Your Definitive Guide to Suitcase Sizes (Never Pay a Surprise Bag Fee Again!)

With more airlines charging baggage fees, you’re probably trying to save money while maximizing space. One practical approach is to pack everything in a carry-on and stuff it in the overhead compartment, ensuring you’re ready to go as soon as you land. Alternatively, you can always choose one of your largest suitcase sizes to check at the counter, making more space for your travel essentials.

As someone who travels on a budget, I tend to go the carry-on route when I can — admittedly, packing just a carry-on for a winter trip is near impossible — but no matter what you decide is best for you, it’s essential to know a few things about suitcase sizes. I’ve seen one too many folks have to check their bag gate-side due to miscalculating how big it was. To avoid travel mishaps like these, here’s all you need to know about suitcase sizes to prepare for your next flight.

Although they aren’t suitcases, per se, personal items include backpacks, purses, totes, and duffels that will fit under the seat in front of you. The standard personal item size for many airlines is 18” x 14” x 8”, but head to your airline’s website to be sure. Some bargain airlines, like Spirit Airlines, are particularly strict about what is considered a personal item. Keep in mind that most airlines allow just one personal item and one carry-on, total.

A carry-on is just that: A bag you take onto the plane’s cabin, usually to place in the overhead bin (as opposed to your personal item). The standard maximum for carry-on luggage — whether soft- or hard-sided — is 22″ x 14″ x 9″ domestically and 21.5″ x 15.5″ x 9″ internationally, which includes wheels and handles. 

Again, check with your particular airline for their size regulations and check what kind of bag your ticket allows, as some basic economy tickets only come with a personal item — and you may have to pay a fee for a gate-check. Of course, you can always check a carry-on-sized bag if you’re packing light for a trip and your bag doesn’t contain large containers of liquids, like shampoo.

When checking a bag, airlines tend to be pickier about the bag’s weight than the dimensions, although there are limits. The standard weight is 50 pounds, but if you’re traveling on a small airline or to a remote destination, you may have a different maximum weight. 

Knowing your bag’s weight is important because if you’re carrying heavy equipment or packing your suitcase too full, you may have to redistribute your items into two bags instead of one to avoid paying an overweight baggage fee. To avoid a nail-biting moment at the airport, you can buy a cheap luggage scale to weigh your bag yourself at home. 

Bags in the mid-size category are typically 23” to 27″ long on their longest side, and large suitcases are usually 27″ to 32″ long. As a standard, the dimensions (length, width, height) should total no greater than 62″, which is why 27″ x 21″ x 14″ is a typical size for checked luggage. I’ve never had an airline employee measure my bag, although they always weigh checked bags when you check in.

Check with your airline about their luggage size specifications. Many will say that your suitcase must go in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you, which is simple if you’re taking a backpack, but more difficult if you have hard-side luggage.

Also, many carry-ons are expandable, meaning you can unzip a section if you need more space, but do so carefully. If you have a bag within an airline’s size regulation, it may be oversized if you expand it or stuff soft-side luggage so full that it bulges. In most cases, the maximum dimensions for a carry-on suitcase are 22″ x 14″ x 9″, including anything that extends, such as handles and spinner wheels.