The Savvy Packer

Guides

Carry-on and personal item rules

How big your bags can be, when airlines weigh them, which fares charge for an overhead bag, and what to do at the gate. Built on checked airline limits.

The short answers

Two bags, two limits: A personal item fits under the seat and comes with almost every fare. A carry-on goes in the overhead bin and is a paid extra on many budget fares. Read more
The size that fits everywhere: One bag works on every airline we track if it's no bigger than 19.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 in (50 x 35 x 20 cm). Wheels and handles count. Read more
Weight limits: Most big US airlines don't publish a carry-on weight limit, but many airlines in Asia, Australia and Europe allow only 7 to 10 kg. Read more
Budget fares: Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and US low-cost airlines include only a small under-seat bag on the cheapest fare. Add the bag fees before you compare prices. Read more
Several airlines on one trip: Pack for the strictest airline on your ticket, often the low-cost leg at the end. Read more
Flagged at the gate: Ask to use the sizer, shrink the bag and keep the airline's published limit on your phone. Read more

Guides

A soft backpack hanging from a handheld luggage scale in a hotel room

Bag rulesThe 7 kg Carry-On Limit: Who Weighs Bags and How to PackWhich airlines cap cabin bags at 7 kg, whether it's per bag or combined, who actually weighs them, and how to fit a week of stuff under the limit.October 31, 2026 · 11 min read

A small backpack stowed under an airplane seat in front of a passenger's feet

MoneyBasic Economy vs a Bag Fee: When the Cheap Fare Costs MoreWhat basic and light fares include on US, Canadian and European airlines, the real bag fees, and how to work out whether the cheap fare is actually cheaper.October 31, 2026 · 10 min read

A small soft backpack being pressed into a metal bag sizer at a European airport gate

Bag rulesRyanair, easyJet and Wizz Air Personal Item: How Strict?Exact free under-seat bag sizes for Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air, how the gate sizer check works, what a too-big bag costs and which backpacks fit.October 31, 2026 · 12 min read

A soft carry-on roller with its expansion zipper open standing at an airport boarding gate

Bag rulesGate Agent Says Your Carry-On Is Too Big: What to DoWhat to say and do when a gate agent flags your carry-on, what a gate check really costs, free gate checks on small planes, and how to avoid it next time.October 31, 2026 · 11 min read

A soft carry-on backpack being lowered into a metal bag sizer at an airport gate

Bag rulesConnecting on Two Airlines: Whose Carry-On Rules Apply?One ticket or two, codeshare or self-transfer: which airline's carry-on size and weight rules you follow on a connection, and how to pack for the strictest leg.October 31, 2026 · 12 min read

A packed soft backpack on a bedroom floor with a tape measure stretched across its depth

Bag rulesIs a Backpack a Personal Item? What Size Actually FitsYes, if it fits under the seat and the airline's size. Liters to real dimensions, the strictest airlines, and what to do if the gate says it's too big.October 31, 2026 · 12 min read

Buying guideThe Carry-On Size That Fits (Almost) Every Airline in 2026We compared the cabin bag limits of 39 airlines. Here's the largest bag that fits all of them, region by region, and what weight limits to watch out for.October 29, 2026 · 3 min read

Bag rulesPersonal Item vs Carry-On: What's the Difference?The bag under the seat and the bag in the overhead bin follow different rules. How they differ, which airlines charge, and how to avoid gate fees.October 29, 2026 · 5 min read

Tools and charts

Questions people ask

What is the standard carry-on size?

There isn't one worldwide. Most big US airlines allow 22 x 14 x 9 in, and many European airlines use 55 x 40 x 20 or 23 cm. A bag no bigger than 19.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 in (50 x 35 x 20 cm) fits every airline we track.

Is a personal item free on every airline?

Almost every fare includes one small personal item that fits under the seat. The overhead carry-on is what budget fares charge for.

Do airlines weigh carry-on bags?

Some do. Many airlines in Asia, Australia and Europe have a 7 to 10 kg limit and weigh bags at check-in or the gate, especially low-cost airlines.

More topics

Airport security rulesWhat you can and can't carry through security: the liquids rule, food, medication, power banks and batteries.Packing listsCarry-on sized packing lists for real trips, built from what travelers say they used, forgot or regretted, plus weather data for each destination..