Does a Fanny Pack Count as a Personal Item?

If you’re planning a trip, you may be wondering, is a fanny pack considered personal or carry-on luggage? 

Well, the answer is fanny packs are acceptable to use as both personal and carry-on baggage. 

Can You Bring a Fanny Pack as a Personal Item?

Yes, you can almost always use a fanny pack, also called a bum bag, as a personal article on a flight. Just remember that there is usually a one personal item limit per person. 

For most flights, the only rule for your one personal item is that it has to fit under the seat. And, since fanny packs are small, there shouldn’t be a problem. 

However, if you are worried that your fanny pack is too big, you should know that, in general, the maximum dimensions for a personal item are 8 x 14 x 18 inches (20 x 36 x 46 centimeters). 

But, when flying, you should always check with your airline to see what their maximum dimensions and weight allowances are for personal items because different airlines may have significantly different rules. 

Yet, if your fanny pack does happen to be oversized, you can usually just use it as your carry-on bag instead. 

Finally, at some airlines, you can bring two other acceptable pieces along with your fanny pack because the pack will not count as either a personal article or a carry-on. 

Do You Have to Pay to Bring a Fanny Pack as a Personal Item?

For almost all major airlines, you don’t have to pay to bring a personal item. But, again, you should always check with your airline to ensure you can take a personal item for free. 

Read Also >> Do Garment Bags Count as Carry-on?

Can You Bring a Fanny Pack as Carry-On Luggage?

Yes, a fanny pack can count as a carry-on. But, it’s probably better to bring your fanny pack as your personal belonging so you can have more room to pack because, for almost all airlines, you can only have one carry-on bag. 

Yet, if you do want to bring your fanny pack as your carry-on bag, you can then take another item as your personal article, like a backpack or purse. 

You should also know that, for most flights, you can have hand luggage as big as 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 centimeters). For fanny packs bigger than this size, you may have to pay an extra charge or check it. 

However, the chances of finding a fanny pack that is larger than these measurements are almost nil. 

Plus, you ought to also remember that if you bring your fanny pack as a carry-on, the FAA requires that you put it in the overhead bins when you board the plane. For some people, storing their pack away from them can feel quite inconvenient, so you should think about that as you plan your luggage.  

Additionally, when you bring a fanny pack as your one carry-on, there’s a chance that the gate agents will make you put it in with checked luggage if the plane becomes too full. So, you should also bring a personal article like a small bag to put your most essential items in if your bag gets checked. 

Do You Have to Pay to Bring a Fanny Pack as a Carry-On?

For most airlines, you can bring your fanny pack as a carry-on for free. There’s no charge because the cost of a carry-on is usually a part of your ticket price. 

Yet, some airlines, especially the cheaper ones, may make you pay to bring any carry-on item, including a fanny pack. You may also need to pay an additional cost if your pack is over the weight limit for a carry-on. 

Finally, it’s always a good idea to pay attention to what ticket you have because sometimes economy class passengers do not get the same benefits as business class. 

Read Also >> Does a Backpack Count as a Carry On / Personal Item?

What Should I Put in My Fanny Pack?

Most fanny packs are only about 12 x 5 x 5 inches (31 x 13 x 13 centimeters) on the inside. Therefore, you can not bring too many items inside of your fanny pack, so you’ll have to be careful to save space for your essentials. 

But, although fanny packs are often small, you can fit many essential items inside of them. For example, here are some things you may want to put in your fanny pack: 

• Your ID, boarding pass, and other documents, so you can easily access them. 
• Food that will not spill
• Your phone 
• Money 
• Hand sanitizer and tissues
• A lighter and cigarettes, if you smoke 
• House and car keys or key fob
• Headphones 
• Water bottle 

Thus, overall, your fanny pack should hold your most important objects and things you will need often. 

Plus, of course, remember that larger items should go in the main compartment. Meanwhile, small objects and essential documents ought to be in the zipper pockets so you can easily find them. 

Should I Wear My Fanny Pack on the Plane?

Most people will probably prefer to wear their fanny pack inside the plane because of the convenience, and there is little chance that a flight attendant or gate agent will make you remove it when you board. 

But, you should know that you can always store fanny packs or bum bags under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin if it becomes uncomfortable during the trip. Or, if you prefer, you can hook your pack to your backpack to make it easier to keep track of after you remove it. 

Do I Need to Remove My Fanny Pack for Security?

Yes, airport security will need to scan all waist packs. So, if you wear your pack to keep your wallet or other items close to you, you will need to take it off temporarily. 

Are Fanny Packs Safe for Air Travel?

Common sense and plenty of travel tips say that carrying your items close to you keeps them safer. Thus, when you wear a bag against your body, there’s less chance of anyone stealing from you. 

Additionally, if you need to evacuate the plane, a bum bag is small enough that wearing one should not hinder your escape. 

What Can I Bring Instead of a Fanny Pack?

For most flights, you can bring any one bag as long as it is not too large. But, here’s a quick list of some common bags that people take as carry-ons or as their personal allotment instead of fanny packs: 

• A small suitcase 
• A small backpack and other hands-free bags
• A cross-body bag that you can wear across your chest
• A purse
• A laptop bag 
• A small duffle bag