Hand luggage size and rules: what can you take? - Travel Eat Enjoy Repeat

Hand luggage size and rules: what can you take?

We started traveling with hand luggage only recently: when airlines made it more expensive to check in your bags. This is one of the advantages of traveling with hand luggage besides not waiting at the check-in desk or at the baggage claim and less chance of arriving at your destination without any bags.

But there are of course other rules for checked luggage compared to hand luggage: you don’t get to take anything you want into the cabin. There aren’t only rules about what can and cannot be in your hand luggage, but you also have to make sure that your hand luggage has the right size and weight. If your hand luggage doesn’t meet the size and weight requirements, you risk checking in your bag after all, and you still have to pay. Not all airlines have the same rules for hand luggage sizes. To make it easy for you, there is a table with an overview of the specific hand luggage sizes and weights for different airlines. This makes sure you are leaving for the airport well prepared!

 

Hand luggage size

As mentioned before, the rules for hand luggage size can vary between different airlines. One airline allows for bigger luggage compared to other airlines, and sometimes you can take an extra personal item like a handbag, camera bag, or laptop. Here is an overview of the hand luggage sizes for different airlines.

 

Airline Hand luggage size (in cm) Hand luggage weight (in kg) Personal item?
Aer Lingus 48x33x20 (regional) or 55x40x24 (international) 7 (regional) or 10 (international) Yes, max 33x25x20
Air Baltic 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x10
Air Canada 55x40x23 be able to place in luggage rack yourself Yes, max 43x33x16
Air Europe 55x35x25 10 Yes, max 40x30x15
Air France 55x35x25 12 Yes, max 40x30x15
American Airlines 56x36x23 be able to place in luggage rack yourself Yes, max 45x35x20
ANA 55x40x25 10 Yes
Austrian Airlines 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x10
British Airways 56x45x25 23 Yes, max 40x30x15
Brussels Airlines 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x10
China Airlines 56x36x23 7 Yes
Corendon Airlines 55x40x25 8 Yes, max 40x30x15
Delta Airlines 56x35x23 no max weight Yes
Easyjet 56x45x25 15 Yes, max 45x36x20
Emirates 55x38x22 7 No
Etihad Airways 56x36x23 7 Yes, max 39x23x19 – 5kg (only business and first)
Eurowings 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x25
Finnair 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x15
Hainan Airlines 55x40x20 (domestic) or max 115cm sum all sides (international) 7 (domestic) or 10 (international) Yes, max 30x30x20
Iberia 56x40x25 10 Yes, max 40x30x15
Icelandair 55x40x20 10 Yes, max 40x30x15
ITA Airways 55x35x25 8 Yes, max 45x36x20
Japan Airline 55x40x25 10 Yes
Jetblue 55x35x22 be able to place in luggage rack yourself Yes, max 43x33x20
KLM 55x35x25 12 Yes, max 40x30x15
Korean Air sum all sides = 115cm 10 Yes, max 40x30x15
LOT Polish Airlines 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 2kg
Lufthansa 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x10
Malaysia Airlines 56x36x23 7 Yes
Norwegian 55x40x23 10 Yes, max 38x30x20
Pegasus Airlines 55x40x20 8 Yes, max 40x30x15 – 3kg
Qantas 56x36x23 7 Yes
Qatar Airways 50x37x25 7 Yes but laptop in hand luggage
Royal Air Maroc 50x40x20 10 No
Ryanair 55x40x20 10 Yes, max 40x20x25
SAS 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x15
Singapore Airlines sum all sides = 115cm 7 Yes, max 40x30x10 – 6kg
Swiss 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x10
TAP Air Portugal 55x40x25 10 Yes, max 40x30x15 – 2kg
Transavia Airlines 55x35x25 10 Yes, max 40x30x20
TUIfly 55x40x20 10 Yes, max 40x30x20
Turkish Airlines 55x40x23 8 Yes, max 40x30x15 – 4kg
United 56x35x23 no max weight Yes, max 43x25x22
Virgin Atlantic 56x36x23 10 Yes
Vueling Airlines 55x40x20 10 Yes, max 40x30x20
Wideroe 55x40x20 8 Yes, max 40x30x15
Wizzair 40x30x20 10 Yes, max 40x30x20

 

The last update of this table was in January 2025. This can of course change, so if you are in doubt, you can go to the specific hand luggage page on the airline website by clicking the links. These pages also provide additional information.

 

Hand luggage weight

Not only the size of the hand luggage is different between airlines but also the weight. On average, the maximum weight of your hand luggage should be between 6 and 10kg.  You have to assume that you can lift your hand luggage by yourself into the overhead compartment.

What can you take?

In contrast to hand luggage size and weight that differ between airlines, the policy on what you can take is much more consistent. It’s obvious you can’t take any dangerous products or items like explosives, weapons, ammunition, and sharp objects into the plane. Sharp objects also include a pocket knife, a nail file, and nail scissors. You have to put these into your checked bags. If you don’t have those, you best leave those objects at home.

Rules for liquids

The liquids you place in your hand luggage can only be 100ml. And they all have to be in a Ziploc plastic bag of a maximum of 1 liter. Per person, you can only take 1 bag of 1 liter. Toothpaste and make-up are often smaller than 100ml, so there is not a lot of problems there. Shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and sun cream are a little bit more difficult. Or you can buy travel-size products or you can pour them into special travel-size bottles. If you travel with checked luggage, you can put all your liquids in there. There are exceptions for baby formula and medicines, you can just take them with you.

When you buy any liquids in the Tax-free shop at the airport, they put them in plastic bags and seal them. You can open them when you arrive at your final destination.

Transferring in the US or Canada? You have to put your tax-free products into your checked bags after customs.

If you transfer to Australia, you can’t take any liquids you bought outside of Australia into your hand luggage.

Rules for powders

Only recently there are also rules for powders when you are traveling to the US. Powder-like products (sugar, flour, powdered milk, and make-up) of more than 350 ml are no longer permitted in your hand luggage. There are again exceptions for baby formula and medicines.

Rules for devices with lithium batteries

Devices with lithium batteries like laptops, cell phones, tablets, drones, and cameras have to be in your hand luggage.

Rules for food

For short flights, it is nice to bring your own food or snacks. Is this allowed? Yes! You can take anything with you as long as it is not a liquid bigger than 100ml (this also includes (drinking) yogurt or jam). If you bought it after the hand luggage check, there is no problem of course. But watch out for foods that have a very strong smell, this is not always so nice for the other passengers.

Which hand luggage to buy?

You saw before that hand luggage sizes and weights vary between airlines. It is best to buy hand luggage sizes for airlines you travel a lot with. The most common size is 55x40x20 cm.

I personally prefer luggage with a hard casing, but the ones with a soft casing or a backpack are often a little bit more flexible to put into the overhead compartment. Here are some examples of beautiful and stylish hand luggage.

 

hand luggage size

hand luggage size

 

  1.   Amazon Basics carry-on luggage
  2.   Eastpak carry-on luggage
  3.   Delsey carry-on luggage
  4.   Wrangler carry-on luggage
  5.   Amazon Basics carry-on luggage
  6.   American Tourister carry-on luggage
  7.   Victorinox hand luggage
  8.   Samsonite hand luggage
  9.   Rockland hand luggage
  10.   Delsey Paris hand luggage
  11.   Thule hand luggage
  12.   Coolife hand luggage

hand luggage size

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