Cabin baggage size & weight: 20 airlines compared
Carry-on allowances differ more than most travellers expect: the same roller bag that flies free on one carrier fails the sizer on another, and weight caps range from "no limit at all" to a combined 7 kg that must cover your laptop too. The table below covers 20 major airlines relevant to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore flyers plus the big intercontinental carriers. Every figure was checked against the airline's own baggage page — not third-party charts, which we found wrong on several carriers.
Before you read the table
Three things to remember: (1) dimensions include wheels and handles unless stated otherwise; (2) "combined" weight means your cabin bag plus personal item share one number; (3) your fare — not just the airline — can change what you're allowed (Lufthansa's cheapest Economy and HK Express's Ultra Lite include only a personal item). Allowances verified: 1 November 2026 — always confirm with your airline before flying.
The 20-airline cabin baggage table
| Airline | Cabin bag (max size) | Weight allowance | Personal item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathay Pacific | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | 7 kg Economy; 10 kg Business / Gold / Silver; 15 kg First / Diamond | Yes — up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Hong Kong Airlines | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | 7 kg Economy / 15 kg Business (combined) | Yes — up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| China Airlines | 56 × 36 × 23 cm per piece | 7 kg per piece (1 bag Economy, 2 Business) | Yes — oversize items count as a cabin bag |
| EVA Air | 115 cm total (56 × 36 × 23 cm) per piece | 7 kg per piece (1 bag Economy, 2 Business) | Yes — small item in addition |
| Singapore Airlines | 115 cm total per piece | 7 kg total (1 bag Economy, 2 bags premium cabins) | Yes — ~40 × 30 × 10 cm; over 80 cm counts as a bag |
| Scoot | 54 × 38 × 23 cm | 10 kg Economy / 15 kg ScootPlus (combined) | Yes — second item ~40 × 30 × 10 cm |
| Thai Airways | 56 × 45 × 25 cm | 7 kg per piece; premium cabins + extra piece | Yes — handbag to 37.5 × 25 × 12.5 cm, 1.5 kg free |
| Vietnam Airlines | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | 10 kg Economy / 18 kg Business (combined) | Yes — accessory to 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Japan Airlines | 115 cm total (55 × 40 × 25 cm) | 10 kg combined (bag + personal item) | Yes — underseat, shares the 10 kg |
| ANA | 55 × 40 × 25 cm (115 cm total) | 10 kg combined (bag + personal item) | Yes — to 40 × 30 × 20 cm |
| Korean Air | 115 cm total (55 × 40 × 20 cm) | 10 kg combined (all cabins) | Yes — to 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Asiana Airlines | 115 cm total per piece | 10 kg per piece (1 bag Economy, 2 Business) | Yes — to 40 × 30 × 20 cm |
| Emirates | 55 × 38 × 22 cm | 7 kg Economy / 10 kg Premium Economy / 2 items à 7 kg First & Business | Within allowance; First/Business: briefcase + handbag/garment bag |
| Qatar Airways | 50 × 37 × 25 cm | 7 kg Economy / 15 kg combined (2 pieces) Business & First | Yes — listed extras (handbag, coat, umbrella, camera…) |
| British Airways | 56 × 45 × 25 cm | No published weight limit — must stow unassisted | Yes — hand bag to 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Lufthansa | 55 × 40 × 23 cm | 8 kg (2 bags à 8 kg Business/First); cheapest fares: personal item only | Yes — to 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Qantas | 56 × 36 × 23 cm overhead | 7 kg intl Economy; 14 kg combined (max 10 kg/piece) intl premium & domestic | Yes — underseat to 34 × 48 × 23 cm |
| Air Canada | 23 × 40 × 55 cm | No weight limit — must stow unassisted; Basic fares: personal item only | Yes — to 33 × 43 × 16 cm |
| HK Express | 56 × 36 × 23 cm | 7 kg combined (Ultra Lite fare: personal item only) | Yes — to 40 × 25 × 20 cm |
| Air New Zealand | 55 × 40 × 23 cm (118 cm linear) | 7 kg Economy; 14 kg combined (max 10 kg/piece) premium cabins & tiers | Yes — underseat personal item |
What the table is really saying
Weight philosophies split into three camps. Carriers like Cathay, EVA and Emirates set a per-piece cap (7 kg in Economy); "combined" airlines — JAL, ANA, Korean Air, HK Express, Vietnam Airlines — pool your bag and personal item into one number; and a few (British Airways, Air Canada) publish no weight at all, on the sole condition that you can lift the bag yourself.
The 55 × 40 × 23 envelope fits almost everyone. A bag at 55 × 38 × 22 cm clears every sizer in this table except Qantas's depth (23 cm is fine) and the tightest — Qatar Airways at 50 × 37 × 25 cm. If you fly Qatar often, size matters more than weight.
Your fare can matter more than your airline. Lufthansa's cheapest Economy fares, HK Express's Ultra Lite and Air Canada's Economy Basic (on some itineraries) all cut the allowance to a personal item only — the biggest single trap in this table.
Two airlines changed recently — old guides are wrong. Scoot replaced its 7 kg single-bag rule with a 10 kg Economy / 15 kg ScootPlus combined allowance, and Korean Air moved from the old 12 kg / 18 kg split to a flat 10 kg combined. Several third-party charts still show the old numbers.
Personal items: the quiet second allowance
Every airline above allows something under the seat in addition to the overhead bag — but the size definitions vary from Cathay's generous 40 × 30 × 15 cm to Singapore Airlines' rule that an item over 80 cm in total dimensions counts as your cabin bag. On the "combined weight" airlines, your personal item eats the same 10 kg pool, so a heavy laptop bag can push a 7 kg suitcase over the line.
Allowances verified: 1 November 2026
Each airline page carries its verified date and a link to that airline's official baggage page. Airlines change allowances without notice — always confirm with your airline before flying.
One bag that clears every sizer in this table
A 55 × 38 × 22 cm international carry-on (wheels included) fits all 20 airlines here. The comparison tool below lists current cabin-size options.
Compare cabin-size bags →