Carry-On Weight Limits for 75+ Airlines in 2026 (kg + lbs)

Fees, policies, and figures in this guide reflect what we verified as of Oct 2026 and can change afterward. Our live tools and the data behind them are re-verified more often than the written guide.

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I have watched two travelers in the last year get sent back to the check-in counter at gates in Frankfurt and Singapore, both because their carry-on was 2 kg over the airline’s published weight limit. Both were Americans flying internationally for the first time. Both had no idea their bag was going to be weighed. Both ended up paying gate-check fees that were higher than the food budget for their entire trip.

This is the kind of thing US travelers do not learn until it happens. Most US airlines do not publish a carry-on weight limit, and the ones that do almost never enforce it. Cross an ocean and the rules flip. Twenty airlines worldwide cap your carry-on at 7 kg (15.4 lb). That is roughly the weight of a packed roller bag with two pairs of jeans, a pair of shoes, and a laptop.

The quick answer: The strictest published carry-on weight limit in 2026 is 7 kg (15.4 lb), enforced by 20 airlines including Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, AirAsia, and Jetstar. The standard international limit is 8 kg (17.6 lb), used by Lufthansa, SWISS, SAS, Finnair, Turkish, and most German-heritage carriers. Most US carriers publish no weight limit at all, and neither does British Airways: BA only asks that you can lift your cabin bag into the overhead bin yourself.

This is the reference guide I wish I had handed to those two travelers a year ago. Every airline in the Travel Vient carry-on data set, ranked by weight limit, with last-verified dates and source links.

Update (May 2026): Spirit Airlines ceased all operations at 2:30 a.m. ET on May 2, 2026 and converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation, so it no longer sells tickets or flies. Its carry-on numbers are kept below only as a historical reference. If Spirit was your usual US budget carrier, Frontier, Allegiant, and Breeze are the remaining ULCC options, though each publishes its own weight limit and fee structure rather than Spirit’s old no-published-limit policy.

How we verified this

Every weight limit on this page comes from each airline’s published carry-on policy page, retrieved and re-verified between April and May 2026. Methodology:

• Primary source only. Limits come from the airline’s own baggage policy page, not third-party aggregators. Each airline entry below links to the page on travelvient.com/tools/carry-on-size/ where the source URL is recorded.
• No estimates. If an airline does not publish a carry-on weight limit, we mark it as “no published limit” rather than guessing. Some carriers in this category may still ask you to check a visibly heavy bag at the gate, but they have no published threshold.
• Both metric and imperial. Limits are quoted in kg and lb because most airlines publish in metric and round inconsistently when converting. Where airlines publish a non-rounded imperial figure (15.4 lb for 7 kg, for example), we use the airline’s actual figure rather than our own conversion.
• Last-verified date per airline. Every data point has a date attached. Carry-on policies move more often than travelers expect (Frontier, Breeze, Hawaiian, and three European carriers changed limits or fees in the last 18 months), so we re-verify on a rolling 30 to 60 day cycle.
• Gate enforcement note. Knowing the published limit is half the story. The other half is whether the airline actually weighs bags at the gate. We pulled enforcement frequency from our internal gate-check risk score, which is rated Low, Medium, or High based on user reports, frequent flyer forums, and the airline’s own boarding procedure.

If you find a number on this page that does not match what an airline currently publishes, email us at hello@vient.org and we will re-verify within 48 hours.

Strictest weight enforcement: 7 kg / 15.4 lb (20 airlines)

This is the tightest tier and the one that catches US travelers off guard most often. Twenty airlines, mostly in Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, cap carry-ons at 7 kg (15.4 lb). Many of them also limit you to one piece total instead of one carry-on plus one personal item, which is how regional fliers in those parts of the world pack.

If you fly any carrier in this section, weigh your bag at home before you leave. A digital luggage scale costs about $10 and is the single highest-leverage tool for international travel.

