What's the Ideal Carry-On Bag Size?
With airlines around the world setting different carry-on restrictions, finding a bag that works everywhere can be challenging. I analyzed the carry-on policies of over 100 airlines to answer the question: what's the ideal carry-on bag size for international travel?
🎒 Most Generous Airlines
Top 5 by total carry-on volume
| # | Airline | Dimensions | Volume |
|---|
🧳 Most Restrictive Airlines
Top 5 smallest allowed volumes
| # | Airline | Dimensions | Volume |
|---|
Key Insights
- Universal Size: A bag with dimensions 20" × 13" × 8" would be accepted by 85% of airlines worldwide
- Regional Differences: North American airlines tend to be more generous, while European budget carriers are most restrictive
- Depth Matters: Depth is often the limiting factor - most airlines restrict depth to 8-9 inches
- Volume Leaders: Southwest Airlines allows the largest total volume at 3,840 cubic inches
- Play It Safe: For maximum compatibility, stick to Ryanair's dimensions: 15.7" × 9.8" × 7.8"
The Verdict
After analyzing over 100 airlines, the ideal carry-on bag size for international travel is 20" × 14" × 8". This size gives you maximum packing space while being accepted by the vast majority of airlines worldwide.
However, if you frequently fly budget carriers (especially in Europe) or want 100% compatibility, go with the smaller but universally accepted dimensions of 17" × 12" × 8".
Remember that these are maximum external dimensions - the actual packing space will be slightly smaller due to the bag's structure and padding.