Best Personal Item Bags That Fit Under the Seat (2026)
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Last updated: November 2026
A personal item is the one bag almost every fare includes, even basic economy on Spirit, Frontier or Ryanair. But “fits under the seat” means very different things from one airline to the next, and many bags sold as “underseat” or “personal item” bags are bigger than the limits airlines actually publish.
For this guide, I checked the published dimensions of eight popular personal item bags against the personal item limits of 11 US and European airlines. The short version: soft backpacks under about 8 inches deep fit the most airlines, and rolling underseat bags exceed every published limit I checked.
Quick picks
- Best for most US airlines: BÉIS The Expandable Backpack ($118). Fits the published limits of American, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Allegiant and Sun Country, even expanded.
- Best for Ryanair and Wizz Air: BAGSMART Crush 18L Backpack ($59.99). One of the few backpacks here that fits the strict 40 × 30 × 20 cm free bag.
- Most space for the money: BAGSMART Blast 28L Travel Backpack ($69.99). 28 liters for an 18 × 14 × 8-inch limit, if you don’t overstuff it.
- Best for laptops and full-service airlines: BÉIS The Travel Backpack ($118). 28 liters and a 16-inch laptop sleeve, but too tall for most budget airline sizers.
- Best rolling underseat bag: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Rolling Underseat Carry-On ($135). Light and well built, but best on airlines without a published personal item size.
- Most stylish rolling underseat bags: CALPAK Hue Mini and CALPAK Luka Mini ($185 each). Same caveat as the Travelpro.
Prices are regular US prices on each brand’s website in November 2026. Several bags were on sale when I checked, so look for the current price before you buy.
Personal item size limits by airline
| Airline | Personal item limit |
|---|---|
| American, Spirit, Frontier | 18 × 14 × 8 in |
| JetBlue | 17 × 13 × 8 in |
| Sun Country | 17 × 13 × 9 in |
| Southwest | 16.25 × 13.5 × 8 in |
| Allegiant | 16 × 15 × 7 in |
| United | 17 × 10 × 9 in |
| Delta, Alaska | No published size; must fit under the seat |
| Ryanair, Wizz Air (free bag) | 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) |
| easyJet (free bag) | 45 × 36 × 20 cm (17.7 × 14.2 × 7.9 in) |
Two things stand out. First, the depth limit is 8 inches or less on almost every airline that publishes one, and depth is the measurement most bags break. Second, United’s limit is only 10 inches wide, which rules out almost every backpack. If you’re flying United Basic Economy, where the personal item may be your only free bag, a slim tote or shoulder bag is the safer choice.
Limits change, so check your airline before you fly, or test your bag with the carry-on size checker, which includes personal item limits for 25 airlines.
Which bags fit which airlines
| Bag | Size (in) | 18 × 14 × 8 (AA, Spirit, Frontier) | JetBlue | Southwest | Ryanair, Wizz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BÉIS Expandable Backpack | 15 × 13 × 7 | Fits | Fits | Fits | 1.2 in over |
| BAGSMART Crush 18L | 15.4 × 11.4 × 7.5 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| BAGSMART Blast 28L | 16.5 × 12.2 × 8.1 | 0.1 in too deep | 0.1 in too deep | 0.3 in over | 0.8 in too tall |
| BÉIS Travel Backpack | 18.1 × 13.4 × 7.1 | 0.1 in too tall | 1.1 in too tall | 1.9 in too tall | No |
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat | 17.5 × 14.5 × 8.5 | 0.5 in over | No | No | No |
| CALPAK Hue Mini | 15.75 × 13.75 × 8.75 | 0.75 in too deep | No | No | No |
| CALPAK Luka Mini | 16 × 14.25 × 9 | 1 in too deep | No | No | No |
Dimensions are the exterior sizes each brand publishes, including wheels and handles for rolling bags. A bag that’s over by a fraction of an inch on paper often still fits in practice, especially a soft backpack that isn’t packed full, but a rigid gate sizer won’t bend, so the safest choice is a bag that fits on paper.
