Does Garment Bag Count as Personal Item?

Based on my research, all US airlines count a garment bag as a carry-on, and not as a personal item, regardless of how small it is. To give an example, this is confirmed on American's website: Soft-sided garment bags up to 51 inches / 130 cm (length + width + height) can also be taken as your carry-on item.

Does a garment bag count as a carry-on Spirit?

Of course you can! As long as it fits within our specified carry-on bag dimensions, standard carry-on baggage fees apply. Please know our aircraft does not offer additional hanging storage for garment bags.

What counts as a personal bag?

What are personal items? In most cases, an airline will allow you to bring one carry-on baggage and one personal item. A personal item is normally something like a purse, laptop, backpack or camera case. Personal items should always be small enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you.