How Strict are Airlines About Personal Items? As long as your bag fits under the seat in front of you, you can probably get away with a bag that's slightly over your airline's size guidelines. However, just as the size restrictions vary by airline, so does their enforcement of those restrictions.
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If your carry-on is too big, you will either have to pay penalty fees or check your luggage. Checking your luggage means that your carry-on won't be traveling with you but will instead be sent to the airplane cargo, and you will be able to claim it once the plane lands.
A personal item is any type of luggage that fits underneath the plane seat in front of you. Most domestic airlines in the United States require a personal item to be 18” x 14” x 8” or smaller in size. Personal items can include a purse, briefcase, small backpack, laptop bag, weekender or small duffel bag.
So, yes, if your backpack is small enough that you can fit it under the seat in front of you, then it's a personal item. This designation becomes especially important when you're flying on a low-cost carrier or have booked a basic economy ticket on a larger airline.
Backpacks, totes, and crossbody bags are typically considered personal items too. The key to remember is it must be able to fit underneath the seat in front of you. A carry-on is a type of hand luggage that you bring into the plane cabin with you and is larger than a personal item.
A personal item is any type of luggage that fits underneath the plane seat in front of you. Most domestic airlines in the United States require a personal item to be 18” x 14” x 8” or smaller in size. Personal items can include a purse, briefcase, small backpack, laptop bag, weekender or small duffel bag.
While personal item size restrictions vary across airlines, most airlines consider a small backpack, purse, briefcase, or laptop bag to be a personal item. These must always fit under the seat in front of you. Many airlines restrict passengers to one personal item and one carry on bag.
In most cases, backpacks are considered personal items as long as they fit under the seat in front of you. For example, if you use a backpack as a personal item and put it under the seat in front of you, you can then use a duffel as a carry-on bag as long as it's under the airline's size requirements.
In general, travelers are permitted to bring into the plane one personal item and one carry-on bag with them on most flights. The personal item is often a small bag, such as a handbag or laptop bag, that is able to be stowed away beneath the seat that is directly in front of you.
The question about whether something—anything—can be a “personal item” comes down not to what it's called, then, but whether it will fit under the seat in front of you. So, yes, if your backpack is small enough that you can fit it under the seat in front of you, then it's a personal item.
Unless your carry-on is extremely large, the airline employees at the gate most likely won't ask to measure it. If they'd ask each passenger to measure their carry-on, the boarding would take too long. This could cause delayed flights, which airlines don't want.
A common size bag for checking through is: 27 x 21 x 14. Airline carriers will allow overweight, oversize or additional baggage for additional fees. These fees can be quite expensive, and the airlines are typically very stringent in enforcing these policies.
Delta Personal Item SizeDelta underseat dimensions are 20 inches X 15 inches X 11 inches (55 cm X 38 cm X 28 cm) on most aircraft. To ensure your personal item fits these dimensions, choose an item that is 17 inches X 13 inches X 9 inches (43 cm X 33 cm X 23 cm) or smaller.
If your carry-on is oversized (and doesn't physically fit inside the overhead compartments) or you encounter a strict airline employee, they will ask you to check it in at the gate.
Firearms, ammunition, and fireworks are prohibited, as are all knives and safety razors (including pocket knives and Swiss Army knives). Straight razors and replacement blades for straight razors are also not allowed. Most tools also cannot be packed in carry-on luggage, as they have the potential to cause harm.
In general, standard domestic carry-on luggage size is 22 x 14 x 9 inches. If you're flying internationally, that may vary a little to 21.5 x 15.5 x 9 inches. Remember, those dimensions include the handle, wheels and anything else that may protrude from your suitcase so don't miss them from your measurements.
The official answer is the fanny pack is considered a personal item (at least according to Frontier and Delta), but usually, it is not. Most flight attendants won't care about enforcing it, unless you're traveling on a very strict airline. It's only a problem if the person you're encountering deems it as a problem.