Air Arabia

7 kg (15.4 lb). One carry-on at 21.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 inches. Air Arabia’s gate-check enforcement is rated High, which is consistent with low-cost carrier operations across the Gulf. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Air India

7 kg (15 lb). 21 x 15 x 7 inches plus a personal item up to 15 x 11 x 7 inches. Enforcement runs Medium, but Air India tightened cabin baggage policy in 2024 and gate scales are now common at major hubs. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Air New Zealand

7 kg (15 lb). 21 x 16 x 9 inches. No published personal item dimensions; Air New Zealand treats both bags as part of the same 7 kg total in most economy fares. Last verified 2026-09-23.

AirAsia

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches plus a small laptop bag at 15.7 x 11.8 x 3.9 inches. Gate-check enforcement is High; AirAsia is famous for weighing bags at the gate and charging hefty fees if you are over. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Bamboo Airways

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches. Vietnam’s full-service carrier with budget-aligned cabin baggage rules. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Cathay Pacific

7 kg (15.4 lb). Cathay publishes cabin bag dimensions only in its baggage calculator. Premium cabin tickets allow 2 carry-ons at 7 kg each, but economy is strictly one piece at 7 kg. Cathay’s gate enforcement is rated Low for premium routes and Medium for short-haul. Last verified 2026-09-23.

China Airlines

7 kg (15 lb). 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item up to 16 x 12 x 6 inches. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Emirates

7 kg (15.4 lb). 21.7 x 15 x 8.7 inches. Emirates First and Business get two carry-ons at 7 kg each, but economy is one bag total. Gate-check rate is Low; Emirates rarely weighs bags but will if a piece looks visibly oversized. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Etihad Airways

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches. Same pattern as Emirates: doubled allowance in premium cabins, single 7 kg piece in economy. Gate-check rate Medium. Last verified 2026-05-05.

EVA Air

7 kg (15 lb). 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item up to 16 x 12 x 4 inches. EVA’s premium service does not relax cabin baggage rules as much as Emirates or Cathay. Last verified 2026-04-22.

flydubai

7 kg (15.4 lb). 21.7 x 15 x 7.9 inches. Dubai-based budget carrier with strict gate enforcement. Last verified 2026-05-07.

IndiGo

7 kg (15.4 lb). 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.8 inches plus a personal article such as a purse or small laptop bag up to 3 kg. India’s largest carrier, with Medium gate enforcement and frequent over-weight checks at major airports. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Jetstar Airways

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches. Jetstar enforces strictly and offers paid upgrades to bring the limit to 14 kg, but only if you pre-purchase. Gate-check rate High. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Qantas

7 kg (15 lb). 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a small personal item under the seat. The 7 kg limit applies to International Economy; domestic Australian flights and premium international cabins allow an extra underseat bag, 14 kg total with no single item over 10 kg. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Qatar Airways

7 kg (15 lb). 20 x 15 x 10 inches. The shortest published length of any major carrier. If your bag is right at the 22-inch US standard, it will not fit Qatar’s sizer. Gate-check rate Medium. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Saudia

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 18 x 10 inches (one of the largest dimensional allowances in this tier), plus a personal item such as a handbag or coat; Saudia does not publish personal item dimensions. Gate-check rate Low. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Singapore Airlines

7 kg (15.4 lb). Length plus width plus height must total no more than 115 cm (45 inches); Singapore does not publish separate per-side limits. One extra small item up to 15.7 x 11.8 x 3.9 inches is free. Singapore is famously customer-friendly and gate-check rate is Low, but the published limit is still 7 kg and a heavy bag is grounds for a polite request to remove items. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Spring Airlines

7 kg (15.4 lb). Unusual cabin allowance: 15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 inches, one of the smallest of any global airline. Spring is China’s biggest budget carrier and enforces both size and weight aggressively. Gate-check rate High. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Thai Airways

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 18 x 10 inches. One of the more generous dimensional allowances in this tier despite the strict weight cap. Gate-check rate Low. Last verified 2026-09-23.

