United Carry-On Size 2026: 22 x 14 x 9 in, Personal Item 17 x 10 x 9 in
United’s limits are 22 × 14 × 9 inches for the carry-on and 17 × 10 × 9 inches for the personal item. The catch: on most Basic Economy tickets you only get the personal item.
📏 Both limits at a glance
| Where it goes | Inches | Centimetres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🧳 Carry-on bag | Overhead bin | 22 × 14 × 9 | 56 × 35 × 23 |
| 🎒 Personal item | Under the seat in front of you | 17 × 10 × 9 | 43 × 25 × 22 |
United says to include the handle and wheels when you measure. Purses, backpacks and laptop bags are its examples of personal items. At the airport, United has bag sizers you can use to check a bag.
🚫 Basic Economy: the personal item may be all you get
If you turn up with a carry-on you are not entitled to, it is a checked bag, and the fee depends on when you bought the ticket:
| Ticket bought | Prepaid online | At the lobby | At the gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 3 April 2026 | from $35 | from $40 | from $65 |
| On or after 3 April 2026 | from $45 | from $50 | from $75 |
✈️ Gate-checks and United Express
United may gate-check your carry-on if the overhead bins are full, if the bag is over the size limit, or if you have more than your allowance.
On most United flights, a gate-checked bag comes back at baggage claim at your final destination. On United Express flights, you may get it at baggage claim or on the jet bridge after you land.
👜 What rides free besides the two bags
Small purses and extra small bags are not allowed on top of your personal item and carry-on.
🎒 Items with their own rules
⛔ Devices United does not allow on board
United bans devices that attach to, block or interfere with seats, tray tables, windows, aisles or cabin access. Its examples: inflatable child beds, seat recline blockers, baby hammocks, non-medical attached foot or leg rests, non-medical travel pods, window-mounted drink holders, full-face helmets and tents.
Checked-bag details: United baggage allowance · Other airlines: carry-on size by airline.
❓ Quick answers
What size carry-on does United allow?
United's carry-on bag must fit in the overhead bin and be no larger than 9 x 14 x 22 inches (23 x 35 x 56 cm), including the handle and wheels.
What is United's personal item size?
The personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and be no larger than 9 x 10 x 17 inches (22 x 25 x 43 cm). United gives purses, backpacks and laptop bags as examples.
How strict is United about carry-on size?
United's page does not describe how strictly sizes are enforced. It says to check your bag against its size limits before the airport, that bag sizers are available at the airport, and that bags over the limit, or beyond your allowance, must be checked and may carry a fee. Bags can also be gate-checked when the overhead bins fill up.
Can I bring a carry-on in United Basic Economy?
On most trips, no: you can bring one personal item only. A carry-on is allowed on flights to South America, across the Atlantic or across the Pacific, and for MileagePlus Premier members, people travelling with a Premier member, primary holders of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card and Star Alliance Gold members.
Can I bring a carry-on on a United Express flight?
Most United Express carriers allow carry-on bags but have limited space, so gate-checks are common. On CommutAir flights only a personal item is allowed.
Checked October 2026 on the airline’s own website. Rules change; confirm for your ticket before you fly.