You may be someone whose vacation has either started or ended, but one thing that you have to do in either case is to start packing things before you plan to fly. If air travel is something you are not much aware of, especially about the airline rules and regulations, then you certainly need to gather some knowledge about it. Even these rules also need the attention of regular travellers as the rules can vary by airline or region. This knowledge will surely keep you updated with all the ifs’ and buts’ of air travelling and help you to avoid any unpleasant situation. This article mainly intends to guide you about airline carry-on luggage, which is extremely handy as you can keep it to yourself while flying without entrusting them to the flight authorities.
Travel rules and regulations may vary from region to region or carrier to carrier, but the luggage size remains almost the same, which is a constant metric for most airlines. You want to be smarter and plan the right size and weight that your luggage should have. Through this article, you will be able to know the right travelling guidelines regarding airline carry-on luggage that can save you from any embarrassment like pleading, TSA negotiating, or last-minute checking.
We have designed these articles into two parts. The first part contains the answers to the frequently asked questions, and the second part contains information about some specific airline rules for carry-on travel bags. We will also recommend the best travel luggage you can choose for your air travel. These recommendations are made after we spent hours researching ‘the best luggage 2020‘ list to finally come up with the ones that have the most amazing features and highest user ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the right size for the airline carry-on luggage?
The standard size of the domestic carry-on is 22″ x 14″ x 9″, including the handle and the wheels. You may find a slight variation of one or two inches for a few airlines. If you are wondering why the size of the bag is restricted, it is to ensure every passenger travel bag is safely stored in the overhead storage of your flight.
How much weight limit should one consider for the carry-on luggage?
In this case, the weight limit is not an issue unless you ensure that your bag is not overstuffed and can be lifted above the head into the storage bin. Most major domestic airlines like Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest don’t weigh carry-on bags or impose such weight restrictions. Although they specify some weight restrictions on paper, you need to be careful that the luggage should fit the overhead.
Is it possible to carry personal items outside the carry-on luggage?
Yes, many airlines do allow carrying personal items in addition to the carry-on. Personal items include a purse bag, a laptop bag, a beach bag, a briefcase, or anything smaller. Although any restrictions to such items may vary by airlines, the rule of thumb would be to carry items with smaller dimensions and lighter weights than your carry-on suitcase. If you want to bring anything like an instrument or something unusual, you will see most airlines will allow that, but it’s better to check with your airlines before you fly.
Which one is the best airline carry-on luggage?
Every travel gear has choices for the best travel bag brands, but ultimately the best suits you. If you travel frequently, you should go for something durable, and if you travel occasionally, buy something friendly to your budget. You can buy the hard side or the soft side bags, the four-wheel spinners or two-wheel rollaboards from any of the legacy brands you rely upon or any of the new entrants offering competitive deals. Just make sure you buy one with the right dimension.
Which items can you take in your carry-on bag?
Well, you cannot just take everything in your carry-on bag. Rather, follow a certain regulation as well. It is similar to the checked bag regulations that prohibit carrying firearms, lithium batteries, or any other hazardous item which can pose a potential threat. You also have to be careful about the liquids. You cannot bring any container of aerosol, liquid, paste, gel, or cream bigger than 3.4 ounces. Also, check whether airlines have any specified items prohibited from carrying.
What is the standard carry-on size for international flights?
To get your carry-on bag accepted by all carriers, whether domestic or international, you must bring a piece of luggage below 21″. But again, make sure you have checked all the regulations while travelling outside the U.S., as this size limit can vary by region and airline.
Size Guide & Best Airline Carry-On Luggage Recommendation
Here we’ll be reviewing some of your favourite domestic airline regulations for carrying on-size luggage, and we will also recommend some of the best carry-on bags you can choose while travelling by air.
Alaska Airlines
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: N/A
- Personal Items: One of these personal items such as a purse bag, a briefcase, or a laptop bag
- Recommended Carry-On: eBags Exo 2.0 Hardside Spinner carry-on; this great quality spinner comes with the eBags special ‘movable shelf system’ that keeps your things safe and organized. This affordable luggage weighs 7 pounds and has perfect size dimensions.

