Personal item sizes by airline, 2026

The personal item rule is where airlines diverge. Some publish exact dimensions. Some publish a sketch and trust the gate agent. A few have tightened sizing since 2024. Confirm the line you are flying before you commit to a bag.

A working baseline for 2026.

Most US legacy carriers permit a personal item that fits under the seat in front. The standard dimensions cluster around 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Some carriers, including United Basic Economy and Spirit, hold travelers tighter. Always check the booking class.

By carrier (subject to change).

• Delta: 18 x 14 x 8 inches, all fares.
• American: 18 x 14 x 8 inches, all fares.
• United: 17 x 10 x 9 inches. Basic Economy is allowed a personal item but no full carry-on.
• Southwest: 18.5 x 8.5 x 13.5 inches, in addition to a carry-on.
• JetBlue: 17 x 13 x 8 inches.
• Alaska: No exact published dimensions. Must fit under the seat.
• Frontier: 14 x 18 x 8 inches.
• Spirit: 18 x 14 x 8 inches.
• British Airways: 40 x 30 x 15 cm.
• Lufthansa: 40 x 30 x 10 cm.
• Air France: 40 x 30 x 15 cm.
• Emirates: 45 x 35 x 20 cm.

Verify each carrier on their site within a week of departure.

What this means for the bag.

A 17-inch tote with a low profile fits the strictest published limit on this list. Anything taller than 18 inches risks the sizer at a tightening carrier. Soft-sided bags compress and pass inspection more often than they fail; rigid bags do not.

The personal item is also where the laptop sits. A 16-inch laptop needs a 17-inch bag at minimum to ride flat. The Concord pulls the laptop out of the personal item entirely with its internal padded compartment, leaving the tote for everything else.

The simple test. Stack the bag against an 18 x 14 x 8 box at home. If it clears with the laptop, water bottle, and a sweater inside, the gate is not going to be the problem.