Markus Mainka/Shutterstock
The logistics of air travel can be difficult. After booking your flight and often going to great lengths to find the best deal, you have to navigate check-in, security, and boarding. Before you do any of that, however, you have to pack. For some travelers, it can be a daunting and frustrating experience.
The TSA, or Transportation Security Administration, has a long list of items that are prohibited or only allowed with special instructions, including some electronics. In addition to worrying about what's in your bag, you have to consider the bag itself, especially if you plan to carry it onto the plane rather than check it.
All airlines have rules about the size of your carry-on bags to make certain that your bag fits into the overhead bin or underneath the seat in front of you. If your bag is too large, it will be checked at the gate and sent to the plane's cargo hold. To ensure compliance, American Airlines used metal bag sizers at all gates. Passengers were required to test their bags to prove that they were not oversized. In early October 2025, American began to phase out those bag sizers, meaning passengers no longer need to test their bags. However, agents at the gate will still be able to stop you if they think your bag is too big and ask that you check it.
American Airlines' policy change
Elliott Cowand Jr/Shutterstock
American Airlines allows one personal item, like a purse or diaper bag, along with one carry-on bag that cannot exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches, including any wheels and handle. If your carry-on is larger than those dimensions, you cannot take it on board.
As shared by View From the Wing, American Airlines sent out an employee memo announcing that it's phasing out the physical sizers at the gate. The goal was to make the boarding process more pleasant for customers. But how will the agents at the gate know if your bag is too big?
First, the sizers will still be available in the lobby for passengers to double-check the dimensions of their bags. Additionally, agents can use their discretion to decide if a bag is oversized and needs to be checked, so you may want to add an Apple AirTag just in case.
American isn't the first airline to make this change. In 2020, United Airlines also removed bag sizers from the gate. If your bag is a little too big or you forgot to include the handle or wheels when sizing it, it's possible that you'll skirt the rules and get your bag on board. However, it's best to be prepared in case it does end up in the cargo bin.
