You can travel with one personal item, like a shoulder bag, backpack, or laptop bag that fits under the seat in front of you.
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You can board with 1 carry-on and 1 personal item. The carry-on item must fit in the overhead bin and be no larger than 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 36 x 23 cm). The personal item like a purse or small handbag must fit under the seat in front of you and be no larger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm).
A backpack can be your carry on if it meets your airline's carry on size limits. A personal item is a smaller, secondary bag, which you'll stow under the seat in front of you. Read Carry Ons vs. Personal Items for more on the differences between the two.
What is considered a personal item bag varies from airline to airline, but a small purse, briefcase and laptop bag are always considered personal items. 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.
Personal items such as backpacks, laptop bags, and purses are allowed on United flights, as long as they can be safely stowed under the seat in front of you. Before your flight, check to see if your personal item meets United Airlines' under-seat dimensions.
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.
Generally, you're allowed one carry on and one personal item, such as a purse, suit bag, briefcase. As long as your backpacks conform to the airline size specifications for hand luggage, it's not a problem that both your carry-ons are backpacks.
Usually, many airlines won't check every carry-on but will instead go for ones that look oversized. If your luggage does not fit in the sizer, you might have to pay a checked bag fee along with the gate checking fee and have your bag transferred to the airplane's cargo.
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.
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.
Certainly, you can pack clothes in your personal items or carry-on bag. But for a better experience, we recommend packing most of your clothes in your carry on and leaving extra space in your personal items.
Basic economy tickets are ineligible for refunds and don't include seat selection.Economy Plus features standard economy seats with extra legroom. Standard economy includes seat selection and a free carry-on. All three economy classes charge for checked bags on domestic flights.
Basic economy is United's least-expensive economy fare class. Unlike some of the other perks (i.e. free checked bag, seat selection) included on a regular economy ticket, basic economy offers nothing extra. In addition, you'll board last and may not be able to bring a carry-on.
If your carry-on is 1-2 inches over the size limit, don't stress about it too much. Most likely, you'll be allowed to pass through without anyone saying anything. But be prepared that if you encounter a strict airline employee, you might have to check it in.
Most airlines have a sizer box to measure your carry-on bag.Having a flexible fabric bag is advantageous in this situation because you'll be able to squeeze it in even if it's slightly oversized. Usually, many airlines won't check every carry-on but will instead go for ones that look oversized.
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.
Only bring one week's worth of clothes.Bring only one week's worth of clothes and do laundry when you need to. You can find a laundromat just about anywhere, so there's no need to bring a separate outfit for every day of your trip. If you need to, lightweight items can even be hand washed in the sink at your hotel.
There is only one true workaround for getting around the no carry-on rule without paying the fee: It all must fit in a personal item, which also must fit underneath a seat. To also take that away, well, it seems borderline illegal.
Most airlines allow backpacks as carry-ons, but size and weight restrictions vary depending on the carrier. Typically, the bag must be within the cabin baggage dimensions of around 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 22 cm), commonly considered the standard size for carry-on.
The short answer: Yes, a backpack is generally considered a personal item if it fits under the seat in front of you. Most airlines offer a few examples of things that fit into the “personal item” category, such as a purse, laptop bag, or a briefcase, but they don't usually include “backpack” on those lists.