With ITA Airways, your main piece of cabin baggage can measure up to 55 × 40 × 23 cm and weigh 8 kg, and you can bring an additional personal item of 30 × 40 × 15 cm. The problem is that some of the carrier's materials still show older dimensions, so before you fly you should also check the details attached to your own booking.
ITA Airways cabin baggage – current dimensions, weight and number of pieces
The most important rule today is simple: on its current, dedicated hand luggage page, ITA Airways states a limit of 55 × 40 × 23 cm and a maximum of 8 kg for the standard cabin piece. Everything that protrudes beyond the body of the bag or suitcase counts towards the dimensions – including wheels, handles and external pockets. This matters, because a suitcase described by its manufacturer as 'cabin size' is not automatically compliant with every airline's rules. A model whose shell alone measures 55 cm in height can exceed the limit once you add the wheels, and a soft backpack stuffed to the brim easily exceeds the permitted depth. Airlines do not share a single common standard – Ryanair's cabin baggage rules, for instance, are built around completely different dimensions.
In addition to the main bag, the carrier allows one personal item measuring up to 30 × 40 × 15 cm. ITA Airways gives a small handbag, a compact backpack or a laptop bag as examples. This item should be prepared with the space under the seat in front of you in mind, not as a second full-size bag for the overhead locker. In practice, it is best reserved for documents, your phone, chargers, headphones, medication, a book or a laptop – the things you need during the journey and the things worth keeping with you even if your main suitcase is taken to the hold at the gate.
It is worth paying attention to how the weight limit is worded. On the hand luggage page, the 8 kg applies to the main cabin piece. For the additional personal item, the carrier currently publishes its dimensions, but on that page it does not state a separate kilogram limit. So you should not invent a rule that the suitcase and the small backpack must weigh 8 kg together. At the same time, this does not mean total freedom: the small bag must remain genuinely small, compliant with the published dimensions and capable of fitting under the seat.
The situation is complicated by the fact that ITA Airways' materials are currently not entirely consistent. The dedicated 'Hand Luggage' page shows 55 × 40 × 23 cm, while parts of the FAQ and some of the carrier's documents still contain the 55 × 35 × 25 cm layout. You can also find older information about different dimensions for the small bag labelled 'Under the Seat'. For the passenger this means one thing: there is no point basing your packing on a random search result, an old graphic saved on your phone or an article from several years ago. The safest reference point is the current hand luggage page, and before departure you should compare it with your ticket confirmation and the information visible in 'My Bookings'.
This distinction is especially important when buying a new suitcase. A model measuring 55 × 40 × 23 cm fits the limit ITA Airways currently publishes, but if a different figure appears on a specific ticket or in a notice about a given flight, in practice the information attached to your journey takes precedence. It is not worth buying luggage 'to the millimetre' with no margin, especially if it has an expandable compartment, soft side walls or thick wheels. A few extra centimetres created after packing can decide whether the suitcase fits into the airport sizer.
| Baggage type | Currently published limit | Weight limit | Typical place in the cabin | Example contents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main cabin bag | 55 × 40 × 23 cm | up to 8 kg | overhead locker | clothes, toiletry bag, shoes, some electronics |
| Personal item | 30 × 40 × 15 cm | no separate limit stated on the current hand luggage page | under the seat in front of you | small backpack, handbag, laptop bag, documents |
Not every ticket, however, has to give exactly the same number of full-size cabin pieces. In ITA Airways' general allowance tables there are also variants in which the passenger is entitled to two pieces of cabin baggage of up to 8 kg each, above all in the higher travel classes. This is not '16 kg to split however you like', but two separate bags, each of which must meet its assigned requirements. The details depend on the travel class, fare and route, so a full comparison of Economy Light, Economy, Premium Economy and Business requires looking at your specific booking, not just the general page with the dimensions.
Flights sold under an ITA Airways flight number but operated by another airline are a category of their own. On the cabin baggage page, the carrier explicitly directs passengers on codeshare flights to the rules of the airline operating the flight, and for journeys involving the United States there are additional rules about whose baggage policy governs the whole itinerary. In practice, on a trip with a connection you have to check not only the logo shown when buying the ticket, but also the carrier operating each segment. This is particularly important when the first leg allows a larger suitcase than the next one.
Before leaving for the airport, it is worth running a simple check: measure the packed suitcase in all three directions, weigh it with all its contents, and make sure the small backpack or bag genuinely fits the personal item format. ITA Airways advises that passengers can check size and weight at check-in desks or in the airport sizers, and that baggage which does not meet the requirements may not be accepted into the cabin. The least risky strategy is to treat the limits as maximum values, not as rough guides. That way your packing does not depend on whether the staff happen to decide to weigh or measure your bag at the gate.
Economy Light, Economy or Business – when does the fare change your cabin baggage limit?
