Every once in a while airlines like to tweak the maximum size and/or weight your bags can be. Like when:
- Alaska Airlines lowered the max of their carry on bags
- Allegiant INCREASED the allowable size of their carry-on and personal bags earlier this year (THUS!)
And now here’s another one. Without much fanfare or even an announcement, Southwest’s policy for the maximal size of personal bags has changed. It had been a generous 18.5″ x 13.5″ x 8.5″. But now? It’s a skimpy 16.25″ x 13.5″ x 8″.
So personal bags have gone from an allowable 2,123 cubic inches to 1,755 cubic inches. That’s close to a 20% decrease. 🙁
Here’s what Southwest now says regarding personal bags:
How big can my personal item be?
Personal items must fit in the 16.25” (L) + 13.5” (W) + 8” (H) space under the seat.*
*Measurements vary by seat type and aircraft. These dimensions reflect the smallest available length, width and height under the seat.
This change means Southwest offers THE smallest space for personal items, save for the airlines that don’t specify how big personal items can actually be. Here’s how they measure up (you see what I did there?) to the other U.S.-based airlines:
- Alaska: Exact measurements not offered
- Allegiant: 18″ x 14″ x 8″
- American: 18″ x 14″ x 8″
- Delta: Exact measurements not offered
- Frontier: 18″ x 14″ x 8″
- Hawaiian: Exact measurements not offered
- JetBlue: 17″ x 13″ x 8″
- Southwest: 16.25″ x 13.5″ x 8″
- Spirit: 18″ x 14″ x 8″
- United: 17″ x 10″ x 9″
Geesh…when even the ultra low cost carriers give more leeway, you know something’s wrong.
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