United Airlines personal item size
Verified 28 September 2026
United Airlines (UA) includes one personal item of 9 × 10 × 17 in (22.9 × 25.4 × 43.2 cm) on All fares except Basic Economy, to be stowed under the seat in front. On Basic Economy, it is the only item United Airlines lets you take into the cabin for free. Verified on 28 September 2026 from the official United Airlines baggage page.
Is the personal item free on every United Airlines fare?
| Fare | Personal item | Cabin bag |
|---|---|---|
| All fares except Basic Economy | 9×10×17 in | Also included |
| Basic Economy | 9×10×17 in | Not available |
What fits under the seat on United Airlines
- On Basic Economy, the personal item is the only free bag United Airlines allows in the cabin, so it has to hold everything you take on board.
- Filled as a box, United Airlines' 9×10×17 in personal item holds about 25.1 litres, above the median of 18 L across the 56 airlines that publish three personal item sides.
- Against the 8 airlines from North America that publish a personal item size (average 95.1 cm in total), United Airlines allows 91.4 cm, more than 29% of them.
- By volume, the 9×10×17 in personal item on United Airlines is 55% of the 9×14×22 in cabin bag: about 25.1 L against 45.4 L.
- With 91.4 cm in total, the United Airlines personal item is bigger than 44 and smaller than 11 of the 57 verified airlines that publish a personal item size.
- Other personal item limits at the same airport: American Airlines at ORD (18×14×8 in) and Frontier Airlines at DEN (14×18×8 in), against 9×10×17 in on United Airlines.
- Among 14 Star Alliance airlines with a published personal item size, Air Canada allows the largest (33×43×16 cm) and South African Airways the smallest (30×40×10 cm); United Airlines sits at 9×10×17 in.
United Airlines personal item questions
- Is the personal item free on every United Airlines fare?
- Yes: all 2 United Airlines fares on this page include a personal item.
- Can a 40 × 30 × 20 cm bag be a personal item on United Airlines?
- A soft 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) under-seat bag is 4.6 cm (1.8 in) too big on the width against United Airlines' 9×10×17 in personal item limit.
More personal item rules
Official sources
- https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/baggage/carry-on-bags.html — checked on 28 September 2026