Carry-on bag
- Size
- 22 × 14 × 9 in56 × 35 × 23 cm
- Weight
- None published
- Wheels and handles
- Count toward the size
- With your fare
- Not in Basic Economy
Not in Basic Economy on most routes.
- Measure it with the handle and wheels.
- Bag sizers at the airport show the limit.
Personal item
- Size
- 17 × 10 × 9 in43 × 25 × 22 cm
- Weight
- None published
- Wheels and handles
- Not stated
- With your fare
- Included in every fare
- A purse, backpack or laptop bag that fits under the seat in front of you.
- A coat, umbrella, airport food, camera, diaper bag, breast pump, car seat or stroller can come too without counting.
Which other airlines take a 17 × 10 × 9 in bag
Compare every airline’s under-seat limit on the personal item page.
Checked bags
- Weight
- 50 lb23 kg
- Size
- 30 × 20 × 12 in76 × 52 × 30 cm
- Total
- 62 in≈about 157 cm
- Business, First and Polaris: 70 lb (32 kg).
- The limit is 30 × 20 × 12 inches or 62 inches in total, handles and wheels included.
- United prints the metric size as 76 × 52 × 30 cm, but 20 inches is 50.8 cm: go by the inches.
Bag fees
First checked bag: $45 prepaid, $50 at the airport. Domestic tickets bought on or after 3 April 2026.
- On Basic Economy, a bag checked at the gate costs $75.
- Fees depend on the route and when you bought the ticket: United’s bag fee calculator gives the exact price.
Good to know
Basic Economy
On most trips Basic Economy includes only a personal item. A carry-on bag is allowed only on flights to South America or across the Atlantic or Pacific, or if you’re a MileagePlus Premier or Star Alliance Gold member, travelling with a Premier member, or the primary holder of a qualifying United card.
United Express
On CommutAir flights only a personal item is allowed. Other United Express planes take carry-ons but have less room, so bags are often checked at the gate and returned at baggage claim or on the jet bridge.
The cheapest fare, power banks and pets on United
- Cheapest fare: Basic Economy: carry-on on some routes only; checked bags: paid, from $45 prepaid; one free on most flights across the Pacific. Every airline’s cheapest fare
- Power banks: 2 per person, up to 100 Wh; not in the overhead bin. Every airline’s power bank rules
- Pets in the cabin: In the cabin, $150 each way, carrier up to 18 × 11 × 11 in. Every airline’s pet rules
United next to other US airlines
| Airline | Carry-on / cabin bag | Weight | Included? | Personal item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 22 × 14 × 9 in56 × 36 × 23 cm | None published | Included | 18 × 14 × 8 in45 × 35 × 20 cm |
| Delta Air Lines | 22 × 14 × 9 in56 × 35 × 23 cm | None published | Included | No size published |
| United Airlines | 22 × 14 × 9 in56 × 35 × 23 cm | None published | Not in Basic Economy | 17 × 10 × 9 in43 × 25 × 22 cm |
| Southwest Airlines | 24 × 16 × 10 in≈about 61 × 41 × 25 cm | None published | Included | No size published |
| JetBlue | 22 × 14 × 9 in55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm | No weight limit | Included | 17 × 13 × 8 in43.2 × 33 × 20.3 cm |
| Alaska Airlines | 22 × 14 × 9 in≈about 56 × 36 × 23 cm | None published | Included | No size published |
| Frontier Airlines | 24 × 16 × 10 in≈about 61 × 41 × 25 cm | 35 lb≈about 15.9 kg | Paid extra | 18 × 14 × 8 in≈about 46 × 36 × 20 cm |
| Allegiant Air | 22 × 16 × 10 in55 × 40 × 25 cm | None published | Paid extra | 18 × 14 × 8 in45 × 35 × 20 cm |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 22 × 14 × 9 in≈about 56 × 36 × 23 cm | None published | Included | No size published |
| Sun Country Airlines | 24 × 16 × 11 in≈about 61 × 41 × 28 cm | 35 lb≈about 15.9 kg | Paid extra | 17 × 13 × 9 in≈about 43 × 33 × 23 cm |
| Breeze Airways | 22 × 14 × 9 in≈about 56 × 36 × 23 cm | 35 lb≈about 15.9 kg | Paid extra | 17 × 13 × 8 in≈about 43 × 33 × 20 cm |
| Avelo Airlines | 22 × 14 × 9 in55 × 35 × 22 cm | None published | Paid extra | 17 × 13 × 9 in43 × 33 × 22 cm |
Wheels and handles: wheels and handles included for United. Every airline drawn to scale