Checked August 2026

Delta Air Lines bag sizes: what actually fits

Delta Air Lines allows a carry-on of 22 × 14 × 9 inches including wheels and handles, and publishes no personal item dimensions at all — if it fits under the seat, it flies.

A coral hard-shell cabin bag wedged into an aircraft overhead bin beside a soft grey holdall
Carry-on costs extra on these
Delta Air Lines
Checked August 2026
Under the seat
No published size
Delta publishes no dimensions at all. The only test is whether it fits under the seat. We filter bags against 18 × 14 × 8 in — our working figure, not Delta’s.
Not published by Deltapolicy pagechecked August 2026
Cost
Free Free on every fare, Basic Economy included.
Overhead bin
22 × 14 × 9 in
Wheels and handles included. Also capped at 45 linear inches in total.
Published by Deltachecked August 2026
Cost
Free Free on every fare — Delta does not strip the carry-on from Basic Economy.
Weight
No published limit, but you have to lift it into the bin yourself.

Got a bag already? Let’s check it.

Measure the outside, wheels and handles included — that’s what they measure at the gate.

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Bags that fit Delta

Every measurement comes from the manufacturer — none of it is guessed.
15 of 25 fit Delta Air Lines’s under-seat limit of 18 × 14 × 8 in — 13 with room to spare, 2 borderline.

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bag vs limit
4.3" to spare

Topo Designs Rover Pack Mini

13.5 × 8.5 × 3.75 in
Backpack·10L

Enormous margin against every limit here, and it looks like a normal bag rather than travel gear. Ten litres is a daybag though, not a travel bag.

bag vs limit
2.9" to spare

Pacsafe GO 15L Anti-Theft Backpack

14.4 × 9.8 × 5.1 in
Backpack·15L·1.18 lb

The anti-theft option that actually fits — slash-resistant panels, locking zips, RFID pocket, and a 13-inch laptop sleeve, all inside United’s width.

Read this first

Pacsafe’s own site is JavaScript-gated, so this comes from a retailer spec rather than the brand. The 0.2 inches of width margin rests on that number.

bag vs limit
FitsLightest

Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack 18L

16.54 × 8.66 × 7.48 in
Packable backpack·18L·0.33 lb

Five ounces. It stuffs into its own pocket, so it costs you almost nothing to carry as insurance — and it clears every personal item limit on this page.

Read this first

Unstructured, so 7.48 inches is the empty depth. Pack it full and it rounds out.

bag vs limit
FitsFits every US airline

Dagne Dover Landon Carryall, Medium

14.5 × 9 × 7.5 in
Duffel·18L·2.5 lb

The most margin of anything here — comfortably inside United’s brutal 17 × 10 × 9 and inside the budget carriers’ 18 × 14 × 8 too. Structured neoprene that holds its shape instead of sagging.

Read this first

Buy the MEDIUM. The Large is 16.5 × 11 × 9 and fails United on width.

bag vs limit
Fits

BAGSMART Foldable Duffel Tote

17.7 × 12.6 × 6.3 in
Tote·23L·0.97 lb

A tote-shaped answer to the Narwey. Under a pound, folds flat, and doubles as a packable second bag stuffed inside a bigger case.

bag vs limit
FitsClears a strict sizer

TAKE OFF Personal Item Suitcase 4.0

17.5 × 13.5 × 7.8 in
Roller, removable wheels·5.5 lb

The one wheeled bag here that genuinely passes an 18×14×8 sizer — because the wheels pop off in a single click. Wheels on it’s 19.5 inches and fails; wheels off it’s 17.5 and passes.

Read this first

The fit verdict shown assumes the wheels are removed. With them attached it measures 19.5 × 13.5 × 7.8.

See all 15 bags that fit Delta’s personal item limit →

Narrower questions: Delta personal item size · Delta carry-on size · best Delta carry-on bags. Flying with camera gear? 26 camera bags fit Delta — see the camera bag guide.

Worth knowing about Delta

The gotchas that catch people out at the gate.

Common questions

What is Delta Air Lines’ personal item size limit?

Delta Air Lines does not publish personal item dimensions at all. The only test is whether the bag fits under the seat in front of you. We use 18 × 14 × 8 inches as a working estimate when filtering bags, and label it as an estimate rather than an airline figure.

What is Delta Air Lines’ carry-on size limit?

Delta Air Lines allows a carry-on up to 22 × 14 × 9 inches including wheels and handles. It must also stay under 45 linear inches — length plus width plus height combined. No carry-on weight limit is published, but you must be able to lift the bag into the overhead bin yourself. 6 of the bags we track fit it.

Does Delta Air Lines charge for carry-on bags?

No. Free on every fare — Delta does not strip the carry-on from Basic Economy. The personal item is free as well.

Do wheels and handles count toward Delta Air Lines’ size limit?

Yes. Delta Air Lines measures the outside of the bag, so wheels, handles, straps and external pockets all count. This is why a suitcase sold as a "20-inch carry-on" is often 22 inches overall and can still fail a sizer.

What happens if my bag is too big on Delta Air Lines?

Usually it gets gate-checked, which is free. You collect it at the jet bridge or baggage claim depending on the airport.

How we measure

Manufacturers publish dimensions inconsistently, and a “20-inch” spinner is almost never 20 inches once you count the wheels. Where a brand states dimensions including wheels and handles, that’s the number we use. Where it only publishes the case, we say so on the card. Airlines measure the outside of your bag — wheels, handles, straps and all. Anything marked borderline is down to the gate agent, and remember that a soft bag squashes into a sizer while a hard shell won’t.

Affiliate disclosure

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product links on this page are affiliate links and cost you nothing extra.

Sources

Limits verified August 2026 against each carrier’s published policy. Airlines change these without notice — always confirm before you fly. Spirit Airlines ceased operations on 2 May 2026 and is no longer listed.

Airline Bag Size Checker v1.0.15 · last updated 2026-08-12