When choosing an ITA Airways ticket, it is easy to confuse two separate things: the cabin baggage you take on board, and the checked baggage you hand over at the desk. The cheapest fare, Economy Light, does not automatically mean travelling with only a small bag under the seat. In the carrier's current materials for ITA Airways flights, the Light fare still includes a personal accessory and the main cabin bag, whereas standard checked baggage is not included.
For a passenger flying on a short trip, this can be a very favourable arrangement. If all your luggage fits in a cabin suitcase up to 8 kg and a small personal item, buying Economy Light does not force you to pay extra for checked baggage. You do need to be careful about how offers are presented in search engines, though. The price shown on the first screen may apply precisely to Light, while the next fare up already includes a checked suitcase. When comparing prices, it is better to look not only at the name of the bundle but also at the exact baggage allowance recorded for the selected flight.
In standard Economy, on many routes you get one piece of cabin baggage up to 8 kg and one piece of checked baggage up to 23 kg. On some connections and in certain fare variants the checked baggage rules can differ. Premium Economy usually gives a larger checked allowance than Economy, while in Business the carrier publishes configurations with more checked pieces and higher limits. From the cabin's point of view, however, what matters most is that the travel class can also change the number of cabin bags.
ITA Airways' current baggage allowance page shows variants with two pieces of cabin baggage of up to 8 kg each. They apply to specific higher classes and routes. This should not be read as a general right of every Business passenger to two suitcases, nor as a combined 16 kg limit that can be split freely. If a specific booking provides for two pieces of 8 kg each, each of them has its own limit. One suitcase weighing 11 kg and another weighing 5 kg therefore do not satisfy this rule, even though the total is 16 kg.
The safest method is to treat the class name as a hint, not a final answer. ITA Airways provides a baggage calculator that takes account of the route, travel class and fare, and your own allowance is also recorded on the ticket or travel confirmation. It is the data attached to your specific booking that should settle how many pieces you can bring. This matters most on long-haul routes and journeys involving several carriers.
A good example is a trip from a central European hub to Rome bought in the cheapest available Economy fare. If the confirmation shows Economy Light and cabin baggage up to 8 kg, you can plan the trip without checking a bag – as long as all your kit fits in the permitted cabin bag and personal item. There is no reason to buy checked baggage just because the word 'Light' appears in the fare name. Paying extra starts to make sense when you need more things, are carrying items not allowed in the cabin, or 8 kg turns out to be too tight a limit.
A business trip in Business class looks different. A laptop, chargers, documents and electronic equipment can quickly take up several kilograms. If your specific ticket really does include two pieces of cabin baggage, you can spread the weight across two compliant bags instead of overloading one. First, though, check the number of pieces recorded in the booking, and only then choose your suitcases and packing strategy. The Business label alone should not be the basis for turning up at the gate with an extra bag.
Before packing, check three places:
- your ticket confirmation or travel document – this is where the allowance attached to your specific booking should appear;
- 'My Bookings' on the ITA Airways website or in the app – it lets you check the current information about your trip and any additional services;
- the baggage calculator and the carrier's current page – useful for comparing the limit against your route, class and fare.
Tickets for the youngest passengers require a separate check. ITA Airways distinguishes between infants up to 23 months travelling on an adult's lap and infants with their own seat. In the Light fare, a child without their own seat may not have their own standard baggage allowance, whereas with an assigned seat the carrier publishes one piece of cabin baggage up to 8 kg. For children aged 2 to 11, the rules are likewise tied to the ticket type. On a family trip it is better to check the limit for each person individually, rather than adding up bags based on the number of passengers.
The key takeaway is practical: the Light, Classic or Flex fare describes the whole set of ticket conditions, not just baggage. The differences can also cover changes, refunds, seat selection and checked baggage. For cabin packing, what counts is the exact number of pieces and their limits attached to your flight. First you check your own allowance, and only then do you choose the suitcase and arrange the contents.
Travel suitcases from Peli
Small backpack, handbag and laptop bag – what does ITA Airways treat as a personal item?
Beyond the main cabin bag, ITA Airways lets you take one additional personal item into the cabin. On the carrier's current page, the examples given are a small handbag, a compact backpack and a laptop bag, and the published size limit for this piece is 30 × 40 × 15 cm. That is considerably less than a cabin suitcase, so this category should not be treated as a second full-size bag – and if you are wondering whether that even counts as a second bag at all, we explain the logic in detail in our guide on whether you can have two carry-on bags. Its role is to carry the things that should stay close to you and fit into the space under the seat in front of you.
In practice, the easiest way to use this allowance is to choose a soft urban backpack or a simply shaped bag. At borderline dimensions, however, what counts is the actual packed shape. A 30 × 40 × 15 cm backpack measured empty can stop fitting the limit once stuffed, especially if it has a thick front pocket, side bottle holders or a stiffened laptop panel. Soft material gives some room to adapt to the space under the seat, but it is not permission to bring a bag significantly larger than the limit. If a packed backpack is 20 cm deep, squeezing it with straps does not change the fact that it must be judged as a packed piece of baggage.
