Carry-on or personal item, that is the question

The party is over: airlines have really cut back on luxuries over the years.

Back in the day, they let you smoke like a chimney, dine on fresh-cooked Cornish hens, and stretch your legs. And checked bags were included in the fare!

But one perk remains: depending on the fare, you can generally take one carry-on and one personal item on a flight for free.

In this article, we'll explain how the different kinds of hand luggage differ and offer packing tips to make your trip as smooth as possible.

	Overview
	Carry-ons - What if I can't take a carry-on?
	Personal items - Personal item size limits
	Hot tips! - Tip #1: Check yo'self before you check your bag - Tip #2: Better living through tote bags

Overview

Let's start with the major differences between carry-ons and personal items, outlined in this chart:

	Carry-on	Personal item
	Must fit in the overhead compartment	Must fit under the seat in front of you
	See below	See below
	Best for holding clothing or anything fragile, expensive, or that you might need in transit	Best for holding in-flight essentials like medicine, cosmetics, a book, or anything you might need in transit
	Good way to avoid checking luggage when you want to travel light	Good addition or alternative to carry-on

Carry-ons

For detailed information about carry-ons, including size limits for various airlines, see our article "When Size Matters."

Here, we'll just highlight the key info, which is: a carry-on is anything that fits in the overhead compartment. This is usually your main piece of hand luggage.

• About 21.5 x 14 x 9in (55 x 35 x 23 cm) on average.
• Small suitcase, duffel bag, garment bag, etc. 
• Anything fragile, expensive, or that you might need on the plane.
• Good idea to pack at least one day's worth of clean clothes.

What if I can't take a carry-on?  

Most major airlines will let you stow at least one carry-on bag in the overhead bin, but several budget airlines charge extra for each bag, and some major American airlines have jumped on the surcharge bandwagon. They offer special fare classes like "basic economy" that exclude carry-ons.

To avoid unpleasant surprises like learning at the airport you'll be paying a carry-on fee, look closely at the baggage allowance information before buying your ticket.

Thankfully, even if you're flying Cheap Air, there are backpacks designed to carry laptops as well as clothing while fitting under most cabin seats… so don't underestimate your ability to travel with just a personal item!

Personal items

A personal item is any bag that will fit under the seat in front of you. This can be your main piece of luggage, or it can complement your carry-on. You want to pack your most essential items in this bag, things you might need on the plane at any moment. 

Does your backpack count as a personal item? Sure, if it's small enough! Bring a purse, laptop bag, or crossbody bag as your personal item – whatever suits your needs.

• Must fit under the seat in front of you.
• About 18 x 14 x 8.5 inches (45 x 35 x 22 cm) on average.
• Handbag, purse, diaper bag, briefcase, etc.
• Best for holding in-flight essentials such as medicine, cosmetics, a book, or anything else you might need during your flight.
• Valuables or anything you don't want to lose in checked baggage.

Keep in mind that different airlines, and even different employees, will treat hand luggage more or less strictly. If your personal item is on the bigger side and you end up with a fierce flight crew, they may say you need to check it.

Personal item size limits

Here are the personal bag size limits for the five biggest US airlines: 

American Airlines	18 x 14 x 8in	45 x 35 x 20cm
Delta Air Lines	No specific size, as long as it fits under the seat in front
JetBlue Airways	17 x 13 x 8in	43 x 33 x 20cm
Southwest Airlines	16.25 x 13.5 x 8in	41.27 x 34.3 x 20.32cm
United Airlines	17 x 10 x 9in	43 x 25 x 22cm

*Note that international airlines may have slightly stricter requirements. 

Hot tips!

Now that the difference is clear, here are a few tips to up your travel game.

Tip #1: Check yo'self before you check your bag

If you can make it work, the hand-luggage-only life has serious advantages.

First, you can usually register online and skip the long check-in line, using your mobile boarding pass to go straight to security. Second, you don't need to worry about the airline misplacing your bags. And third, you don't have to stand around waiting by the baggage carousel when you land.

Plus, even just one large checked bag can make the difference between taking public transport or shelling out for a taxi – it's a lot easier to save on transportation when you only have a couple pieces of hand luggage.

And remember: your feet don't need as much space as you might think on those short European flights. The author has stuffed his size 12 feet beneath a backpack under the seat in front more than a few times. At worst, you're uncomfortable until the flight crew turns off the safety belt sign – then you can stand up and stretch your legs.

Tip #2: Better living through tote bags

That feeling when you miss a flight because TSA is rooting through your underwear looking for a tube of toothpaste? Yeah, not the best.

Fear not, we've got just the life hack to save you time and frustration at airport security: totes. That's right – the Trader Joe's bag you always forget to bring to the store is about to make life easier for you.

What good is a tote bag? 

Some of the biggest airport time-wasters are electronics and liquids. This life hack will save you time and keep your blood pressure down.

• Step 1: Got a laptop? Put it in your tote. 
  
• Step 2: Got any other power cords, portable chargers, tablets? Toss these in the tote (gently, of course).
  
• Step 3: Put your TSA-approved liquids in a clear plastic bag and into the tote.

Here's how you've just made your life easier:

• Now you've got a single bag holding all the nonsense that airport security around the world asks you to separate. When you get to the conveyor belt, it'll take two seconds to put that all in the bin.

• The best part: if you're traveling on a budget airline and didn't pay for a carry-on, you can often still take both a personal item and a tote bag – many crews won't mind. (But there's no guarantee!)

• If the flight crew does demand you pack your laptop and other items, the tote bag will fold up and fit neatly inside your personal item – just make sure you leave enough room! 

Remember that weight limits vary from one airline to another, so double-check with yours before flying.

Happy travels

Whether or not your travel style allows you to skip packed bags entirely, we hope this guide will help make your airport experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible.