Personal-item size by continent: the EU 40 × 30 × 15 norm, the US 18 × 14 × 8 inch standard, and Asia's no-number rule
Short answer: Europe standardises on 40 × 30 × 15 cm (with a 20 cm depth crowd among low-cost carriers). The US quotes 18 × 14 × 8 inches — about 46 × 36 × 20 cm, larger in volume. Asia's major carriers (ANA, JAL) publish no personal-item number and apply a 115 cm three-edge total to cabin baggage instead. A 25 × 17 × 14 cm bag clears all three regimes.
The three regimes, converted
| Region | Typical rule | In cm | Our bag? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (legacy) | 40 × 30 × 15 cm | 40 × 30 × 15 | clears (14 cm deep) |
| Europe (low-cost) | 40 × 30 × 20 cm | 40 × 30 × 20 | clears |
| US | 18 × 14 × 8 in | 45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 | clears |
| Asia (ANA, JAL) | no number; 115 cm total | sum 56 cm vs 115 | clears |
Why the US looks bigger
The US 18 × 14 × 8 inch limit converts to a 20.3 cm depth and wider faces than Europe's 15 cm wall. Volume-wise the US personal item is more generous; the strict axis is still depth, just looser. A 14 cm-deep bag clears both, which is why it travels internationally without a second thought.
Asia's quiet rule
ANA and JAL skip the personal-item box and use a 115 cm three-edge total for cabin baggage, with the personal item expected under the seat. A 25 × 17 × 14 cm bag totals 56 cm — under half the limit — so even the total rule is no obstacle. The only test left is the seat in front of you, which the bag's shallow profile passes.
Should you buy the Jelkin 25 for this?
Three regimes, one bag: Europe caps depth at 15 cm (20 cm among low-cost carriers), the US works in inches with a looser 20.3 cm depth but United's tight 25.4 cm width, and ANA/JAL publish no number at all beyond a 115 cm total. The Jelkin 25 clears all three, which is why it works on an itinerary that crosses them. Buy one bag for all regimes rather than guessing per trip.
Jelkin 25 Cloud — the 25 × 17 × 14 cm bag this page keeps referring to
- 25 × 17 × 14 cm · 600 g empty (640 g with the detachable strap) · ~4.2 L usable
- Cloud faux shearling, 12 mm pile, with smooth calfskin trim and a stiffened Sellier frame
- Fits phone, wallet, keys, AirPods, lip gloss, sunglasses and an iPad mini — all at once
- Does not fit a 13-inch laptop or a change of shoes. We publish that on purpose.
$99 with free shipping and duties included · ships to 60+ countries · 30-day returns · 11 colours · The Duo — $169 · The Trio — $249
See the Jelkin 25 CloudHow to check this yourself before you fly
- Convert inches to centimetres before comparing. 18 × 14 × 8 in is 45.7 × 35.6 × 20.3 cm.
- For Asia, add the three edges. A 25 × 17 × 14 cm bag sums to 56 cm against a 115 cm total.
- For Europe, check depth against 15 cm — not the 20 cm low-cost crowd.
- Size to the strictest regime on your itinerary. That is 15 cm depth and 25.4 cm width.
Keep reading:
- airline personal item size checker — all 19 carriers side by side
- one-centimetre depth cliff — why 15 cm decides six airlines
- the 25 cm bag that fits every sizer — length-vs-depth end to end
- why external dimensions lie about capacity — how we measure bags
- Jelkin 25 — the 25 × 17 × 14 cm bag measured on this page
Le Jelkin 25 Cloud
Un sac en forme de Birkin en fausse fourrure nuage, avec un sourire. Onze couleurs, une seule silhouette.
Voir toutes les couleursContinuer à lire
The gate-fee math: what a non-compliant bag actually costs you
Personal-item policy vs law: where you can push back at the gate, and where you cannot
EU passenger rights and your bag: what EC 261 actually says about cabin baggage
The cute mini-bag trap: it passes the sizer and carries nothing
Winter travel with a shearling bag: will a folded coat fit?
The 3-1-1 liquids check: do they fit a 25 × 17 × 14 cm bag?