22 × 14 × 9 in standard — which is why a European cabin bag often fails a US airline's sizer even though it looks identical in a photo. Emirates goes the other way: the box is a reasonable 55 × 38 × 22 cm, but the 7 kg ceiling is the tightest in this table.
Weight limits: the part most size guides skip
Five of the 14 airlines here publish a cabin weight limit; the other nine rely on size alone. That matters because a 20-inch hard-shell weighs roughly 2.5–3.5 kg empty before you put a single item inside it. On Emirates' 7 kg Economy limit, that leaves you about 3.5–4.5 kg of actual packing — roughly a laptop, a change of clothes and a toiletry bag.
Two further traps sit inside the weight question:
· Weight limits often apply to the bag alone. Lufthansa's 8 kg applies to the cabin bag; the 40 × 30 × 15 cm personal item is separate. Read which piece the number covers.
· US carriers usually don't weigh cabin bags, but their partners do. Delta publishes no cabin weight limit — yet if the second half of your ticket is operated by a European or Gulf carrier, that leg's rule is the one enforced at the gate in Amsterdam or Dubai.
How to measure a carry-on so it passes the sizer
1. Measure the packed bag, at its widest points. Include wheels, the top handle, side handles and any external pocket that bulges. A suitcase sold as "20-inch" typically measures about 22 inches once the wheels and handle count — which is exactly the 22 × 14 × 9 in limit, with nothing to spare.
2. Use a tape measure, not the product listing. Product pages quote body dimensions more often than full external dimensions.
3. Weigh it at home. A luggage scale costs less than a single gate fee, and it is the only way to check the five weight limits above.
4. Assume the sizer is a physical test, not a judgement call. On Ryanair and easyJet the bag has to drop into the frame without forcing — a soft bag that is 1 cm over will be rejected even if you can squash it shut.
5. Check every operating carrier, not just the one you booked with. Codeshare and connecting itineraries are usually governed by the airline flying that leg.
Want the full walkthrough — tools, photos and the linear-inch maths? See our step-by-step guide: How to Measure Carry-On Luggage Dimensions.
What it costs if the bag doesn't fit
· Lufthansa: EUR 60–110 / USD 75–125 when a non-compliant bag is taken at check-in or the gate.
· easyJet: £60 at the boarding gate — always cheaper to add the bag online before you fly.
· Ryanair: up to about €50 at the gate for a bag that should have had Priority.
· United Basic Economy: from $75 at the gate if you bring a carry-on your fare doesn't include (tickets booked on or after 3 April 2026).
One 1 cm miscalculation on a family of four can cost more than the tickets did.
Spirit Airlines and the "22 × 18 × 10" carry-on that no longer exists
If you found this page searching for Spirit Airlines' carry-on size, note that Spirit ceased operations on 2 May 2026 and cancelled all flights. Several 2026 baggage guides still list its 22 × 18 × 10 inch (56 × 46 × 25 cm) carry-on and its 18 × 14 × 8 in free personal item. Those limits no longer apply to any flight you can book.
Travellers who used Spirit for budget domestic flying now usually compare Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant and JetBlue instead. Set against Spirit's old numbers, the useful shift is that Southwest includes a carry-on and a personal item free on every fare, and allows the larger 24 × 16 × 10 in box — while Frontier keeps a generous 24 × 16 × 10 in size but charges for the carry-on and caps it at 35 lb.
Why "airline approved" on a product page means nothing
There is no single body that certifies a suitcase as "airline approved," and no shared worldwide standard — as the two charts above show, the same bag can be legal on Southwest and oversized on Ryanair. Treat the phrase as marketing copy and compare the actual numbers instead: your bag's full external dimensions (inches and cm), its empty weight, and the limits of the specific airlines on your itinerary.
Matching a WEPLUS carry-on to your airline's limit
Every hard-shell carry-on in our range is built around the most common limit rather than the largest one, so it clears the widest number of airlines:
· For US domestic flying, the 22 × 14 × 9 in standard is the number to hit. Our 20-inch expandable hard-shell carry-on is sized to that limit, with an expansion zip you should keep closed on tight carriers.