1. BÉIS The Expandable Backpack: best for most US airlines
- Size: 15 × 13 × 5 in, expanding to 7 in deep
- Capacity: 13.5 L, or 17 L expanded
- Weight: 1.67 lbs
- Price: $118
This is the bag on this list that fits the most published limits. Even fully expanded, it stays within the limits of American, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Allegiant and Sun Country, and it’s also small enough for easyJet’s free under-seat bag.
The trade-off is space. At 13.5 to 17 liters, it’s a true personal item rather than a second carry-on, so it suits travelers who also have a carry-on, or who keep their packing very light. It’s also not narrow enough for United’s 10-inch limit or quite small enough for Ryanair’s free bag.
2. BAGSMART Crush 18L Backpack: best for Ryanair and Wizz Air
- Size: 39 × 29 × 19 cm (15.4 × 11.4 × 7.5 in)
- Capacity: 18 L
- Weight: 0.6 kg (1.3 lbs)
- Laptop: up to 14 in
- Price: $59.99
Ryanair and Wizz Air include only a small 40 × 30 × 20 cm bag on their basic fares, and most backpacks are too big for it. The Crush 18L fits within that limit on paper, and it also fits the limits of American, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and easyJet. It’s also the lightest bag here.
It’s 0.5 inches too deep for Allegiant’s 7-inch limit when packed to its full depth, so keep it lightly packed on Allegiant. At 18 liters, it holds a weekend of clothes for a light packer, not a week.
3. BAGSMART Blast 28L Travel Backpack: most space for the money
- Size: 42 × 31 × 20.5 cm (16.5 × 12.2 × 8.1 in)
- Capacity: 28 L
- Weight: 0.9 kg (2 lbs)
- Laptop: up to 15.6 in
- Price: $69.99
If you’re flying Spirit or Frontier with only a personal item, you want as much space as the 18 × 14 × 8-inch limit allows. The Blast 28L gives you 28 liters and a laptop sleeve for well under $100. BAGSMART lists it as “Underseat Approved.”
On paper, it’s 0.1 inches deeper than the 8-inch limit. That’s small enough that a soft backpack that isn’t stuffed to bursting should still slide into a sizer, but it’s not a guarantee. It’s also too big for Ryanair’s and Wizz Air’s free bag.
4. BÉIS The Travel Backpack: best for laptops and full-service airlines
- Size: 18.11 × 13.39 × 7.09 in
- Capacity: 28 L
- Weight: 2.56 lbs
- Laptop: up to 16 in
- Price: $118
BÉIS designed this backpack as a personal item, and with a 16-inch laptop sleeve and 28 liters, it’s the most practical bag here for work trips. It’s slim at about 7 inches deep, but it’s tall: 0.11 inches over the 18-inch limit on paper, and more than an inch too tall for JetBlue, Southwest and the European budget airlines.
It’s a better fit for airlines that don’t publish a personal item size, like Delta and Alaska, or for fares that also include a carry-on, so the sizer isn’t a worry.
5. Travelpro Maxlite 5 Rolling Underseat Carry-On: best rolling underseat bag
- Size: 17.5 × 14.5 × 8.5 in including wheels and handle
- Capacity: 26 L
- Weight: 5.5 lbs
- Warranty: Built For A Lifetime limited warranty
- Price: $135
If you’d rather roll than carry, the Maxlite 5 Rolling Underseat is light for a wheeled bag, has a padded laptop sleeve, and is covered by Travelpro’s lifetime limited warranty. It can also slide onto the handle of a rolling suitcase.
But it’s 0.5 inches wider and deeper than the 18 × 14 × 8-inch limit, and further over the JetBlue, Southwest and budget airline limits. Wheels and a handle add bulk that a backpack doesn’t have. Use it on Delta, Alaska or other airlines without a published personal item size, or as a small carry-on.
