Does a 50x40x20cm Backpack Fit in the Overhead Bin?

Tiffany Fowler
2026-04-16T07:30:24+01:00

You've found a bag you love. It says 50x40x20cm on the product page. But between airline websites, confusing size charts, and that sinking feeling at the gate, you're not entirely sure it's going to make it onto the plane. Here's the definitive answer.

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You've found a bag you love. It says 50x40x20cm on the product page. But between airline websites, confusing size charts, and that sinking feeling at the gate when someone starts measuring bags, you're not entirely sure it's going to make it onto the plane.

Good news: a 50x40x20cm bag clears the carry-on size check for every major airline in the world. The nuance is in the weight limits, the hidden centimetres on wheeled suitcases, and knowing which carriers are strict about enforcing the rules. This post covers all of it, with a full airline table so you can check your routes before you pack.

Before you read on

Key takeaways

A 50x40x20cm bag passes the size check for every major airline in the world, including the strictest budget carriers

The number that matters most is weight, not size. Pack to under 7kg and you clear every airline globally

Wheeled "carry-on" suitcases regularly fail gate sizers because wheels, handles, and corner guards add centimetres not reflected in the advertised size

A structured backpack with no wheels starts lighter empty, giving you more of your weight allowance for what you actually pack

Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Qatar, Etihad) physically weigh bags at the gate. 7kg means 7kg, not 7.5kg

Australian travellers: Jetstar is the strictest domestic carrier at 7kg combined across both bags

The PASSIA bag is 50x40x20cm and designed specifically to pass every carry-on check. See the bag

What is the overhead bin, and why does it have size limits?

The overhead bin is the storage compartment above the passenger seats in the main cabin of the aircraft. It sounds obvious, but understanding what it actually is helps explain why the rules exist and why they vary so much between carriers.

Overhead bin dimensions are not the same on every aircraft. A narrow-body Boeing 737, the workhorse of domestic routes, has noticeably smaller bins than a wide-body Airbus A380 on long-haul international routes. Airlines set their carry-on size limits based on the smallest aircraft in their fleet, not the largest. A bag that slides easily into the bin on a 777 might get gate-checked on a regional turboprop doing a short hop between cities.

Beyond the physical constraints, size limits also exist to ensure overhead bin space is distributed fairly across all passengers, to protect boarding speed (overstuffed bags slow everyone down), and for safety reasons. A heavy bag that does not fit properly in the bin becomes a hazard if it shifts or falls during turbulence.

The rules themselves have not changed much recently, but enforcement has. Airlines in 2026 are measuring bags at the gate more consistently than ever, using physical sizers and, at busier hubs, automated scanning. What was waved through last year on a busy boarding gate is being measured today. The smart approach is to buy a bag that genuinely fits, rather than relying on gate agents looking the other way.

One more distinction worth knowing: the overhead bin is for your carry-on bag. Most airlines also allow a separate personal item, which goes under the seat in front of you. These are two different allowances, and understanding both gives you significantly more packing flexibility.

What does 50x40x20cm actually mean, and does it include everything?

Bag dimensions are always listed as height x width x depth, in that order for most airlines. For a backpack, that means: 50cm is the height from the base to the top of the bag (including any top handle or grab loop), 40cm is the width across the widest point, and 20cm is the depth from front panel to back panel.

The rule that catches people out is that measurements include everything that protrudes from the bag. Wheels, retractable handles, corner bumpers, reinforced feet, side pockets that bulge when packed. This is where wheeled suitcases run into trouble, and it is why a bag advertised as "55cm" can measure 58 or 59cm once you factor in the wheel housing at the base and the extended handle mechanism at the top.

Backpacks do not have this problem in the same way. There are no rigid wheels adding fixed centimetres to the base, no retractable handle adding height at the top. What the product page says is what the bag measures. The shoulder straps and hipbelt of a backpack are flexible and compress easily against the bag body, unlike the hard protrusions on a wheeled case that cannot be compressed at all.

Soft-sided bags also have a practical advantage at the gate sizer. A structured nylon backpack has enough give that it will compress slightly when placed in a measuring frame. A hard-shell spinner has no give at all. If your bag is right on the boundary of the allowance, a backpack is far more likely to pass than a rigid case of the same nominal dimensions.

The PASSIA bag measures 50x40x20cm. That is smaller than even the strictest published overhead bin allowance of any major airline in the world. On size, it passes everywhere.

The 2026 airline carry-on size table

Airline policies are correct as of April 2026 but do change. Always verify on your airline's official website before you travel, particularly if you are flying on a budget carrier or connecting between airlines.