VietJet Air

7 kg (15.4 lb). 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches. Vietnam’s largest budget carrier with High gate-check enforcement and per-kilo overage fees. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Standard international: 8 kg / 17.6 lb (14 airlines)

The 8 kg tier is dominated by German-, Austrian-, Swiss-, and Nordic-heritage carriers, plus Turkish Airlines and a handful of European leisure carriers. This tier is enforced reliably but more flexibly than the 7 kg tier. A bag that comes in at 8.5 kg often gets waved through; a bag at 10 kg almost never does.

Aegean Airlines

8 kg (17.6 lb). 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 inches (56 x 45 x 25 cm) on Airbus jets, a little smaller at 55 x 40 x 23 cm on ATR turboprops. The Greek flag carrier includes the carry-on on Flex, Family, and ComfortFlex fares; the Light fare allows one cabin piece total. Gate-check rate Low. Last verified 2026-06-10.

Austrian Airlines

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Member of Lufthansa Group, same allowance as Lufthansa and SWISS. Gate-check rate Medium. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Condor

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.6 x 15.7 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. German leisure carrier; weight is enforced more loosely than legacy German carriers but the dimensional sizers are strict. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Discover Airlines

8 kg (18 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches. Lufthansa Group’s leisure subsidiary, with slightly more generous dimensional allowance than the parent. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Eurowings

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 9.8 inches. Lufthansa Group’s intra-European low-cost arm. Gate-check rate High; Eurowings is one of the more aggressive Lufthansa Group carriers when it comes to overhead bin enforcement. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Finnair

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Gate-check rate Low; Finnair has one of the friendlier overhead enforcement profiles in this tier. Last verified 2026-05-04.

ITA Airways

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. The successor to Alitalia includes the carry-on on every fare, even Economy Light. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Lufthansa

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Premium economy and business get a second carry-on at 8 kg each. Lufthansa enforces at the gate, especially on intra-European flights where overhead space is tight. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Pegasus Airlines

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches. Turkey’s main budget carrier, with High gate-check enforcement. Last verified 2026-09-23.

SAS Scandinavian Airlines

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Same dimensional spec as Lufthansa Group; SAS is part of the same wider European 8-kg consensus. Last verified 2026-05-05.

SunExpress

8 kg (18 lb). 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches). Lufthansa-Turkish Airlines joint leisure carrier, with the same 55 x 40 x 23 cm limit as Discover. Last verified 2026-10-25.

SWISS International Air Lines

8 kg (18 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Lufthansa Group sibling, identical allowance. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Turkish Airlines

8 kg (17.6 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Gate-check rate Low; Turkish enforces less aggressively than its budget compatriot Pegasus. Last verified 2026-05-04.

Virgin Australia

8 kg (17.6 lb). 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 17.7 x 13 x 7.9 inches. Sits between Qantas (7 kg) and US carriers (no published limit), with Medium gate enforcement. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Mid-tier: 10 kg / 22 lb (24 airlines)

The 10 kg band is the largest tier in the global airline market. It includes most European budget carriers, most Latin American carriers, several Asian premium carriers, and Air India sibling fares. Enforcement varies widely. Ryanair and Wizz Air are notorious for strict gate weighing; Korean Air and ANA are mostly polite.

Aer Lingus

10 kg (22 lb). 21.5 x 15.5 x 9.5 inches plus a personal item at 15.5 x 11.5 x 8 inches (40 x 30 x 20 cm). Aer Lingus increased its personal item to 40 x 30 x 20 cm in 2026, moving it from one of the tightest European allowances to a mid-pack size. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Aeromexico

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.8 inches plus a personal item that must fit under the seat (Aeromexico publishes no personal item size). Last verified 2026-10-25.

