Fortunately, Kayak has come to the rescue with a universal bag measurement tool that bypasses both of the concerns above.
In order to utilize this handy feature, you'll first have to download the Kayak app. You don't need to sign in to Kayak or connect your account; just go directly to the bottom left on the home screen and select "Search." Scroll down to the bottom of the page until you see a button that says "New bag measurement tool."
After that, the camera needs to scan the bag you want to carry on. Once again, I brought out my trusty Away carry-on – the smaller suitcase size, which, according to the Away website, measures 21.7” x 13.7” x 9”.
I decided to try again, a few more times. The trick seems to be to stand as still as possible and move the phone over the suitcase in a gentle panning motion, resisting the urge to "scan" the whole thing from different angles.
The third time still wasn't quite the charm, as the camera began picking up on the textured details on the suitcase front. But the connected dots looked very closely correlated with the suitcase outline, and I figured the bag surely would scan correctly this time around.
All in all, Kayak definitely has the right idea here. However, the tool is not nearly as accurate as it should be, which is probably the reason you need it in the first place. We would not recommend relying on this feature to back up your heated argument at the check-in desk or the gate, but at least it's available for an overall assessment if you need it.
