American Airlines Carry-On Size vs Japan’s 10kg and 7kg Caps
The size that works on your American flight works almost everywhere in Japan. The scale is what changes. A bag that rolled onto your flight from the US can be stopped at a domestic gate in Japan because of its weight.
The chart above matches each kind of flight to its limit. Find the row for every flight on your ticket, then pack for the strictest one.
What American Airlines lets you carry on to Japan
American allows two pieces in the cabin: one carry-on bag and one personal item. Our American Airlines baggage page lists the bag at 56 × 36 × 23cm. The personal item can be 45 × 35 × 20cm, for example a purse or a small handbag.
In inches, the bag works out to about 22 × 14 × 9. Add the three sides in centimetres and you get 115cm. Remember that total, because the big Japanese airlines use the same 115cm figure.
American flies to three airports in Japan: Narita, Haneda and Kansai. At Narita it checks in at Narita Airport Terminal 2, next to Japan Airlines, Emirates and Qantas. At Haneda it uses Haneda Airport Terminal 3, the international terminal. At Kansai it uses Kansai Airport Terminal 1.
Haneda Terminal 3, in the photo, handles 41 airlines, including American, Delta and United. It is open 24 hours. The station sits on the arrivals floor (2F), served by the Keikyu Line and the Tokyo Monorail.
The numbers on our American Airlines page are a size and a piece count. On flights inside Japan, a weight limit sits on top of the size, so plan for both before you pack.
Measure your bag with its wheels and handles. ANA, Peach and Delta all say their size limits include them. A bag that is 55cm long without its wheels is longer than 55cm with them.
The same bag on ANA and JAL inside Japan
The ANA domestic flights carry-on baggage rules (in Japanese) allow two pieces per person: one carry-on bag and one personal item. The two together may weigh up to 10kg. On planes with 100 seats or more, the bag’s three sides must add up to 115cm or less. No side may be over 55 × 40 × 25cm. The personal item can be up to 40 × 30 × 20cm and goes under the seat in front of you.
Now take an American bag at its full size. Its three sides add up to exactly 115cm, so it passes the total. Its long side is 56cm, which is 1cm over ANA’s 55cm. On paper, a bag built to American’s maximum is too long for ANA. A bag a little under that maximum passes both airlines.
The flow above puts the checks in order, from size to weight to plane type. Run through it the night before a domestic flight.
Weight is the bigger change. ANA counts the carry-on bag and the personal item together, so a laptop bag eats into the same 10kg as your suitcase. ANA keeps a sizing gauge at the airport. Bags over the limits must be checked in at the counter before you go through security. Even a bag within the size limit may go in the hold if the cabin has no room.
ANA’s smaller planes are tighter. On aircraft with fewer than 100 seats, the bag must add up to 100cm or less and fit within 45 × 35 × 20cm. ANA lists five types in this group: the DHC-8-400, DHC8-Q200, CRJ700, ATR42-600 and ATR72-600. An American-size bag is too big for these limits. ANA shows the aircraft type on its domestic search results, so check it when you book.
The photo shows an ANA jet at Haneda. ANA’s larger types, such as the B777-300, B787-9 and A321, use the 115cm rule. On a codeshare flight, ANA applies the rules of the airline that operates the plane. Check which airline operates each flight on your ticket.
Our JAL baggage page shows the same numbers for Japan Airlines: 115cm in total, 55 × 40 × 25cm and 10kg. JAL also allows one bag and one personal item. Skymark uses the same 115cm, 55 × 40 × 25cm and 10kg. It flies to 11 airports in Japan, including Haneda, Chubu Centrair and Fukuoka. Our ANA baggage page shows that ANA’s international flights use the same 115cm and 10kg.
At the counter, two Japanese words help. 機内持ち込み手荷物 (kinai mochikomi tenimotsu) means carry-on baggage. 身の回り品 (mi no mawari hin) means personal item.
Connecting at Haneda means changing terminals. American lands at Terminal 3. JAL’s domestic flights leave from Haneda Airport Terminal 1, and ANA’s from Terminal 2. You clear immigration and customs at the first airport you land in, and a free shuttle bus links the international and domestic terminals. If you land at Narita and fly domestic from Haneda, Haneda Airport lists 90 to 115 minutes by train between the two.
Peach carry-on: the 7kg limit
Peach, a Japanese low-cost airline, is stricter on weight. The Peach Aviation carry-on baggage page allows one bag plus one personal item, two items in total. The bag’s three sides must add up to less than 115cm. The two items together may weigh up to 7kg.
An American bag at its full size adds up to 115cm, right on Peach’s line. A slightly smaller bag is the safer choice. Peach counts handles, pockets and wheels in the size. The 7kg also includes duty-free goods and souvenirs you buy after security.