A rigid computer bag hardly compresses at all, so you have to check its entire external outline, not just the size of the laptop. An elaborate model with thick padding, a charger and documents can exceed the permitted 15 cm of depth. The personal item is meant to go under the seat, not to occupy the space intended for the main suitcase.
ITA Airways also applies an 'Under the Seat' designation to small pieces. According to the carrier's current information, airport staff may tag bags with dimensions not exceeding 30 × 40 × 15 cm this way on ITA Airways flights, with the exception of flights operated by A330 aircraft. This exception concerns the labelling procedure, not a general rule that passengers can freely enlarge their small bag on an A330 flight. The most sensible approach is to keep to the dimensions published for the personal item and treat the label as part of cabin organisation, not an extra baggage entitlement.
A small backpack or bag under the seat works well as a home for the things you need during the flight. It is worth keeping your documents, wallet, phone, headphones, glasses, essential medication, a charger, a cable, an e-reader and small electronics there. If you travel with a laptop, this bag is the natural place for the computer too. The personal item should be packed so that you can use it without opening the suitcase in the overhead locker. On a full aircraft this limits the need to stand up and shuffle things around, and if your main cabin bag is sent to the hold, it lets you keep the most important items with you.
The most misunderstandings arise when a passenger arrives at the gate with a suitcase, a backpack, a waist pack, a camera bag and airport shopping. The mere fact that each of these items is small does not automatically mean they all form one personal item. It is safest to limit the number of separate pieces to what your ticket provides, and to tuck small accessories into one bag before boarding. A waist pack with documents or a small camera pouch may in practice go unnoticed, but planning a trip on the assumption that staff will always accept a few extra items is risky.
The same applies to purchases made after security. A bag from a shop in the departures area should not be treated as a reliable way of increasing your allowance. With a tight limit, it is best to leave some space in your backpack or suitcase for travel purchases, so that you do not appear before boarding with several additional bags.
The things most often needed in the personal item are:
- documents, wallet and phone – items you should not put in a suitcase that might end up in the hold;
- medication and things needed during the flight, especially those that must be available without delay;
- a laptop, tablet, camera or e-reader, provided they fit safely within the bag's permitted dimensions;
- headphones, chargers and cables, ideally gathered in one small organiser;
- one light layer of clothing, as long as the bag still keeps the right size after adding it.
For a 2–3 day trip you can go a step further and skip the cabin suitcase altogether, packing everything into a small backpack that meets the personal item limit. This option requires a very economical wardrobe and toiletry kit, but it makes moving around the airport and the city much simpler. For a week-long trip, the more practical set is usually a cabin suitcase plus a small backpack: clothes and rarely needed items go into the main bag, while electronics, documents, medication and small items stay under the seat. The most important thing is not to use the extra backpack as a way of circumventing the main suitcase limit, but as a separate, genuinely small piece compliant with ITA Airways' conditions.
Peli Air cabin luggage
How to measure your suitcase before a flight and choose luggage that really fits the limit
With ITA Airways' current limit of 55 × 40 × 23 cm and 8 kg, the most common mistake starts before packing even begins: the passenger checks the manufacturer's 'cabin size' label and assumes that is enough. Airlines do not apply a single common standard, and ITA Airways explicitly notes that handles, side pockets and wheels count towards the baggage dimensions. That is why the suitcase must be measured as a finished, closed object – the one you will actually take to the airport. What counts is the external outline, not the size of the packing compartment. This is exactly the kind of detail we cover in our guide to the five traps of cabin luggage dimensions and weight.
A wheeled suitcase – you count the whole external outline
It is best to stand the suitcase upright on a flat floor and measure it in three directions. Height is measured from the lowest point of the wheels to the highest fixed element of the shell or handle. The telescopic handle stays retracted, of course, but its housing is still part of the suitcase. Width includes side handles and any elements protruding beyond the shell. Depth is measured from the most protruding point at the front to the most protruding point at the back.
It is especially easy to go wrong with suitcases that have an expansion zip. An empty piece can be 22 or 23 cm deep, but after opening the extra section and packing it firmly it becomes noticeably thicker. A soft front pocket filled with chargers, a book or cosmetics has a similar effect. A measurement taken before packing therefore does not give the full answer. It is worth measuring the suitcase again after closing it, ideally once the contents have been finally arranged.
There is, on the other hand, no need to obsessively hunt for a model whose dimensions match the airline maximum to the millimetre. A small margin is more practical. If a suitcase has a declared height of 55 cm and exactly 23 cm of depth, any protruding element or slight bulge can make its real dimensions larger. When buying luggage for frequent flying, it is also sensible to think about other carriers, because a suitcase fitted perfectly to one set of dimensions will not necessarily fit another.
A backpack – easier to adapt, but not without a limit
A backpack has a different advantage over a suitcase: soft walls make it easier to fit into the sizer and the cabin space. That does not mean, however, that its nominal dimensions can be ignored. The most frequent problem is depth after packing. A slim-profile backpack can be pushed out by several extra centimetres after adding a hoodie, a toiletry bag, a camera and a bottle. Side pockets, a full laptop compartment and a front pocket also increase its real bulk.
