British Airways Personal Item Size (2026)

British Airways calls the under-seat piece a hand bag: max 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 6 in), must easily fit under the seat, and is guaranteed in the cabin. It may hold essentials such as medication, phones, other electronics and passports. It is free on every cabin listed on baggage essentials, including Economy Basic, and is in addition to the 56 × 45 × 25 cm cabin bag. No kg limit for the hand bag is printed on that page. Pack power banks and spare batteries in this smaller under-seat item so they are not in a cabin bag that might go to the hold.

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Wheels and handles: not specified for the hand bag. Check that it fits the sizer and under the seat when packed.

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There is no paid upgrade that enlarges the hand bag. Extra money buys hold bags, not a bigger under-seat item.
If the cabin bag is sent to the hold at the gate, this hand bag is the one that stays with you. Pack like it.

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• This is not the 56 × 45 × 25 cm cabin trolley. It's the smaller bag that goes under the seat.

• Economy Basic still includes the cabin trolley too; this page is only about the under-seat hand bag.

• Guaranteed or not: the hand bag is guaranteed in the cabin; the cabin bag may go in the hold.

• Power banks and spare lithium batteries go in the under-seat hand bag, never the hold.

• British Airways publishes no kg limit for the hand bag.

• The baggage calculator can show 45 × 36 × 20 cm, but the baggage essentials page gives 40 × 30 × 15 cm for the hand bag on British Airways-operated flights. Use 40 × 30 × 15 cm.

• Soft bags expand, so measure yours when it's packed.

• Codeshare and partner airline personal-item rules may differ.

• A US airline’s 18 × 14 × 8 in personal item size doesn’t apply on British Airways.

Traveler caution: If the overhead fills up, this is the bag that still boards. Put the passport and the power bank here. Confirm 40 × 30 × 15 cm on britishairways.com before you fly.

What is the British Airways personal item or hand bag size?
Official baggage essentials: 1 hand bag, max 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16 × 12 × 6 in), must easily fit under the seat, guaranteed in the cabin. No kg limit is published on that page.

Is the British Airways personal item free on Economy Basic?
Yes. Economy Basic includes the hand bag and the cabin bag. It excludes checked bags, not the under-seat item.

Can I take a backpack as my British Airways personal item?
British Airways’ baggage essentials page calls it a hand bag and lists examples of essentials; its baggage calculator also describes it as a handbag or backpack of 40 × 30 × 15 cm. A backpack is fine if packed it fits 40 × 30 × 15 cm under the seat. British Airways does not publish a separate backpack size exception on its baggage essentials page.

What’s the difference between the British Airways personal item and cabin bag?
The hand bag is up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm, goes under the seat, and is guaranteed onboard. The cabin bag is up to 56 × 45 × 25 cm including wheels and handles, goes overhead, and may be put in the hold. Both are free hand baggage on British Airways-operated flights covered by baggage essentials.

Where should I pack my power bank on British Airways?
Power banks and spare batteries are forbidden in checked baggage and must travel in hand baggage. British Airways’ electronics FAQ says to put spare batteries and power packs in the smaller under-seat item in case the larger cabin bag is sent to the hold at the gate.

Does a Plus or Basic fare enlarge the British Airways personal item?
British Airways does not use a Ryanair-style Plus fare for cabin rights. Economy Basic keeps the same hand-bag size; it simply has no free hold bag.

• British Airways cabin bag
• British Airways baggage fees

Fees, fare bundles, and size rules change. Confirm the latest limits and live bag prices on official British Airways pages before you travel. BagRule is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with British Airways.