Turkish Airlines allows a free personal item up to 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in, under the seat in front of you. Put your own bag's measurements in below.
| Personal item maximum | 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in (under the seat in front) |
| Is it free? | Yes — every fare includes one personal item |
| Full-size carry-on | 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 in (also included) |
| If it does not fit | Payment is taken at the boarding gate for non-compliant, untagged cabin baggage and it travels in the hold. |
Personal item up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm and a maximum of 4 kg — Turkish publishes a weight limit for the personal item, which most airlines do not.
At 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in it holds roughly 1093 cubic inches, about 35% of the volume of Turkish Airlines' own 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 in carry-on. That is larger than 1 of the 16 other airlines that publish a figure, and smaller than 12.
Worth knowing: 6 of the 23 airlines we track publish no personal-item measurement at all, so a bag chosen against Turkish Airlines's stated 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in is being measured against a firmer rule than most carriers give you.
Common small bags measured against Turkish Airlines' published 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in limit.
| Bag | Size | On Turkish Airlines | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15-inch laptop bag | 15 × 11 × 4 in | Fits, 0.7 in spare | A slim work bag |
| Small daypack | 17 × 12 × 7 in | Too big by 1.3 in | The commonest personal item |
| Weekender tote | 20 × 13 × 9 in | Too big by 4.3 in | Often too big for under the seat |
| Compact backpack | 16 × 11 × 6 in | Too big by 0.3 in | Fits almost anywhere |
Both bags are included in the fare on Turkish Airlines, so the personal item is an addition to your 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 in carry-on rather than a replacement for it. The two limits are judged separately — a bag that is too big for under the seat may still be fine overhead.
Turkish Airlines publishes a cabin weight limit of 18 lb (8 kg) — 8 kg in Economy (Business allows two pieces of 8 kg, 16 kg total). Weight is checked far less often than size, but it is the rule most likely to catch you on a bag full of books or camera gear.
Payment is taken at the boarding gate for non-compliant, untagged cabin baggage and it travels in the hold. An over-large personal item usually travels overhead instead, which is free on Turkish Airlines and therefore a much softer landing than on a carrier that charges for the carry-on.
Two practical notes that apply on any airline: the under-seat space is smaller in a row with a lifejacket box or an entertainment unit beneath the seat, and a soft bag that compresses will pass where a rigid case of identical stated dimensions will not. Measure with anything strapped to the outside included.
Turkish Airlines allows a personal item up to 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in, stowed under the seat in front of you.
Yes. Every Turkish Airlines fare includes one personal item.
A purse, small backpack, laptop bag, briefcase or similar. Personal item up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm and a maximum of 4 kg — Turkish publishes a weight limit for the personal item, which most airlines do not.
Payment is taken at the boarding gate for non-compliant, untagged cabin baggage and it travels in the hold.
The personal item goes under the seat and is free. The carry-on goes in the overhead locker and can be up to 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 in, included with your fare.
Yes — Turkish Airlines measures the whole bag, so soft bags that squash down have a real advantage under the seat.