Is a Duffel Bag a Personal Item?

What is Considered a Personal Item?

With no clear TSA definition of a ‘Personal Item’, airlines can make their own rules. However, all agree that personal items must fit under the seat in front of you and not in the overhead bin.

If you have traveled with a low-cost carrier recently, you’ll understand just how small the space is under the seat in front of you, so bear this in mind when choosing a duffle or backpack as your personal item.

Here are some examples used by domestic and international airlines to describe their definition of a personal item:

• According to American Airlines, your personal item could be a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag.
• Delta Airlines uses the same definition, listing a personal item as one purse, briefcase, or laptop bag per person.
• In the UAE, Emirates Airlines describes its personal item as a briefcase, handbag, or garment bag.
• The Personal Item policy of Cathay Pacific Airways is one small item, such as a handbag, laptop bag, camera bag, briefcase, or small backpack that fits under the seat in front.
• United Airlines describes a personal item as a shoulder bag, laptop, purse, or other small item.
• Australian airline Qantas is slightly more generous with its personal item policy. You can carry a handbag, slim laptop bag, small camera, overcoat, a small amount of duty-free (where permitted), and “a reasonable amount” of reading materials onboard.

Ultimately, your personal item must be smaller than a carry-on bag (which comes with a whole new set of rules) and should fit snugly under the seat in front of you without blocking the aisle.

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What You Can Carry in Addition to Your Personal Item

As any savvy traveler will know, you can bring other items onboard an aircraft, in addition to your free personal item, without paying for the privilege.

Airlines typically list these as ‘free’ or ‘ancillary’ items on their websites, so if you are short on space, check the list and pack accordingly.

To give you some examples of ‘free items’, United Airlines lists the following under their ‘Traveler Pro Tips’ section:

• Jacket
• Umbrella
• Reading materials
• Food and drinks purchased at the airport
• Mobility devices, including wheelchairs, canes, and crutches
• A car seat or stroller
• A diaper bag and breast pump
• Camera

Free items with American Airlines include:

• Diaper bags
• Breast pumps
• Small cooler bag of breast milk
• Child safety seats and strollers
• Medical or mobility devices

What Are Duffel Bags?

Duffel bags are hugely popular for domestic and international travel, but what are they, and why do you need one?

Allow us to explain.

A duffel bag is soft-sided luggage, typically made from leather, canvas, or a synthetic material such as nylon.

They are cylindrical with carry handles and sometimes have a removable shoulder strap for supporting heavy loads.

Most duffle bags have a spacious main compartment and side pockets for your tech and travel essentials.

They are ideal for weekend breaks, and thanks to their flexible sides, you can pack them in small spaces and areas where a hardshell case will not fit.

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Using a Duffel Bag as a Personal Item

Duffel bags are lightweight, spacious, and versatile, making them ideal for domestic and international travel.

Thanks to their soft-sided design, they compress easily under seats, in overhead bins, and in small aircraft holds, but if you want to take on onboard as your free personal item, you need to buy a small duffle bag that meets the airline’s size restrictions.

Pack wisely, and your duffel bag could save you a fortune on carry-on fees, and you can easily pack for a weekend with the right size bag.

Do Airlines Count Duffle Bags as Personal Items?

If it falls within their size restrictions, then yes, the airline will count your duffel bag as a personal item.

Measuring a duffel bag is not as easy as measuring a hardshell case, so try packing it first and then using a tape measure to gauge the Width, Length, and Height.

Low-cost carriers often have bag sizers at the check-in desk, so do not overpack your duffel bag.

You may need to be able to squeeze it into the sizer for it to pass as a personal item. If it does not fit, the airline could charge you to take it onboard.

What to Pack in Your Duffel Bag Personal Item

Duffel bags are incredibly spacious and ideal for carrying the overflow from your carry-on.

As you need to store your personal item under the seat in front of you, pack your duffel with in-flight essentials, such as:

• Headphones
• Smartphone chargers
• Prescription medicines
• Toiletries
• Snacks
• A sweater, jacket, or extra layer of clothing for chilly long-haul flights
• Reading materials

With everything you need at your feet, you won’t need to access overhead bins during the flight or disturb fellow travelers if you are sitting in a window seat.

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International Airline Policies on Personal Items

Overseas airlines such as British Airways, KLM, Air Canada, and Qatar Airways also allow you to take a personal item onboard free of charge. For guidance, here are a few examples:

British Airways Personal Item Policy: BA has one of the most generous personal item policies of all international airlines. Your duffel or handbag can measure 16 x 12 x 6 inches or 40 x 30 x 15 cm and weigh up to 23kg – that’s 51lb!! They also state: “You can bring a small bag for essentials like medication, mobile phones, other electronic devices, and passports. This is guaranteed to travel with you in the cabin as part of your British Airways baggage allowance.”

Air Canada Personal Item Policy: Your personal item must not exceed 13 x 17 x 6 inches or 33 x 43 x 16 cm with no weight restrictions. As long as you can lift it into the overhead bin unassisted, Air Canada will let you take it onboard.

Qatar Airways Personal Item Policy: All economy tickets include one piece of carry-on baggage measuring 20 x 15 x 10 inches or 50 x 37 x 25 cm and weighing up to 7kg (15lb). You can also carry the following personal items, a handbag, small briefcase, coat, blanket, umbrella, camera, binoculars, reading materials, and duty-free items purchased at the airport.

Personal Item Weight & Size Restrictions

While you can use most smaller duffel bags as your personal item, some airlines, especially low-cost carriers, impose strict size and weight restrictions.

For instance, some airlines specify that your personal item must be rectangular, so a cylindrical duffel will not meet their criteria.

Others impose weight restrictions as low as 7kg or 15lbs, and while the chances of someone weighing your bag are low, if they do and you are overweight, you will likely have to pay a fee.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article on is a duffel bag 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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