WNAirline policy hub

Southwest Airlines Carry-On Rules

Official baggage policy

Check my bag Compare

Under the seat

Personal Item

Included

Allowed (size not specified)

One personal item is allowed and must fit under the seat; the official page does not publish a universal dimension box.

Overhead cabin bag

cabin bag

1 cabin bag

61×40.6×25.4 cm

24×16×10 in

No weight limit stated

24×16×10 in including wheels, handles, and attachments. One carry-on per passenger.

Measure the full external bag size, including wheels and handles.

Fares & cabin classes

Basic Economy

1 cabin bag

61×40.6×25.4 cm

Southwest Basic includes one carry-on and one personal item at no charge. Checked-bag charges are separate.

Baggage fees

No reliable fixed price is listed here. Check your booking for the cost of adding a bag; an unlisted price does not mean it is free.

Official baggage policy

How to use this policy

Check cabin bag dimensions, weight and personal-item limits separately. A bag has to pass every published limit at once; being under the length and width limit does not help if the depth, weight, or fare-specific allowance is tighter.

Editorial signal only. Airport behavior varies; the published allowance still governs.

Southwest Airlines liquids policy

At US TSA checkpoints, ordinary liquids use containers up to 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) in one clear quart-sized resealable bag per passenger. Medical and infant-feeding exceptions have separate screening requirements. A US quart is not exactly one litre; check departure/transfer rules outside the US.

Family & Infants

Infant (under 2)

One eligible child under two may travel on the lap of each adult aged 18 or older, free domestically; international government taxes/fees apply. The lap child has no separate carry-on or checked-bag allowance. Check minimum-age and proof-of-age requirements with Southwest.

Stroller

Free checked stroller carriage is available when travelling with a child. The infant page says per child; the equipment page says per ticketed customer, so confirm multiple-child/equipment combinations. Gate-checked items normally go to final baggage claim; request jet-bridge return from the agent when handing them over. Portable/folding cribs count as ordinary bags.

Car seat

Free checked child-restraint carriage is available with an accompanying child, subject to the same per-child/per-ticketed-customer wording difference as strollers. A purchased child seat and an approved restraint are needed for onboard use; a restraint used during the flight does not count toward the carry-on limit. Cabin position and approval requirements still apply.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Southwest Airlines cabin bag size?

Southwest Airlines allows a cabin bag up to 61×40.6×25.4 cm (24×16×10 in). Dimensions include wheels and handles.

Does Southwest Airlines have a weight limit for carry-on?

Southwest Airlines: No weight limit stated. See the official policy page for fare-specific notes.

Does Southwest Airlines allow a personal item?

Yes. Southwest Airlines allows a personal item. It must fit under the seat in front of you.

How strict is Southwest Airlines about bag size?

Southwest Airlines has lower caution enforcement. Editorial signal only. Airport behavior varies; the published allowance still governs.

Additional notes

Sources and scope

Source-based research; no hands-on test or specialist review claimed.

One free 24×16×10 in carry-on and one under-seat personal item, including on Basic. Conditional checked fees are separate.
Current full fee page; no universal checked or cabin-upgrade quote is inserted into structured fees.
U.S. Mainland tables; notes1–3
Source review: 9/28/2026 · Codex (AI source review)
Cabin dimensions include all attachments; no numeric weight or universal personal-item box is published.
Full indexed official article text reviewed; crawler reported two days old. Direct Help Center DNS failed in web and Chrome. Storage and operator differences retained.
Carryon bag; Personal item; Measure carefully
Source review: 9/28/2026 · Codex (AI source review)
Lap-child eligibility, no independent cabin/checked allowance, free child equipment and ordinary treatment of portable cribs.
Full indexed official article text reviewed, crawler today. Equipment count says per child; differing equipment-page wording preserved rather than certifying multiple sets.
Lap Child Policy; Checking Strollers and CRS; final baggage paragraph
Source review: 9/28/2026 · Codex (AI source review)
Equipment drop-off and return; approved restraint used with a child ticket excluded from cabin item count.
Full indexed official article text reviewed, crawler today. Says per ticketed Customer rather than per child. Gate default is baggage claim unless jet-bridge return requested.
Carryon Baggage; Checked Baggage
Source review: 9/28/2026 · Codex (AI source review)
Carrier acceptance discretion and international lap-child government taxes/fees.
Current official contract independently supports safety/acceptance and international tax scope; equipment details remain sourced to Help Center articles.
58th revision effective2026-09-24, sections7a–b and8j(3)
Source review: 9/28/2026 · Codex (AI source review)
US ordinary-liquid quart-bag/container rule and medically necessary liquid exception.
Official indexed TSA text; direct retrieval unavailable. Infant-feeding exception corroborated in previously reviewed TSA What Can I Bring list; US quart not equated to one litre.
Before Traveling; Packing; medically necessary liquids
Source review: 9/28/2026 · Codex (AI source review)

Official pages differ on whether free child-equipment sets are counted per child or per ticketed customer. Confirm multiple-child combinations with Southwest. A lap child has no independent baggage allowance.