ANA All Nippon Airways

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.8 inches. ANA is one of the more generous Asian carriers in this tier, with Low gate enforcement and a culture of letting visibly small overages pass. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Avianca

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 14 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Azul Linhas Aereas

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.8 inches. Brazil’s third-largest carrier; gate-check rate Medium. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Cebu Pacific

10 kg (22 lb) combined across the hand-carry bag and personal item on Cebu Pacific (5J) flights from September 15, 2026; Cebgo (DG) flights keep a 7 kg combined limit. 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches with a personal item at 13.8 x 7.9 x 7.9 inches. Cebu Pacific weighs cabin baggage at the gate and charges per-kilo overage fees. Gate-check rate High. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Copa Airlines

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 14 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 10 x 9 inches. Panama-based hub carrier with Low gate enforcement. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Flair Airlines

10 kg (22 lb), only as a paid add-on or with the Lite, Plus, or Pro bundle; the base fare includes just a personal item. 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 16.9 x 13 x 5.9 inches. Gate-check rate High, and Flair asks passengers to use the bag sizer at the airport. Last verified 2026-10-01.

Iberia

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 15.7 x 9.8 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. The Spanish flag carrier and one of the more generous European legacy carriers in dimensional terms. Last verified 2026-05-04.

Japan Airlines

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 16 x 10 inches. Same 10 kg combined allowance as ANA, similar polite gate enforcement style. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Jet2

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 17.7 x 9.8 inches (56 x 45 x 25 cm) plus a small under-seat bag at 40 x 30 x 20 cm. UK leisure carrier; the 10 kg cabin bag is free on every booking, but on full flights it may be moved to the hold free at the gate. Last verified 2026-06-19.

Korean Air

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 inches. Korean Air’s dimensional spec is narrower than ANA or JAL, so the same volume of stuff weighs the same but might not fit the sizer. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Norse Atlantic Airways

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 18 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 16 x 12 x 6 inches. Long-haul leisure carrier with one of the most generous dimensional allowances in this tier. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Norwegian Air Shuttle

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15 x 11.8 x 7.9 inches. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Ryanair

10 kg (22 lb), but only with the paid Priority & 2 Cabin Bags add-on. Standard fare is one personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 inches (40 x 30 x 20 cm) that must fit under the seat. Gate-check rate High; Ryanair’s gate agents are famously strict on both size and weight. Last verified 2026-06-19.

Scoot

10 kg (22 lb). 21.3 x 15 x 9.1 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 3.9 inches. Singapore Airlines’ budget subsidiary with stricter enforcement than the parent. Last verified 2026-05-07.

TAP Air Portugal

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 16 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 16 x 12 x 5 inches. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Transavia

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.8 inches (55 x 40 x 25 cm) plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 inches (40 x 30 x 20 cm). Air France-KLM’s leisure subsidiary, with High gate-check enforcement. Last verified 2026-10-25.

TUI Airways

10 kg (22 lb). 21.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 inches (55 x 40 x 20 cm) plus a small under-seat bag at 40 x 30 x 20 cm. UK leisure and package carrier; one 10 kg cabin bag is free for every passenger aged 2 and over, and you must lift it into the locker yourself. Last verified 2026-06-10.

Virgin Atlantic

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Gate-check rate Low. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Viva Aerobus

10 kg (22 lb). 22 x 16 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Mexico’s other major budget carrier, alongside Volaris. Gate-check rate High. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Volaris

10 kg (22 lb) for the carry-on, and the carry-on plus personal item together cannot exceed 20 kg (44 lb). 22 x 16 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 17.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 inches. Mexico’s largest ULCC, with High gate-check rate and per-kilo overage fees. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Vueling

10 kg (22 lb), but only with the paid carry-on upgrade. Standard “Basic” fare is one personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 inches under the seat. Last verified 2026-05-07.

Wizz Air

10 kg (22 lb), only with the paid Wizz Priority add-on. Standard fare is one personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 inches under the seat. Gate-check rate High; Wizz is the only carrier in our data set that consistently rivals Ryanair on enforcement. Last verified 2026-05-04.

Generous tier: 11.5 to 16 kg / 25 to 35 lb (8 airlines)

This tier breaks into two clusters: legacy European carriers in the 12 kg range (Air France, KLM) and US ultra-low-cost carriers with surprisingly generous published limits (Frontier, Breeze, Sun Country at 16 kg / 35 lb). The ULCC numbers are misleading; those carriers also charge extra to use the overhead bin on their cheapest fares. See our guide on airlines that charge for carry-on bags for the full fee breakdown.

