British Airways allows a carry-on up to 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in, measured including wheels and handles. Put your own bag's measurements in below — it opens with British Airways's own limit filled in.
| Carry-on maximum | 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in (including wheels and handles) |
| Personal item | 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in |
| Cabin weight limit | None published |
| Is the carry-on free? | Yes, included with your fare |
| If it does not fit | Moved to the hold. |
BA publishes in centimetres: cabin bag 56 x 45 x 25 cm plus a handbag/backpack 40 x 30 x 15 cm. Inches converted here. Note the 90 x 75 x 43 cm figure circulating online is BA's CHECKED bag limit, not the cabin bag.
British Airways's 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in works out to about 3816 cubic inches (62.5 litres) of cabin allowance, which ranks 3 of 22 among the airlines we have verified, about 29% more than the median carrier.
The same 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in limit is used by 1 other airline here — easyJet. A bag bought to that spec travels widely, which is exactly why it is the size most luggage is sold in.
2 of the airlines we track allow a larger bag and 18 allow less, so a bag sized to British Airways clears roughly 86% of the carriers here.
Common bag sizes measured against British Airways's published limit. Every figure includes wheels and handles, which is where most bags lose.
| Bag | Size | On British Airways | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin-max spinner | 22 × 14 × 9 in | Only just — 0 in spare | The standard US carry-on, sold as “22-inch” |
| Compact 21-inch | 21 × 14 × 9 in | Fits, 0.8 in spare | A common step down |
| European cabin bag | 21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in | Only just — 0.3 in spare | Sized to 55 x 40 x 20 cm |
| Underseat tote | 17 × 13 × 8 in | Fits, 1.8 in spare | Typical personal-item size |
| Oversized “carry-on” | 24 × 16 × 10 in | Too big by 2 in | Sold as carry-on, larger than most limits |
British Airways allows a personal item up to 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in alongside the 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in carry-on. Both are included in the fare, so the practical question is only whether each bag is within its own limit.
British Airways allows a carry-on up to 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 in, measured including wheels and handles. BA publishes in centimetres: cabin bag 56 x 45 x 25 cm plus a handbag/backpack 40 x 30 x 15 cm. Inches converted here. Note the 90 x 75 x 43 cm figure circulating online is BA's CHECKED bag limit, not the cabin bag.
No — a full-size carry-on is included with your fare, alongside a personal item.
Moved to the hold.
British Airways publishes no cabin weight limit for the main carry-on on most fares, though staff can still refuse a bag you cannot lift into the locker yourself.
Up to 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in. BA calls it a handbag or backpack: 40 x 30 x 15 cm, in addition to the cabin bag.
Yes. British Airways measures the bag including wheels, handles and any external pockets, which is why a bag sold as “22 inch” can still measure over.