Does everyone get a free carry-on with United?

Except for the $25 fee for basic economy customers who bring a full-size bag to the gate, United Airlines doesn't have a carry-on fee for any tickets. If your carry-on is bigger than the maximum permitted size, United will check your bag to your final destination (but you might need to pay a checked bag fee).



No, in 2026, United Airlines does not provide a free full-size carry-on bag to everyone. Passengers traveling on a Basic Economy ticket are strictly limited to one small personal item that must fit under the seat in front of them (max 17x10x9 inches). If a Basic Economy passenger brings a full-size carry-on to the gate, they are charged the standard checked bag fee plus an additional $25 gate-handling fee. However, the full-size carry-on is free for passengers in all other fare classes (Economy, Economy Plus, First, and Polaris). You can also bypass the Basic Economy restriction if you are a MileagePlus Premier member, the primary cardholder of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or a Star Alliance Gold member, all of whom are entitled to a free carry-on regardless of their ticket type.

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You can bring one carry-on bag and one personal item for free on most domestic and international flights.

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Many airlines will allow you to bring a carry-on bag and personal item for free. However, some airlines may only allow a personal item that fits under your seat for free. Anything larger (e.g. a bag that's too big to fit under the seat but can fit into the overhead compartment) may require extra payment.

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Fly Southwest whenever you can. It's the only major carrier in the U.S. that doesn't charge for checked or carry-on bags. Delta, American and Alaska, meanwhile, never charge for a carry-on.

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A quick easy way is to go into your reservation on the United website or app and try to select a seat. If you are Basic Economy, it won't let you select a seat or have a seat assignment in advance unless you purchased one.

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Domestic carry-on policies. A good rule of thumb is that if your carry-on bag fits under the seat in front of you, it's considered a personal item. This includes small backpacks, purses, briefcases, laptop bags, etc. Larger bags, including suitcases, must fit in the overhead bin compartment.

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A carry on bag is your larger, primary bag, which you'll stow in the overhead bin. 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.

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You should check with your airline first, but most domestic airlines permit a carry-on piece of luggage that is 45 linear (total) inches. A common sized bag for carry-on luggage is 22x 14x 9. Most airlines have a carry-on weight limit of 40 pounds.

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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.

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Flyers with a basic economy ticket are not permitted to put a carry-on in the overhead bin – they're limited to one small personal item underneath the seat. With a normal economy fare, you can bring a normal carry-on bag onboard. Because of that, basic economy passengers cannot check in online or using the United app.

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If you board the flight late, the overhead compartments will probably be full. The flight attendant will either find space for your carry-on baggage somewhere else or place it in the luggage compartment with the checked baggage at the last minute. This increases the chance that it may be lost, stolen or misplaced.

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Carry-on luggage, for example, has the benefit of being much cheaper. You often don't have to pay any extra fees for carry-on bags. This means that you can save money by using only carry-on baggage.

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Your bag will have to fit into the sizer for it to be approved as a carry-on. 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.

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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.

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