Enter your under-seat bag’s dimensions and see which airlines accept it as a free personal item — with the exact margin for each.
Most airlines let every passenger bring one free personal item that must fit under the seat in front of you — a smaller allowance than the overhead carry-on. Because a bag can be turned any way to slide under the seat, we compare your bag’s three dimensions sorted largest-to-smallest against each airline’s sorted personal-item limit, the same way the under-seat space actually constrains it.
Some carriers (Emirates, Qatar, Qantas, Singapore, ANA, Turkish, Virgin Atlantic) don’t publish exact personal-item dimensions — they describe it as a “handbag or laptop bag.” Those are listed separately below and excluded from the numeric fit check; treat a normal small bag as acceptable and confirm at the gate.
Important: enforcement varies by airport and staff, and on some budget carriers the free personal item is the only free bag. Treat “Tight” as “verify before you fly.” Dimensions are normalized to inches from each airline’s published allowance.
| Airline | Region | Max personal item (in) | As published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | US | 18 × 14 × 8 | 18 x 14 x 8 in | No weight limit for the main cabin bag on most fares. |
| Delta Air Lines | US | 18 × 14 × 8 | About 18 x 14 x 8 in | No published weight limit in the US. |
| United Airlines | US | 17 × 10 × 9 | 17 x 10 x 9 in | Basic Economy allows a personal item only on many routes. |
| Alaska Airlines | US | 18 × 14 × 8 | 18 x 14 x 8 in | |
| JetBlue | US | 17 × 13 × 8 | 17 x 13 x 8 in | Blue Basic may restrict the overhead bag on some fares. |
| Hawaiian Airlines | US | 18 × 14 × 8 | About 18 x 14 x 8 in | 25 lb (11.3 kg) cabin weight limit. |
| Southwest Airlines | US | 18.5 × 8.5 × 13.5 | 18.5 x 8.5 x 13.5 in | One of the most generous US carry-on sizes. |
| Spirit Airlines * | US | 18 × 14 × 8 | 18 x 14 x 8 in | Carry-on is a paid add-on; the free bag is the personal item. |
| Frontier Airlines * | US | 18 × 14 × 8 | 18 x 14 x 8 in | Carry-on is paid; 35 lb (15.9 kg) limit. |
| Allegiant Air * | US | 16 × 15 × 7 | 16 x 15 x 7 in | Carry-on is a paid add-on. |
| Air Canada | Canada | 16 × 13 × 6 | 16 x 13 x 6 in | You must be able to lift it into the bin unaided (55 x 40 x 23 cm). |
| WestJet | Canada | 16 × 13 × 6 | 16 x 13 x 6 in | 53 x 38 x 23 cm. |
| British Airways | Europe | 16 × 12 × 6 | 16 x 12 x 6 in | 56 x 45 x 25 cm; must lift into the bin. Weight up to 23 kg. |
| Ryanair * | Europe | 15.7 × 7.9 × 9.8 | Free small bag 40 x 20 x 25 cm | The 55 x 40 x 20 cm cabin bag needs Priority; otherwise only the free small bag fits under the seat. |
| easyJet * | Europe | 17.7 × 14.2 × 7.9 | Free small bag 45 x 36 x 20 cm | Large cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25 cm) needs a Plus/Up-front seat; free bag goes under the seat. |
| Lufthansa | Europe | 16 × 12 × 4 | 16 x 12 x 4 in | 55 x 40 x 23 cm, 8 kg. |
| Air France | Europe | 16 × 12 × 6 | 16 x 12 x 6 in | 55 x 35 x 25 cm; carry-on + personal item together up to 12 kg. |
| KLM | Europe | 16 × 12 × 6 | 16 x 12 x 6 in | 55 x 35 x 25 cm; combined 12 kg. |
| Emirates | Middle East | Not published | Handbag/laptop bag | 55 x 38 x 20 cm, 7 kg (Economy). Personal item is a handbag or laptop bag with no separate published dimensions. |
| Qatar Airways | Middle East | Not published | Laptop or handbag | 50 x 37 x 25 cm, 7 kg (Economy). Personal item has no separate published dimensions. |
| Turkish Airlines | Europe | Not published | Small accessory bag | 55 x 40 x 23 cm, 8 kg. Accessory bag has no separate published dimensions. |
| Qantas | Oceania | Not published | Small bag | 56 x 36 x 23 cm, 7 kg per bag. Small personal bag has no separate published dimensions. |
| Singapore Airlines | Asia | Not published | Small bag | Total dimensions must not exceed 115 cm (L+W+H); 7 kg. No separate personal-item dimensions published. |
| Aer Lingus | Europe | 13 × 9.4 × 7.9 | Free small bag 33 x 24 x 20 cm | 55 x 40 x 24 cm, 10 kg (cabin-bag fare). |
| Virgin Atlantic | Europe | Not published | Handbag/laptop bag | 56 x 36 x 23 cm, 10 kg. Personal item has no separate published dimensions. |
| ANA (All Nippon) | Asia | Not published | Handbag | 55 x 40 x 25 cm, 10 kg (flights with 100+ seats). Handbag has no separate published dimensions. |
The personal item is the smaller, free bag that must fit under the seat in front of you — a backpack, purse, laptop bag or small tote. The carry-on is the larger bag that goes in the overhead bin. This tool checks the under-seat personal-item limit; use the Carry-On Size Checker for the overhead bag.
No. It just means it’s over the free personal-item limit. It may still fit the airline’s larger carry-on allowance (which is often a paid extra on budget fares). Check it against the Carry-On Size Checker.
Carriers like Emirates, Qatar, Qantas, Singapore, ANA and Virgin Atlantic describe the personal item as a “handbag or laptop bag” without publishing exact dimensions. We list them separately so we don’t invent numbers; a normal small bag is generally accepted.
Less often than the carry-on, but budget airlines increasingly have an under-seat sizer. If your result is “Tight,” pack a soft-sided bag that compresses and keep it under the published dimensions with wheels or bulges included.
The database shows a last-updated date. Airlines change allowances occasionally — especially budget carriers — so treat results as guidance and confirm on the airline’s official baggage page before flying.