Vietnam Airlines allowance at a glance
| Bag | Maximum size | Maximum weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on | 22×14.2×9.1 in56x36x23 cm | 22 lb10 kg | Economy: 1 piece 10kg plus personal item, combined 12kg on US/Australia/Europe routes (tickets issued on or after May 5, 2025), 10kg combined on other routes. Business/Premium Economy: 2 pieces 10kg each plus personal item, up to 18kg. |
| Personal item | 15.7×11.8×5.9 in40x30x15 cm | No stated limit | Vietnam Airlines calls this the accessory. Weight is included in the combined carry-on total, not a separate allowance. |
| Checked bag | 62 in158 cm | 50 lb23 kg |
This page goes deeper on one part of the policy. The full record is at Vietnam Airlines Baggage Rules.
The Vietnam Airlines carry-on size is 56 x 36 x 23 cm. That 36 cm width is narrower than the box most American carry-ons are built for.
A standard US 22 x 14 x 9 inch bag converts to 56 x 35.5 x 23 cm. On paper it fits by half a centimeter, and only with the wheels and handle counted.
Weight is the other half of the story. Vietnam Airlines caps the bag at 10 kg and then caps the bag plus your personal item together.
This page covers the box, the combined weight rule, and which fares carry what. It ends with what the gate does to a bag that fails, and which cases clear the numbers by the maker’s own figures.
The box, with wheels and handles included
Vietnam Airlines publishes the carry-on limit as 56 x 36 x 23 cm with a total under 115 cm. In inches that is 22 x 14.2 x 9.1.
The accessory is the airline’s name for a personal item. It is limited to 40 x 30 x 15 cm, or 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 in, under 85 cm total.
Every dimension includes wheels, handles and side pockets. A bag that measures 22 inches at the shell often measures 23 with the wheels.
That is where most US carry-ons lose. Our guide to measuring a carry-on shows where to put the tape.
The combined weight rule
Vietnam Airlines does weigh cabin bags. The carry-on itself is limited to 10 kg (22 lb). The bag and the accessory are then weighed against a single combined total.
For tickets issued on or after May 5, 2025, Economy gets 12 kg to or from the United States, Australia and Europe. On other routes it drops to 10 kg for the bag and accessory together.
Business and Premium Economy get two pieces of up to 10 kg each plus an accessory. That is 18 kg in all.
The practical effect is that a heavy laptop bag eats your allowance. A 2 kg accessory on a 12 kg route leaves 10 kg for the roller.
On a 10 kg route it leaves 8 kg. Our carry-on weight limit guide explains how to pack to a scale.
Which fares include the carry-on
Vietnam Airlines publishes one hand baggage allowance per cabin. No fare family is carved out of it on its hand baggage page.
That is simpler than the low cost carriers on the same routes. There, the cheapest fare buys a personal item and nothing else.
The checked side is where fares diverge. The Vietnam Airlines checked baggage page lays out pieces and weights by route. The baggage fees page covers what extra pieces cost.
What happens when a bag fails at the gate
A bag over the Vietnam Airlines carry-on size or weight is charged as excess. The airline prices it at the airport checked baggage rate for one piece on that route.
A bag that is oversized but still accepted pays the airport oversize charge instead. A bag that is both oversized and overweight pays twice the excess charge.
There is a second way to lose the bag that has nothing to do with size. Vietnam Airlines states that on some flights a compliant carry-on may still be checked free of charge.
The reason is aircraft capacity. Board early on a busy flight if the bag holds anything you want to keep with you.
Do not count on a quiet gate. The combined weight rule is written down, and check-in staff have a scale. Repacking a heavy accessory into the roller does not help, since both are weighed together.
Cases that clear the Vietnam Airlines carry-on size
The 36 cm width and the 10 kg cap reward a smaller, lighter case. The table uses the maker’s overall dimensions where the maker states them.
| Bag | Maker’s overall size | Against 56 x 36 x 23 cm (22 x 14.2 x 9.1 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 21 inch | 23 x 14.5 x 9 in with wheels and handle; body 21 x 14 x 9 in | Over on height by an inch and on width by a fraction. Zipped shut it passes most gates, but it is not inside the box on paper. |
| Samsonite Freeform 21 inch | 23 x 15 x 10 in overall | Does not fit. Too wide and too deep for this box even before expansion. |
| Delsey Helium Aero 19 inch international | Built for the tighter European and Asian limits; measure your unit | The 19 inch class is the safe choice for this width. Confirm the overall figure on the maker’s tag. |
| SwissGear 7366 19 inch | A 19 inch hardside sized for smaller international bins; measure your unit | Same logic. A 19 inch shell leaves room for wheels inside 56 cm. |
Two warnings from the table. The Maxlite 5’s expansion zip adds 2 inches of depth. That takes it to 11 inches against a 9.1 inch limit, so keep it closed.
The Freeform is light, which helps with the 10 kg cap. No amount of lightness fixes a 15 inch width against a 14.2 inch box.
Weight matters as much as the shell. The Maxlite 5 weighs 5.4 lb (2.4 kg) empty. That leaves about 7.5 kg of packing on a 10 kg limit.
A heavier hardside can leave you 6 kg. Run any bag through the carry-on size checker before you buy.
The personal item box
The accessory limit of 40 x 30 x 15 cm is on the small side. A slim laptop bag or a small backpack fits. A full size daypack usually does not.
On the combined weight routes its contents count against the same total as the roller. Our carry-on size chart shows how this box compares with other carriers.
The bottom line
Pack to the Vietnam Airlines carry-on size of 56 x 36 x 23 cm and 10 kg. Then weigh the roller and the accessory together against 12 kg on US, Australia and Europe routes.
Prefer a 19 or 20 inch case over a 21 inch American one. The width is where US bags fail here.
Vietnam Airlines states every figure above on its hand baggage allowance page. The Vietnam Airlines baggage allowance record on this site keeps the headline numbers.
Common questions
What is the Vietnam Airlines carry-on size limit?
56 x 36 x 23 cm, or 22 x 14.2 x 9.1 inches, including wheels and handles, with a total under 115 cm. The bag itself is capped at 10 kg.
Does a standard US 22 x 14 x 9 carry-on fit Vietnam Airlines?
Only just. The US box converts to 56 x 35.5 x 23 cm, so a bag that truly measures 22 x 14 x 9 with wheels fits, but many 21 and 22 inch cases measure 23 inches tall once the wheels are counted.
Does Vietnam Airlines weigh carry-on bags?
Yes. The carry-on is limited to 10 kg, and the carry-on plus the accessory are weighed together against a combined limit of 12 kg on US, Australia and Europe routes, or 10 kg elsewhere, for tickets issued from May 5, 2025.
What counts as the accessory on Vietnam Airlines?
A personal item such as a laptop bag or small backpack up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm and under 85 cm total. Its weight counts toward the combined hand baggage total.
What happens if my carry-on is too big at the gate?
It is charged as excess at the airport checked baggage rate for one piece on that route. A bag that is both oversized and overweight pays twice the excess charge.
Can Vietnam Airlines check my carry-on even if it fits?
Yes. The airline states that on full flights a compliant carry-on may be checked free of charge because of aircraft capacity, so board early with anything you want to keep with you.
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