There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding underseat luggage and its restrictions. A lot of airlines are really vague about how large your underseat item can be, what counts as an underseat item, and how much it should weigh. That’s why in this article, we’ll clear the confusion and explain all the relevant rules for traveling with underseat baggage in 2023.
What Is Underseat Luggage?
Underseat luggage, other called a personal item, is a small bag that you’re allowed to bring on the plane which has to be stored under the airplane seats. Most people use small backpacks or purses as their underseat bags, in which they store their most valuable and important items and anything else that they’d need to access quickly during the flight.
Underseat Luggage Size
The size restrictions for underseat luggage vary greatly between different airlines. It can range anywhere from 13 x 10 x 8 inches to 18 x 14 x 10 inches. But in general, if your underseat luggage is under 16 x 12 x 6 inches, it should be allowed on most airlines. Slightly larger underseat items are usually allowed if they’re flexible and aren’t packed too full. Further down this article, we’ve covered the underseat luggage size restrictions for 25 popular airlines.
Tip: Read this guide if you don’t know how to measure your luggage correctly.
Underseat Luggage Weight
Similar to the size restrictions, the weight restrictions for underseat luggage also vary a great deal between different airlines. Most airlines don’t have any weight restrictions for underseat bags, and only about ⅓ of all airlines have weight restrictions, ranging between 11-51 lbs (5-23 kg). We’ve covered the specific weight restrictions for 25 popular airlines below.
Underseat Luggage Fees
Underseat bags are included in the regular fare price, even for Economy passengers. You won’t have to pay any additional fees for bringing an underseat item.
Which Bags Can You Use as Underseat Luggage
In general, you can use any bag as your underseat item, as long as it’s within the correct size and weight restrictions. This includes backpacks, purses, duffel bags, messenger bags, totes, small rolling suitcases, briefcases, laptop bags, fanny packs, and camera bags.
Wheeled Underseat Luggage vs Without Wheels
Although theoretically, you’re allowed to use small, wheeled softside and hardside suitcases as your underseat luggage, we don’t recommend it. Suitcases, even fabric ones, aren’t really that flexible because they have a built-in frame. Because the under-seat dimensions are so different for each airline, aircraft, class, and even between aisle/middle/window seats, you’d be much better off bringing a flexible fabric bag. The best choice for underseat luggage is a small backpack because you can carry it very easily on your shoulders and it will fit under most airplane seats.
Underseat Luggage vs Carry-Ons
Carry-on luggage is not the same as underseat luggage, so when someone is saying “underseat carry-on”, they’re confusing two different things. Carry-ons are another type of hand baggage that can be bought on planes, but they have to be stored in overhead bins. Carry-ons sometimes require additional fees and they can be larger and heavier compared to underseat items.
Underseat Luggage Size Restrictions for 25 Popular Airlines
Down below, you’ll find the size and weight restrictions for underseat luggage for the most popular airlines. We’ve updated this list to be relevant for 2023, but if you want to double-check, just click on the link under each airline and it will take you to the official page for current underseat item restrictions.
Aer Lingus
Underseat luggage on Aer Lingus can’t exceed 13 x 10 x 8 inches (33 x 25 x 20 cm). There is no weight limit for underseat items.
Air Canada
The underseat luggage size on Air Canada cannot exceed 17 x 13 x 6 inches (43 x 33 x 16 cm) and there aren’t any weight limits.
Air France
On this airline, underseat luggage must be 16 x 12 x 6 inches (40 x 30 x 15 cm) or less. There is a shared weight limit for carry-on and underseat luggage of 26.4 lbs (12 kg) in total for Economy passengers and 40 lbs (18 kg) for Premium Economy, Business, or La Premiere classes.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines doesn’t have their luggage under seat size publicly listed. They state that your underseat item should be a purse, briefcase, laptop bag, or something similar and that it should fit under the airplane seats.
