Official Southwest Airlines data, verified 2026-08-02
Southwest carry-on size and dimensions: 24 x 16 x 10 inches
Southwest allows one carry-on up to 24 x 16 x 10 inches (61 x 41 x 25 cm), wheels and handles included, plus one personal item that must fit under the seat (Southwest publishes no dimensions for it). Both are free on every fare, including Basic. There is no published carry-on weight limit.
That is the whole carry-on rule, verified against Southwest's own fee page on 2026-08-02. Southwest's exact wording: “one carryon bag… that does not exceed external dimensions of 10 x 16 x 24.” “External” is the key word, it means the box has to include wheels and handles, not just the case body. Checked bags are a separate story: Southwest ended free checked bags in 2025, and the current fees are further down this page.
Carry-on limit
24 x 16 x 10 in
61 x 41 x 25 cm, wheels included, free, no weight cap
Personal item
No published size
Free on every fare, must fit under the seat
1st / 2nd checked bag
$45 / $55
Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred fares; free on Choice Extra
Checked bag standard
50 lb / 62 in
Overweight starts at 51 lb
The roomiest carry-on box of any major US airline
Here is the context most size charts skip: Southwest's box is a full two inches longer, two inches wider and one inch deeper than the 22 x 14 x 9 standard at American, Delta and United. That gap matters more than it sounds: of the 105 carry-ons in our luggage database, 96 fit Southwest, and 75 of those would be gate-check bait on the big three. If your suitcase was ever flagged at another airline, it probably still fits here.
| Airline | Carry-on limit (in) | Of our 105 bags, fits |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 24 x 16 x 10 | 96 |
| Frontier Airlines | 24 x 16 x 10 | 96 |
| Allegiant Air | 22 x 16 x 10 | 70 |
| American Airlines | 22 x 14 x 9 | 21 |
| Delta Air Lines | 22 x 14 x 9 | 21 |
| United Airlines | 22 x 14 x 9 | 21 |
Fit counts run every bag in our luggage database against each airline's published box, largest side to largest side, the same math as the live checker.
So what actually doesn't fit?
The rule is generous, but it is still a rule, and 9 bags in our catalogue break it. Every one fails the same way: not too long, but too wide or too deep. Southwest's 10 inch depth cap and 16 inch width cap are the quiet constraints; several travel packs and wide-body cabin cases blow past one of them while staying well within the 24 inch length limit. The repeat offenders:
- American Tourister Wavebreaker Carry-On Spinner22 x 16.2 x 8.3 in, over by 0.2 in
- Osprey Daylite Carry-On Travel Pack 35L19.3 x 14.6 x 10.2 in, over by 0.2 in
- Osprey Sojourn Porter 30 Travel Pack17.3 x 14.6 x 10.6 in, over by 0.6 in
- Rimowa Essential Cabin Plus22.1 x 17.3 x 10.2 in, over by 1.3 in
- Rimowa Original Cabin Plus22.1 x 17.8 x 9.9 in, over by 1.8 in
- Samsonite UpLIFT Softside Carry-On Spinner23.5 x 15 x 10.3 in, over by 0.3 in
- SwissGear Sion Carry-On Spinner, 22.75 Inch22.75 x 14.25 x 10.25 in, over by 0.2 in
- SwissGear Sion Reserve Carry-On Spinner23.25 x 14.25 x 11 in, over by 1.0 in
- Tumi 19 Degree Aluminum Continental Carry-On22 x 16.5 x 9.1 in, over by 0.5 in
The bigger real-world risk is expansion: 29 expandable bags we track fit Southwest zipped shut but outgrow even this box with the expansion zipper open. A bag that boarded fine on the way out can fail the sizer on the overpacked trip home. Fly expandables zipped.
What happens if your bag is too big
Staff measure bags that look oversized against Southwest's 24 x 16 x 10inch limit before boarding. A bag that does not fit has to travel as a checked bag instead of riding in the cabin. Southwest's published fee page does not list a separate charge specific to this scenario, so we cannot quote a number on it here. If your bag is close to the limit, the safest assumption is to plan around Southwest's standard checked-bag fees below rather than find out at the gate.
The good news is Southwest's carry-on has no published weight limit, so a bag that fits the 24 x 16 x 10 inch box is never turned away for being heavy, only for being too big. That is one fewer thing to measure than on airlines that cap both.
Check your bag against Southwest's sizer
Pick your bag from 216 models or type its measurements.
Southwest Airlines cabin limit: 24 x 16 x 10 in (wheels and handles included)
Or browse by brand
A 24 x 16 x 10 in bag just fits Southwest Airlines' carry-on, barely.
How we measured
- Your bag 24 in x 16 in x 10 in vs Southwest Airlines carry-on max 24 in x 16 in x 10 in (largest side to largest side).
- Longest side: 24 in vs 24 in allowance -> 0 in to spare.
- Middle side: 16 in vs 16 in allowance -> 0 in to spare.
- Shortest side: 10 in vs 10 in allowance -> 0 in to spare.
- Linear total: 50 in vs 50 in limit -> within limit.
- Result: within the limit, but only 0 in clearance on the tightest side. It should pass the sizer, but a full bin could get it gate-checked.
More carry-ons that fit Southwest Airlines
Sized within Southwest Airlines' 24 x 16 x 10 in carry-on limit.
Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L20.9 x 13 x 7 inAmazon 
Calpak Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack18 x 12 x 7.5 inAmazon 
Away The Carry-On21.7 x 14.4 x 9 inAmazon 
Béis The Hybrid Carry-On Roller22 x 14 x 9 inAmazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links are affiliate links; it costs you nothing extra.
Personal item vs. carry-on on Southwest
Both are free on every Southwest fare, but only the carry-on has a published size. Southwest allows one personal item (purse, laptop bag, small backpack) that must fit under the seat, and states no dimensions for it at all. Every specific number you will find online for a Southwest personal item is a third-party estimate, not policy. Our practical stand-in: size to the tightest published limit among airlines that do state one. A bag like the Calpak Luka Mini Duffel (14.5 x 10 x 6.8in) clears United's narrower 17 x 10 x 9 under-seat box, so it has no trouble under a Southwest seat either. See the full personal item size comparison across every airline we track.
Basic fare keeps the carry-on
Southwest's lowest fare, Basic, still includes the full carry-on and the personal item. That is a real advantage over airlines that limit their cheapest fare to a personal item only. Basic does pay the standard checked-bag fees ($45 first, $55 second) and carries Southwest's most restrictive change and refund rules, but the two free cabin bags are the same on every fare Southwest sells.
Southwest checked bag size, weight, and fees
Southwest ended its Bags Fly Free policy on May 28, 2025. For tickets booked, ticketed, or changed on or after April 9, 2026, the standard checked bag fee is $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second, each way, on Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares. Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members still check bags free.
The standard allowance is 50 lb and 62 linear inches (length plus width plus height, wheels and handles included). Go over on weight and Southwest adds a separate tiered fee on top of the base charge:
- 51-70 lb: +$100, on top of the standard checked-bag fee above
- 71-100 lb: +$200, on top of the standard checked-bag fee above
- Over 62 in, up to 80 in: +$200
Southwest won't accept anything heavier than 100 lb or bigger than 80 linear inches at any price, and allows up to 20 checked pieces per passenger. See the full comparison against every other airline we track on the checked bag size page, or the complete breakdown of Southwest's fee schedule on our Southwest baggage policy guide.
Does a 22 x 14 x 9 carry-on fit on Southwest Airlines?
Yes. A standard 22 x 14 x 9 inch carry-on is within Southwest Airlines' 24 x 16 x 10 inch limit (measured including wheels and handles), with 1 inches to spare on the tightest side.
Does Southwest Airlines measure with wheels and handles?
Yes. Southwest Airlines' 24 x 16 x 10 inch limit is an external measurement that includes wheels and handles, so measure your bag at its widest points, not the manufacturer's case-only size.
Southwest Airlines carry-on size in cm
Southwest Airlines' carry-on limit is 60.96 x 40.64 x 25.4 cm (24 x 16 x 10 inches).
Southwest Airlines checked bag size and weight limit
Southwest Airlines' standard checked bag limit is 62 linear inches (length + width + height) and 50 lb. Overweight fees start at 51 lb. The absolute maximum accepted is 100 lb and 80 linear inches. See the full checked bag, or hold baggage, size comparison on the hold baggage size page.
Southwest baggage FAQs
What is the Southwest carry-on size limit?
Southwest allows one carry-on up to 24 x 16 x 10 inches, external dimensions, which means wheels and handles are included (Southwest itself writes it 10 x 16 x 24). There is no published carry-on weight limit, and the carry-on is free on every fare including Basic. Verified against Southwest's own fee page on 2026-08-02.
What are Southwest's carry-on dimensions in centimeters?
61 x 41 x 25 cm (24 x 16 x 10 inches). Southwest publishes only the inch figure; the centimeter conversion is a straight unit conversion (inches times 2.54), not a separately published metric limit.
Is Southwest strict about carry-on size?
Not compared to the competition. Southwest's box is two inches longer and wider and an inch deeper than the 22 x 14 x 9 limit at American, Delta and United, so 96 of the 105 carry-ons in our database fit Southwest, versus only 21 at American's tighter box. The bags that fail Southwest are unusually wide or deep outliers, plus expandable bags flown unzipped.
What is the Southwest personal item size?
Southwest allows one personal item that must fit under the seat, but it publishes no official dimensions or weight for it. Any specific personal-item numbers you see online for Southwest are estimates, not airline policy.
What happens if my carry-on is too big for Southwest?
Staff measure bags that look oversized against Southwest's 24 x 16 x 10 inch limit before boarding. A bag that does not fit has to travel as a checked bag instead of in the cabin. Southwest's published fee page does not list a separate charge for this specific scenario, so if your bag is close to the limit, check it under Southwest's standard checked-bag fees rather than risk it at the gate.
Are checked bags still free on Southwest?
No, not for most travelers. Southwest ended its Bags Fly Free policy on May 28, 2025. Checked bags now carry a fee on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares; Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members still get bags included. The carry-on and personal item remain free on every fare.
How much does a checked bag cost on Southwest?
$45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second, on tickets booked, ticketed, or changed on or after April 9, 2026, as long as the bag is under 50 lb and 62 linear inches. Overweight bags add $100 (51-70 lb) or $200 (71-100 lb); oversize bags past 62 inches add $200. These fees apply on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares; Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members travel free.
Can I bring a full carry-on on Southwest's cheapest fare?
Yes. Southwest's Basic fare still includes one free carry-on and one free personal item, unlike some competitors that limit their cheapest fare to a personal item only. Basic pays the standard checked-bag fees above and carries Southwest's most restrictive change and refund rules.