Guide to personal item restrictions on U.S. airlines

The rough size for a personal item on most U.S. airlines is 18 x 14 x 8 inches, but this varies by an inch or two for some airlines. Generally, the rule is your item must fit underneath the seat in front of you, so the size underneath this seat dictates the size of the item you can bring. Some airlines may use a sizing box at the airport to check that your personal item or carry-on bag will fit within the size limits. If your bag doesn’t fit in this box, it must be checked in and will incur an additional fee.

Most U.S. airlines do not impose a weight limit on personal items, however, Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines and Sun Country Airlines have a weight limit of 35 lbs and Allegiant Airlines has a weight limit of 25 lbs.

If your personal item is too big to fit underneath the seat in front of you, and you already have a carry-on bag with you, you’ll most likely have to check in one of the bags. This could incur a fee if you have already checked a bag in as many airlines only allow one checked bag and one carry-on per person. The rules vary by airline and by the cabin you travel in, so it’s best to check how many bags you’re allowed to bring and what size they should be before you travel.

The exact definition of a personal item can vary between airlines, but it is generally a small piece of luggage you can bring with you on a flight, alongside your larger carry-on bag. A personal item could be something like a purse, laptop bag, briefcase or small backpack, and it should be small enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you. Alternatively, a personal item could also be an umbrella, camera case, garment bag, musical instrument or a bag for an infant. The idea of a personal item is to give you easy and practical access to important items that you might need during the flight.