Does united airlines let you bring a carry on

Last Updated on August 13, 2022

Does United have a carry-on weight limit?

Well no they don’t, not in the strictest sense.

But they do have a de facto carry-on weight limitation that most travelers are unaware of.

Let me explain.

Does United Weigh Carry On Bags?

Unlike with checked baggage, United doesn’t weigh carry-on bags. They just restrict the size to 22 x 14 x 9 inches.

But while there is no official weight limit there is a weight limitation that depends on you and how big your muscles are!

Check this out, Alyssa on Twitter asked United straight out if they have a weight limit for carry-on bags:

United replied, “While there is no weight limit, we do ask that you’re able to lift your own carry-on bag into the overhead bins.”

This is true of both domestic and international flights.

You might assume that if you can’t lift your carry-on baggage into the bin then a United flight attendant will help you out.

They might, but they might not. It’s not part of their job description.

United says, ”Our flight attendants are not required to assist with placing bags in the overhead bin for safety concerns. Should you be a shorter passenger, out flight attendants are able to assist if you ask them.”

If you are disabled or too physically short to reach the overhead bin then you should get some assistance.

If you simply cannot lift the weight of the bag that you packed then the flight attendants are not obligated to assist you. In fact, they are discouraged from doing so for safety reasons.

This creates a de facto weight limit for carry-on luggage on United flights, the exact amount is determined by your own physical strength or health.

This little rule might seem unimportant to you if you are physically fit, but many passengers are elderly or sick and struggle to lift their luggage above their head.

When Lori’s husband asked for help lifting his bag the FA just said “I don’t want to lift heavy things.” That’s despite the fact that he was recovering from cancer surgery.

And Sivani witnessed a flight attendant refusing to help too:

On another United flight the flight steward wouldn’t help a nice grandma lift her bag into the bin.

The Verdict

All hand luggage whether they are a personal item or a carry-on bag need to be stowed in either the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

If you can’t lift your carry-on suitcase above your head then you won’t be able to put it in the bin.

The United Airlines flight attendants are not obligated to help you, while a kind stranger might assist you can’t be sure of this.

Carry-on bags that are not stowed in an overhead bin will be checked or removed from the plane.

This means that the unofficial weight limit for carry-on baggage on United Airlines is that weight which you can safely lift above your head.

Unfortunately, the first time many passengers learn about this rule is when they are already on the plane and they are refused assistance by flight crew.

It would be much better if United Airlines would mention this carry-on luggage rule on their website right next to where they talk about the size limit.

That way passengers who struggle to lift heavy weights could learn to pack light and/or hit the gym to get into training for their flight!

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