Travel topic · Transport
Carry-on and checked baggage rules by airline
Assume cabin bag only on basic fares; buy checked allowance online before the airport, where it can cost 2–3x more. Measure your bag including wheels and handles.
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- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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Applies to
What actually decides your bag: the fare family you booked, not the airline name. Cabin size limits, weight caps, checked allowances, fees and the one measurement that gets bags gate-checked — with the numbers to check before you fly.
Key facts
- What decides your allowance
- The fare family on your ticket, not the airline brand
- Typical cabin bagcheck
- 55 x 40 x 20 cm, 7–10 kg on full-service; low-cost carriers often 40 x 30 x 20 cm free
- Typical checked bagcheck
- 23 kg in economy on full-service; 20 kg on many low-cost and charter fares
- Cheapest place to buy a checked bag
- Airline website or app at booking; airport counter is usually the most expensive
- Measure
- Height x width x depth including wheels, handles and side pockets
- Liquids in cabincheck
- 100 ml per container in a 1 L clear bag at most airports; some scanners now allow more
- Power banks
- Cabin only on most airlines; never in checked bags
Your checklist
Every 'Do' tip in this guide in one list. Tick them off as you sort each one.
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The short answer
Your baggage allowance comes from the fare you bought, not from the airline's logo. The same carrier sells a hand-baggage-only fare, a fare with one 23 kg checked bag, and a flexible fare with two — all on the same flight. Two travellers in the same row can have different rules.
So the useful question is not "what does this airline allow?" but "what does my booking say?" Open the booking confirmation or manage-booking page and read the fare name. That name, plus the route, is what the check-in agent will see.
Three numbers decide almost everything: the cabin bag size (usually 55 x 40 x 20 cm on full-service carriers), the cabin bag weight (7–10 kg), and the checked weight per piece (23 kg in economy on most full-service airlines, 20 kg on many low-cost and charter fares). Everything else is a fee.
| Fare type | Cabin bag | Checked bag |
|---|---|---|
| Basic / light (low-cost) | One small bag, often 40 x 30 x 20 cm, no weight guarantee | None included; buy online |
| Standard economy (full-service) | One 55 x 40 x 20 cm bag, 7–10 kg, plus a personal item | One 23 kg bag on most long-haul fares |
| Flexible / premium economy | Same cabin bag, sometimes 2 pieces | One or two 23 kg bags |
| Business / first | Two cabin bags on many carriers | Two 32 kg bags on many carriers |
Indicative only — the fare name on your ticket overrides this table. Check your booking (check).
Do
- Screenshot your booking's baggage line before you travel; it is the fastest way to settle a dispute at the desk.
- If two airlines are on one ticket, the stricter rule usually applies to the whole journey.
Who this applies to
Anyone flying on a commercial ticket: leisure travellers, families, business travellers, students, and people connecting between two airlines on one itinerary. The rules bind you at check-in, at the gate, and at the transfer desk.
It matters most if you booked a low-cost carrier, if you are connecting between two airlines that did not sell the ticket together, if you are flying a domestic leg inside another country, or if you are carrying sports gear, instruments or medical equipment. Those are the cases where a surprise fee is most likely.
It matters least if you booked a single full-service ticket with a checked bag included and you are not connecting to a separate low-cost flight. Even then, the cabin bag size still applies.
Watch out
- On a self-transfer (two separate tickets), the second airline's allowance applies to your bags. You may have to collect, re-check and pay again.
Show 8 sectionsHideHow to check your allowance in five minutes, What it costs and when to buy, Exceptions and things that catch people out, Full-service vs low-cost, in practice, Packing to the rule, FAQ, Questions people ask, Related
How to check your allowance in five minutes
Work through the booking, not the airline's marketing page. The airline website shows the range of fares it sells; your confirmation shows the one you bought.
| Step | What to do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open your booking and find the fare family name | Confirmation email or manage booking |
| 2 | Read the cabin bag dimensions and weight for that fare | Fare rules or baggage page |
| 3 | Read the checked allowance: pieces x kg per piece | Same page |
| 4 | Measure your cabin bag including wheels and handles | At home, with a tape |
| 5 | Weigh both bags on a bathroom scale | At home |
| 6 | If you need more, buy it online before check-in opens | Manage booking |
| 7 | Re-check 24 hours before departure — aircraft changes happen | Manage booking or app |
Do
- A soft tape measure and a luggage scale cost less than one airport excess-bag fee.
- Airline apps often push a discounted bag offer at online check-in; it is usually still cheaper than the counter.
What it costs and when to buy
Checked baggage is a product with a price curve. It is cheapest bundled into the fare at booking, more expensive as an add-on before departure, and most expensive at the airport counter. On low-cost carriers the airport price can be several times the online price, and on some routes a bag bought at the gate is refused outright.
As a rough 2026 estimate, a 20 kg checked bag on a short-haul low-cost flight in Europe or Asia costs about 15–40 in local currency equivalent when bought online, and roughly double or more at the airport. A 23 kg bag on a full-service long-haul route is often included; buying it separately as an add-on typically runs 40–80 one way. These are bands, not quotes — check your own booking.
