Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) vs SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height): which airline pet carrier?
Two of the most cross-shopped in-cabin carriers, compared the way an airline sees them: by published size against each under-seat limit. Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) is 19 × 11.75 × 11.5 in; SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height) is 18 × 11.5 × 11.5 in.
Side by side
| Property | Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) | SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height) |
|---|---|---|
| External size (L×W×H) | 19 × 11.75 × 11.5 in | 18 × 11.5 × 11.5 in |
| Type | soft-sided · flexible height | soft-sided · flexible height |
| Pet weight | up to ~22 lb | — |
| Airlines it fits outright | 0 of 43 | 0 of 43 |
Airline by airline
Green = within the published size; amber = fits only collapsed / flexed; grey = over. Height is strict — it's the dimension a seat won't negotiate on.
| Airline | Original Deluxe (Large) | Pro (Large, Flexible Height) |
|---|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Air Canada | Too big | Too big |
| Air France | Too big | Too big |
| Air New Zealand | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Air Transat | Too big | Too big |
| Alaska Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Alaska Horizon (Horizon Air) | Too big | Too big |
| Allegiant Air | Too big | Flexes — 0.5" over |
| American Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| American Eagle (regional, incl. Republic Airways) | Too big | Too big |
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Austrian Airlines | Flexes — 2.4" over | Flexes — 2.4" over |
| Avelo Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Avianca | Flexes — 1.5" over | Flexes — 1.5" over |
| Azul Linhas Aéreas | Size not published | Size not published |
| Breeze Airways | Too big | Too big |
| British Airways | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Brussels Airlines | Flexes — 2.4" over | Flexes — 2.4" over |
| Cape Air | Too big | Too big |
| Cathay Pacific | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| China Airlines | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Contour Airlines | Flexes — 1.5" over | Flexes — 1.5" over |
| Delta Air Lines | Too big | Too big |
| easyJet | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| EL AL Israel Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Emirates | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Etihad Airways | Too big | Too big |
| Finnair | Too big | Too big |
| Frontier Airlines | Too big | Flexes — 0.5" over |
| GOL Linhas Aéreas | Too big | Too big |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Iberia | Too big | Too big |
| ITA Airways | Flexes — 2.4" over | Flexes — 2.4" over |
| Japan Airlines | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| JetBlue | Too big | Too big |
| JSX | Too big | Too big |
| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Korean Air | Too big | Too big |
| Lufthansa | Flexes — 2.4" over | Flexes — 2.4" over |
| Norwegian | Too big | Too big |
| Porter Airlines | Flexes — 1" over | Flexes — 1" over |
| Qantas | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Qatar Airways | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Royal Air Maroc | Flexes — 3.6" over | Flexes — 3.6" over |
| Ryanair | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| SAS Scandinavian Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Singapore Airlines | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Southern Airways Express | Size not published | Size not published |
| Southwest Airlines | Too big | Flexes — 3" over |
| Sun Country Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Swiss International Air Lines | Flexes — 2.4" over | Flexes — 2.4" over |
| TAP Air Portugal | Too big | Too big |
| Turkish Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| United Airlines | Too big | Too big |
| Virgin Atlantic | No cabin pets | No cabin pets |
| Volaris | Too big | Too big |
| Vueling | Too big | Too big |
| WestJet | Too big | Too big |
Which should you buy?
Too close to call on airline fit — each is within the published limit of 0 of the 43 airlines with a published cabin limit. Pick on shape, pet weight and how your pet prefers to lie down.
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Choose the Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) if…
- Larger dog size. At 19 × 11.75 × 11.5 in it is over every published under-seat limit we track — including the roomiest 11-inch ones (Delta, American, United), which it exceeds on all three dimensions. Size down to fly; this one is for the car and the house.
- It clears 0 of 43 airlines with a published cabin limit outright.
- Your pet is under ~22 lb.
Choose the SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height) if…
- The flexible-height top is the whole point — it compresses down to slide under lower seats, then springs back. A common pick for the 8.5" airlines (compresses; verify for your specific seat).
- It clears 0 of 43 airlines with a published cabin limit outright.
- SturdiBag publishes no pet-size limit for this one — measure your pet and compare against the interior before you choose. How →
Full profiles: Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) · SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height) · best carriers ranked · all carriers
Common questions
Which fits more airlines, the Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large) or the SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height)?
They tie — each is within the published limit of 0 of the 43 airlines with a published cabin limit. Pick on shape, weight rating and how your pet likes to lie.
What's the size difference?
Sherpa Original Deluxe (Large): 19 × 11.75 × 11.5 in (up to ~22 lb). SturdiBag Pro (Large, Flexible Height): 18 × 11.5 × 11.5 in. They stand equally tall — and height is the strict dimension under a seat.
Are these figures measured or published?
Published — both sets of dimensions come from the manufacturers' product pages (linked on each carrier's profile), matched against each airline's official carrier limit. We don't invent measurements.