Measure the outside
Measure the bag at its widest, tallest, and deepest points. Wheels, handles, protective feet, exterior pockets, and anything that sticks out count toward the real space your bag occupies.
Free airline baggage checker
Know if your carry-on fits before you reach the gate.
Choose an airline, enter your bag’s outside dimensions, and get a clear fit check with the airline limit, your margin, and practical packing guidance.
✓ Free to use✓ Inches or centimeters✓ Orientation-aware
Carry-on checker
Check your bag
Use the bag's total outside measurements, including wheels, handles, side pockets, and other protruding parts.
✓ Official sourcesLimits are based on airline-published baggage policies.
✓ Human reviewedAirline records are checked individually, not copied blindly.
◉ Private calculationsYour bag measurements stay in your browser.
↗ Source includedEvery supported result links back to the airline policy.
Where our data comes from
Built on airline-published baggage rules.
CarryOnChecker uses baggage allowances published by airlines on their official websites as its primary source. We record dimensional limits, weight limits when a clear standard is published, personal-item allowances where available, and relevant fare or policy notes.
Airline policies can change at any time. That is why each supported result shows when the airline record was reviewed and includes a direct link to the airline's current baggage policy for final verification.
Learn how we verify airline policies ↓55airlines tracked
Officialprimary sources
Humanpolicy review
Carry-on guide
Measure once. Avoid surprises later.
Carry-on rules sound simple until airlines use different dimension orders, fare rules, and weight policies. These are the details that matter most.
Dimensions can be reordered
Airlines do not always publish measurements in the same length × width × height order. The checker can test reasonable rotations of your bag instead of rejecting a bag simply because two labels were reversed.
Size and weight are different rules
A bag can fit the published dimensions and still exceed a weight limit. Weight enforcement varies substantially by airline and route, so add weight whenever you know it.
What counts as a carry-on bag?
A carry-on is luggage you take through security and into the aircraft cabin rather than checking into the cargo hold. Most airlines limit its outside dimensions so it can fit in an overhead bin. A personal item is usually a smaller bag—such as a purse, laptop bag, compact backpack, or briefcase—that must fit under the seat in front of you.
There is no single worldwide carry-on standard. Many U.S. carriers use limits close to 22 × 14 × 9 inches, but that is a common pattern rather than a universal rule. International and low-cost airlines can use smaller limits, enforce weight more strictly, or treat cabin bags differently depending on the fare purchased.
Why a bag can fit one airline and fail another
Aircraft type, overhead-bin design, airline operating practices, and fare structure all influence baggage rules. Even when two airlines publish similar limits, one may impose a cabin weight maximum while another does not publish a standard weight cap. Some basic fares also restrict the number or type of bags allowed.
Soft-sided vs. hard-shell luggage
Soft bags can compress, but travelers should not rely on aggressive squeezing to make an oversized bag compliant. Airline sizers are physical frames: if the bag cannot fit naturally, staff may require it to be checked. Hard-shell luggage is easier to measure consistently, but wheels and handles can make its real outside dimensions larger than the shell itself.
Common mistakes
Small details that cause gate problems
Ignoring wheels
The wheel housing often adds an inch or more to the actual height.
Measuring an empty bag
Soft luggage and exterior pockets can expand after packing.
Assuming every fare includes a carry-on
Some restrictive fares include only a personal item.
Using an old baggage rule
Policies change. Verify the airline's current page before an important trip.
FAQ
Carry-on questions, answered
Do wheels and handles count in carry-on dimensions?+
Yes. Measure the total outside size of your packed bag, including wheels, fixed handles, feet, pockets, and other protrusions. Those parts occupy space in an airline sizer and overhead bin.
What is the most common U.S. carry-on size?+
Many U.S. airlines publish limits around 22 × 14 × 9 inches, but there is no legally universal standard. Always check the specific airline and fare you are flying.
What if my bag is only slightly over the limit?+
Enforcement is ultimately up to the airline. A small difference may go unnoticed, but you should not assume a bag outside the published limit will be accepted. If it does not fit a physical sizer, you may be required to check it and possibly pay a fee.
Why does the checker allow the dimensions to rotate?+
Airlines and luggage makers sometimes label length, width, height, and depth differently. For a rectangular bag, the practical question is whether its three outside dimensions can fit within the airline's three-dimensional limit in some orientation. You can disable rotation for a stricter label-to-label comparison.
Does passing the size check guarantee my bag can go onboard?+
No. Size is only one part of the policy. Your fare, bag allowance, weight, route, aircraft, hazardous-items rules, and available bin space can still affect whether a bag is accepted in the cabin.
Is a personal item the same as a carry-on?+
No. A personal item is normally the smaller piece intended to fit beneath the seat. A standard carry-on typically goes in the overhead bin. Exact allowances depend on the airline and ticket.
Should I measure in inches or centimeters?+
Use whichever system you prefer. The checker converts the airline limits so the comparison and result remain in the same unit system you selected.
How current is the airline data?+
Our curated 55-airline database records the date each policy entry was reviewed and links to the airline’s official baggage page. Policies, fares, and route-specific allowances can still change without notice, so the airline remains the final authority.
About CarryOnChecker
A simple checker should still explain its work.
Why it exists: airline baggage rules are scattered across dozens of websites and are not always described in the same way. CarryOnChecker turns those published requirements into a consistent comparison.
What it does: the tool compares the outside dimensions you enter with the selected airline's stored published limit. When rotation is enabled, it checks valid rectangular orientations instead of assuming every airline and luggage maker labels length, width, and height identically. Weight is evaluated separately when both values are available.
What it does not do: CarryOnChecker is not an airline, travel agency, or baggage manufacturer and cannot approve a bag for travel. The airline has final authority over acceptance, fares, routes, aircraft, and enforcement.
Editorial & data policy
How we maintain airline information
Our goal is to make baggage rules easier to compare without hiding where the information came from or overstating what the checker can guarantee.
Primary sources
We use airline-operated websites and official baggage-policy pages as our primary sources for airline-specific limits.
Human verification
Airline requirements are reviewed individually rather than automatically copied from third-party baggage databases.
What we record
We record carry-on dimensions, personal-item dimensions where clearly published, standard weight restrictions, relevant policy notes, and the official source link.
Ongoing updates
Policies are periodically rechecked. Each airline record includes the date its information was most recently reviewed.
Corrections policy
Found something that changed?
Airline policies sometimes change between our reviews. If information on CarryOnChecker differs from an airline's current published policy, tell us what changed and, if possible, include the official source. We review reports against the airline's own policy before changing the database.
Privacy first
Your measurements stay yours.
CarryOnChecker does not require an account, name, email address, or travel itinerary to check a bag. The bag dimensions you enter are processed locally in your browser and are not stored by CarryOnChecker. See our Privacy Policy for details about the site's analytics, advertising, and other web technologies.