Does a Backpack Count as a Personal Item Onboard?

Personal Item Policies by Airline

In an ideal world, all airlines would use the same personal item rules, but sadly, this is not the case. To help you plan for your next business trip or vacation, here are the current policies outlined on each of the following airline’s websites:

• Alaska Airlines: Passengers can bring one personal item plus one carry-on bag free of charge. If you take two pieces onboard, one must fit underneath the seat in front of you.
• American Airlines: Passengers can bring one personal item plus one carry-on bag free of charge. This rule applies to both domestic and international flights. Your personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and your carry-on in the overhead locker.
• Allegiant Air: As a low-cost carrier, Allegiant Air only includes one personal item within the ticket price. If you want to carry a personal item and a carry-on bag, you need to pay an additional fee.
• Delta Airlines: Passengers can bring one personal item plus one carry-on bag free of charge on domestic and international flights. Your personal item must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.
• Frontier Airlines: Like most low-cost carriers, Frontier Airlines only include a personal item. The cost to add a carry-on bag starts at $30.
• Hawaiian Airlines: Passengers can bring one personal item and one carry-on bag free of charge. Size and weight restrictions apply.
• JetBlue Airlines: With JetBlue Airlines, your carry-on allowance depends on the ticket you buy, your frequent flier status, and what route you are traveling. Typically, Blue Basic fares include a personal item only, and you need to pay an additional fee for a carry-on bag.
• Spirit Airlines: Spirit Airlines’ Economy tickets include a personal item only. If you want to take a carry-on bag, expect to pay at least $36 for the privilege.
• United Airlines: With United Airlines, you can take one personal item onboard, but its size restrictions are some of the smallest in the industry. Your personal item should not exceed 9 x 10 x 17 inches or 22 x 25 x 43 cm. You can add a carry-on bag to your basic economy ticket. Prices start at $30.

Related pages:

• Best Carry-on Luggage
• Best Travel Bags
• Best Leather Backpacks
• Best Carry On Luggage for American Airlines
• Is a Garment Bag a Personal Item?
• Personal Item Bags

Mastering The Art of Packing Light

One of the easiest ways to save money on carry-on bags and hold baggage fees is to master the art of packing light.

It’s not always easy, especially if you are heading off on a month-long trip to colder climes.

But if you are traveling on an overnight business trip or a weekend at the beach, you can pack everything you need in your free personal item. Here’s how:

• Plan your wardrobe. Plan your wardrobe carefully, and you’ll be surprised at how many outfits you can get from three or four items.
• Buy toiletries at your destination. Heavy bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and sunscreen will weigh you down. Save valuable luggage space by buying it when you arrive at your destination.
• Use packing cubes. Packing cubes work! You’ll be surprised at how much you can fit and compress in a couple of packing cubes. If packing light is not your thing, give them a go.
• Wear your coat/boots on the plane. Heading off on a weekend ski break or hiking expedition? Wear your coat, boots, and other bulky items on the plane. They might not be weather-appropriate at your point of departure but wearing them will save you a fortune on excess baggage fees.
• Do laundry onsite. You can easily wash your smalls in the bathroom. For larger items, use the hotel laundry facility or find a local one close by.

Master the Airport Bag Trick

Even budget airlines will allow you to take a bag of items purchased at the airport on board (in addition to your personal item), so master the Airport Bag Trick and take advantage of this additional baggage space (I successfully did this on my last trip to Europe, which made the flight far more enjoyable).

Of course, if your airport bag is overflowing with clothing, the gate agent might pull you to one side, but if you pack it neatly, there’s a good chance you’ll get away with it, and you could save a fortune on those costly onboard drinks and snacks.

Wear Your Travel Pillow

Wrap your travel pillow around your neck rather than packing it in your backpack, and you will free up a huge amount of packing space.

We have even seen influencers use travel pillows to pack additional outfits (by removing the inner stuffing and re-packing it with tightly rolled clothes).

We do not know how comfortable that would be on a long flight, but it is an option!

Related pages:

• Men’s Leather Travel Bags
• Women’s Leather Travel Bags
• Small Travel Bags
• Travel Backpacks
• Under Seat Travel Bags
• Leather Carry On Luggage
• Women’s Leather Backpacks
• Men’s Leather Backpacks

Do Airlines Always Check the Size and Weight of Personal Items?

Generally, if your personal item is small and compact, the check-in agent (or gate agent) will not ask to weigh it, but if it looks similar in size to your carry-on, you could find yourself in trouble.

Low-cost carriers are typically more observant when it comes to personal items. If your backpack looks even marginally larger than the dimensions listed in their carry-on policy, there is a good chance that they will measure and weigh your bag.

If your personal item is deemed too big, you may need to pay a substantial fee to take it on board, or worse, be sent back to the check-in desk to check it into the hold.

Softer bags such as backpacks are more likely to fit under the seat in front of you than hardshell cases, so bear this in mind when shopping for your next carry-on bag, and if in doubt, pack light!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article on if a backpack is a personal item.

If you have any questions or comments, contact us at info@vonbaer.com, or leave them in the comments.

Want to read more? Check out our Travel pages here.

Author: Albert Varkki

Albert Varkki is the co-founder of Von Baer. He understands leather products as a consumer, supplier, and a manufacturer, helping you with the inside knowledge you need, to choose the perfect leather product for you.

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