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ANA | 10 kg | Bag + personal item |
| JAL | 10 kg | |
| Skymark | 10 kg | |
| Korean Air | 10 kg | |
| Peach | 7 kg | Bag + personal item |
| Emirates | 7 kg | |
| Etihad | 7 kg |
The chart compares the weight caps. ANA, JAL, Skymark and Korean Air allow 10kg. Peach, Emirates and Etihad allow 7kg. Weigh your bag and personal item together before you leave the hotel.
Peach staff may check the size, weight and number of pieces by sight or by measuring. Anything over the limits goes to the baggage counter as checked baggage, which is a paid option. A bag that fits the size rule but cannot be stowed must be checked in too. Peach says it may refuse boarding to passengers who do not agree to these conditions.
The photo shows a Peach plane. Peach flies domestic and international routes, and its carry-on page names Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Bangkok and Singapore, each with extra rules. For example, e-cigarettes are banned on flights arriving in Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok and Singapore.
Two other low-cost names come up on trips from North America. ZIPAIR sells fares from Los Angeles, Honolulu and Vancouver to Tokyo, and checks in at Narita Airport Terminal 1. The ZIPAIR baggage rules page puts batteries and power banks in your carry-on and limits liquids and aerosols to 100ml. On its US routes, powders over 350ml go in checked baggage. Jetstar Japan has its own page in our airline database with its carry-on allowance.
American Airlines carry-on size vs other airlines to Japan
American’s numbers sit close to the other US airlines on Japan routes. The gaps are 1cm here and there. Airlines from other regions add a weight cap.
United, Delta and Hawaiian: size and pieces
Our United Airlines baggage page lists a carry-on of 56 × 35 × 23cm plus one personal item. In inches, that is about 22 × 14 × 9. United’s personal item is 22 × 25 × 43cm. That makes the United bag 1cm narrower than American’s. United flies to Narita, Haneda and Kansai, and uses Narita Terminal 1 and Haneda Terminal 3.
The Delta Air Lines carry-on baggage page allows one carry-on bag and one personal item free of charge. The bag can be up to 22 × 14 × 9 inches (56 × 35 × 23cm). The three sides together may not exceed 45 linear inches (114cm), handles and wheels included. An American bag at its full 115cm is 1cm over Delta’s total.
Delta also limits bags on small planes. On Delta Connection flights, including those with 50 seats or less, only personal items go into the cabin. Larger bags get a pink Gate Claim tag and come back to you when you get off. If your trip starts with a short Delta Connection hop, pack with that in mind. Our Delta baggage page shows that Delta flies to Narita, Haneda and Kansai.
Our Hawaiian Airlines baggage page lists 56 × 35 × 22cm and 114cm in total. Those are conversions of 22 × 14 × 9 inches and 45 linear inches. It allows one carry-on bag and one personal item. In our airline database, all four US airlines set their carry-on rule by size and number of pieces.
Emirates, Etihad and Korean airlines: weight caps
The Emirates cabin baggage rules for Japan set a carry-on of 55 × 38 × 22cm and 7kg. The allowance can change with your route and class of travel. An American bag at full size is 1cm too long and 1cm too deep for Emirates. Emirates checks in at Narita Terminal 2, the same terminal as American.
Our Etihad Airways baggage page lists one bag of 7kg. Etihad flies to Narita and Kansai.
If you connect through Seoul, expect 10kg. Our database lists Korean Air, Asiana, Air Premia and Air Busan at 115cm and 10kg. Air Seoul, Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, Jin Air and Trinity Airways list the same. Aero K lists 115cm and less than 10kg.
| Airline | Bag size | Weight | Personal item |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 56 × 36 × 23cm | — | 45 × 35 × 20cm |
| United Airlines | 56 × 35 × 23cm | — | 22 × 25 × 43cm |
| Delta Air Lines | 56 × 35 × 23cm, 114cm total | — | 1 item, under the seat |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 56 × 35 × 22cm, 114cm total | — | 1 item |
| Emirates | 55 × 38 × 22cm | 7kg | Varies by class |
| ANA | 55 × 40 × 25cm, 115cm total | 10kg, both pieces | 40 × 30 × 20cm |
| JAL | 55 × 40 × 25cm, 115cm total | 10kg | 1 item |
| Skymark | 55 × 40 × 25cm, 115cm total | 10kg | 1 item, under the seat |
| Peach | Under 115cm total | 7kg, both pieces | 1 item |
The table puts the main airlines side by side. The US airlines list a size only, while the Japanese and Middle Eastern airlines add 10kg or 7kg.
Power banks and liquids in your carry-on
What is inside the bag matters too, and the power bank rules flip when you change airlines. American lets you use a power bank on board. Keep it within reach and visible while you use it, and do not recharge it from the seat power outlet. American allows 2 portable chargers per passenger, up to 100Wh each.