6. CALPAK Hue Mini and Luka Mini: most stylish rolling underseat bags
| CALPAK Hue Mini | CALPAK Luka Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hardside | Soft-sided |
| Size (incl. wheels) | 15.75 × 13.75 × 8.75 in | 16 × 14.25 × 9 in |
| Capacity | 28 L | 22.5 L |
| Weight | 6.1 lbs | 5.3 lbs |
| Price | $185 | $185 |
| Warranty | 2-year limited | 2-year limited |
CALPAK’s mini carry-ons come in more colors than any other bag here and are sized to fit under most airline seats, according to CALPAK. Like the Travelpro, though, both are deeper than the 8-inch limit most budget airlines publish: 8.75 inches for the Hue Mini and 9 inches for the Luka Mini. They make the most sense on full-service airlines or as a stylish small carry-on.
If you’re deciding between CALPAK and BÉIS more broadly, see CALPAK vs BÉIS.
Check the Hue Mini at CALPAK · Check the Luka Mini at CALPAK
Also considered
BÉIS The Mini Weekender (16.14 × 15.75 × 7.87 in, $108) is listed by BÉIS as a personal item size, but at nearly 16 inches in two directions, it’s too wide for every airline limit in the table above. It’s a good bag for Delta or Alaska, but not for budget airlines.
Backpack or rolling underseat bag?
Rolling underseat bags are easier on your shoulders, but every one I checked is bigger than the personal item limits of the airlines that publish them. Wheels, a telescoping handle and a stiff frame all add size that a soft backpack doesn’t have, and a backpack can squeeze into a sizer in a way a rigid bag can’t.
- Choose a soft backpack if you fly budget airlines, basic economy fares or any airline that checks personal items at the gate.
- Choose a rolling underseat bag if you mostly fly Delta, Alaska or other full-service airlines, or if you’ll use it as a carry-on.
How to measure your personal item
- Pack it first. Measure the bag the way you’ll fly with it, not empty.
- Measure the outside. Include pockets, handles, wheels and anything strapped to the outside.
- Check all three dimensions. Height, width and depth all count, and depth is the one most bags exceed.
- Compare with your airline. Use the carry-on size checker and enter your bag’s dimensions to test it against 25 airlines at once.
Not sure what to pack inside it? See the carry-on packing list, which includes a personal item checklist, and keep things organized with packing cubes. If you need a bag for the overhead bin as well, see the best carry-on luggage and the best travel backpacks.
How I chose these bags
I haven’t personally tested these bags. I compared the exterior dimensions, capacity, weight, price and warranty that each brand publishes on its own website in November 2026, then checked each bag against the personal item limits published by each airline. Bags that are “airline approved” or “underseat approved” according to their brand still have to fit your specific airline’s limit, which is why I’ve shown the fit for each one. If you’ve flown with any of these bags, I’d like to hear how it went.
FAQ
What size is a personal item?
It depends on the airline. Many US airlines that publish a size allow around 18 × 14 × 8 inches or a little smaller, while Ryanair and Wizz Air allow only 40 × 30 × 20 cm for their free bag. Delta and Alaska don’t publish a size and only require the bag to fit under the seat in front of you.
Is a backpack a personal item?
Yes, as long as it fits your airline’s personal item size and fits under the seat in front of you. Many travel backpacks are carry-on size, though, so check the dimensions before you fly.
Do airlines measure personal items?
Budget airlines such as Spirit, Frontier, Ryanair and Wizz Air are known for checking bags at the gate, and an oversized personal item can mean paying a fee. Full-service airlines measure less often, but the rule still applies.
Do wheels count in personal item dimensions?
Yes. Airlines measure the whole bag, including wheels and handles. That’s why rolling underseat bags are usually bigger than their body size suggests.
What’s the best personal item for United Basic Economy?
United’s personal item limit is 17 × 10 × 9 inches. At only 10 inches wide, it rules out most backpacks, so a slim tote, shoulder bag or small daypack is the safest choice.
Sources
- Product specifications from BÉIS, BAGSMART, Travelpro and CALPAK, checked November 2026
- Personal item limits from each airline’s baggage policy, checked November 2026
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