Yes, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Frontier and Breeze each name a purse as a personal item, and each allows one, so a purse and a backpack together are two personal items.
Bag type
Personal item
under the seat
Your bag against each airline
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What each airline names
| Airline | Its page names | Personal item size |
|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | A purse or small handbag | 18 x 14 x 8 in (45 x 35 x 20 cm) |
| Delta Air Lines | A purse, briefcase, small backpack, belt bag, fanny pack, camera bag or diaper bag | Fits under the seat |
| United Airlines | Purses, backpacks and laptop bags | 9 x 10 x 17 in (22 x 25 x 43 cm) |
| Southwest Airlines | A purse (including crossbody bags), briefcase, laptop case, backpack, pillow, blanket or small camera | Fits under the seat |
| Alaska Airlines | A purse, briefcase or laptop computer | Fits under the seat |
| Hawaiian Airlines | A purse, briefcase or laptop computer | Fits under the seat |
| JetBlue | A purse, small backpack, briefcase or laptop | 17 x 13 x 8 in (43.2 x 33 x 20.32 cm) |
| Frontier Airlines | Purses, small backpacks and laptop bags | 18 x 14 x 8 in |
| Breeze Airways | A purse, briefcase, small backpack, laptop bag, or comparable or smaller items | 17 x 13 x 8 in |
Allegiant, Sun Country and Avelo also allow one personal item each, up to 8 x 14 x 18 in, 17 x 13 x 9 in and 17 x 13 x 9 in.
A purse and a backpack
With one personal item allowed, a purse on top of a backpack and a carry-on is one bag too many. Put the purse inside one of the other two before you board, and both still have to be within their size limits.
What doesn’t count
- Delta: a jacket or umbrella, on top of the carry-on and personal item.
- United: a jacket or coat, and a diaper bag and breast pump.
- American: diaper bags, one per child.
- Allegiant: one jacket or coat, a small umbrella, food to eat on the way and a diaper bag, with medical and assistive devices.