Is a hiking bag a personal item?

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.



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If you want to carry a backpack as a personal item, use a daypack or a laptop backpack. Store your personal item under the seat in front of you or on top of your carry on in the overhead bin.

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Wrapping your hiking backpack is a great way to protect it from damage during transport. Most airlines and airports provide this service, which involves wrapping the backpack or bag in plastic. Before wrapping, it is important to pack gear evenly and cover trekking poles and other sharp ends with cardboard covers.

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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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Airlines may sometimes ask you to buy a new seat in order to fit your big item. Then, the additional fee will be significant. Even worse, if your personal item is too large or heavy, it is possible that you have to leave it or be denied entry.

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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.

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Backpacks that are not designed for travel come in a variety of shapes. A hiking backpack, for example, is usually long and tubular, and is optimized to hold a lot of stuff rather being optimized for ease of packing and unpacking. A final point of difference is the suspension system the bag uses.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Southwest Airlines' website recommends a personal item that's no larger than 18.5 inches x 8.5 inches x 13.5 inches. Spirit Airlines allows a personal item for all travelers that must not exceed 18 inches x 14 inches x 8 inches, including handles and wheels.

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30L or 40L backpacks are great options for primary carry ons but are usually too big to be considered personal item that need to be small enough to slide easily under the seat in front of you.

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Airline rules allow for one carry on bag and one personal item, unless you're flying on a basic economy fare. But we've all seen people selfishly putting two bags in the overhead bin or carrying on more luggage than could possibly be allowed. You don't want to be like them. But you also might not be a one bagger.

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Yes, you can pack clothes in your personal item. We recommend packing most of your clothes in your carry on and reserving the space in your personal item for an extra layer to stay warm.

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Most airlines allow passengers to bring on both a carry-on and a personal item like a backpack, laptop bag, purse, briefcase, shopping bag, etc. The general rule of thumb is that your personal item is smaller in dimension than your carry-on bag and it can fit underneath the seat in front of you.

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