Is a carry-on free?
On most airlines, yes. The exceptions are the fare you bought rather than the airline you bought it from, and they are the expensive ones.
By Michael W. · Last updated October 11, 2026
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A full-size carry-on is free on American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Alaska in standard economy - and it is not free on Frontier or Spirit, and not included on United or Delta Basic Economy on most domestic routes. The personal item that goes under the seat is free on every one of them, on every fare, with no exceptions.
The thing to understand is that the fare class decides this, not the airline. The same airline, the same aircraft and the same route will include a carry-on on one fare and charge for it on the cheaper one. That is why "is a carry-on free on United" has two correct answers, and why the cheapest ticket is frequently not the cheapest trip.
The gate is the most expensive place to pay
On every carrier that charges for cabin baggage, the fee rises each time you delay it - cheapest at booking, more at online check-in, most at the gate. If you know the bag is coming, pay for it when you buy the ticket.
Where a carry-on is free
| Airline | Full-size carry-on | Personal item | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| American | Free | Free | Included even on Basic Economy |
| Delta | Free | Free | Not on domestic Basic Economy |
| United | Free | Free | Not on domestic Basic Economy |
| Southwest | Free | Free | Most generous size limit at 24 x 16 x 10 |
| JetBlue | Free | Free | Not on the cheapest fare family |
| Alaska | Free | Free | Expansion counts toward the measurement |
| Frontier | Paid | Free | Carry-on and personal item both weighed at 35 lb |
| Spirit | Paid | Free | Cheapest at booking, dearest at the gate |
Basic Economy is the real answer to this question
On United and Delta domestic Basic Economy, the fare includes the personal item only. A full-size carry-on brought to the gate on that fare is checked and charged, and the charge is set at gate rates rather than booking rates. American is the notable exception among the big three: its Basic Economy fare still includes the carry-on.
The practical consequence is that the allowance is printed on your ticket, not on the airline's general baggage page. Check the fare rules for the specific itinerary you bought - this is the single most common way travelers end up paying for a bag they believed was free.
Frontier and Spirit: the bag is the business model
Ultra-low-cost carriers sell a seat and nothing else. A full-size carry-on is a paid extra on both Frontier and Spirit, the price escalates from booking to check-in to gate, and the sizer at the gate is used because an oversize finding is revenue rather than an inconvenience.
Frontier also publishes a 35 lb weight limit on both the carry-on and the personal item, which almost no other US carrier does - and it is the rule people miss, because US flyers are trained to think cabin baggage is never weighed. Buy the bag allowance at booking if you need it, and keep the under-seat bag genuinely under-seat sized.
Internationally, free means weighed
On most European, Asian and Middle Eastern carriers a cabin bag is included in the fare - and capped at 7 to 10 kg, enforced with a hook scale at the gate. European low-cost carriers invert the US model: a small under-seat bag is free and a full-size cabin bag is a paid priority add-on.
Where a weight limit applies, the empty weight of the suitcase is the most important number on its spec sheet, because the bag's own mass comes out of your allowance first. How much does an empty suitcase weigh has the verified figures, and international carry-on dimensions has the size and weight caps by region.
Five ways to not pay for cabin baggage
- Read the fare, not the airline. Basic Economy on United and Delta does not include a carry-on. The same route on a standard fare does.
- Pay at booking if you must pay at all. Every escalating fee structure is cheapest at the point of sale.
- Buy a bag that fits the under-seat limit if you fly Basic Economy regularly. That allowance is free on every fare.
- Wear the jacket and the bulky shoes. Worn clothing is not baggage on any carrier.
- Measure the bag before you leave the house, including wheels and handle - how to measure carry-on luggage is the five-step version.
Quick picks
The short list. Tap any row for the full write-up, including what each one is bad at.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Travelers Club Cosmo 20-inch Hardside Spinner A 19.5-inch body - inside every carrier's limit, which is the point when the gate is a revenue line. | Frontier and Spirit flyers | $39.00View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 10, 2026. How we’re funded |
| 2 |  Osprey Daylite Plus Daypack Clears United's published 17 x 10 x 9, which is the only bag allowance Basic Economy includes. | United and Delta Basic Economy | $80.00View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 10, 2026. How we’re funded |
| 3 |  Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Spinner Built to the 22 x 14 x 9 standard, and light enough to stay inside weighed international limits. | Standard economy on the major carriers | $160.00View on Amazon #ad Price as of October 10, 2026. How we’re funded |
The case that clears the sizer you will actually be asked to use
Travelers Club Cosmo 20-inch Hardside Spinner
On an ultra-low-cost carrier the sizer is not a formality. Buying a case that is comfortably inside the limit rather than exactly at it is the cheapest insurance available, and at this price the bag owes you nothing after a handful of trips. Measured overall it still clears every major carrier with margin.
The specs that decide it
- Clears: A 19.5 x 13.5 x 8.5 in body - inside every major carrier's limit
- Construction: ABS hardshell, 6 lb empty, so it holds its shape in an overhead bin
- Trade-off: A 19.5-inch body is smaller than the legal maximum - less capacity by design
- Why: An oversize finding at a budget gate costs more than this bag
Flaws but not dealbreakers
You are giving up real capacity to buy margin, and on a carrier that would have accepted a 22-inch bag that is volume you paid for and did not use. Budget hard shells also scuff quickly and look secondhand fast.
#ad Price as of October 10, 2026. How we’re funded
The bag that is free on the fare that charges for everything else
Osprey Daylite Plus Daypack
On a fare where the carry-on is not included, the under-seat personal item is your entire free allowance - and it is free without exception. A pack that clears the strictest published figure in the US means there is no judgement call at the gate and no fee to argue about. It also carries on two shoulders rather than one.
The specs that decide it
- Clears: United's published 17 x 10 x 9, plus every other carrier
- Cost: Free on every fare, including Basic Economy
- Compresses: Soft construction squashes into a sizer under a firm push
- Carry: Two shoulders, not one
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It is a day bag, so a trip that needs more than two days of clothes needs more bag than this. Top-loading access is also awkward once the pack is wedged under a seat.
#ad Price as of October 10, 2026. How we’re funded
The case to use the free allowance properly
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Spinner
Where the carry-on is free, the sensible move is to use the whole envelope and check nothing. This is built to the 22 x 14 x 9 standard that five of the eight major US carriers publish, and its low empty weight is what keeps it viable on international legs where the cabin bag is weighed at 7 to 10 kg.
The specs that decide it
- Weight: Among the lightest wheeled carry-ons, which is the whole point
- Size: Built to the 22 x 14 x 9 standard, unexpanded
- Construction: Softside, so it compresses slightly at a tight gate
- Avoids: Checked bag fees entirely on most domestic itineraries
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Light construction protects contents less well if the bag gets gate-checked when the bins fill, and the expansion zip takes it out of carry-on legality the moment it is opened.
#ad Price as of October 10, 2026. How we’re funded
Frequently asked questions
Is a carry-on free on Southwest?
Is a carry-on free on Frontier or Spirit?
Does Basic Economy include a carry-on?
Is the personal item always free?
Sources
Read next
- Carry-on size by airline
- Personal item size by airline
- Checked bag size and weight limits
- Best underseat carry-on bags
- How to measure carry-on luggage
More in Airline Rules, or see every roundup and comparison on the site.