Air France

12 kg (26.4 lb). 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.9 inches plus a personal item at 16 x 12 x 6 inches. Sits at the top of the European legacy tier alongside KLM. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Breeze Airways

16 kg (35 lb). 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 13 x 8 inches. On the cheapest No Flex fare the carry-on is an add-on priced by route in Breeze’s bag price tool. Gate-check rate Medium. Last verified 2026-09-23.

easyJet

15 kg (33 lb) for both cabin bags. The free under-seat bag, 45 x 36 x 20 cm (17.7 x 14.2 x 7.9 inches), comes on every fare. The 56 x 45 x 25 cm (22 x 17.7 x 9.8 inches) large bag is a paid add-on, or comes with an Inclusive Plus fare or easyJet Plus membership. Has the highest weight allowance among European budget carriers; the large bag’s online price varies by route and date, and adding it at the gate costs GBP 60. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Frontier Airlines

16 kg (35 lb). 24 x 16 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 18 x 14 x 8 inches. The carry-on is priced dynamically by route and date, cheapest when added at booking and most expensive at the airport. The 35-lb weight limit is unusual for a US carrier, and Frontier enforces it more aggressively than most legacy US carriers (it was also tighter than Spirit’s no-published-limit policy before Spirit ceased operating in May 2026). Last verified 2026-09-23.

Gol Linhas Aereas

12 kg (26.5 lb). 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.8 inches. Brazil’s largest carrier alongside Azul and LATAM. Last verified 2026-05-07.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

12 kg (26.5 lb). 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.8 inches plus a personal item at 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches. Same allowance as Air France (the airlines share parent ownership). Last verified 2026-05-04.

LATAM Airlines

12 kg (26 lb). 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.8 inches plus a personal item at 17.8 x 13.8 x 7.9 inches. South America’s largest carrier. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Sun Country Airlines

16 kg (35 lb). 24 x 16 x 11 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 13 x 9 inches. Largest dimensional allowance of any US carrier, paired with the same 35-lb weight limit Frontier and Breeze use. The carry-on is priced dynamically, cheapest at booking and highest at the gate. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Most generous: no published weight limit (14 airlines)

This is the tier US travelers default to without realizing it. Thirteen US, Canadian, and budget US carriers publish no carry-on weight limit. Neither does British Airways, which only requires that you can lift your cabin bag into the overhead bin yourself. If you fly any of these fourteen airlines, weight is essentially never the issue. Dimensions and fee structure are.

Alaska Airlines

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Gate-check rate Low. Free carry-on on all fares. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Air Canada

No published weight limit. 21.5 x 15.5 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 13 x 6 inches. Free carry-on on all fares including the cheapest “Standard” tier. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Air Transat

No published weight limit. 21.5 x 15.5 x 9 inches (55 x 40 x 23 cm) plus a personal item at 17 x 12 x 5 inches (43 x 31 x 13 cm). Canadian leisure carrier; the carry-on is free except on Eco Budget fares for sun, US, and domestic Canada routes. Gate-check rate Medium. Last verified 2026-06-20.

Allegiant Air

No published weight limit. 22 x 16 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 18 x 14 x 8 inches. The carry-on is priced by route and by when you add it, from $10 to $75 per segment, cheapest at booking. Last verified 2026-09-23.

American Airlines

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Free carry-on on every fare including Basic Economy. Last verified 2026-05-04.

British Airways

No published weight limit. 22 x 18 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 16 x 12 x 6 inches. BA’s only weight rule for the cabin bag is that you must be able to lift it into the overhead bin without help, and the dimensional allowance is one of the largest of any major airline. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Delta Air Lines

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Gate-check rate Low. Free carry-on on all fares including Basic Economy. Last verified 2026-05-04.

Hawaiian Airlines

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Following the Alaska merger, Hawaiian dropped its former 25 lb carry-on cap and now follows Alaska’s lift-unaided policy. Last verified 2026-05-26.