· If your laptop travels with you, a front-open carry-on with a laptop compartment keeps the electronics out of the main packing space — and the compartment means you can leave the separate laptop bag at home, which is one fewer item to fit under the seat.
· Flying Ryanair or easyJet? Their free allowance is an under-seat bag only. A cabin trolley needs paid Priority or a large cabin bag add-on, so price that add-on before you decide a low-cost fare is cheaper.
· Looking at sets: in a three-piece 22 / 26 / 30 in set, only the 22-inch piece is sized for the cabin. The other two must be checked on every airline in this table.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard carry-on luggage size?
There is no worldwide standard, but 22 × 14 × 9 inches (56 × 36 × 23 cm) is the most widely used limit. American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian all publish it, along with most international carriers. Southwest and Frontier are the notable US exceptions at 24 × 16 × 10 inches (61 × 41 × 25 cm).
What is 22 × 14 × 9 inches in cm?
56 × 36 × 23 cm. The exact conversion is 55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm, and airlines round these figures in different directions — United publishes 56 × 35 × 23 cm for the same limit. When a bag sits right at the maximum, that 1 cm difference is the difference between boarding and paying a gate fee.
Which US airline allows the largest carry-on?
Southwest and Frontier, both at 24 × 16 × 10 inches (61 × 41 × 25 cm) — 2 inches (5 cm) more in length and width than the 22 × 14 × 9 in standard. Frontier caps the bag at 35 lb (15.9 kg) and charges for it; Southwest publishes no cabin weight limit and includes the carry-on on every fare.
Do any airlines weigh carry-on bags?
Yes. Frontier caps carry-ons at 35 lb (15.9 kg), British Airways at 23 kg, easyJet at 15 kg, Lufthansa at 8 kg, and Emirates at 7 kg in Economy. American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Hawaiian, Air Canada and Ryanair publish no cabin weight limit — but a partner airline operating part of your trip may still weigh the bag.
Will a 22 × 14 × 9 inch suitcase fit on Ryanair?
No. Ryanair's free allowance is a single 40 × 20 × 25 cm bag that must fit under the seat. The 55 × 40 × 20 cm overhead bag is only included with paid Priority boarding, and it carries a 10 kg limit. A standard 20-inch cabin trolley will not pass Ryanair's free allowance.
Do wheels and handles count toward the size limit?
On every airline in these tables, yes. Airlines state that the measurement includes wheels, handles and external pockets. Measure the suitcase as it stands, fully packed, from the lowest point of the wheels to the top of the extended handle.
Does Basic Economy still include a carry-on bag?
It depends on the airline. Delta, American, Alaska and Southwest include a carry-on on every fare, including the cheapest. United Basic Economy is personal item only on most domestic routes and US–Canada flights, with a gate fee from $75 for tickets booked on or after 3 April 2026. Air Canada's Economy Basic (tickets bought on or after 3 January 2025) is personal item only within North America, and Lufthansa's short-haul Economy Basic is personal item only as well.
What happens if my carry-on is one inch too big?
It gets gate-checked and you pay for it. Lufthansa charges EUR 60–110 (USD 75–125), easyJet charges £60 at the gate, and Ryanair charges up to about €50. Because the bag travels in the hold, remove batteries, power banks, medication and valuables before handing it over.
Do I need to check the rules for a connecting flight?
Yes. On itineraries that mix airlines, the operating carrier for each leg usually sets the baggage rules, and its sizer is the one at that gate. If your itinerary includes a US legacy carrier plus a European, Gulf or Asian airline, pack to the stricter of the two limits — that is almost always the non-US carrier's weight limit.
How we verified this
Every figure in these charts was checked against the airlines' own published baggage policies, most recently on 18 September 2026. Airlines change carry-on dimensions and weight limits without notice, and fare-specific rules — particularly for Basic Economy, Saver and Light fares — can differ from the standard allowance. Confirm your specific flight with the operating carrier before you travel. Metric conversions are shown as the airlines publish them and may differ by 1 cm from the imperial figures.