Alaska Airlines Personal Item Size: No Published Dimensions

Where these numbers come from

Alaska Airlines does not publish a width, length and depth for the personal item. The official carry-on page states the carry-on limit as 22 x 14 x 9 inches, and a fee-tracking guide updated in June 2026 reports that Alaska describes the personal item only by example, such as a purse, briefcase or laptop bag. The working rule is that the bag must fit entirely under the seat in front of you.

Because there is no box to measure against, the practical question is how much room the seat really has. One 2026 guide puts the physical footwell at roughly 20 x 15 x 11 inches. Airlines set stated limits well below that because the space varies by aircraft and is shared with the seat's support bars. Treat the footwell figure as a ceiling that does not apply to every row.

Here is a method that works. Pack the bag the way you will carry it, then measure the longest, widest and deepest points with a soft tape, including pockets and straps. Aim for 17 x 13 x 8 inches or less. That is JetBlue's published personal item box, and one 2026 guide says a soft 16 x 13 x 8 inch backpack clears American, Southwest and JetBlue. A soft bag can squeeze under a seat where a rigid one of equal size cannot.

Tested bag sizes, from smallest safe to largest likely to pass: a 16 x 12 x 7 inch backpack almost never draws attention, a 17 x 13 x 8 inch soft tote usually fits, and an 18 x 14 x 8 inch bag may fit on larger jets but is a gamble on regional aircraft. Seat type also matters. Bulkhead rows have no under-seat space at all, so the personal item goes overhead for the whole flight, and exit rows must keep the floor clear for takeoff and landing.

If an agent questions your bag at the gate, the usual options are to compress it, move items into your pockets or carry-on, or pay to check it. Offer to try it under a seat if a sizer or empty seat is nearby. Keep valuables, medicine and chargers in a small pouch so you can pull them out quickly if the bag is tagged for the hold.

Use the bag fit finder to compare your bag with every airline that publishes a size, then read the Alaska baggage rules and the Alaska baggage fees page. For an airline that does publish a box, see the JetBlue personal item size.

Sources

• Alaska Airlines carry-on luggage size limit (official; detail text not readable by our tool)
• Upgraded Points: Alaska baggage fees (updated 2026-06-10)
• Gear Up Travel: personal item size by airline (2026)
• Seatmap: what fits under an airplane seat

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.