With a backpack, measuring only makes sense once it is packed the way it will travel to the airport. Lay it on a flat surface, do not press it with your knee and do not squeeze it with a tape measure into a dimension it does not hold on its own. If, after gentle pressure, the soft contents spring back to their previous shape, it is that shape you should take into account. Compression straps are useful, but they should genuinely hold the volume for the whole journey.
This matters especially for larger trekking backpacks. A model advertised as roughly 40 litres can look very compact when empty, but after full packing its height and depth quickly stop matching the cabin limit. Capacity in litres is not a substitute for dimensions in centimetres. Two backpacks of similar capacity can have completely different proportions, frames, pockets and ways of distributing the load.
A hard suitcase and protective cases – when a rigid construction makes sense
A rigid suitcase has one characteristic that is particularly useful for dimension checks: once closed, its shape usually changes less than a soft backpack's. It is therefore easier to predict how much space it will really occupy. In exchange, you have to watch every centimetre, because a hard shell cannot be squeezed into the sizer. For electronics, photographic equipment or pressure-sensitive items, this construction can be convenient, because it allows better organisation of the contents and limits crushing by other bags.
Durable suitcases and protective cases, including the solutions offered by Peli, work in a similar way. They make sense above all when the priority is protecting equipment and keeping the contents stable, rather than maximum packing flexibility. You should not assume, however, that every hard case described as travel or cabin sized will automatically comply with ITA Airways. Before a specific flight, check the external dimensions of the model in question, including wheels and handles, as well as its empty weight.
The weight of the empty bag matters a lot here. With an 8 kg limit, a heavier suitcase or a solid case leaves fewer kilograms for clothes, cosmetics and electronics. On the other hand, a passenger carrying a delicate camera, lenses or measuring equipment may consciously accept a heavier shell in exchange for stiffer protection. That is a decision driven by the contents, not a contest for the lightest or toughest bag.
The simplest home check takes a few minutes. Pack the suitcase as if for the trip, close all the zips and do not leave anything strapped to the outside. Stand it in the positions that let you measure the full height, width and depth, and then weigh it on a luggage scale or bathroom scale. If any dimension is very close to the maximum, check it a second time at the widest point. Only a measurement like this gives a meaningful answer to whether your bag fits ITA Airways' current limit.
Peli Air checked luggage
How to pack within 8 kg – clothes, shoes and cosmetics without overloading the suitcase
First, weigh the empty suitcase
With an 8 kg limit, every kilogram of the bag's own weight matters. A suitcase weighing 2.8 kg leaves around 5.2 kg for contents, while a light backpack weighing 1.2 kg gives almost 6.8 kg. That does not mean a backpack is always the better choice. A rigid suitcase can protect the contents better and make organisation easier, but before the trip you need to know how much of the limit the construction itself consumes. The simplest approach is to weigh the empty bag before packing begins and treat the result as the first line of your own weight budget.
On a week-long trip it is sensible not to plan on using the full 8 kg down to the last few dozen grams. A reserve of 300–500 g gives a margin for the difference between your home scale and the airport equipment, small things thrown in before departure, and shopping on the way back. If the suitcase shows 8.3 kg after the first packing, it is better to remove or move some of the contents in line with your ticket rules straight away, rather than counting on the bag not being weighed.
A good starting point is to divide the limit into a few categories. These are not ITA Airways standards nor guaranteed product weights, but a practical example showing how quickly the available 8 kg disappears. The real weight depends on the type of bag, the season, footwear and electronics.
| Category | Example budget | What to control |
|---|---|---|
| Empty suitcase or backpack | 1.5–2.5 kg | the bag's own weight before packing |
| Clothes | 2.0–2.7 kg | number of layers and heavy fabrics |
| Footwear | 0.6–0.8 kg | an extra pair instead of the shoes worn while travelling |
| Cosmetics | 0.4–0.5 kg | packaging volume and number of products |
| Electronics | 0.5–1.0 kg | chargers, power bank, camera, extra cables |
| Reserve | 0.3–0.5 kg | shopping and the difference between scales |
Pack clothes as outfits, not per day
The most space can be recovered not through more aggressive rolling, but by limiting the number of items. Instead of packing seven complete outfits for seven days, it is better to choose clothes that can be combined in several configurations. One pair of trousers used in three outfits weighs less than three pairs taken 'just in case'. A hoodie, a light jacket or a blazer that goes with most of your wardrobe works the same way.
Before packing, check the weather forecast and the real plan for the trip. If you will spend most of the stay sightseeing in cities and only once go to a nicer restaurant, there is no need to bring several formal outfits. A seaside holiday calls for a different set than an autumn city break in Milan. Heavier items such as a jacket, jeans or thicker shoes can be worn for the journey, as long as that does not hurt your comfort. The point is not to wear half the suitcase, but to sensibly shift the heaviest items outside the main bag.