The drawing shows the split. Japanese airlines do not let you use a power bank during the flight. The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau guide to items carried by air sets the rule in force since 24 April 2026. You may carry two power banks per person, each 160Wh or less. Keep them at your seat, not in the overhead bin. You may not recharge a power bank on board or use it to charge another device.
A power bank over 160Wh is not allowed at all, and no power bank may go in checked baggage. Sodium-ion power banks are not allowed either. Protect each one against short circuits, for example in its own pouch.
ANA, JAL and Skymark follow this rule on their own pages. Peach adds that power banks are banned from the overhead compartments. Of the 68 airlines in our airline baggage database, 55 say a power bank may not be used during the flight. 67 say it must go in the cabin, not in checked baggage. Emirates and Etihad allow only 1 power bank per passenger. Our power bank rules page explains how the limit of two counts batteries over 100Wh. Our guide to Japan power bank rules goes through the 160Wh and two-per-person limits.
Liquids follow the 100ml rule on international flights. Emirates wants each container at 100ml or less, inside one clear resealable bag of up to 1 litre per person. Delta gives the same limit as 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in one quart-size bag. Peach sets the bag at under 20 × 20cm. Our liquids page explains the 100ml rule for Japan.
Domestic flights in Japan are looser. On Peach’s domestic flights you can bring drinks on board. Alcohol between 24% and 70% is allowed up to 5 liters per person, and anything over 70% is refused. Toiletries are allowed up to 2kg or 2 liters per person, with no more than 0.5kg or 0.5 liters in each container.
Two traps catch connecting travellers. Peach lets you carry duty-free goods bought after security within the carry-on limit. It says they must be checked in if you have a connecting flight. Emirates bans powders in containers of 350ml or more from the cabin on flights to, from or through the US.
Too heavy? Checked bags on American and in Japan
If your carry-on is over the limit, check it in. Our American Airlines page shows that Main Cabin includes the first checked bag free. Basic Economy also includes the first checked bag free for tickets issued on or after 23 April 2026.
The other US airlines are similar. United’s Basic Economy includes one free checked bag on most international flights across the Pacific. Hawaiian’s Main Cabin includes a first and a second bag free, up to 50 lbs each.
Narita Terminal 2, in the photo, is where American checks in at Narita. Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Qatar Airways and British Airways use the same terminal.
Checked bags are more generous than the cabin rules. Inside Japan, Skymark checks up to 20kg per passenger free, with no limit on the number of bags. On JAL flights to Japan, Economy includes 2 bags of 23kg each. ANA’s Economy fares on those routes include 0 to 2 pieces depending on the fare, up to 23kg per piece. Our guide to JAL checked baggage covers JAL’s free bags and excess fees.
Low-cost fares often leave the bag out. The cheapest fare includes no checked bag on 16 of the 20 low-cost airlines in our database. On Peach, anything over the carry-on limits goes to the baggage counter as a paid option.
Emirates and Etihad set checked bags by fare. Emirates Economy gives 20kg on Special, 25kg on Saver, 30kg on Flex and 35kg on Flex Plus. Etihad gives 25kg on Value, 30kg on Comfort and 40kg on Deluxe.
ANA has one more option for large items such as paintings or musical instruments. You can buy an extra seat for the item, with a weight limit of 10kg per seat.
The checklist above covers four checks to make at your hotel. If any answer is no, hand the bag in at the check-in counter before security.
FAQ
Will my American Airlines carry-on fit on a domestic flight in Japan?
Usually, if the bag and personal item weigh 10kg or less together. ANA and JAL allow 115cm in total with no side over 55 × 40 × 25cm. A bag at American’s full 56cm length is 1cm too long on paper. ANA planes with fewer than 100 seats take only 100cm and 45 × 35 × 20cm.
Is United’s carry-on size the same as American’s?
Almost. United lists 56 × 35 × 23cm and American lists 56 × 36 × 23cm, a 1cm difference on one side. Both allow one bag and one personal item. United’s personal item is 22 × 25 × 43cm, and American’s is 45 × 35 × 20cm.
What is the carry-on weight limit on Peach?
7kg for the bag and personal item together. The bag’s three sides must add up to less than 115cm, including handles, pockets and wheels. Duty-free goods bought after security count toward the 7kg, and anything over the limits becomes paid checked baggage.
Can I use a power bank on an American Airlines flight to Japan?
Yes. American lets you use one if you keep it within reach and visible, and you may not recharge it from the seat outlet. The limit is 2 per passenger, up to 100Wh each. On ANA, JAL, Peach and other Japanese airlines you may not use a power bank during the flight.
About the author
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
