Delta Air Lines: Personal Item and Cabin Bag Sizes
Delta Air Lines publishes a personal item allowance of 45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 cm, which is 18.0 × 14.0 × 8.0 in, and a cabin bag allowance of 55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm — 22 x 14 x 9 in, wheels and handles included. A backpack qualifies as either, provided it measures within the figure once packed.
What Delta Air Lines allows
| Personal item | 45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 cm (18.0 × 14.0 × 8.0 in) |
|---|---|
| Cabin bag | 55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm (22.0 × 14.0 × 9.0 in) — 22 x 14 x 9 in, wheels and handles included |
Allowances differ by carrier, by fare and sometimes by aircraft, and they change without notice. Every figure here is the one the carrier published when this page was last reviewed; check the measurement on your own booking before you fly.
Delta is the awkward one to write about honestly. Its carry-on figure is the standard 22 by 14 by 9 inches, but for the personal item Delta describes the bag rather than measuring it — approximately the size of a purse, briefcase or laptop bag — and published sources differ on whether a specific figure applies at all.
The table below therefore uses the 18 by 14 by 8 inch convention that most third-party sources quote for Delta, and it should be read as a working assumption rather than a published limit. The practical rule on Delta is the one the airline actually states: it has to go under the seat.
Which of these backpacks fits
| Model | Dimensions | Personal item | Cabin bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Backpack 30 L | 43 × 30 × 20 cm | Fits, 0.3 cm to spare | Fits, 2.9 cm to spare |
| Vacuum Backpack 18×14×8 | 47 × 33 × 20 cm | Cabin bag, 1.3 cm over the under-seat figure | Fits, 2.6 cm to spare |
| Vacuum Backpack 40 L | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | Fits, 0.3 cm to spare | Fits, 2.9 cm to spare |
The comparison sorts both sets of figures and matches largest side to largest side, which is how a bag actually goes into a sizer. Models are listed only where the manufacturer publishes all three dimensions.
The Travel Backpack 30 L is the straightforward choice for Delta Air Lines: its published dimensions sit inside the under-seat figure with margin to spare. Pack it so the sides stay flat and a sizer is a formality.
How a sizer is actually used
A gate sizer is a rigid frame, and the bag has to go into it without being pressed. Depth is the dimension that fails first, because a soft bag packed full becomes round in the middle whatever its flat measurements say. That is the single argument for compression on a carrier that measures: air taken out of bulky clothing comes out of the depth, which is exactly where the margin is thinnest. How the box is used, and which dimension it catches, is set out in the personal item size guide.
Delta Air Lines baggage FAQ
What size is a personal item on Delta Air Lines?
45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 cm, or 18.0 × 14.0 × 8.0 in. Check the figure on your own booking before flying, because allowances change without notice.
Does a backpack count as a personal item on Delta Air Lines?
Yes, provided it measures within the published figure once packed and slides fully under the seat in front of you. Shape matters as much as capacity.
What is the cabin bag allowance on Delta Air Lines?
55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm — 22 x 14 x 9 in, wheels and handles included.
Does vacuum compression help at the gate?
It reduces the volume of bulky clothing, which mostly comes out of the depth of a packed bag. It does not reduce weight, so it helps with a sizer and not with a scale.