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Is a backpack a personal item?

Q: Is a backpack a personal item?

Yes, every airline accepts a backpack as a personal item if it fits that airline's personal item size and goes under the seat in front of you. Small daypacks of about 16 × 11 × 6 in pass almost everywhere; 30-litre travel packs usually count as carry-ons.

Yes: every airline lists backpacks as a personal item, but only if the backpack fits that airline's size limit and goes under the seat in front of you. Size matters more than style; a stuffed backpack measures bigger than an empty one.

Which backpack sizes pass where

Airline	Limit	Small daypack (~15 L)	School backpack (~20 L)	Laptop backpack (~25 L)	Travel backpack (~30 L)
Southwest	18.5 × 13.5 × 8.5 in	yes	yes	yes	no
American	18 × 14 × 8 in	yes	yes	yes	no
Frontier	18 × 14 × 8 in	yes	yes	yes	no
Spirit	18 × 14 × 8 in	yes	yes	yes	no
Allegiant	18 × 14 × 8 in	yes	yes	yes	no
Sun Country	17 × 13 × 9 in	yes	yes	no	no
Avelo	17 × 13 × 9 in	yes	yes	no	no
easyJet	17.5 × 14 × 8 in	yes	yes	no	no
Volaris	17.5 × 14 × 8 in	yes	yes	no	no
JetBlue	17 × 13 × 8 in	yes	yes	no	no
Breeze	17 × 13 × 8 in	yes	yes	no	no
United	17 × 10 × 9 in	no	no	no	no
Ryanair	15.5 × 12 × 8 in	no	no	no	no
Aer Lingus	15.5 × 12 × 8 in	no	no	no	no
Air Canada	17 × 13 × 6 in	yes	no	no	no
WestJet	16 × 13 × 6 in	yes	no	no	no
British Airways	16 × 12 × 6 in	yes	no	no	no
Lufthansa	15.5 × 12 × 6 in	no	no	no	no
Air France	15.5 × 12 × 6 in	no	no	no	no
KLM	15.5 × 12 × 6 in	no	no	no	no
Icelandair	15.5 × 12 × 6 in	no	no	no	no
Turkish	15.5 × 12 × 6 in	no	no	no	no

Backpack sizes are typical outside measurements; check your own bag's label or measure it packed.

Tips for flying with a backpack as your personal item

Measure it packed, including straps that stick out; soft packs can be squeezed into a sizer, hard-framed ones cannot.
On budget airlines the personal item is the only free bag, and gate agents use the sizer. Pack a soft bag a little under the limit.
A backpack with a laptop sleeve still counts as one personal item; you cannot bring a separate laptop bag as well on most airlines.

See the full personal item size chart, or check your exact bag with the fit checker.