Personal Item Size Guide
What counts as a personal item, typical underseat sizes, and why budget airlines care so much.
Personal item vs carry-on
A personal item is usually a backpack, tote, or laptop bag that must fit under the seat. It is smaller than the wheeled cabin bag many airlines call a carry-on or trolley.
Common personal-item sizes
Many personal-item limits cluster around 40×30×20 cm or roughly 18×14×8 in. Some ultra-low-cost carriers only allow a free bag in this class unless you pay for Priority or a larger cabin bag.
Check before you pack
Open an airline page on FitsTheBin for the published personal-item rule, or compare underseat sizes on our popular sizes hub.
Related: Airlines · Bags · Sizes · Data reports