Allegiant Air
Underseat items on Allegiant Air must be 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm) or less. There is no listed weight restriction.
American Airlines
Underseat luggage on American Airlines needs to be 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm) or less. AA doesn’t have a weight restriction for hand baggage.
British Airways
The size for underseat luggage on this airline must be 16 x 12 x 6 inches (40 x 30 x 15 cm) or less. British Airways has the most generous size limit for underseat items of a whopping 51 lbs (23 kg).
Delta Airlines
The size of Delta under seat dimensions varies greatly, so the company doesn’t list specific underseat luggage size or weight restrictions on its website. They describe an underseat item as a purse, briefcase, diaper bag, laptop computer, or anything of similar dimensions. The seats are usually 17 to 19 inches wide, but you can find the exact measurements of the aircraft you’ll be flying with by checking this tool on their website.
EasyJet
EasyJet’s underseat luggage must be 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 36 x 20 cm) or less, including wheels and handles. Their weight limit for underseat items is 33 lbs (15 kg) and you must be able to lift it by yourself.
Frontier
Underseat bags on Frontier, a popular budget airline, must be under 18 x 14 x 8 inches (46 x 36 x 20 cm) and they don’t have any weight limits. They describe suitable underseat items as briefcases, backpacks, purses, totes, and diaper bags.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t list its underseat dimensions publicly. Instead, they state that an underseat item should be a laptop bag, briefcase, purse, or backpack that fits under the seat in front of you.
Icelandair
Icelandair allows its passengers to bring one underseat item in any weight, but it must be under 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches (40 x 30 x 15 cm).
JetBlue
On JetBlue, the size of underseat luggage shouldn’t surpass 17 x 13 x 8 inches (43 x 33 x 20 cm), and there are no weight restrictions for it.
KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines)
The underseat bag size of KLM should be 16 x 12 x 6 inches (40 x 30 x 15 cm) or less. It should also have a combined weight with your carry-on of lower than 26 lbs (12 kg) in total.
Lufthansa
On this airline, the underseat luggage must not exceed 16 x 12 x 4 inches (40 x 30 x 10 cm), which means that you can use only very slim packs, like laptop bags, or not pack your backpack fully. There are no weight restrictions for underseat items.
Qantas
Qantas doesn’t have size and weight restrictions for underseat luggage. They list handbags, computer bags, overcoats, and small cameras as good examples.
Ryanair
Underseat luggage on Ryanair shouldn’t exceed 16 x 10 x 8 inches (40 x 25 x 20 cm) and they don’t have any weight restrictions for underseat items.
Southwest Airlines
The underseat dimensions for Southwest Airlines are 16.25 x 13.5 x 8 inches (41 x 34 x 20 cm), so your underseat luggage must be under this limit. Southwest doesn’t restrict the weight of underseat luggage.
Spirit Airlines
The size of underseat luggage on Spirit Airlines shouldn’t be more than 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm), including the bag’s handles and wheels. There are no weight limits.
Sun Country
When flying with Sun Country, your underseat item must be under 17 x 13 x 9 inches (43 x 33 x 23 cm), but there aren’t any weight limits.
Turkish Airlines
On this airline, underseat luggage shouldn’t exceed 16 x 12 x 6 inches (40 x 30 x 15 cm) and it has to be under 8.8 lbs (4 kg) in weight. In some cases, they don’t allow backpacks as underseat items.
United Airlines
The maximum underseat bag size for United Airlines is 17 x 10 x 9 inches (43 x 25 x 23 cm), but the weight isn’t restricted.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic doesn’t have any weight or size restrictions for underseat baggage. They say that handbags, small backpacks, and purses can be used as underseat items.
WestJet
WestJet states that underseat items must be under 16 x 13 x 6 inches (41 x 33 x 15 cm) in size. They don’t impose any weight restrictions on it.
