Luggage Linear Inches Dimension Calculator

How to use

Calculate total luggage dimensions and compare your bag against verified airline size limits, custom envelopes, and optional weight caps.

Measure your packed bag, choose inches or centimeters, then enter the three exterior dimensions. Optional weight can be entered in pounds or kilograms. Select a bag type and choose Custom Limits or a locally stored airline rule. Select up to five comparison airlines in your preferred order. Read the scope notes, dates, overages and official policy before relying on a result. Reset returns to 22 × 14 × 9 inches, carry-on, neutral custom limits, blank weight and no comparison airlines.

What linear inches are

Linear inches are the sum of a bag’s three outside measurements expressed in inches, not its volume. The same sum in centimeters is linear cm. A 62-linear-inch limit constrains the total, not each side to 62 inches, and does not by itself impose a particular shape.

Linear inches formula

Linear size = length + width + height. For example, 22 + 14 + 9 = 45 linear inches. In metric, 55 + 40 + 23 = 118 linear cm. Entering centimeters keeps the primary result in centimeters; a secondary converted sum is displayed. All worked examples use the same pure engine as the interactive checks.

How to measure luggage

Measure the packed bag at its furthest exterior points in three directions. Use a straight tape measure, include protrusions required by the airline’s measuring rules and account for bulges. The A/B/C diagram is an example orientation only: you can enter the three measurements in any order. Soft-sided compression and sizer discretion do not guarantee acceptance.

If your tape uses fractions, convert fractional-inch tape readings to decimals before entering the measurements in inches. This notation check does not verify the measurement or guarantee airline acceptance; include required protrusions and avoid premature rounding.

Inches and centimeters

Exact defined conversions are 1 inch = 2.54 cm and 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Dimensions are normalized to centimeters and weights to kilograms for comparisons; comparisons use exact rational arithmetic on finite decimal inputs and conversion factors. Display rounding is separate. Unit selectors apply the selected unit to entered numbers; they do not repeatedly convert input drafts. Enter the measurements in the chosen units.

Individual dimensions vs linear dimensions

Individual caps define a three-dimensional envelope. Linear caps constrain the sum. A rule may require both; passing the sum cannot override a dimension overage. Custom Limits requires all three envelope caps and accepts an optional positive linear cap and an optional weight cap. The entered custom limits are not endorsed by an airline.

How airline size checks work

Airlines may publish different shapes, total-size limits, weights and measurement conventions for each bag type. This small dataset contains five airlines and ten reviewed records, eight numeric size rules and two conditional checked-policy records. A selected airline and bag type never silently use another type’s limits. Missing coverage displays No verified rule is stored for this bag type and offers Custom Limits. A fits result checks only the stored size rule within its labeled scope, not ticket entitlement, piece count or contents restrictions.

Why bag orientation matters

The engine tests all six permutations of three bag measurements against the allowed envelope. Any fitting permutation passes the dimension check. Ties use the fixed permutation order. If none fits, the best failure match minimizes the total positive overage, with the same deterministic tie-breaking. Matched dimension 1/2/3 labels describe the chosen correspondence, not the traveler’s physical length or depth.

Personal items

Personal items usually need to fit under a seat, but published numerical envelopes and ticket entitlement differ. Only explicit dimensions from the official airline pages are stored. The dataset contains personal-item limits for Lufthansa, British Airways and Air Canada. Other airline/type combinations stay incomplete; the tool does not invent a generic under-seat rule.

Carry-on bags

Carry-on dimensions govern an overhead or other cabin storage envelope. The dataset contains scoped carry-on rules for Lufthansa, British Airways, Delta, Emirates and Air Canada. A bag that meets stored size limits can still face entitlement, aircraft, storage-space or operating-carrier restrictions. Read the scope shown with each rule; these comparisons do not decide whether a carry-on is included in your fare.

Checked baggage

Checked baggage may use a linear total, an individual envelope, or route-dependent piece and weight concepts. British Airways and Emirates checked-policy records are marked Policy varies because the generic selection does not specify the applicable allowance. They yield no fabricated fit decision. Use your itinerary’s official policy in Custom Limits, for example a generic 62-linear-inch target where appropriate. No baggage fees are calculated.

Weight limits

Weight is optional and never inferred. A blank weight gives Size result only — weight not checked even when a numeric rule is stored. Entered zero is allowed. When a published cap exists, weight at the cap fits and any mathematical overage is shown. When no numeric cap is stored, weight is not checked; this does not mean unlimited weight. Size status stays distinct from weight status and never implies full baggage compliance.

Wheels and handles

Airlines commonly measure the bag’s external dimensions, which may include wheels and handles. Follow the selected airline’s official measuring rules. The calculator does not assume every airline measures identically. Airline sizers and enforcement practices can vary; no hidden dimensional tolerance is added.

Airline policy verification

Each stored airline record includes its bag type, official source URL, actual verification date of Oct 7, 2026, scope and notes. Only current official airline pages verified during implementation supplied the limits. Equivalent published imperial/metric figures can be rounded differently: a consistent source unit is retained per record, and this calculator applies the exact conversion. Policy checked is a snapshot date, not live monitoring. Conditional rules that cannot be resolved from the selected inputs remain Policy varies — verify with airline.

Worked examples

These examples use generic custom limits, not airline acceptance claims.

Assumptions and limitations

Dimensions must be greater than zero and no more than 500 cm equivalent each; entered weight must be 0–200 kg equivalent. Custom envelope limits use the same dimension bounds; a linear cap can total up to 1,500 cm equivalent. There is no measurement tolerance or rounding-to-fit: even an overage smaller than display precision remains an overage. Invalid inputs remove results and disable copy/print. Inputs stay in component memory with no saved bags, account, URL persistence, browser storage, geolocation or network calculations. Airline search and comparisons use bundled data; only your click on a policy link opens an external website.

Airline baggage policies can change and may vary by route, fare, cabin, aircraft, or operating carrier. Verify important limits with the airline before travel.

FAQ

Sources

Unit definitions and policy sources support the calculations and stored snapshots. No source endorsement is implied.

• NIST — length and mass conversion factors (opens in a new tab)
• Lufthansa — official cabin baggage policy (opens in a new tab)
• British Airways — official checked baggage policy (opens in a new tab)
• Delta Air Lines — official cabin baggage policy (opens in a new tab)
• Emirates — official cabin baggage policy (opens in a new tab)
• Emirates — official checked baggage policy (opens in a new tab)
• Air Canada — official cabin baggage policy (opens in a new tab)