Airline | Max size (cm) | Weight limit | Notes
Qantas (domestic) | 56 x 36 x 23 | 10kg (1 piece) or 14kg (2 pieces) | Most generous Australian carrier
Virgin Australia (Economy) | 56 x 36 x 23 | 8kg | Policy tightened February 2026
Jetstar | 56 x 36 x 23 | 7kg combined (bag + personal item) | Strictest Australian carrier. Weighs at gate. Combined allowance across both items
British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25 | 23kg | Most generous weight limit of any major carrier
easyJet | 56 x 45 x 25 | No weight limit | Overhead bin access is a paid add-on on basic fares. Free allowance is underseat bag only
Jet2 | 56 x 45 x 25 | 10kg | Included as standard on all fares
Ryanair | 55 x 40 x 20 | 10kg | Overhead bin access requires Priority fare. Free allowance is 40x20x25cm underseat bag only
Lufthansa | 55 x 40 x 23 | 8kg | Weight enforced via scale checks, particularly on connecting flights
Air France / KLM | 55 x 35 x 25 | 12kg | Combined weight across carry-on and personal item
Emirates (Economy) | 55 x 38 x 20 | 7kg | Physically weighed at gate at hub airports. No tolerance for being over
Singapore Airlines | 55 x 38 x 20 | 7kg | Strictly enforced
Qatar Airways | 50 x 37 x 25 | 7kg | Considered the strictest weight enforcement globally
Delta / United / American | 56 x 36 x 23 | No weight limit | US domestic routes. Weight almost never enforced at gate
Southwest | 61 x 41 x 25 | No weight limit | Most generous US carrier

For Australian travel, the safe universal size is 56 x 36 x 23cm across Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar. A 50x40x20cm bag clears three comfortably on size. The variable is weight: Qantas gives you 10kg, Virgin 8kg, Jetstar just 7kg across both bags combined.

For international travel, a 50x40x20cm bag passes every carrier in this table on size, including Ryanair's strictest published dimensions (55 x 40 x 20cm). Keep your packed weight under 7kg and you are covered globally, with no exceptions.

The problem with suitcases that claim to be carry-on size

This is where a lot of travellers get caught out, often after years of flying with the same bag without incident. The rules have not changed. Enforcement has. And bags that were always technically over the limit are now being measured.

The core issue is that manufacturers advertise bag dimensions that do not account for protrusions. A hard-shell spinner listed as "55cm" is measuring the main body of the case. Add the wheel housing at the base, which typically extends 2 to 3cm below the case body, and the retractable handle mechanism at the top, which does not collapse fully flush with the bag, and the actual measurement is often 58 to 60cm. That fails the gate sizer on multiple carriers in the table above.

Corner guards and bumpers add to the width and depth in the same way. A case with substantial corner protection might measure 24 or 25cm deep rather than the 23cm advertised. That single centimetre is the difference between clearing Qantas and being asked to gate-check.

Expanders are another common trap. Many hard-shell cases have a zip expander that adds 3 to 4cm of depth when open. Travellers get used to packing with the expander open at home and forget to close it before the airport. On a carrier like Jetstar, which weighs bags at the gate and measures them at the sizer, an expanded case that would otherwise pass now fails on depth.

Weight is the final hidden issue with wheeled cases. A typical 21-inch hard-shell spinner weighs around 2.7 to 3.2kg empty. On a 7kg carry-on limit, that leaves you less than 4kg for everything you are packing. A structured backpack with no wheel mechanism starts significantly lighter. More of your weight allowance goes to your clothes, shoes, and technology rather than the bag itself.

What is a personal item, and is a backpack one?

Most airlines allow two separate bags on board: a carry-on, which goes in the overhead bin, and a personal item, which goes under the seat in front of you. These are two distinct allowances and using both gives you meaningful extra capacity even when travelling carry-on only.

A personal item is typically defined as a bag that fits under the seat: roughly 45 x 35 x 20cm for most carriers, though this varies. Small backpacks, laptop bags, tote bags, handbags, and small duffel bags all qualify. The key is that it fits under the seat, not in the bin.

A 50x40x20cm backpack is carry-on size. It goes in the overhead bin as your main bag. You can still bring a smaller bag as your personal item underneath: a day pack, a tote, a laptop bag. For one-bag travellers who want a single versatile pack, the 50x40x20cm size means your one bag goes overhead, and a small personal item gives you quick-access storage for your passport, headphones, and anything you want during the flight.

The one exception to watch for: budget carriers on their basic fares often only include the personal item for free. Ryanair's free allowance is a 40x20x25cm underseat bag. easyJet's basic fare includes only a small cabin bag under the seat. If you are flying on a budget carrier and want your 50x40x20cm bag in the overhead bin, check whether your fare includes overhead bin access or whether you need to upgrade to do so.

