A personal item you want to bring on a plane is considered any item that is able to fit under the seat in front of you.
So, personal items may include:
Small backpack
Purse
Briefcase
Laptop
Camera Bag
Fanny pack
Airline Personal Item Policies
As mentioned, the general rule is that a personal item must fit under the seat in front of you, but some airlines go one step further and also mention size restrictions too.
Alaska Airlines: Personal item must fit under the seat in front of you
Allegiant Air: Personal item must be no larger than 7” x 15” x 16”
American Airlines: Personal item must be no larger than 18” x 14” x 8”
Delta: Personal item must fit under the seat in front of you
Frontier Airlines: Personal item must be no larger than 18” x 14” x 8”
Hawaiian Airlines: Personal item must fit under the seat in front of you
JetBlue: Personal item must be no larger than 17” x 13” x 8″
Southwest: Personal item must be no larger than 18.5” x 8.5” x 13.5”
Spirit Airlines: Personal item must be no larger than 18” x 14” x 8”
United: Personal item must be no larger than 17” x 10” x 9”
Personal Items Don’t Have Weight Limits
Most airlines generally won’t enforce a weight limit for personal items because personal items are by their nature small and therefore likely to be lightweight.
If an airline does enforce a weight limit for a personal item, it would typically be 15-22 lbs.
Common Items that Aren’t Considered Personal Items
Some items you may think count as personal item actually don’t.
Items that don’t count as a personal item are usually those that are considered essential for passengers, which may include:
Diaper bag
Child safety seats
Strollers
Medical or mobility devices (wheelchair, cane, crutches etc.)
There are other items that airlines usually don’t count as a personal item either, including:
Airlines Don’t Stricrtly Enforce Size and Weight Restrictions
Even though airlines have size restrictions that passengers are meant to adhere to, this doesn’t mean that they will measure each passenger’s personal item that they want to bring on a plane.
If it is suspected that your personal item clearly doesn’t meet the airline’s size regulations, you may be asked to place it in a baggage sizer, but that is about the extent of how strict airlines will get.
Having said that, expect budget airlines to enforce restrictions more strictly.
Can You Bring Two Personal Items on a Plane?
Most major airlines will allow you to bring one carry on and one personal item on a plane, though this can depend on the ticket you bought.
Again, expect budget airlines to have less generous policies.
Spirit, for example, will allow you to bring a personal item free of charge but will charge for a carry on.
The same applies to a JetBlue Basic Fare.
Two personal items can’t be brought onto a plane because there is only space to fit one personal item in the seat in front of you.
What to Pack Inside Your Personal Item Bag
We recommend using a bag or backpack for your personal item, so you can maximize what you can bring on the plane.
If possible, you should place your laptop or purse in the bag or backpack, so it won’t count as an additional personal item you want to bring on board.
Generally, you should pack valuables, essentials, fragile items, medicine, and any other items you want to have easy access to.
Ella Dunham, a Freelance Travel Journalist and Marketing Manager, boasts an impressive career spanning eight years in the travel and tourism sectors.
Honored as one of "30 Under 30" by TTG Media (the world’s very first weekly travel trade newspaper), a "Tour Operator Travel Guru" and "Legend Award" winner, Ella is also a Fellow of the Institute of Travel, a Member of the Association of Women Travel Executives, has completed over 250 travel modules, and hosts travel-focused segments on national radio shows where she provides insights on travel regulations and destinations.
Ella has visited over 40 countries (with 10 more planned this year).