On a trip longer than a few days, planning a laundry stop pays off more and more. One wash mid-week can replace several T-shirts, underwear and extra sportswear. In an apartment with a washing machine it costs little effort, and in a hotel you can use a self-service laundry nearby. With an 8 kg limit, the ability to do laundry is often more valuable than any clothes-folding technique, because it removes items from the suitcase that would otherwise sit there for days.
Rolling helps limit empty spaces with some soft clothes, while folding works better for shirts, blazers and crease-prone items. Neither method, however, reduces weight. Compression bags can shrink the volume of jackets or fleeces, but it is then easy to create a very heavy, though visually small, suitcase. That is why after every major repack you need to check the weight again.
Shoes and the toiletry bag are the easiest way to blow the limit
An extra pair of shoes can eat a significant share of the available limit, especially heavy sneakers, trekking footwear or smart leather shoes. The most effective rule is one maximally versatile pair on your feet and at most one light pair in the bag. Footwear can be used as space for socks, a rolled-up belt or small textiles, but items prone to getting dirty should be additionally protected.
The toiletry bag usually gains weight through the packaging rather than the cosmetics themselves. A full shampoo, a large shower gel, glass bottles and several products with a similar purpose easily create a kilogram that could be avoided. On a short trip, it is better to take an amount matching the length of the stay, using smaller factory packs or suitable travel containers. Decanting only makes sense when the cosmetic can be stored safely in such a container and can be clearly identified.
You also need to separate ITA Airways' weight limit from the security rules on liquids. These are two different restrictions. A suitcase can weigh less than 8 kg and still contain a cosmetic that cannot be taken through security in its packaging. Conversely, small containers compliant with the security rules still count towards the bag's weight. The details on liquids, medication and food products also depend on the departure airport and any screening during a connection.
Finally, it is best to do two weigh-ins: first the suitcase alone, then the whole set after the final packing. If the result is close to 8 kg, check above all the shoes, the toiletry bag, chargers and anything taken without a specific purpose. It is easiest to lose weight by removing one heavy item rather than ten small ones. Well-packed ITA Airways cabin baggage does not have to be minimalist at any cost; it simply has to use the limit for the things you will actually use during the trip.
Travel backpacks and bags from Peli
Liquids, cosmetics, medication and food – what will make it through security?
ITA Airways' 8 kg limit does not determine which liquids you can take through security. These are two separate sets of rules. The airline defines the size and weight of the bag, while liquid screening is run by the airport in line with the applicable regulations and the capabilities of the equipment in use. In 2026 this matters especially, because certified C3 scanners allowing larger containers are already operating at some European airports, while others still enforce the classic 100 ml limit. You should therefore not assume that the rule you encountered at departure will be identical during a connection or on the way home.
If an airport does not clearly announce a higher limit, the safe reference point remains containers with a maximum capacity of 100 ml, placed in one transparent, resealable bag of up to 1 litre. What counts is the capacity of the packaging, not the amount of product inside. A 200 ml bottle with a residue of shampoo at the bottom does not become a 100 ml container. The same logic applies to shower gel, cream, toothpaste, perfume or liquid make-up.
The liquids category also covers products that are not everyday associated with drinks. Security screening includes, among other things, gels, creams, pastes, aerosols and mixtures with a liquid or semi-liquid consistency. Peanut butter, jam, yoghurt, soft cheese, sandwich spread or a thick sauce can therefore fall under the liquid rules. A sandwich, a chocolate bar, dry snacks and other solid products are treated differently, though on an international trip you still need to account for customs, sanitary and food-import regulations in the destination country. It is worth combining this check with a look at our guide to items you cannot bring on a plane, because the liquid rules are only part of the picture.
Across central Europe the picture is no longer uniform either. Airports are gradually introducing more modern equipment, and at several major hubs C3 scanners are being phased in lane by lane. At checkpoints fitted with this technology, higher liquid limits are possible, but during the transition period not every passenger will end up in the same screening lane. So before departure, check the current notice from your specific airport instead of relying on what someone flying a few weeks earlier from a different lane or a different airport experienced.
Similar differences are visible on arrival in Italy. At Rome Fiumicino, ITA Airways' main hub, modern scanners currently allow liquids in containers of up to 2 litres at most checkpoints without taking them out of the bag. Different procedures remain, however, at checkpoints dedicated to certain destinations, including flights to the USA and Israel. The mere fact that on one pass through security in Rome you could leave a larger bottle in your suitcase therefore does not create a universal rule for every ITA Airways flight.
This is clearest on a route from a central European hub via Rome to a further destination. If at the first airport you end up at a checkpoint permitting larger containers, and later during transit you have to pass another screening with a 100 ml limit, a large cosmetic can become a problem only halfway through the journey. On a route with connections, packing for the most restrictive stage is simplest. If you are not sure whether re-screening will occur and which rules will apply there, containers of up to 100 ml save the guesswork.