The rise of carry-on only travel

More women are travelling carry-on only than ever before, and the reasons go well beyond avoiding baggage fees, though those fees have become genuinely significant. On US carriers, checked bag fees now run $35 to $65 per bag per direction. Gate-check fees, for bags that fail the sizer, are even higher. Over a year of travel, the savings from going carry-on only are substantial.

But the shift is about more than money. Carry-on only travel changes the experience of moving through an airport entirely. No queue at the check-in desk. No waiting at the carousel after landing. No risk of a bag being lost or delayed on a connecting flight. You land, you walk off the plane, and you are already where you need to be.

For women specifically, there is also something in the philosophy of it. Travelling with one well-chosen, well-packed bag is a different relationship with your belongings than a trolley case full of contingency outfits. It requires more intentional packing, yes, but it rewards you with a kind of freedom that gets easier the more you do it.

Overhead bins are more contested now as a result of this shift. More passengers are choosing to keep their bags with them, which means busier bins and occasional requests to gate-check bags on full flights. Boarding early, or choosing a bag that can go under the seat as a fallback, helps navigate this. A bag that fits both overhead and underseat comfortably gives you options when the bins fill up.

If you are new to carry-on only travel, read our guide on how to pack for six months in one bag.

So does a 50x40x20cm backpack pass? The short answer

On size: yes, for every major airline in the world. 50x40x20cm is smaller than the strictest overhead bin allowance currently published by any carrier. There is no airline in this table, or any other major airline not listed, where a 50x40x20cm bag fails the size check for the overhead bin.

On weight: pack to under 7kg and you pass everywhere with no exceptions. Under 8kg covers all Australian carriers and the majority of European full-service airlines. The only carriers where you need to be at or under 7kg are Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Jetstar (combined across both bags), and most other Asian and Middle Eastern carriers.

Backpacks have a structural advantage over wheeled cases at the gate. No rigid protrusions adding centimetres beyond the advertised dimensions, soft sides that give slightly at a measuring frame, and a lighter empty weight that translates directly into more packing capacity within your weight limit.

The one thing to be specific about: if your itinerary takes you through Dubai, Doha, or Singapore, weigh your bag before you leave home. Middle Eastern and Asian carriers weigh bags physically at the boarding gate and do not negotiate on the limit. 7kg means 7kg. A small luggage scale costs very little and saves a lot of stress.

The PASSIA bag is 50x40x20cm, structured to hold its shape whether packed or empty, and designed from the ground up for women who travel carry-on only. See the bag.

Frequently asked questions

Does 50x40x20cm include the straps on a backpack?

Technically, airline size rules include all protrusions. In practice, backpack shoulder straps are flexible and compress flat against the bag body, unlike the rigid wheel housings and handle mechanisms on a wheeled case. This is rarely raised as an issue at the gate, but if you want to be precise, measure with the straps tucked in or compressed against the bag.

What if my flight is on a small regional aircraft?

Small turboprop and regional jet aircraft have narrower overhead bins than full-size narrow or wide-body planes. If your itinerary includes a regional leg, your bag may be asked to be valet-checked at the jetbridge and returned to you planeside on arrival. This is usually free and does not affect your allowance for the rest of your journey. Keep valuables and travel documents in your personal item so you are not separated from them.

Do backpacks count as carry-on or personal item?

It depends entirely on the size. A 50x40x20cm backpack is carry-on size and belongs in the overhead bin. A smaller backpack, roughly under 45x35x20cm depending on the carrier, qualifies as a personal item and fits under the seat. You can bring one of each on most airlines.

Which airline has the strictest carry-on rules?

For weight enforcement, Qatar Airways is widely considered the most rigorous. Emirates and Etihad are similarly strict at their hub airports. For what is included in the base fare, Ryanair and easyJet are the most restrictive: their free allowance is a small underseat bag only, with overhead bin access requiring a paid fare upgrade.

What is the difference between a carry-on and a cabin bag?

They are the same thing. "Carry-on" is the standard term in Australia and the US. "Cabin bag" and "hand luggage" are the equivalent UK and European terms. All three refer to the bag that goes in the overhead bin.

What happens if my bag does not fit at the gate?

It will be gate-checked, meaning it goes into the hold and is returned to you at baggage claim or planeside on arrival. Gate-check fees vary: roughly $35 to $65 on US carriers, £45 to £85 on European budget carriers. Buying a bag that genuinely fits the dimensions is significantly cheaper over time than paying gate-check fees.

Can I use a 50x40x20cm backpack as my only bag?

Yes, and that is exactly the use case it is designed for. A 50x40x20cm bag as your carry-on in the overhead bin, paired with a smaller personal item under the seat, covers the two-bag allowance most airlines offer. Many one-bag travellers use their 50x40x20cm pack as their only item on the plane and check nothing.