Does a Purse Count as a Personal Item? Usually, Yes
Yes, on most airlines a purse counts as your personal item. You get one personal item and, on most fares, one carry-on. A purse uses up the personal item, so if you also bring a backpack, the backpack has to be your carry-on. On a basic fare without a carry-on, that means the purse goes inside the backpack when you board.
What the airlines say
When we read the airlines' own pages:
- American says you can bring 1 personal item and 1 carry-on, and gives "a purse or small handbag" as its example of a personal item. It must fit under the seat and should not exceed 18 x 14 x 8 inches.
- United lists purses, backpacks and laptop bags as common personal items, with a limit of 9 x 10 x 17 inches. In Basic Economy, United allows only the personal item on most trips.
So the purse, the backpack and the laptop bag are all in the same group. You pick one of them to be your personal item.
The common mix-ups
Purse plus backpack on a basic fare. This is the one that gets people charged at the gate. Two bags under the seat is one bag too many. Put the purse inside the backpack before you reach the gate, and take it out once you're seated.
Purse plus carry-on suitcase plus backpack. Three bags is one over on almost any fare. Something has to go inside something else, or get checked.
Purse plus carry-on suitcase. This is fine on a fare that includes a carry-on: the purse is your personal item, the suitcase is your carry-on.
What doesn't count
Airlines exempt some things from the limit. American lists diaper bags (one per child), a breast pump, a small cooler of breast milk, child safety seats, strollers, and medical or mobility devices as not counting as your personal item or carry-on. Other airlines have their own lists, so check yours if you're carrying any of these.
How to bring a purse and a backpack anyway
- Choose a backpack with room for the purse. A small crossbody bag or wristlet fits in most personal item backpacks. A large tote does not, so leave it home.
- Keep the purse near the top. You'll want your phone, passport and boarding pass at security and at the gate. A front pocket or the top of the main compartment works.
- Move it in and out at the right times. Purse out in the terminal, purse in at boarding, purse out again at your seat.
- Or skip the purse. Many travel backpacks have a front organizer or a hidden back pocket for a phone, passport and cards. On a short trip that can replace the purse.
Why a backpack beats a big purse as your personal item
A big purse or tote can be your personal item, and some people prefer one. A backpack usually does the job better when it's your only free bag:
- It spreads the weight. You carry a full personal item through the whole airport. Two padded straps beat one shoulder strap.
- It holds a laptop safely. Personal item backpacks have a padded laptop compartment; many totes don't.
- It can ride on your roller. A luggage sleeve on the back slides over a suitcase handle.
- It has room for the purse. Your purse goes inside at boarding, which a tote can't always manage.
The bottom line
A purse is a personal item. If you want to bring it along with a backpack, the backpack must be your carry-on, or the purse has to go inside the backpack when you board. Pick a backpack with space and a top pocket for a small purse, and you never have to choose between them at the gate.