Air Canada's carry-on limit is 23 x 40 x 55 cm (9 x 15.5 x 21.5 inches). That measurement includes your wheels and your handles, not just the shell. Your personal item can be up to 33 x 43 x 16 cm (13 x 17 x 6 inches) and has to fit under the seat in front of you. There is no weight limit on either bag.
That is the short answer. The longer answer matters more, because Air Canada changed the rules for its cheapest fare in 2025, and people are still getting caught by it at the gate. You can read the full policy on the Air Canada carry-on baggage page, and we have broken down the parts that actually cost people money below.
Air Canada Carry-On Sizes At A Glance
| Item | Maximum size | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard carry-on | 23 x 40 x 55 cm (9 x 15.5 x 21.5 in) | Overhead bin |
| Personal item | 33 x 43 x 16 cm (13 x 17 x 6 in) | Under the seat in front of you |
| Small purse (extra) | 25 x 30 x 14 cm (10 x 12 x 5.5 in) | Does not count toward your allowance |
All of those numbers include wheels, handles, corner bumpers and anything else that sticks out. Air Canada is clear that the rules are strictly enforced, and it says so on its own site.
The Economy Basic Rule That Catches People
This is the big one, and it is the reason half the arguments at the gate happen.
Economy Basic tickets bought on or after January 3, 2025 do not include a carry-on bag on a lot of routes. If you booked Basic, you get one personal item. That is it. The restriction applies when you are flying:
- Within Canada
- To or from the United States, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico
- To or from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
Everything else has to be checked before security, either at a counter or a self-serve bag drop. If you check in online or at a kiosk, Air Canada will ask for a credit card to pre-authorize gate handling fees of CA/US $65 to $78, tax included. That is a rough surprise on a fare you picked because it was cheap.
There is one useful exception. If your Economy Basic itinerary connects onward to an international destination beyond North America, you get one standard carry-on and one personal item for the whole trip. So a Winnipeg to Toronto to Frankfurt booking on Basic is treated differently than a Winnipeg to Toronto booking on Basic.
Aeroplan Elite members and Star Alliance Gold members are generally exempt from the Basic restriction. Star Alliance Gold members travelling across two or more member airlines are entitled to two carry-on bags, though Air Canada's own size limits still apply on Air Canada legs.
If you fly Basic fares regularly, the smart move is to stop thinking of your carry-on as your main bag and start treating your personal item that way. A well-built 16 to 20 litre bag that fits the 33 x 43 x 16 cm box will hold more than most people expect.
Why A 22-Inch Carry-On Might Not Pass Air Canada's Sizer
Here is the detail almost nobody checks.
Air Canada's maximum height is 55 cm, which works out to 21.5 inches. WestJet's is 56 cm, or a full 22 inches. The 22 x 14 x 9 inch bag is the North American standard, it is what most American carriers use, and it is what WestJet moved to in May 2025. It is also half an inch too tall for Air Canada.
Air Canada is wider, at 40 cm versus WestJet's 36 cm, so a bag that fits Air Canada's box will usually clear WestJet's on height but may be too wide. The two airlines are close, but they are not the same, and the sizers are not forgiving.
The practical takeaway: if you fly both carriers, size your bag to Air Canada. A bag built for Air Canada's 55 cm height will not fail at a WestJet gate for being too tall. A true 22 inch bag can and does fail at Air Canada.
One more thing worth knowing. Manufacturers are inconsistent about what they call a bag. A suitcase sold as a "21 inch carry-on" is often measuring only the shell, and once you add wheels and a top grab handle you are at 22 or 23 inches. Check the overall exterior dimension on the product page, not the name on the tag.
What You Can Bring That Does Not Count Against Your Allowance
Air Canada lets a fair bit of extra stuff on board for free. This includes:
- A coat or other outer garment
- A small purse up to 25 x 30 x 14 cm (anything bigger counts as your personal item)
- An infant care item like a diaper bag, if you are travelling with a lap infant
- A stroller, as long as the collapsed diameter is under 25.5 cm and the length is under 92 cm
- A child restraint device, if you bought a seat for your child
- Food and snacks, wrapped or in a container
- Mobility aids, canes, crutches, walkers, CPAP machines and portable oxygen concentrators
- Medication in its original labelled container
Medical and mobility equipment never counts toward your carry-on allowance.
Air Canada Uses Automated Sizers
Air Canada runs automated carry-on sizers at pre-security and at some boarding gates. They are not a person eyeballing your bag. If it does not fit the box, it does not fit, and you are checking it.
Measure your bag packed, not empty. This matters most with soft-sided luggage, which puts on a centimetre or two in every direction once it is full. If your bag has an expansion zipper, leave it zipped closed for the flight. An expanded carry-on is a checked bag with extra steps.
