United Airlines allows a free personal item up to 17 x 10 x 9 in, under the seat in front of you. Put your own bag's measurements in below.
| Personal item maximum | 17 x 10 x 9 in (under the seat in front) |
| Is it free? | Yes — every fare includes one personal item |
| Full-size carry-on | 22 x 14 x 9 in (also included) |
| If it does not fit | Gate-checked, and a fee applies. |
Must fit under the seat in front of you.
At 17 x 10 x 9 in it holds roughly 1530 cubic inches, about 55% of the volume of United Airlines' own 22 x 14 x 9 in carry-on. That is larger than 11 of the 16 other airlines that publish a figure, and smaller than 5.
Worth knowing: 6 of the 23 airlines we track publish no personal-item measurement at all, so a bag chosen against United Airlines's stated 17 x 10 x 9 in is being measured against a firmer rule than most carriers give you.
Common small bags measured against United Airlines' published 17 x 10 x 9 in limit.
| Bag | Size | On United Airlines | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15-inch laptop bag | 15 × 11 × 4 in | Too big by 1 in | A slim work bag |
| Small daypack | 17 × 12 × 7 in | Too big by 2 in | The commonest personal item |
| Weekender tote | 20 × 13 × 9 in | Too big by 3 in | Often too big for under the seat |
| Compact backpack | 16 × 11 × 6 in | Too big by 1 in | Fits almost anywhere |
Both bags are included in the fare on United Airlines, so the personal item is an addition to your 22 x 14 x 9 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.
United Airlines publishes no cabin weight limit, so in practice the personal item is judged on whether it fits the space rather than what it weighs. You still have to be able to handle it yourself.
Gate-checked, and a fee applies. An over-large personal item usually travels overhead instead, which is free on United 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.
United Airlines allows a personal item up to 17 x 10 x 9 in, stowed under the seat in front of you.
Yes. Every United Airlines fare includes one personal item.
A purse, small backpack, laptop bag, briefcase or similar. Must fit under the seat in front of you.
Gate-checked, and a fee applies.
The personal item goes under the seat and is free. The carry-on goes in the overhead locker and can be up to 22 x 14 x 9 in, included with your fare.
Yes — United Airlines measures the whole bag, so soft bags that squash down have a real advantage under the seat.