How Many Bags Of Luggage Can You Take On A Plane?

Last Updated on April 23, 2021

How many suitcases can you take on a plane per person depends on which airline you are flying with.

However there is a trend. For low cost airlines you can usually only bring one small bag. For more expensive flights you can usually bring two pieces of luggage.

Let’s take a look in more detail.

How Many Carry-On Bags Per Airline

Each airline set their own rules about how many items of luggage you are allowed to bring.

This table tells you the number of bags that you can bring for free on domestic flights. It’s usually possible to bring more suitcases if you pay extra fees.

If you are not sure about the difference between a personal item and a carry-on bag we wrote a post about that.

In short, the personal item is a smaller bag that fits under the seat in front. The airlines sometimes call it a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag, but the limits and capacity of the personal item are probably larger than you realize.

Check here you want to know the personal item size limits or carry-on size limits or checked luggage size limits.

AirlinePersonal ItemCarry OnCheckedTotal
Southwest1124
Delta1102
American Airlines1102
Alaska Airlines1102
JetBlue1102
United Economy1102
Hawaiian1102
United Basic Economy1001
JetBlue Blue Basic1001
Allegiant1001
Frontier1001
Spirit 1001

As you might have noticed full service airlines usually allow you to bring two bags on the the plane. Low-cost airlines and basic economy flights tend to only allow you 1 small bag on the plane.

How Many Bags Can You Check?

American Airlines

AA will allow you to check up to 10 bags on domestic flights. While your first checked bag will cost you $30 it becomes increasingly expensive as you add more bags. Bag 2 will cost $40. Bag 3 will cost $150. And bags 4-10 will cost $200 each.

Delta Air Lines

Delta also allow you to check up to 10 checked bags. Their pricing is the same as American Airlines.

Alaska

During peak periods Alaska limit the number of bags that can be checked per passenger. Check with the airline for limits on your flight.

Allegiant

You can purchase up to 4 checked bags per passenger.

JetBlue

JetBlue charge $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second checked bag. You may be able to bring more checked suitcases but they charge $150. Contact JetBlue for further details.

Southwest

Southwest are the clear winners in the luggage stakes.

Their size limits for carry-on luggage are the most generous.

And they allow 2 checked bags for free.

Spirit

If there is space available you can purchase up to five checked bags when flying with Spirit.

United Airlines

The number of checked bags that you can bring on a United flight depends on the route.

Staying Under The Limits

No matter which airline you are flying with you should always check size limits.

Carry-on luggage rarely has a weight limit for airlines in the United States. If you are flying internationally then be wary of carry-on weight limits.

For checked luggage, it’s important to weigh luggage. Get yourself a luggage scale because the fees for overweight or oversized checked baggage can be quite shocking.

How Much Luggage Is Allowed On International Flights?

Many airline change their policy to allow 1 free checked suitcase on international flights.

This means that in a lot of cases you can bring 3 bags for an international flight. 1 personal item, 1 carry-on, and 1 checked bag. However please check with the airline that you are flying with.

The Verdict

The number of suitcases that you can take on a plane depends on which airline you are flying with.

Low-cost airlines generally only include 1 personal item bag for free. It’s smaller than a carry-on and should be stored under the seat in front.

If you learn to travel light you can make the most of this small luggage allowance and avoid paying extra.

If you want to bring 2 bags on a low cost airline you usually need to pay a carry-on bag fee. Sometimes this fee for a carry-on can be more than the cost of the flight itself!

Some airlines have started offering basic economy fares that only allow 1 personal item bag. If you’ve booked a United Basic Economy fare you can only bring a personal item and you can’t even pay to bring a carry-on. JetBlue Blue basic has a similar policy.

So as you can see, the number of pieces of luggage that you can bring with you when you travel depends on where you are going and who you are flying with.

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