As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links.
Expandable carry-ons: does it still fit when you unzip it?
Updated
Usually not. Expansion zippers add depth, and depth is the tightest side of most limits: 9 inches in the US, 20 to 25 cm elsewhere. A carry-on that is 9 inches deep closed is over the US limit the moment you open a 2 inch expansion.
What Alaska tells you to do
Alaska Airlines' page gives 22 x 14 x 9 inches or 45 linear inches, wheels and handle included. It also says that if you have a soft-sided or expandable suitcase, you may want to measure it again once it is packed. That is good advice for every airline.
The picks, closed and expanded
| Pick | Depth closed | Expansion on the listing | Depth expanded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsonite Omni 2 Smaller By Design | 9 in | Expandable, amount not given | Measure it |
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 21-Inch Spinner | 9 in | Up to 2 in | 11 in |
| Wrangler 22-Inch Hardside Spinner | 9.5 in | No expansion listed | Same as closed, if it has no zipper |
| LEVEL8 20-Inch Hard Shell Carry-On | 9.2 in | No expansion listed | Same as closed, if it has no zipper |
| Samsonite Winfield 2 20-Inch Spinner | 9.5 in | Expandable, amount not given | Measure it |
| Amazon Basics 21-Inch Hardside Spinner | 10 in | Up to 25 percent more space, depth not given | Measure it |
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 Underseat | 8.5 in | No expansion listed | Same as closed, if it has no zipper |
Only the Travelpro gives a number. Its expanded size is 23 x 14.5 x 11 in. That fits 0 of the 12 carry-on limits in our checker. Even Southwest, the roomiest at 24 x 16 x 10 inches, stops at 10 inches deep.
How much depth each limit leaves
- United, American, Delta, Alaska: 9 inches. Delta and Alaska also cap the total at 45 inches, and 22 + 14 + 9 is already 45, so a bag already at 22 x 14 x 9 has no room to expand.
- Southwest: 10 inches. A bag that is 9 deep closed can grow by an inch.
- British Airways and KLM: 25 cm, about 9.8 inches.
- Air Canada, Lufthansa, Qantas: 23 cm, about 9.1 inches.
- Emirates: 22 cm, about 8.7 inches. Ryanair's Priority bag: 20 cm, about 7.9 inches.
KLM's page, like Alaska's, says the size includes handles and wheels.
What I'd do
Pack it closed for the flight out. Use the expansion for the trip home only if you are going to check the bag, or if your airline's depth limit leaves room. If you want room to grow, a softside case lets you push a bulge back in. A hard case does not.
Check your own bag against your airlines with the carry-on size checker, or compare all seven picks on the roundup page.