JetBlue

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 13 x 8 inches. Every fare, the cheapest Main Base fare included, comes with a carry-on plus a personal item. Last verified 2026-05-05.

Porter Airlines

No published weight limit. 21.5 x 15.5 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 13 x 6 inches. Canada’s regional premium carrier checks bags against sizing units at check-in and the gate, and oversized bags are gate-checked for a fee. The Basic fare is personal item only. Last verified 2026-09-23.

Southwest Airlines

No published weight limit. 24 x 16 x 10 inches plus a personal item that must fit under the seat (Southwest publishes no personal item dimensions). Free carry-on on every fare. Last verified 2026-10-01.

Spirit Airlines (ceased ops May 2026)

No published weight limit. 22 x 18 x 10 inches plus a personal item at 18 x 14 x 8 inches. Spirit ceased all operations on May 2, 2026 (Chapter 7) and is no longer bookable, so this is a historical record. While it operated, the carry-on cost $65 prepaid, up to $99 at the gate, the most expensive carry-on fee in the US. Last verified 2026-04-22.

United Airlines

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 17 x 10 x 9 inches. Free carry-on on all fares except domestic Basic Economy, which is personal item only. Last verified 2026-05-04.

WestJet

No published weight limit. 22 x 14 x 9 inches plus a personal item at 16 x 13 x 6 inches. Free carry-on on all fares. Last verified 2026-04-22.

Full alphabetical comparison table

The same data, sorted A to Z. Use this for quick lookups.

What this means by region

If you fly within the US. Weight is essentially never the issue. Pack reasonably and the gate agent will not weigh you. Watch the fee structure on Frontier, Allegiant, Sun Country, and Breeze, plus United’s domestic Basic Economy, which includes a personal item only. (Spirit had the priciest carry-on fee of the group until it ceased operations in May 2026.) See the airlines that charge for carry-on bags guide for fees and the gate-check risk by airline guide for which sizers are actually enforced.

If you fly to Europe. 8 to 10 kg is the ceiling on most carriers, and the gate weighs you on intra-European flights. The biggest gotcha is a US-to-Europe transatlantic on a US carrier (no published weight limit), connecting to a Lufthansa/Air France/KLM/IAG short-haul flight with strict 8 to 12 kg enforcement on the second leg. Pack for the second leg, not the first.

If you fly to Asia or the Middle East. 7 kg is the default and it is enforced. Check our best carry-on bags guide for ultralight options under 5 lb empty, which gives you 10 lb of usable packing room within a 7 kg total.

If you fly to Latin America. 10 to 12 kg is standard, and Mexican ULCCs enforce strictly: Viva Aerobus and Volaris both cap the carry-on at 10 kg, and Volaris adds a combined 20 kg limit across your carry-on plus personal item. Avoid Aeromexico’s basic fare carry-on traps with our best personal item bags for budget airlines guide.

The bottom line

If you fly only US carriers, the carry-on weight conversation does not really apply to you. If you fly internationally, especially in Asia or the Middle East, weigh your bag at home before you leave, every time. A digital luggage scale is $10 and prevents the single most common cause of unexpected baggage fees on international itineraries.

The strictest 7 kg tier is 20 airlines including all three major Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Qatar, Etihad), most major Asian carriers (Cathay, Singapore, Thai, ANA-rival JAL is one tier up at 10 kg), and most Pacific budget carriers. The no-published-limit tier is the US legacy airlines and most Canadian airlines (Flair is the exception at 10 kg) plus British Airways, which together cover most North America-centric travel patterns. Everything else falls in the 8 to 12 kg band where the rule is “enforced sometimes, more strictly in Europe.”

If you want to skip the math and just check your specific airline before a trip, the Travel Vient carry-on size checker holds the same data for every airline in this guide plus dimensional limits, fees, and personal item rules, sourced from the same official policy pages we used to build this guide. If you publish travel content on your own site, you can embed the data as a free widget.