A carry-on suitcase has one job that a checked bag does not: it has to pass the airline's sizer and fit in the overhead bin, every time. That makes size the first decision, and shell type, wheels and empty weight follow from it. This guide puts current airline limits, read directly from the airlines' own sites, next to what Consumer Reports and luggage makers say about construction.
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Short answer. For most US flights, buy a bag that measures no more than 22 x 14 x 9 inches including wheels and handles. That size matches Delta, United, Alaska and JetBlue and fits within Southwest and Frontier's limits (checked 13 November 2026). Choose soft-sided if you overpack and need to squeeze through sizers, or hard-sided if you carry fragile items. Choose a spinner for comfort on smooth floors, or a two-wheeler for more packing space and sturdier wheels. If you fly airlines with weight caps, such as Lufthansa at 8 kg, check the empty weight before you buy.
This guide is research-based. The Review NYU did not buy, pack, roll or drop any suitcases for it. On 13 November 2026 we read the carry-on pages of Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue and Frontier, plus British Airways and Lufthansa as international examples, all fetched live that day. For construction advice we read the Consumer Reports luggage buying guide, and two manufacturer guides, from Travelpro and Samsonite. Manufacturer guides are useful for definitions but are written by companies that sell suitcases, so we treat their claims as claims.
We could not load American Airlines' baggage page with our tools, so American is not in the size table. Spirit Airlines is also absent: it stopped flying in May 2026 (see below). Wirecutter's hard-versus-soft comparison could not be read either, so we do not cite it.
Start here, because size is the one spec that can cost you money at the gate. Every airline below counts wheels and handles in its limit, and several also set a linear-inch total (length plus width plus height).
| Airline | Carry-on bag maximum | Carry-on weight | Personal item | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 35 x 23 cm); 45 linear in (114 cm) total | Not stated on the page we read | Must fit under the seat in front or in the overhead bin; no fixed size given | Measurements include handles and wheels |
| United | 22 x 14 x 9 in (56 x 35 x 23 cm) | Not stated on the page we read | 17 x 10 x 9 in (43 x 25 x 22 cm) | Basic Economy: personal item only on most trips; a carry-on is allowed only to South America, across the Atlantic or across the Pacific |
| Southwest | 24 x 16 x 10 in | Not stated on the page we read | Should fit under the seat in front; no fixed size given | Largest standard limit in this table; wheels, handles and attachments count |
| Alaska | 22 x 14 x 9 in; 45 linear in total | Not stated on the page we read | Not given in the section we read | Same limit on all aircraft types; wheels and handles count |
| JetBlue | 22 x 14 x 9 in (55.88 x 35.56 x 22.86 cm) | No weight limit, as long as you can lift it | 17 x 13 x 8 in (43.2 x 33 x 20.32 cm) | One carry-on and one personal item on all fares |
| Frontier | 24 x 16 x 10 in | 35 lb | 18 x 14 x 8 in, including handles, wheels and straps | Carry-on is an extra unless your fare bundle includes it |
| British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25 cm (22 x 18 x 10 in) | Must be able to lift it into the bin unassisted | Not captured in our reading | Larger than the common US limit |
| Lufthansa | 55 x 40 x 23 cm | 8 kg (about 17.6 lb) | 40 x 30 x 15 cm | Applies across Economy fares including Economy Light |
Three patterns stand out. First, 22 x 14 x 9 inches is the shared number for Delta, United, Alaska and JetBlue, and a bag that size also fits inside Southwest's and Frontier's larger 24 x 16 x 10 inch limit. Second, "fits the US standard" does not mean "fits everywhere": Lufthansa's 55 cm length is about a centimeter shorter than 22 inches (55.9 cm), and its 8 kg weight cap is strict by US standards. Third, fare type matters as much as bag size. United's Basic Economy page says most of those tickets allow a personal item only, and Frontier treats the carry-on as a paid extra unless it is part of a bundle.
Spirit Airlines is not listed because it is no longer flying. PBS News reported on 2 May 2026 that the airline had begun "an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately." Its website did not resolve when we tried it on 13 November 2026.
Airlines change these pages without much notice. Treat this table as a snapshot and recheck the airline's own page before you buy a bag or fly.
Neither type is better across the board. The trade-off is protection and water resistance against flexibility and pockets.
Consumer Reports' buying guide says hard-shell luggage is "best for protecting breakable contents" and offers better security when it has an integrated lock. Its listed downsides: hard shells "scuff and scratch easily," usually lack outside pockets, and open like a clamshell, so you need about twice the floor space to pack. On materials, the guide says ABS is lighter, polycarbonate is more durable, and aluminum is the most durable but heaviest.
One detail matters most for a carry-on: Consumer Reports warns that an expanded hard-shell carry-on "might not fit in an airline's carry-on sizer." A rigid shell cannot be squeezed back down at the gate.
The same guide says soft-sided bags are usually lighter, often expandable, and can "flex and compress" into a tight overhead bin, sometimes even when expanded. The cost is protection: soft bags are less protective and can rip. For fabric, it describes ballistic nylon as shinier and prone to cosmetic abrasion that does not weaken it, and Cordura as softer and abrasion-resistant. If a bag uses ripstop nylon, it recommends a high-denier fabric.