There Is No Weight Limit, But
Air Canada does not publish a carry-on weight limit. The only rule is that you have to be able to lift the bag into the overhead bin yourself.
That sounds generous, and it is, but it is also how people end up with broken luggage. We see the results of this in the repair shop constantly. A heavily loaded carry-on hauled through three terminals puts every bit of that weight through the telescoping handle and two small wheels, which are the two parts most likely to fail on any suitcase. If you are packing a carry-on to 15 kilos because nobody is weighing it, buy a bag that is built for it, and buy from a brand that sells replacement wheels and handles.
How Air Canada Compares To WestJet, Porter And Flair
| Airline | Carry-on | Personal item | Weight limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | 55 x 40 x 23 cm | 43 x 33 x 16 cm | None |
| WestJet | 56 x 36 x 23 cm | 41 x 33 x 15 cm | None published |
| Porter | 55 x 40 x 23 cm | 43 x 33 x 16 cm | None |
| Flair | 55 x 40 x 23 cm | 43 x 33 x 15 cm | 10 kg carry-on, 7 kg personal item |
Porter's limits are identical to Air Canada's, so a bag that works on one works on the other. Flair matches on size but adds weight limits and charges for the carry-on outright. WestJet is the odd one out on shape, taller and narrower.
For the full details on each, see our guides to WestJet's carry-on requirements, Porter's 2026 rules and Flair's size limits.
Batteries, Power Banks And Smart Bags
Spare lithium batteries and power banks have to travel in the cabin, never in checked baggage. Air Canada has also banned three specific Anker power banks after a recall: the A1647, and the Zolo A1681 and A1689. If you own one of those, leave it at home.
Smart bags with built-in charging or tracking are allowed as carry-on if they meet the size limits. On smaller aircraft where your carry-on has to go in the hold, you need to pull the battery out and bring it into the cabin with you.
Motorized riding luggage is banned outright, as carry-on and as checked baggage.
Liquids
The usual rule applies, and it comes from CATSA rather than Air Canada. Containers of 100 mL or less, all of them inside one clear resealable bag of one litre or less, one bag per person, out of your carry-on at screening. Medication, baby food and special dietary items are exempt in reasonable quantities. Buy your big bottles after security, not before.
Travel Smarter With U.N. Luggage
Measuring a suitcase in a store is easy. Trusting a product page is harder. That is why we keep a collection of Air Canada approved carry-ons that have been checked against the 55 x 40 x 23 cm limit with wheels and handles included, so you are not doing the math yourself at eleven at night before an early flight.
If you are on Basic fares more often than not, have a look at our personal item bags instead. And if your current bag is close but the wheels or handle have given up, bring it in. We have been repairing luggage in Winnipeg for a long time, and a lot of bags that people write off are an easy fix.
Air Canada Carry-On FAQ
What is the Air Canada carry-on size limit?
23 x 40 x 55 cm, or 9 x 15.5 x 21.5 inches, including wheels and handles. Your personal item can be up to 33 x 43 x 16 cm (13 x 17 x 6 inches).
Does Air Canada have a carry-on weight limit?
No. Air Canada does not publish one. The only requirement is that you can lift your bag into the overhead bin without help.
Can I bring a carry-on on an Economy Basic fare?
Usually not. Basic tickets bought on or after January 3, 2025 include only a personal item on flights within Canada, to and from the US, and to and from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The exception is if you are connecting onward to an international destination beyond North America, in which case you get both bags.
How much does Air Canada charge if my bag has to be checked at the gate?
Gate handling fees run CA/US $65 to $78 including tax. Air Canada will pre-authorize your credit card for this when you check in online on a Basic fare.
Will a 22 inch carry-on fit on Air Canada?
Probably not. Air Canada's maximum height is 55 cm, which is 21.5 inches. A true 22 inch bag is half an inch over. Some agents will let it slide and the automated sizers will not.
Is an Air Canada carry-on the same size as WestJet's?
No, though they are close. Air Canada allows 55 x 40 x 23 cm. WestJet allows 56 x 36 x 23 cm. Air Canada is shorter and wider. If you fly both, size your bag to Air Canada.
Can I bring a backpack as my Air Canada personal item?
Yes, as long as it fits the 33 x 43 x 16 cm box and slides fully under the seat. The 16 cm depth is the number that trips people up, so measure a packed backpack front to back before you count on it.
Can I bring a purse in addition to my carry-on and personal item?
Yes, if it is no larger than 25 x 30 x 14 cm. Anything bigger counts as your personal item.
How strict is Air Canada about carry-on size?
Strict. Air Canada says so in its own policy, and it uses automated sizers before security and at some gates rather than leaving it to a gate agent's judgment.