Medication, dietary products and food needed for infants are a separate category. Liquid medication essential during the trip can benefit from exceptions to the standard capacity restriction, but it must be prepared for separate screening, and you should expect to have to confirm its nature and the need to carry it. Medication is best kept in its original, clearly labelled packaging. For prescription medication, larger quantities of preparations, syringes or medical devices, you additionally need to check the requirements of ITA Airways and the destination country; in some cases the carrier requires medical documentation.
Purchases made after security also require attention at connections. Liquids bought in the duty-free zone can be carried in a special sealed bag together with the proof of purchase, but the bag should not be opened before the end of any stage of the journey where re-screening may occur. During a transfer, security staff may apply additional procedures. Large perfumes or alcohol bought at the first airport are therefore much less problematic on a direct flight than on a complicated route through several airports.
Before approaching security, prepare your bag so that you are not hunting for cosmetics and documents only at the belt:
- check on your departure airport's website which liquid limit applies at the screening currently in use;
- if there is no clear information about a higher limit, pack standard cosmetics into containers of up to 100 ml and prepare a transparent bag;
- place medication, infant food and products requiring an exception somewhere you can quickly retrieve them and declare them to staff;
- check the rules at your connecting airport, especially when travelling outside the European Union or changing terminals and passing screening again;
- leave purchases sealed in the security bag together with the receipt until there is no further risk of another liquids check.
A modern scanner should not be treated as a promise that you can carry any amount of cosmetics along the whole route. Above all, it changes the procedure at a specific checkpoint. Before every departure, what counts is the current information from the airport, not a general rule attributed to ITA Airways. This approach makes particular sense on trips from central Europe via Rome, where a single booking can expose you to different screening technologies and different limits.
Power bank, laptop and electronics – what must stay in your cabin baggage?
Electronics can quickly consume a large share of the 8 kg limit, but with ITA Airways the battery question matters more than the weight itself. The carrier clearly separates devices with built-in batteries from spare batteries and power banks. A laptop, phone, tablet, camera or e-reader is best carried in the cabin, while power banks and loose lithium batteries must not go into checked baggage. So if staff at the gate ask you to hand your cabin suitcase over to the hold, you must first remove the items that, under the rules, have to stay with the passenger.
For typical personal devices, ITA Airways gives a lithium-ion battery limit of up to 100 Wh without needing the airline's approval. This covers, among others, laptops, phones, tablets, cameras and other portable electronic devices. The carrier allows up to 15 such battery-equipped devices per passenger, and recommends carrying them in cabin baggage, protecting them from damage and accidental activation, and keeping them separated from one another when you carry several. Devices that are damaged, defective or recalled by the manufacturer for safety reasons are not accepted for transport.
A power bank is treated differently from a phone or laptop. ITA Airways currently allows a maximum of two power banks per person. Up to 100 Wh they do not require the carrier's prior approval, while models with a capacity above 100 Wh and up to a maximum of 160 Wh require the airline's authorisation. A power bank should have its capacity clearly marked; the carrier's materials explicitly require that the Wh figure be verifiable. A missing marking on the casing can therefore create a problem before you even board.
If the manufacturer only states voltage and capacity in mAh, the energy can be calculated using the formula Wh = mAh × V ÷ 1000. For example, a power bank described as 20,000 mAh and 3.7 V has around 74 Wh, which puts it below the 100 Wh threshold. It is not enough, however, to look only at the milliamp-hour figure, because two devices with the same mAh capacity can have different rated voltages. The most reliable solution remains a model with a clear Wh marking on the casing or the manufacturer's label.
ITA Airways' current rules are also stricter about using a power bank during the flight. You must not use it to charge devices, nor charge the power bank itself from the aircraft's system. The exception applies to approved portable medical devices. A power bank should also not be placed in the overhead locker. The carrier states it should stay with the passenger – in the seat pocket, in a bag under the seat in front, or somewhere easily accessible. The point is to be able to react quickly if the device starts to overheat.
Loose batteries and spare cells also stay in the cabin. The terminals must be protected against short circuits, for example by leaving the batteries in their original packaging, taping over exposed terminals or placing each unit in a separate pouch or case. For lithium batteries up to 100 Wh, ITA Airways gives a quantity limit covering the various types of spare batteries combined, and for units above 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh it applies additional restrictions and requires prior approval. For larger camera or film equipment batteries, you therefore need to check the parameters of each battery individually, instead of assuming that if it fits the camera it automatically qualifies for carriage without formalities.
Electronics are also one of the most common reasons for exceeding 8 kg. A laptop can weigh 1.2–2 kg, and on top of that come the power adapter, a camera, a lens, a power bank, headphones and a few cables. It is easy to reach a point where the equipment alone takes up almost half the available limit. So before packing, distribute the electronics between the main suitcase and the personal item, keeping the latter's dimensions in mind. A small backpack under the seat is the best place for the laptop, documents, power bank and the things you do not want to send to the hold, as long as the whole set still fits the permitted format.
