Travel questions answered from the official source
Bag sizes for 67 airlines, liquids rules for 146 airports, and security, power bank and airline rules for the US, UK, Europe and Asia.
✈Fact-checked by Captain Matt, commercial airline pilot
More than bag sizes: airport security, liquids, batteries, US and European travel rules.
Will my hand luggage or carry-on fit?
Measure your bag once. See which of 67 airlines let it on free, which charge, and which will turn it away at the gate.
Popular airlines
Liquids at your airport
Frequently asked questions
Do airlines actually measure hand luggage at the gate?
Yes, increasingly so, especially budget airlines — many now use a sizer frame or box at the gate or check-in desk. If your bag doesn't fit through it, including wheels and handles, you'll usually be charged there and then rather than waved through.
Does the size limit include wheels and handles?
For most airlines, yes — and that's exactly where people get caught out. We include wheels and handles in the figures here wherever the airline's own published rules say they count.
What happens if my bag is slightly over the limit?
It depends entirely on the airline and the gate agent. Some enforce strictly and charge a hold-luggage fee on the spot; others are lenient if it's close. Because this varies so much, we link to each airline's own policy page so you can check the exact wording.
Are the liquid rules the same at every airport?
No — this is one of the more inconsistent areas of airport security, and it can change from one airport to the next even within the same country. Check your specific departure airport's page rather than assuming a rule you've seen elsewhere applies.
How current is this information?
Every airline and airport page shows the date it was last checked directly against the source. Airlines and airports change these policies with limited notice, so always double check with your airline close to your travel date.
Is this an official airline or airport tool?
No — HandLuggageChecker is independent and not affiliated with any airline or airport. See the About page for how the figures are sourced.
What else can I bring in hand luggage, besides liquids?
Laptops, power banks, vapes, scissors and medication all have their own rules. See the full what's allowed in hand luggage guide.
Why this site exists
Hand luggage is where airlines make their money, and the rules are deliberately hard to compare. One airline's free bag is another's £40 charge, and the liquids rule now changes from airport to airport. Everything here is copied from the airline's or airport's own website, with a link to the page it came from and the date it was checked, so you can see for yourself.
Sizes include wheels and handles wherever the airline says they do, because that is where most gate charges come from. If a figure is not published, this site says so rather than guessing.
All 67 airlines and 146 airports have been checked against their own websites between 20 September and 5 November 2026. Each page shows its own check date.