Baggage allowance by airline

There is no single baggage standard. Your allowance comes down to three things: the airline, your fare, and the route. That is why the very same suitcase can fly free on one flight and cost extra on another.

In short

Carry-on is typically 7–10 kg; checked baggage is usually 20–23 kg (often one piece). On transatlantic routes the allowance is often counted by the number of pieces rather than by weight. Your exact allowance is always printed on the e-ticket itinerary — open it in My bookings and confirm it against the carrier's website.

01 / Depends onWhat the allowance depends on

Your allowance is not a property of the airport or the cabin — it is a condition of a specific fare. The same aircraft carries passengers under different rules: one bought a carry-on-only ticket, another a fare with two checked bags. Three factors decide what is yours.

Airline. Every carrier sets its own limits on weight, size and number of pieces — these differ even on identical routes.
Fare. Within a single airline, Light, Economy and Flex grant different baggage — from zero pieces to two.
Route. Short-haul flights usually count weight; transatlantic ones more often count pieces (the piece concept).

Cabin ≠ allowanceBusiness class usually allows more than economy, but that is a fare condition, not a rule. There are pricey economy fares with two pieces, and Light tickets with no checked bag at all. Go by the fare rules, not by how expensive the ticket felt.

02 / BallparksTypical ranges

The ranges below are indicative, not a guarantee. They help you plan what to pack, but they do not replace your itinerary. Always confirm the exact figures for your flight with the carrier.

Item	Typical range	How it's counted
Carry-on	≈ 7–10 kg	Weight + size (often 55×40×20–25 cm)
Personal item	Bag or backpack under the seat	Often with no separate weight limit
Checked (weight)	From 20–23 kg, often 1 piece	Short- and medium-haul
Checked (pieces)	1–2 pieces at 23 kg each	Mostly transatlantic

Don't treat the figures as absoluteThese values are a market average. Your carrier and fare may differ in either direction. Excess weight is charged at the desk at the airline's own rate and works out dearer than baggage bought in advance.

03 / Where to lookWhere to find your allowance

Your own allowance is always recorded in the booking documents — there is no need to guess. Follow the steps below and you'll see the exact pieces and kilograms for your ticket.

Open the e-ticket itinerary

In My bookings, open the order and the e-ticket itinerary. The allowance appears next to the fare — for example, “1PC” (one piece) or “23KG”.

Decode the notation

PC means pieces, KG a weight limit, and 0PC or NIL means no checked bag — carry-on only.

Cross-check the airline's site

On the carrier's baggage page, confirm carry-on dimensions and the rules for each leg of the journey — on connecting flights the allowance can vary from segment to segment.

Ask us if in doubt

Message @sales_travel_bot or call 8 800 1000-646, and we'll look up your fare rules by booking number.

Add baggage in advanceIf your fare includes no baggage or very little, an extra piece is almost always cheaper bought ahead than paid as excess at the airport. On connecting routes, add baggage all the way through to your final destination.

04 / By piecesPieces versus weight

Many transatlantic and long-haul flights use the piece concept: what matters is not the total weight but how many pieces you carry and whether each fits the per-piece limit on weight (usually up to 23 kg) and size. Two 20 kg bags can be within the allowance, while a single 30 kg bag counts as excess.

Count pieces, not total weight, and keep each one within the per-piece weight limit and the sum-of-three-dimensions limit.
On connections that mix both systems, the most-restrictive-segment rule may apply — confirm with the carrier.
Overweight within a single piece (say 25 kg instead of 23) is charged separately and at a higher rate.

05 / FAQFrequently asked

Did this answer help?

Ask an operator

95% of readers found this helpful · 11 480 ratings