MAREN guide

Carry-on luggage size: how to measure your bag

Many US airlines use the same carry-on limit for domestic flights: 22 × 14 × 9 inches (about 56 × 36 × 23 cm), including wheels and handles. The number is easy. Measuring a bag the way the gate agent will is where people get caught out.

How to measure a carry-on

1. Height: stand the case upright on the floor and measure from the floor to the top of the retracted handle. Wheels count.
2. Width: measure across the widest point, including any side handle or feet.
3. Depth: measure front to back at the deepest point, including pockets, wheel housings and any expansion zip if you will open it.

Packed soft bags bulge, so measure them full. Hard shells keep the same size however you pack them.

The limit is not the same everywhere

Treat 22 × 14 × 9 in (see Delta and American) as a common reference, not a guarantee. Many airlines outside the US use smaller limits, some set a weight limit as well, and some low-cost or basic fares only include a small personal item. Check your airline's current rule and your fare type before you fly.

How The Weekender carry-on measures

*Depth is the manufacturer's figure. Some listings for this set give 20 cm (7.9 in); either way it is under 9 in.

With the handle fully extended it stands 83 cm (32.6 in) tall, which does not count toward the limit as long as the handle is pushed down.

What about the second piece?

The set's vanity case is 30 × 30 × 16 cm (11.8 × 11.8 × 6.3 in). If you bring it on board too, it normally counts as your personal item, and personal-item limits vary a lot between airlines, so compare it with yours.