Samsonite's guide, which sells both types, makes a similar split: hardside for fragile items, checked bags and wet weather, and softside for quick-access pockets, overpacking and smaller rooms. It also points out that a hardside with a front opening avoids the clamshell problem. That is a reasonable feature to look for if you work from your bag in an aisle or a small hotel room.
If you mostly carry on and tend to overpack, soft-sided is the safer bet for getting through sizers. If you carry electronics or gifts and may be forced to gate-check, hard-sided is the safer bet for the contents.
Wheels affect how much fits inside, how the bag handles, and what is most likely to break.
| Factor | Two-wheel (roller) | Four-wheel (spinner) |
|---|---|---|
| Packing space | Recessed wheels take some interior space | Wheels stick out and count toward the size limit, so the case body may be smaller |
| Durability | Recessed wheels are protected from snapping off | Exposed wheels are more vulnerable; screwed-on wheels are more secure than riveted ones, per experts quoted by Consumer Reports |
| Moving through crowds | Pulled behind you at an angle; needs clearance | Rolls beside you in any direction |
| Comfort | Some travelers report shoulder, wrist or back strain | Consumer Reports calls it the better ergonomic choice |
| On a slope | Stays put when stood upright | Rolls away on an incline unless held or laid flat |
Travelpro, which sells both, adds that two-wheel bags are "generally a better fit" in overhead bins because the wheels sit nearly flush with the case. That is a manufacturer's view, but it agrees with Consumer Reports' point that spinner wheels count against the allowed dimensions.
In practice: if you walk long distances on uneven pavement or cobblestones, or you want every possible inch inside, a two-wheeler makes sense. If most of your rolling is on smooth airport floors and you value comfort, a spinner is easier to live with. Consumer Reports also notes that a bag with no wheels gives the most interior volume and suits sand, ice and rough ground.
Most US airlines in our table did not state a carry-on weight limit on the pages we read, and JetBlue says it has none as long as you can lift the bag. The exceptions matter. Frontier caps carry-ons at 35 lb, and Lufthansa at 8 kg (about 17.6 lb). British Airways requires that you can lift the bag into the bin without help.
Against an 8 kg cap, the empty weight of the suitcase decides how much you can pack. Before you buy, look up the listed empty weight on the spec sheet and compare similar sizes. Expect aluminum shells to sit at the heavy end, since Consumer Reports calls aluminum the heaviest material, and soft-sided bags to be lighter in general. Weigh your packed bag at home with a luggage scale if you are flying an airline with a cap.
Weight also affects you even without a cap: you have to lift the bag overhead yourself on every airline.
Listed dimensions are where many carry-on problems start. Every airline in our table counts wheels and handles, so check whether a product page quotes the case body or the full outside size. If it does not say, assume the body and ask, or measure it in a store.
An expansion zipper adds depth. Samsonite says many of its cases add up to 2 inches and recommends saving that for the trip home. On a carry-on, an expanded bag can exceed 9 inches of depth. Keep it zipped unless you know the airline and the bin can take it.
For more on reading manufacturer specs, see our guide on how to read a product spec sheet.
Wheels, zippers and telescoping handles take the most abuse, and they are where warranty terms make a difference. Consumer Reports recommends buying the bag with the best manufacturer warranty you can find. As examples, it cites Briggs & Riley's lifetime guarantee covering functional (not cosmetic) repairs, and Away's limited lifetime warranty with a trial period of up to 100 days. Those are the companies' own terms as summarized by Consumer Reports. Read the current warranty yourself, because exclusions such as airline damage or cosmetic wear vary.
Use the return window. Pack the bag for a real trip at home, measure it fully loaded, and roll it around before the window closes. Our guide to testing a product during the return window covers how to do this without voiding the return. If you are offered a separate protection plan at checkout, read whether an extended warranty is worth it first.
On 13 November 2026, Delta, United, Alaska and JetBlue all listed 22 x 14 x 9 inches including wheels and handles. Southwest and Frontier allowed up to 24 x 16 x 10 inches. A 22 x 14 x 9 inch bag fits all six.
Yes, on every airline we checked. Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier and British Airways all say the measurement includes wheels and handles, so measure the bag from the floor to the top of the retracted handle.
It depends on what you carry. Consumer Reports says hard shells protect breakable items better but scuff and lack outside pockets, while soft-sided bags are usually lighter, often expandable and can compress into a tight bin, though they protect less and can rip.
Spinners are easier to steer and, per Consumer Reports, better ergonomically. Two-wheelers have recessed wheels that are less likely to snap off and leave more room inside, because spinner wheels count against the size limit.
Most of the US airline pages we read did not state a carry-on weight limit, and JetBlue says it has none as long as you can lift the bag. Frontier is an exception with a 35 lb limit. Some international airlines are stricter; Lufthansa lists 8 kg.
Often, but not always. British Airways allows 56 x 45 x 25 cm, which is larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Lufthansa lists 55 x 40 x 23 cm and 8 kg, so a full 22 inch bag is about a centimeter too long, and a heavy suitcase leaves little weight for packing.