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Allegiant Air
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”, Fee Applicable ($10-75)
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: N/A
- Personal Items: Anything with the size dimension of 7″ x 15″ x 16″
- Recommended Carry-On: Lipault – Original Plume Spinner 72/26 Luggage; Pack your things in this extremely compact bag If you are on a budget and want to travel with Allegiant. It takes no fee for the personal item but charges for your carry-on based on the size. So packing this beneath the seat duffel will keep things muchly more affordable.

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American Airlines
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: N/A
- Personal items: Anything that fits under your front seat with the size dimension of 18″ x 14″ x 8″
- Recommended Carry-On: Travelpro Platinum Magna 2 Spinner Suiter; you can keep things compact and affordable with the standard size travel pro spinner when you book a flight with American Airlines that has fares included for both the carry-on and the personal item. The spinner has other handy features like magnet-aligned wheels, a fold-down garment bag, etc.

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Delta Air Lines
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: As follows
- Singapore, Changi International Airport (SIN): Max. Weight of 15 lbs or 7 kg
- China, Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK): Max. Weight of 22 lbs or 10 kg
- China, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG): Max. Weight of 22 lbs or 10 kg
- Personal items: one purse bag, camera bag, briefcase, or diaper bag
- Recommended Carry-On: Briggs & Riley Transcend VX Tall carry-on Expandable Spinner, a pricer and trusted brand, comes with a lifetime warranty and sleek design. It is a taller bag with more space, still meeting the airline’s requirements. This soft side bag can be expanded to 2.5′ for extra space.
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Frontier Airlines
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 24″ x 16″ x 10″
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: 35 lbs
- Personal items: Anything that stands at or below 8″ x 18″ x 14″
- Recommended Carry-On: Filson Rolling Carry-On Bag; Take advantage of this slightly larger two-wheeler carry-on to travel with Frontier since it offers an extra cushion in its size restrictions. It is durable even when rolled on the unpaved roads of Bangkok or Bali, as it is made of corrosion-resistant ballistic nylon. The compression straps also make things safe inside.

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Hawaiian Airline Carry on Luggage
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: 25 pounds
- Personal items: one purse bag, laptop bag, briefcase, backpack, or similar thing that fits under your front seat
- Recommended Carry-On: CALPAK Davis Expandable Luggage Set; A stylishly designed affordable spinner that is lightweight, it can be the perfect companion while flying to any tropical oasis like Hawaii. This gem from Calpak weighs 7 pounds which is well within the limit.
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JetBlue Airline Carry-on Luggage
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: None specified
- Personal items: Anything that has a size dimension of 17″ x 13″ x 8″
- Recommended Carry-On: Andiamo Elegante Aluminum Frame carry on Luggage; A polycarbonate spinner perfect for travelling with JetBlue, as this carrier is slightly flexible to offer more legroom and impose fewer size restrictions, especially for the personal item. The spinner from Andiamo comes with an efficient zipperless design and organizational compartments that make packing easier.
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Spirit Airlines
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 18” x 10”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: N/A
- Personal items: Should have a size dimension of 18.5″ x 8.5″ x 13.5″
- Recommended Carry-On: Samsonite Freeform Hardside Spinner; this carry-on spinner from Samsonite lets you take advantage of Spirit’s larger bag allowance. The 360-degree rolling wheels help you to navigate it down easily. It can expand two more inches, making it like a fairy check bag with that extra space.
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United Airlines Carry on Luggage
- Size Dimension Of The Carry On: 22” x 14” x 9”
- Max. Weight Of The Carry On: N/A
- Personal items: The item’s dimensions should be 17″ x 10″ x 9″ and must fit under your front seat
- Recommended Carry-On: Herschel Supply Co. Trade Luggage Power Carry-on; this smart four-wheeler carry-on luggage ensures you do not lose the laptop or phone inflight charge. You can remove the portable power bank from the bag to charge your devices even after putting them overhead.
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Conclusion
We tried to do justice to the article’s title and hope you have found all the information you wanted to know about the Carry On Luggage while travelling by air. Besides clearing all the confusion through FAQ answers, we have also mentioned the specific airlines’ rules and regulations for carrying On Luggage. We also recommended the best travel luggage for those airlines, informed you where to buy these travel bags online, and their cost. If you are a woman looking for the same information, we would say that the ones we mentioned can also be placed on the best travel bags for women. Finally, this article has successfully guided you to enjoy a pleasant plane journey.
Read More: In-Depth Review of 10 Best Travel Luggage & Suitcases
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