Help centre

Questions & Answers

Plain answers on carry-on sizes, measuring and boarding checks — and on how Fabmina works.

Tightest flightMeasuringBoarding checksAbout usAllowancesProducts
Multi-airline trips

Pack for the tightest flight

Mix carriers on one journey — or connect onto a partner — and your bag faces several frames. Keep it simple: find the smallest limit anywhere on the itinerary and buy a bag inside it. If it clears the meanest frame, the roomier ones are no problem.

  • Write down every flight: outbound, connections and the journey home.
  • Look up each carrier in our allowance table — and check the ticket type, because cheaper fares often lose the locker case.
  • Take the lowest figure for each side. Air Canada out (55 × 40 × 23 cm) and WestJet back (56 × 36 × 23 cm)? Buy 55 × 36 × 23 cm.
  • Watch out for slim limits: WestJet’s carry-on is only 36 cm wide, and Air Transat’s personal item is just 13 cm deep.

Know your number? Head to bags by size.

Measuring

Measure the bag, not the label

Listings sometimes quote the main compartment only. A gate frame is less forgiving: castors, carry handles, the trolley housing and a bulging front pocket all count.

  • Pack first, then measure. Soft bags can grow by 2–3 cm when full.
  • Height: from the floor to the highest point, castors included, with the trolley bar fully down.
  • Width: straight across the widest part, side grips and pockets included.
  • Depth: back to front where it’s fattest, including feet and any bulge.
  • Weigh it if there’s a cap — 7 to 10 kg disappears fast with a rigid case.

Cutting it fine? Scan recent reviews for comments on size, or pick a “More compact” bag for breathing room.

26214529.99 4.6(4,300)

26214528.48 4.6(2,700)

26214512.82 4.7(50,300)
At the gate

When the sizer says no

If an agent suspects a bag is oversized, you’ll be told to test it in the metal frame. Should it refuse to go in without a shove, it gets a hold tag — usually with a charge well above what an online add-on costs — and you pick it up from the carousel on arrival.

Four items cause most near-misses. Pull them out before boarding and wear or carry them instead:

  1. Outerwear — put the coat on; it’s rarely counted.
  2. Footwear — wear the bulky pair, pack the light one.
  3. Laptop or tablet — a slim sleeve often fits your small bag.
  4. Wash bag — often the cause of a swollen front pocket.

Repack at bag drop or once you’re airside, not in the boarding queue. And keep medicines, keys, valuables and power banks on you in case the bag is sent below — spare lithium batteries can’t travel in the hold.

About Fabmina

What does Fabmina do?

We’re an independent Canadian guide to carry-on luggage and travel kit. We note down the hand luggage limits of 20 airlines from their own websites, then compare them with the bags shoppers rate highest — so you can see what fits without an evening of cross-checking. Accessories, toiletries, sleep kit, security and kids’ gear are covered too. More on our about page.

Can I buy from you directly?

No — there’s no shop, basket or checkout here. We’re a guide: use our measurements and ratings to choose, then buy from any shop you like.

How is the site paid for?

Fabmina is an independent project. No brand pays to be listed or ranked. The details are on our independence page.

Can I trust the airline limits?

They’re copied from each carrier’s official pages, and every one shows when we last looked (currently October 2026). Airlines do change things, so give your booking a final glance. All sources are listed under sources & credits.

Could you add another airline?

We cover 20 Canadian carriers travellers use most and keep adding. Suggest one via our contact form.

Allowances

Small bag versus locker case — what’s the difference?

The small bag (sometimes called a personal item) is a rucksack, handbag or laptop case that lives beneath the seat ahead. The locker case is a bigger, often wheeled, bag for the overhead bin. Low-cost carriers usually include the first and charge for the second.

What does Air Canada allow?

A 43 × 33 × 16 cm personal item on every fare, plus a 55 × 40 × 23 cm carry-on on Standard fares and up. Basic within North America is personal item only. Air Canada guide.

What does WestJet allow?

A 41 × 33 × 15 cm personal item on every fare and a 56 × 36 × 23 cm carry-on from Econo up. UltraBasic is personal item only on most routes. WestJet guide.

What about Porter and Flair?

Porter: 43 × 33 × 16 cm plus 55 × 40 × 23 cm, 9 kg each, carry-on from Standard fares. Flair: a free 43 × 33 × 15 cm personal item (7 kg); the 55 × 40 × 23 cm carry-on (10 kg) is extra on Bare. WestJet or Flair?

And Air Transat?

A 43 × 31 × 13 cm personal item and a 55 × 40 × 23 cm carry-on on most fares; Eco Budget to the South, Florida and within Canada is personal item only. Air Transat guide.

Is there one page with every airline?

Yes — the allowance table shows small-bag and locker-case limits for all 20 carriers, with links to their own pages.

Can I skip checked luggage altogether?

Quite often. Picking the biggest bag your ticket permits — and packing it tidily — lets many people travel hand luggage only. Our filters show bags that use the full allowance.

Products

What do the “Max. size” and “More compact” labels tell me?

“Max. size” means each side is within a centimetre of the carrier’s limit — the most room you can have. “More compact” means there’s extra margin, handy when the bag is stuffed.

How is the order decided?

By shopper star rating weighted by how many reviews sit behind it, so a 4.6-star bag with 20,000 reviews outranks a 4.9-star bag with 30. Fees we might earn play no part.

How current are the prices?

They were captured in October 2026 and retail prices move often, so treat them as a guide.

Why are some categories short?

We list proven best-sellers with strong reviews instead of everything on the market, to keep choosing simple.

Do you keep any of my personal details?

Only what you send through the contact form, and only to reply. Nothing is sold or passed on. See our privacy notice.

Didn’t find it?

Open the allowance table for every carrier, or drop us a line.

    Figures from our October 2026 check. Prices and ratings change often, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.