Wizz Air
On Wizz Air, underseat luggage should be 16 x 12 x 8 inches (40 x 30 x 20 cm) or less and under 22 lbs (10 kg) in weight. Wheeled underseat luggage is allowed, but it must fit under the seat.
Under Seat Dimensions for Popular Airplane Models
A lot of airlines don’t post exact underseat luggage size restrictions because they have several different airplane models in their fleet, and each model has a different amount of space under the seats. And to make matters even more complicated, the middle aisle seat usually offers more space than window or aisle seats, and first/business class seats also offer a different amount of space compared to Economy.
If you want to find out the exact under-seat dimensions, you have to find out the aircraft model and ticket class you’ll be flying with. It’s hard to get any accurate information about this online, but down below, we’ve compiled the under-seat dimensions for the most popular aircraft models, based on our own research.
Boeing 717 200 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 20 x 15.6 x 8.4 inches (50.8 x 39.6 x 21.3 cm)
First Class: 20 x 10.7 x 10 inches (50.8 x 27.2 x 25.4 cm)
Boeing 737 700 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy (window and aisle seat): 19 x 14 x 8.25 inches (48.3 x 35.6 x 21 cm)
Economy (middle seat): 19 x 19 x 8.25 inches (48.3 x 48.3 x 21 cm)
Boeing 737 800 (738) Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 15 x 13 x 10 inches (38.1 x 33 x 25.4 cm)
First Class: 20 x 17 x 10 inches (50.8 x 43.2 x 25.4 cm)
Boeing 737 900ER Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 20 x 14 x 7 inches (50.8 x 35.6 x 17.8 cm)
First Class: 20 x 11 x 10 inches (50.8 x 28 x 25.4 cm)
Boeing 757 200 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 13 x 13 x 8 inches (33 x 33 x 20.3 cm)
First Class: 19 x 17 x 10.7 inches (48.3 x 43.2 x 27.2 cm)
Boeing 767 300ER Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 12 x 10 x 9 inches (30.5 x 25.4 x 22.9 cm)
First Class: Underseat luggage is stored in overhead compartments
Airbus A220-100 (221) Under Seat Dimensions
Economy:16 x 12 x 6 inches (40.6 x 30.5 x 15.2 cm)
First Class: 12 x 9.5 x 7 inches (30.5 x 24.1 x 17.8 cm)
Airbus A220-300 (223) Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 16 x 12 x 6 inches (40.6 x 30.5 x 15.2 cm)
First Class:12 x 9.5 x 7 inches (30.5 x 24.1 x 17.8 cm)
Airbus A319-100 (319) Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 18 x 18 x 11 inches (45.7 x 45.7 x 28 cm)
First Class: 19 x 18 x 11 inches (48.3 x 45.8 x 28 cm)
Airbus A320-200 (320) Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 18 x 16 x 11 inches (45.7 x 40.6 x 28 cm)
First Class:19 x 18 x 11 inches (48.3 x 45.7 x 28 cm)
Airbus A321-200 (321) Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 19.7 x 19 x 9.06 inches (50 x 48.3 x 23 cm)
First Class: 19 x 15.5 x 10.5 inches (48.3 x 39.4 x 26.7 cm)
Airbus A330-200 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 14 x 12 x 10 inches (35.6 x 30.5 x 25.4 cm)
First Class: 14 x 13.6 x 6.2 inches (35.6 x 34.5 x 15.7 cm)
Airbus A330-300 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 14 x 12 x 10 inches (35.6 x 30.5 x 25.4 cm)
First Class: Underseat luggage is stored in overhead compartments
Airbus A350-900 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 15 x 14 x 8.8 inches (38.1 x 35.6 x 22.4 cm)
First Class: 18 x 14 x 5.5. Inches (45.7 x 35.6 x 14 cm)
Embraer rj145 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 17 x 17 x 11 inches (43.2 x 43.2 x 28 cm)
Embraer E-170 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 37.5 x 16 x 7.8 inches (95.25 x 40.6 x 19.8 cm)
First Class: 19.18 x 16 x 7.8 inches (48.7 x 40.6 x 19.8 cm)
Embraer ERJ-175 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 37.5 x 17.5 x 10.5 inches (95.25 x 44.5 x 26.7 cm)
First Class: 19 x 17.5 x 10.5 inches (48.3 x 44.5 x 26.7 cm)
Embraer E-190 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 37 x 16 x 9 inches (94 x 40.6 x 22.9 cm)
Bombardier CRJ 200 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 18 x 16.5 x 10.5 inches (45.7 x 41.9 x 26.7 cm)
First Class: Underseat luggage is stored in overhead compartments
Bombardier CRJ 700 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 15 x 15 x 10 inches (38.1 x 38.1 x 25.4 cm)
First Class: 15 x 15 x 10 inches (38.1 x 38.1 x 25.4 cm)
Bombardier CRJ 900 Under Seat Dimensions
Economy: 19.5 x 17.5 x 13 inches (49.5 x 44.5 x 33 cm)
First Class: 19.5 x 17.5 x 13 inches (49.5 x 44.5 x 33 cm)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Put Underseat Luggage in the Overhead Bins?
