Airline spec · verified 2026-07-02
United Airlines carry-on & personal item size limits
Every number below was checked against United Airlines's official pages on 2026-07-02, with links to the source.
Carry-on bag free verified
22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 35 × 22 cm)
No published weight limit
Wheels and handles count toward the limit.
Domestic Basic Economy does NOT include a carry-on (personal item only) — see Fares & policy below
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Personal item free verified
17 × 10 × 9 in (43 × 25 × 22 cm)
No published weight limit
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Checked bag verified
30 × 20 × 12 in (76 × 52 × 30 cm)
Weight limit: 50 lb
Wheels and handles count toward the limit.
Total length + width + height must also stay under 62 linear inches.
Max 30 × 20 × 12 in (76 × 52 × 30 cm) OR 62 total linear in, handles and wheels included; 50 lb Economy/Premium Economy, 70 lb Business/First/Polaris and Premier members. Bag fees rose for tickets bought on/after 2026-04-03 (domestic) and 2026-05-12 (many intl) — verified in real browser 2026-07-02
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Check if your bag fits United Airlines →
Sizer enforcement: medium editorial view, not airline data
Basic Economy passengers checked at gate for bag count; sizers at gate
Shopping for a bag? These clear United Airlines
Already have a bag — check it against United Airlines. Buying a new one? Each below is measured against United Airlines's published limit; only bags we can verify appear.
What is worth knowing about United Airlines
United is the US major where Basic Economy genuinely means personal item only: a full-size carry-on cannot come onboard and has to be checked, and a personal item that will not fit under the seat is gate-checked for $75. The exceptions are worth knowing — transatlantic, transpacific and South American routes keep the free carry-on, as do MileagePlus Premier members and eligible cardmembers. United also publishes a checked-bag shape as well as a total: 30 x 20 x 12 in, or 62 linear inches, handles and wheels included.
Fares & policy
Basic economy personal item only
Domestic Basic Economy includes the personal item ONLY — a carry-on cannot be brought onboard and must be checked. A personal item that doesn't fit under the seat is gate-checked for a $75 fee. Exceptions: carry-on IS free on flights to South America and across the Atlantic/Pacific; MileagePlus Premier members and eligible cardmembers get a free carry-on on any Basic Economy fare. Boards Group 6.
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Two limits United Airlines does not set
The sizes above are the ones United Airlines publishes. These are not, and they do not change when you switch carriers: liquids in the cabin — at a US checkpoint every liquid, aerosol, gel, cream and paste must be 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less and fit one quart-sized bag (TSA — Liquids, Aerosols and Gels Rule); and power banks and spare lithium batteries, which must be carried in the cabin only, never in a checked bag, with an ordinary rechargeable cell capped at 100 watt-hours (FAA PackSafe — Lithium Batteries). The FAA states that airlines may set stricter watt-hour and quantity limits than its own, so United Airlines can be tighter than this and never looser.
Item by item, the answers are on our can you bring it on a plane pages.
Size limits change. We watch them for you.
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Common questions
What size carry-on does United Airlines allow?
22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 35 × 22 cm), including wheels and handles. Checked against the official page on 2026-07-02.
Does United Airlines charge for a carry-on?
No — a carry-on is included for standard fares. Check basic-economy rules for exceptions.
What size personal item does United Airlines allow?
17 × 10 × 9 in (43 × 25 × 22 cm) — it must fit under the seat in front of you.
Is there a carry-on weight limit on United Airlines?
No general weight limit is published for United Airlines carry-ons as of 2026-07-02. You must be able to lift the bag into the bin yourself.
Does basic economy on United Airlines include a carry-on?
Domestic Basic Economy includes the personal item ONLY — a carry-on cannot be brought onboard and must be checked. A personal item that doesn't fit under the seat is gate-checked for a $75 fee. Exceptions: carry-on IS free on flights to South America and across the Atlantic/Pacific; MileagePlus Premier members and eligible cardmembers get a free carry-on on any Basic Economy fare. Boards Group 6.