American Airlines is removing carry-on bag sizers from all airport gate areas in an effort to improve the boarding experience and reduce passenger stress, according to the carrier. The move, effective on Monday, Oct. 6, follows a similar step by United Airlines in 2024.
While the official carry-on size limits remain unchanged, American says the decision aims to speed up the boarding process by eliminating delays caused when travelers attempt to fit their bags into the metal sizers at the gate. The bag sizers will continue to be available in other airport areas, such as at check-in counters and ticketing desks.
Gate agents will still monitor bag sizes and may require oversized items to be gate-checked, the airline emphasized.
Refining the Boarding Process
The change is part of a broader effort by American Airlines to refine its boarding operations. Earlier this year, the Dallas-based carrier implemented updates, including extended pre-boarding time for families with young children, enhanced digital tools to manage passenger flow and an additional five minutes added to overall boarding time to support smoother operations.
The carrier also introduced new scanning technology, allowing staff to verify boarding zones in real-time—helping prevent passengers from boarding out of sequence and reducing congestion in the jet bridge.
The Big Game
American Airlines has also announced plans to expand service to San Jose, California (SJC), for the Big Game in February 2026.
Between Feb. 5 and 10, the airline will increase operations at SJC by more than 450 percent, operating larger aircraft on existing routes from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Phoenix (PHX) and adding special flights from Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK) and Philadelphia (PHL).
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