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What size is a carry-on bag?

The industry-standard carry-on is 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) including wheels and handles — but that's the baseline, not a guarantee. Here's what the number means and why it varies.

By Stephen V.Updated How we test

The industry-standard carry-on size is 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm), and that measurement includes the wheels and handles— the number airlines actually check. Most US domestic carriers use this limit, and a bag built to it fits the overhead bin on a mainline jet. But it is a baseline, not a promise: budget carriers and many international airlines are stricter, so "22 x 14 x 9" is where you start, not where you stop.

The single most common carry-on mistake is measuring the case body and ignoring the wheels and handle. Airlines measure the total external dimensions, wheels and top handle included, because that is what has to physically slide into the bin sizer. A bag marketed as "carry-on" whose shell is 21 inches but whose wheels push it to 23 will fail a strict sizer. Always measure the widest points, corner to corner, with the wheels on.

Carry-on size, in every unit

MeasurementInchesCentimeters
Height22 in56 cm
Width14 in36 cm
Depth9 in23 cm
Linear total (H+W+D)45 in115 cm

"Linear inches" is simply the three dimensions added together — some airlines publish the limit that way (45 linear inches for a standard carry-on). It is the same rule expressed differently.

Why the size varies by airline

There is no single global standard, only strong convention. US legacy carriers (American, Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue) cluster around 22 x 14 x 9 in. Some carriers are more generous — Southwest and Frontier publish a larger 24 x 16 x 10 in carry-on — while most international and low-cost carriers are tighter and, crucially, add a weight limit(often 7–10 kg) that US airlines usually skip. Because the rules genuinely differ, we keep a full carry-on size by airline table, and a separate personal-item size by airline table for the smaller bag that goes under the seat.

How to measure your bag correctly

  1. Stand the bag upright on its wheels, packed the way you would actually fly with it.
  2. Measure height from the floor (wheels included) to the very top of the retracted handle housing.
  3. Measure width at the widest point of the shell.
  4. Measure depth including any front pockets and the expansion zipper if it is open.
  5. Compare all three against your specific airline's published limit — not just the 22 x 14 x 9 baseline.

Our pick for a bag that fits

If you want a carry-on that clears the standard limit with room to spare, our best carry-on luggage roundup ranks bags built to the 22 x 14 x 9 in standard, and our lightweight picks keep you under the weight limits that international carriers enforce.

Questions

Frequently asked

What is the standard carry-on size?
The standard carry-on is 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm), including wheels and handles. That is the limit most US airlines use and the size a bag needs to fit a mainline overhead bin.
Do carry-on dimensions include the wheels?
Yes. Airlines measure the total external size — wheels and handles included — because that is what has to fit the bin sizer. Always measure the widest points with the wheels on.
What does 45 linear inches mean?
It is the height, width and depth added together (22 + 14 + 9 = 45). Some airlines publish the carry-on limit as a linear-inch total rather than three separate numbers; it is the same rule.
Is 24 inches too big for a carry-on?
For most airlines, yes — a 24-inch bag exceeds the 22-inch standard and would need to be checked. A few carriers (Southwest, Frontier) publish a larger 24 x 16 x 10 in limit, but do not assume it. Check the airline size table.

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Sources

We do not run a testing lab, and we do not pretend to. Specifications come from the manufacturer's own listing or manual, and size and weight limits from the airline's official baggage-policy page. Where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read our full method.