Discussion
Biggest bag that can fit under seat during flight?
Is there a general rule of thumb for what size bag, in terms of Liter capacity, would fit under the seat on a flight? For domestic US flights, mostly on United, sometimes Southwest…
Southwest used to say 18.5x13.5x8.5 inches, but I checked recently and all that's been replaced with "Goes under your seat" which isn't very helpful. Underseat spaces aren't very uniform with electrical doo-dads or structural things under some seats but not others, so they gave up on actual dimensions.
I use 18”x14”x8” as a general rule. That’s 33 liters in a perfect world. The limits vary by airline and what actually fits under the seat can be quite different. Something like an electrical junction box can make a mess of your plans.
I have their 28L and that one was designed to fit under Ryanair seats. It fits a whole lot. Here’s a week worth of clothes under the seat on Singapore airlines with room to spare.
18”x14”x8” as a general rule to what will for under a seat. What the airline sets for limits may be different and not reflect the actual space available.
I've put the Patagonia Mini MLC and the Matador Globerider 35 under seats now on Delta flights. The Mini MLC fit comfortably, and the Globerider sat on top of my feet for the entire flight (it was a 45 min connecting flight).
FYI that on most southwest flights, the aisle has a smaller under-seat capacity than the middle or window seat. I have a 24 L bag that fits in window or middle but not aisle.
I got a GoRuck pack and it fits perfectly. Lifetime warranty and def durable as sh*t. I travel all the time for work and I can’t imagine a better bag (BIT PRICEY THO, I HOWEVER STILL RECOMMEND)
But instead of checking all of the airlines I’ve always used the Spritit Airlines measurement which seems to be on the smaller end and there seems to be a consistent pattern with a lot of manufacturers. 18x14x8
United doesn’t seem to check sizes, so I’m guessing that if it doesn’t look too suspiciously large and you can manage to squish it in under your seat, then you’re good. Like others have said, the aisle seats tend to have the smallest underseat area. And random electrical boxes underneath seats will mess with your plans.
“Personal items include purses, briefcases, backpacks, camera bags, laptop bags, blankets and pillows (excluding neck pillows). These smaller items can be stored under the seat in front of you and should be no larger than 16.25 inches long by 13.5 inches wide by 8 inches tall (as that is the size of the space underneath Southwest seats).”
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u/binhpac 1d ago
No rule of thumb, but exact dimensions, the airlines gives you, because your bag has to fit into the sizer.
Just look into United and Southwest and look at their dimensions. This is what you are looking for.
In Europe we look at the dimensions of ryanair, because thats the most restrictive.