American Airlines Baggage Policy 2026: Carry-On Size, Fees, Pets

American Airlines' carry-on limit is 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm), and the wheels and handles count toward it. Every passenger gets one carry-on and one personal item, Basic Economy included. The bag has to fit in the overhead bin. On regional American Eagle jets, any carry-on bigger than the personal item size gets valeted at the aircraft door.

On American Eagle regional flights, a carry-on larger than 18 x 14 x 8 in must be valeted before boarding.

Your personal item can measure up to 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm) and must fit under the seat in front of you. A purse, laptop bag or small backpack within those dimensions qualifies. American lists no weight limit for it.

No weight limit is published for carry-on bags or personal items on American. The carry-on page sets size limits only, 22 x 14 x 9 inches for the bag and 18 x 14 x 8 inches for the personal item. Size, measured with wheels and handles, is what decides whether a bag stays with you.

Yes: Basic Economy includes 1 carry-on and 1 personal item, the same as Main Cabin. The catch is boarding. Basic Economy passengers board last, typically in Group 9, and American says bins are usually full by then. In April 2026 the airline announced that non-status AAdvantage members on Basic Economy will board in Group 7 later in the year, with no start date given. Checked bags cost $5 more than Main Cabin on domestic Basic Economy tickets bought from May 18, 2026.

AAdvantage status members, 15,000 Loyalty Point earners and eligible cardmembers keep the boarding group shown on their pass even on Basic Economy.

On domestic tickets bought on or after April 9, 2026, the first checked bag costs $50 and the second $60 at the airport. Prepay on aa.com or in the app and you pay $45 and $55. A third bag costs $200. The same $50 first-bag fee covers Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean (except Cuba and Haiti) and Central America (except Panama). Domestic Basic Economy tickets bought from May 18, 2026 pay $55 and $65, or $50 and $60 online.

Tickets bought before April 9, 2026 keep the earlier bag fees.

Each checked bag can weigh up to 50 lb (23 kg) and measure up to 62 linear inches (158 cm), length plus width plus height. Free bags in First and Business can weigh 70 lb (32 kg). American won't check anything over 100 lb (45 kg) or 115 linear inches (292 cm). You can check up to 10 bags on domestic, trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific trips, but only 5 to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Cuba allows only 2 checked bags per passenger, at up to 70 lb (32 kg) each.

A bag over 50 lb costs $30 extra up to 53 lb, $100 up to 70 lb and $200 up to 100 lb on flights within the US, Canada and Latin America. Europe, Israel and Qatar routes refuse bags over 70 lb. Oversize fees are $30 for 62 to 65 inches and $200 for 65 to 115 inches ($150 to Europe, Panama and South America). A bag that breaks both limits pays the higher of the two fees, plus the regular bag fee.

Main Cabin gets 1 free checked bag on trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South America flights. The second bag costs $100 and the third $200. Basic Economy pays for its first bag: $85 trans-Atlantic, $75 trans-Pacific, $70 to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and $55 to Panama, for tickets issued from May 18, 2026. Australia and New Zealand differ, with 1 free bag in both Basic and Main at up to 70 lb (32 kg).

Up to 5 bags fly free for active-duty U.S. military on orders, and 3 on personal travel. Other waivers: - AAdvantage Gold and oneworld Ruby: 1 free bag. - Platinum and oneworld Sapphire: 2 free bags. - Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and oneworld Emerald: 3 free bags. - Eligible AAdvantage cardmembers: 1 free bag, plus up to 4 companions on the same reservation, on domestic American flights. - Premium Economy, First and Business: 2 free bags. - Flagship First and Flagship Business Plus: 3 free bags.

The card benefit needs the cardmember's AAdvantage number in the booking and an all-domestic itinerary operated by American or American Eagle.

Cats and dogs can fly in the cabin for $150 per kennel within the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. A soft-sided kennel can measure 18 x 11 x 11 inches (46 x 28 x 28 cm). Hard-sided kennels top out at 19 x 13 x 9 inches on mainline jets and 16 x 12 x 8 inches on American Eagle. The kennel takes one of your two item slots, so you add either a personal item or a carry-on. Checked pets are limited to active-duty U.S. military and State Department Foreign Service staff on official orders, at $200 per kennel. Other animals ship through PetEmbark with American Airlines Cargo.

No. Strollers, child safety seats, one diaper bag per child, a breast pump and a small cooler of breast milk don't count toward your 1 carry-on and 1 personal item. The same goes for medical and mobility devices.

Group 9 is where the pressure shows. American tells Basic Economy passengers that overhead bins are usually full by the time they board and suggests checking the carry-on. On Eagle regional jets, anything larger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches gets valeted. Measure your bag with the wheels and handles, because American counts both.