United Airlines International Baggage Limits

United Airline’s baggage allowances are the same whether you’re traveling on a domestic or international flight. All passengers get the same allowance for cabin baggage, but those traveling in business class or as premium club members have a larger checked baggage allowance than those traveling economy.

Cabin baggage is the best place to carry delicate or breakable items, advises United Airlines. United lets you bring one piece of luggage and one personal item, such as a laptop bag, purse or small backpack, into the cabin. Your piece of luggage shouldn’t be any larger than 14 by 9 by 22 inches so it can be easily stored under the seat in front of you or in one of the overhead lockers. As United places no specific weight limit on cabin baggage, you can use it to carry heavier items, so long as you can lift it into an overhead locker unaided.

When packing your cabin baggage, don’t include anything that breaches Transportation Security Administration regulations. The best-known restrictions relate to liquids and gels, but the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule makes these easy to understand. Carry liquids and gels in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces, and place these containers into one quart-sized clear plastic bag. Each passenger can carry one of these bags onto the airplane. The other banned items are those that could be used as weapons, such as knives, axes, hockey sticks and firearms. Check the TSA website for the most up-to-date information.

Most passengers can check two pieces of luggage into the airplane hold, so long as they’re within size and weight limits. Checked bags should have a maximum combined height, width and depth of 62 inches, and weigh no more than 50 pounds each. However, if you’re traveling business class or are a member of one of the airline’s premium clubs such as Star Alliance Gold, you can bring three bags, each with a maximum weight of 70 pounds. U.S. military personnel traveling on orders can check in four bags of up to 70 pounds, while the same personnel traveling for personal reasons can bring three bags of this weight.

The TSA will also scan your checked baggage so don't pack anything that’s prohibited from travel on passenger aircraft. Don’t pack explosive items such as fireworks, flares, dynamite, or even realistic replicas of explosives, in your checked baggage. Also avoid packing flammable liquids like gasoline, lighter fluid or flammable paints. United recommends putting your name and address on both the outside and inside of your baggage in case the bag is mislaid during processing.