Photographic equipment additionally needs protection against shifting. A camera and lenses should not knock freely against each other or against the hard edges of chargers. A soft organiser, fitted dividers or a rigid case help limit pressure and shocks. There is no need to overdo the number of pouches, though, because each one adds weight. With an 8 kg limit, it is best to protect the most fragile elements and gather cables and small accessories into one light organiser.
If it turns out at the gate that your cabin suitcase is to be checked into the hold due to lack of space in the lockers, do not hand it over reflexively in the state it was packed. Take out the power banks, spare batteries, documents, medication, valuable electronics and the items you need during the flight. A laptop or camera, if left in checked baggage in line with the rules permitted for devices with built-in batteries, must be completely switched off and properly protected – but in practice it is far safer to move them to your personal item if you have that option.
The best way to organise electronics for ITA Airways therefore combines three principles: count heavier equipment against your real 8 kg budget, check batteries by their Wh value, and place the items that must stay in the cabin so that they can be removed in a matter of seconds. A power bank buried at the bottom of a cabin suitcase is a bad arrangement even when its capacity is fully compliant. Preparing a separate, easily accessible place for batteries and your most important electronics simplifies both security screening and the situation on a full aircraft.
Useful travel accessories from Peli
Gate checks, full aircraft and codeshare – when can your bag end up in the hold?
Even a suitcase fully compliant with ITA Airways' 55 × 40 × 23 cm and 8 kg limit has no unconditional guarantee of staying in the cabin. The carrier can check the size and weight of the bag before boarding and refuse to place it in the cabin because of dimensions, weight, safety requirements, aircraft balance or lack of space. That is why the suitcase should be prepared as if the check were really going to happen.
The measurement can take place at the check-in desk or before boarding. ITA Airways encourages passengers to check their baggage in the sizers available near the check-in counters. If a suitcase does not meet the requirements, it may not be accepted into the cabin, and additional charges related to carrying it in the hold may apply. There is no safe rule along the lines of 'two centimetres will always slip through'. Packing on the assumption that the excess will be ignored is not a sound strategy.
The second situation is completely different: the bag meets all the limits, but the aircraft is very full and locker space may run out. ITA Airways advises that on busy flights a compliant cabin bag may be collected at the gate and placed in the hold. Staff then tag the suitcase and hand the passenger a receipt needed to collect it after landing. The carrier also notes that this procedure does not apply to intercontinental flights. It should therefore not be equated with a penalty for oversized baggage: it can also affect a suitcase that is fully compliant, purely as a matter of organising space on board.
The best time to prepare for this scenario is still at home. Documents, wallet, keys, medication, laptop, camera and other valuable or fragile items should be easily accessible, not hidden under clothes at the very bottom. Power banks and spare lithium batteries, which must remain in the cabin, are especially important. If the suitcase is taken at the gate, they have to be removed before handing it over. It is also useful to attach contact details to the bag and make sure it does not contain your passport or the things you need immediately after leaving the aircraft. And if things go wrong for other reasons on the day, our guide on what to do if you miss your flight walks through the next steps calmly.
In practice, it is worth treating the small personal item as an emergency kit. If the cabin suitcase travels separately, you still have your documents, electronics, medication and the most essential small items with you. That is another argument for not stuffing the small backpack with random clothes, and instead leaving room in it for the items you would need to move quickly if the way your suitcase travels changes.
A codeshare ticket demands more attention. Your ticket may show an ITA Airways flight number, even though the aircraft and crew are provided by a partner. In its current cabin baggage information, ITA Airways refers passengers in that situation to the rules of the carrier actually operating the flight. This matters, because that carrier's permitted dimensions, weight or number of pieces can differ from ITA's standard. The AZ code next to the flight number is therefore not enough to conclude that exactly 55 × 40 × 23 cm applies on that leg.
On a journey involving several carriers, the situation can be more complex, because the rules governing the whole allowance depend on how the ticket is constructed and on which carrier is responsible for the most significant segment of the journey. It is therefore not enough to match your suitcase only to the first segment. If the next operator has a more restrictive cabin limit, it is practically best to pack for the smallest limit that will actually apply on the route.
Special rules apply to journeys to, from or via the United States and Canada. ITA Airways explains that on such itineraries the regulations require greater consistency of baggage policy across the whole journey, and the applicable policy may be that of the marketing carrier whose code is shown on the ticket or, in certain cases, of the carrier deemed most significant for the route. At the same time, local requirements may apply to cabin baggage. The final reference point therefore remains the allowance recorded on the ticket and in the ITA Airways confirmation, not a general table remembered from an earlier flight.
| Situation | What to check | Practical decision |
|---|---|---|
| Flight operated by ITA Airways | the limit on your ticket and ITA's current rules | measure and weigh your bag against your own booking's limit |
| Codeshare | the airline actually operating the segment | check its cabin rules before packing |
| Multi-carrier journey | the conditions of the whole ticket and each operator's limits | do not assume the first segment settles everything |
| Route via the USA or Canada | the allowance shown on the ticket and the conditions of the whole itinerary | apply the limit attached to the journey and account for local requirements |
For example, with a ticket from a central European hub to a further destination via Rome, before the trip you should open the details of both segments and find the 'operated by' line. If the first flight is operated by one carrier and the onward flight by another, you check the rules of both. Then, before you even pack, you know whether the same suitcase will satisfy the requirements along the whole route. The safest bag for a trip with a connection is one that does not require counting on any operator's leniency, and that can, if needed, be quickly prepared for the hold without leaving inside it anything that must be carried in the cabin.