You can put your underseat item in the overhead bins, but it’s not recommended. Usually, a lot of people do this to get more legroom, but this can delay the flight because the overhead compartments get too full, and other passengers don’t have any more space left to store their carry-ons. When this happens, the flight attendants have to check each bag and ask which passenger it belongs to until all the carry-ons are stacked in the overhead bins. So it’s advised to pack your underseat item under your front seat instead.
Can I Bring Two Underseat Bags on a Plane?
Yes, you can bring two underseat items on most planes, but the second one will count as your carry-on. Also, if you’re using a second underseat item as your carry-on, you may need to pay extra fees for it if carry-on luggage isn’t included in your fare price. If you’d bring two underseat items and a carry-on, then the airline employee would ask you to check in your carry-on at the gate for a higher fee.
If you’re planning on bringing two smaller underseat bags (for example, a purse and a fanny pack) which both together are under the size and weight limit, you should put both of them in a single fabric tote bag or something similar, which will turn them into a single underseat item. Otherwise, they will be treated as two separate underseat items.
Can Your Carry-On Go Under Your Seat?
Yes, if your carry-on bag can fit under the seat in front of you, you’re free to put it there. However, that space will likely be occupied by your underseat luggage, so there’s usually no space left for an additional carry-on. Plus, you won’t have much legroom left.
Do Pets Go Under Your Seat on an Airplane?
If you bring a small animal on the flight, it will need to be in its carrier in the underseat storage area. Do not let staff put your animal in the overhead bin as it could be life-threatening. Before flying with your pet, make sure to check the airline’s fees and restrictions.
What Should You Pack In Underseat Luggage?
In underseat luggage, you should pack any items that you’ll need during the flight, including laptops, e-readers, books, snacks, medicine, sleep masks, headphones, and similar items. They will be easier to access from your underseat bag rather than the carry-on because you won’t have to stand up and go to the aisle to open the overhead compartments. You should also pack your valuables there because you’ll have more control over what happens to your bag.
Is Underseat Luggage The Same as Personal Items?
Generally, yes, when someone refers to personal items they also speak about underseat luggage. Other terms for this include “personal articles” or “underseat items”. All of these terms can be treated as synonyms.
Summing Up: Traveling With Underseat Luggage
The rules for underseat luggage are more complicated compared to checked bags or carry-on luggage. Each airline has its own size and weight requirements, and they may differ among different aircraft models.
The best solution to this that I’ve found is to use a small 20-25 liter backpack as your underseat item. It’s flexible and easy to carry, and if you don’t overpack it, you will be able to store it under the seats of pretty much any aircraft. You only have to stress about the underseat rules if you’re using a rolling suitcase that doesn’t bend, so I would recommend using them only as carry-ons and checked bags instead.
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