The Lieber’s Carry-On Guide: 2026
Practical advice from Lieber’s Luggage in Albuquerque. Rules researched November 4, 2026.
Will your bag make the cut?
Start with three things: the outside measurements, the packed weight, and what your ticket includes. Get those right before you get to the airport.
22 × 14 × 9 inches
A common U.S. carry-on limit. Wheels and handles count. Not every airline uses it, and not every fare includes an overhead bag.
Find your airline · Measure your bag · Pack smart · Departure checklist
Find your airline
Open an airline below for sizes and the catch to watch for. Dimensions are external maximums, shown longest side first for comparison. Meet each dimension, not just a combined total.
Size does not equal permission. Check your fare, route, packed weight, and operating airline on every leg. Follow the official policy linked inside each entry.
U.S. airlines
American · 22 × 14 × 9 in
Personal item: 18 × 14 × 8 in, under the seat.
One carry-on plus one personal item, including Basic Economy. Some aircraft and airports have additional restrictions.
Delta · 22 × 14 × 9 in
Personal item: Must fit under the seat, such as a small backpack, purse, or laptop bag.
The overhead bag must also stay within 45 linear inches. Small Delta Connection aircraft may require larger bags to travel in the hold. Check route-specific weight restrictions.
United · 22 × 14 × 9 in
Personal item: 17 × 10 × 9 in.
Most Basic Economy trips include only a personal item. Specified international routes and qualifying status/card benefits can provide exceptions. Check the booking before bringing a roller.
Southwest · 24 × 16 × 10 in
Personal item: Must fit under the seat.
One carry-on plus one personal item. A bag that meets Southwest’s larger limit can exceed another airline’s limit on your next flight.
Alaska · 22 × 14 × 9 in
Personal item: One smaller personal item.
Include wheels, handles, and packed exterior pockets in your measurements.
JetBlue · 22 × 14 × 9 in
Personal item: 17 × 13 × 8 in.
JetBlue’s published fare terms include a carry-on and personal item on all fares. Check the current allowance for your booking.
Frontier · 24 × 16 × 10 in
Personal item: 18 × 14 × 8 in. One included with your ticket.
Overhead bag: Up to 35 lb. Check your bundle or purchased add-on; an overhead bag is not the same as the included personal item.
Spirit · 22 × 18 × 10 in
Personal item: 18 × 14 × 8 in.
Value does not include an overhead bag; Spirit First and Premium Economy include one, space permitting. Check your selected travel option.
Allegiant · 22 × 16 × 10 in
Personal item: 18 × 14 × 8 in. One free per passenger.
One overhead carry-on can be purchased. Use the current baggage page rather than older size charts.
International flights & connections
“International carry-on” is not a worldwide allowance. Check every operating airline, including short connections and the trip home. These selected examples use centimetres as published.
Air Canada · 55 × 40 × 23 cm
Personal item: 43 × 33 × 16 cm.
No published carry-on weight limit, but you must stow it unassisted. Economy Basic has personal-item-only restrictions on selected itineraries.
British Airways · 56 × 45 × 25 cm
Handbag/backpack: 40 × 30 × 15 cm.
You must lift the larger cabin bag unassisted. It may need to travel in the hold. Check your booking’s complete allowance, including weight.
Lufthansa · 55 × 40 × 23 cm
Personal item: 40 × 30 × 15 cm.
8 kg per permitted overhead bag. Allowance depends on fare and route; the short/medium-haul Economy Basic listing allows a personal item only.
Ryanair · 55 × 40 × 20 cm
Included small personal bag: 40 × 30 × 20 cm.
The overhead bag shown is up to 10 kg with Priority & 2 Cabin Bags. A purchased 10 kg checked bag is not an overhead allowance.
easyJet · 56 × 45 × 25 cm
Included under-seat bag: 45 × 36 × 20 cm.
The larger cabin bag requires the relevant purchase, fare, or membership benefit. Each permitted bag can weigh up to 15 kg; you must lift and carry it yourself.
Measure packed. Not empty.
A “21-inch” product name is not a guarantee of airline fit. It can describe the case size rather than the complete rolling bag.
- Pack normally. Fill pockets and close the bag. Leave expansion closed unless you have checked the expanded dimensions.
- Retract the telescoping handle. Measure from the floor under the wheels to the highest remaining point, including fixed handles.
- Check width and depth. Include side handles, feet, bulging pockets, and anything else sticking out.
- Weigh it. Meet your airline’s limit and make sure you can manage the packed bag.
The rule that saves headaches: shop for the most restrictive flight on your itinerary, not just the first one.
What stays with you
Keep medication, passport or ID, wallet, keys, glasses, and valuables in your personal item. Add essential chargers and a change of clothes if space allows. That bag still needs to meet its own size limit.
Liquids: the U.S. TSA rule
Containers of 3.4 oz / 100 mL or less, fitting in one quart-size bag per passenger. Container size matters, even when a larger bottle is almost empty. Toothpaste, creams, gels, and aerosols count too.
Medically necessary liquids and infant/child nourishments have exceptions and additional screening procedures. Declare exempt items and follow officer instructions. Other countries can use different procedures.
Power banks: cabin only
Power banks and spare lithium batteries cannot go in checked baggage. Remove them if your carry-on is checked at the gate. Protect terminals against short circuit, and check your airline’s capacity, quantity, storage, and use restrictions.
Southwest’s published rule, effective April 20, 2026, limits each customer to one power bank, no more than 100 Wh. It cannot go in the overhead bin or be charged from in-seat power; when in use, it must be visible.
If your carry-on gets gate-checked
A compliant bag is not a reservation for bin space. Small aircraft and full bins can still send it to the hold.
Remove power banks and spare lithium batteries; keep medication, documents, and valuables with you. Ask whether the bag comes back at the aircraft or baggage claim. Do not assume a gate check is free if your fare did not include the bag.
Before you leave home
- Check the ticket: operating airline, fare, and included bags on every leg.
- Measure and weigh: fully packed, including pockets, handles, and wheels.
- Keep essentials close: prepare your personal item for a possible gate check.
- Label the bag: and recheck the official rules shortly before departure.
Our packing advice: choose clothes that work together, wear your bulkier shoes, and do a practice pack. Packing cubes organize space; they do not change an airline’s allowance. Weigh the bag again after shopping on your trip.
Bring your itinerary. We’ll help with the bag.
We work with luggage every day, including hand-assembling our Legacy Collection from individual components here in Albuquerque. We care about how a bag rolls, how it holds up, and whether it fits your trip.
Visit the shop at 6515 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, or call 505-883-8991.
Lieber’s Luggage. Everything but the trip.
The Lieber’s Team
2026 reference, researched November 4, 2026. Selected airlines, not a complete worldwide directory. Official sources are linked within each entry. Rules, weight limits, fares, routes, and aircraft restrictions can change. This guide is not an airline approval or guarantee of acceptance. Illustrations are generic and not to scale.