A ready-made way to pack for ITA Airways for a weekend, a week and a business trip
A weekend in Italy – one suitcase and a minimum of things
For a trip of 2–3 nights, it is easiest to fit within ITA Airways' limit without wrestling with extra fees. With the current standard of one cabin bag up to 8 kg and 55 × 40 × 23 cm plus a small personal item of 30 × 40 × 15 cm, it makes sense to treat the suitcase as the place for clothes, cosmetics and a second pair of light shoes, and to reserve the small backpack for documents, electronics and things needed during the flight. The shorter the trip, the less it pays to bring items 'just in case'.
For a weekend, two or three outfits built from the same base pieces are usually enough. One pair of trousers, two or three tops, underwear, a light layer for a cooler evening and the clothes you fly in give more options than several complete looks. The heaviest shoes, jacket and jeans are best worn for the journey, if that is comfortable. Lighter items then go into the suitcase, and the free space is left for the toiletry bag or shopping on the way back.
On a short city break it is also worth leaving a little slack. A suitcase weighing 7.3–7.5 kg before departure gives more comfort than a piece filled right up to the limit. Buying olive oil, a book, small souvenirs or extra cosmetics can quickly wipe out the margin. If you are planning bigger purchases, factor their weight in when packing at home, instead of counting on hastily moving things to your backpack at the gate.
A week with cabin baggage only – laundry instead of seven outfits
On a week-long trip, the main problem stops being the suitcase's capacity and starts being the weight. You can easily fill a cabin bag with things for seven days and only discover on the scale that the whole lot weighs 9 or 10 kg. A better strategy is therefore to pack for 3–4 days and plan one wash. This applies above all to underwear, T-shirts and light sportswear – the items that multiply fastest, even though they are not always needed in seven separate sets.
The second filter is the weather and the character of the trip. A week of sightseeing in Rome does not call for the same kit as Sardinia, trekking in the Dolomites or a business stay in Milan – we cover the city-specific side of this in our guide on how to pack for a trip to Milan. Checking the forecast before packing helps cut the things taken only out of fear of every possible scenario. The biggest savings come from dropping the second jacket, the third pair of shoes and large cosmetic packs, not from removing a single T-shirt weighing a few dozen grams.
On the way back, weigh the suitcase once more. After a week, shopping and things bought on the spot in a pinch have been added. If the bag is approaching 8 kg, it is best to reorganise it the evening before departure, not at the check-in desk. The personal item can help with organisation, but it should still fit within its size limit and cannot be treated as an unlimited extra bag.
A business trip – laptop, documents and clothes without chaos
A business trip is harder on the weight front, because a laptop and its power adapter alone can take a significant share of the available limit. It is best to place the computer, documents, power bank, phone and chargers in a small backpack or laptop bag that fits the personal item limit. That way the most important things stay with you even if the main suitcase is sent to the hold at the gate for lack of locker space.
The suitcase then takes the clothes and things that do not need to be accessible on the aircraft. One pair of smart shoes, trousers or a skirt, two shirts or blouses and a blazer combined with a few base pieces usually give more flexibility than a separate outfit for each day. If a specific Business ticket provides for two pieces of cabin baggage of up to 8 kg each, you can spread the contents more widely – but rely on the allowance recorded in the booking, not on the class name alone.
With electronics, how you carry them matters too. Power banks and spare lithium batteries should remain in the cabin and be easily accessible, so it is not worth burying them deep in the suitcase. Photographic equipment or delicate electronics should be immobilised and protected against pressure. Keep documents, medication, keys and the devices you need after landing in the bag you will not hand over to the hold.
Before closing the suitcase, run through a short checklist:
- measure the packed bag together with wheels, handles and any bulging pockets;
- weigh the empty suitcase, then the whole finished bag, and leave a small margin below 8 kg;
- check on your ticket and in 'My Bookings' how many pieces you are entitled to on the specific flight;
- verify the liquid rules at your departure airport and any connecting airport;
- check the Wh markings on your power banks and keep spare batteries in the cabin;
- move documents, medication and valuable electronics to your personal item;
- before the return flight, weigh the bag again after all your shopping.
The most effective packing for ITA Airways is not about using every centimetre of the suitcase. It is about dividing your things so that the main bag fits the dimensions and weight, while the personal item takes over the needed and valuable items. For a weekend, that mainly means limiting the number of clothes; on a week-long trip, planning a wash; and on a business trip, consciously distributing the electronics. If you measure, weigh and check your ticket before departure, the risk of a nervous repack at the gate drops noticeably.