Timing: buy the bag when you book, or at the latest before online check-in closes. After that you are in airport pricing. If you are checking in at a desk, arrive with the bag already paid for.
| When you buy | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| At booking, bundled in fare | Included or lowest | Best value; compare fare totals, not base fares |
| Online add-on before departure | Mid | Often 15–40 for 20 kg short-haul (2026 estimate) |
| At online check-in | Mid to high | Some airlines discount here; still cheaper than the desk |
| At the airport counter | Highest | Can be 2–3x the online price (check) |
| At the gate | Highest or refused | Many low-cost carriers do not sell bags at the gate |
Bands only. Prices vary by route, season and carrier — check your booking.
Exceptions and things that catch people out
Connections. On a single ticket, the operating carrier's rules usually apply to each leg, and the most restrictive cabin rule tends to govern. On separate tickets you repeat the whole process, including fees.
Codeshares. You may book through one airline and fly another. The operating carrier's baggage rules apply at the airport, even if the marketing airline's website says something different.
Special items. Sports equipment, bicycles, surfboards, skis, musical instruments and medical devices usually need pre-booking, have their own size and weight caps, and are often charged per item rather than per kilo. Some airlines cap the number of such items per flight.
Batteries and restricted goods. Power banks and spare lithium batteries go in the cabin, not the hold, on most airlines. Sharp objects, tools and some sporting goods are hold-only. Check the security rules separately from the baggage rules.
Infants and children. A lap infant usually gets no cabin bag of their own; a child on a seat gets the same allowance as an adult on most carriers. Strollers are commonly carried free at the gate but must be tagged.
Status and credit cards. Elite status and some co-branded cards add a free checked bag or extra weight. The benefit usually applies only when the cardholder is travelling and the ticket was bought with that card — check the terms.
Watch out
- A bag that fits the size but exceeds the weight is still chargeable, and vice versa. Both limits apply.
- Gate-checking a bag is not free of consequence: it can delay you at the destination if the bag goes to the carousel instead of the jet bridge.
Full-service vs low-cost, in practice
The practical difference is not the size of the plane but what is bundled. Full-service carriers sell a fare that includes a checked bag on most long-haul economy tickets and a generous cabin bag. Low-cost carriers strip that out and sell it back as an add-on, which is why the base fare looks cheap.
When comparing two fares, add the bag you will actually need, plus seat selection if you care, plus any card fee. A low-cost fare with a 20 kg bag often lands close to a full-service fare with a 23 kg bag included — and the full-service ticket usually includes food, a screen and a smoother connection if something goes wrong.
| Full-service | Low-cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin bag | 55 x 40 x 20 cm, 7–10 kg, plus personal item | Small free bag; larger cabin bag is paid |
| Checked bag | Often included on long-haul economy | Almost always paid |
| Change fees | Usually a fare difference | Often a flat fee plus difference |
| Connections | Protected on one ticket | Self-transfer common; you carry the risk |
| Where the money goes | Higher base fare | Lower base fare, more add-ons |
General pattern; individual carriers vary (check).
Packing to the rule
Measure the bag, not the label. A bag sold as "cabin size" can still exceed an airline's frame once the wheels and handles are counted. If it does not fit the sizer at the gate, it flies in the hold and you pay.
Weigh at home. Cabin weight limits are enforced more often at the gate than at check-in, especially on low-cost carriers in Asia and Europe. A bathroom scale is accurate enough.
Dress heavy items and keep the dense things — chargers, shoes, books — in the cabin bag if it is weighed, or in the personal item if the cabin bag is not. Wear the coat; carry the laptop.
Do
- Pack a soft bag: it squeezes into a sizer better than a hard shell of the same nominal size.
- Keep the personal item under the seat in front, not in the overhead, so a full cabin does not force a gate check.
FAQ
Short answers to the questions that come up most often at the desk.
Questions people ask
Carry-on and checked baggage rules by airline: what is the short answer?
Your allowance comes from the fare family on your ticket, not the airline name. Cabin bags are typically 55 x 40 x 20 cm and 7–10 kg on full-service carriers; low-cost fares often include only a small 40 x 30 x 20 cm bag. Checked bags are typically 23 kg in economy on full-service and 20 kg on low-cost, and on low-cost carriers you should buy the bag online before the airport, where it can cost two to three times more.
Who does it apply to?
Everyone on a commercial ticket. It bites hardest on low-cost fares, self-transfer itineraries, domestic legs inside another country, and travellers carrying sports gear, instruments or medical equipment. It matters least on a single full-service ticket with a bag included — though the cabin size limit still applies.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
As a 2026 estimate, a 20 kg checked bag on a short-haul low-cost flight costs about 15–40 when bought online and roughly double or more at the airport counter. A 23 kg add-on on a full-service long-haul route typically runs 40–80 one way. Checking your allowance in the booking takes about five minutes; buying the bag online takes the same.
Does the airline name or the fare name decide my bag?
The fare name. The same airline sells hand-baggage-only, standard and flexible fares on one flight, each with a different allowance. Read the fare family on your confirmation, not the airline's general baggage page.
What happens if my cabin bag is too big at the gate?
It is usually gate-checked into the hold and charged at the airport rate, which is the most expensive tier. On some low-cost carriers the gate fee is higher than the counter fee, and a few refuse bags that were never pre-paid.
Can I put a power bank in my checked bag?
No. Power banks and spare lithium batteries must travel in the cabin on most airlines, and many carriers ban them from checked bags entirely. Keep them in your personal item and check the security rules as well as the baggage rules.
Do elite status or credit cards give me a free checked bag?
Often yes — an extra bag or extra weight — but the benefit usually applies only when the cardholder is travelling and the ticket was bought with that card. Check the programme terms before you rely on it at the desk.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check and were last checked Sep 2026