Location Transport

Airport Transportation: How heavy can a carry-on be? and how many carry-ons can a person have?

My friend is goin to Rhode Island from Philadelphia. And only needs to bring two carry-ons plus a purse, so its basically three. Is that allowed and how heavy can they be?

Public Comments

1. tsa.gov
2. Some airlines say they only allow one carryon, but I have rarely seen that enforced. Most airlines allow only two carryons - and a purse counts as a carryon. Your friend may be able to get away with it if the purse is small. The weight is usually not an issue for USA domestic flights. However, all carryons have to fit either in the overhead storage compartment or under the seat in front of the passenger.
3. it's not the heft, it's the heighth... those compartments above the seats are NOT all that tall--WIDE yes but not tall. I wouldn't want to try to push something over 12 inches in height in the overhead compartments....and since she is female, she wouldn't want to be dragging 2 heavy suitcases off the plane and all the way through an airport...the less baggage the better......women always overpack and take way too much stuff on trips.... I am female and learned long ago that the less you pack, the happier you will be---you can always BUY something when you arrive at your destination....
4. Since 911 regulations have varied. If you are unsure there is a sample of the size @ the airport tic counter.They say if your luggage fits in the square box @ counter then it will fit in overhead compartment.Some airlines say two bags & that includes a purse.Some do not include a purse as a third bag. It really is up to the airline, what I have learned from past expierance. The weight I believe is up to you on carry on,as long as you can carry it & it fits in the sample bin, carry it on. Hope this helps you.
5. Check your Airlines website, there is usually a section there that tells you. It also depends on the mood of your check in person, we got a real nasty one last year at LAX and she wanted to weigh our carry on luggage as well as checked luggage, she told us it couldn't be over 7 kg, I told her that with a few hours to wait on boarding a flight to New Zealand the weight of our carry on baggage would be less by the time we boarded (less snacks and drinks), so if she wanted to be cute, she should tell the flight crew to check it at that time (which they never do).
6. There is a weight limit (and size) on how much your carry on bag can be, check your airline's web site. And keep in mind that if you cannot lift your carry bag to put them away, do NOT ask flight attendant or anyone else to do it for you. If you pack it, put it away yourself. (Please do not say "I have a bad back", do you want other people to have a bad back too?) It would be easier for you to check one of your bag and carry a smaller one with you. I have checked thousands of bags in my career, most of them are too big and too simply heavy for the passengers to lift overhead.