Airline baggage allowances

Weights in kg, Size in cm

1Kg=2.2lb 2.54cm=1 inch

 

This chart is intended to help photographers with heavy expensive and fragile telephoto lenses choose which airlines to fly based on carry-on luggage limits. It is work in progress and any additional data is appreciated. Economy fares are assumed.

Please note that some airlines codeshare with other companies for the whole or part of a route. In this case the allowances may be the lower of the two companies. Where only one dimension is given, it is the total of width+length+height.

Green background = Lowepro Lenstracker 600 with 600mm lens compatible.
Note the 600 bag is 56cm high but bulges with Sigma 300-800mm lens. A bag of max carry-on size will fit the lens diagonal but with little padding.

See also country specific regulations beneath table.

European union restrictions: Carry-on size now 56x45x25cm.

UK department of transport relax carry-on restriction by allowing a second bag from 7 Jan 2008 (but see individual airlines and airports restrictions)

Fluids in 100ml max containers in a single transparent resealable plastic bag max 20cm x 20cm.

Airline

Checked

Carry-on

Carry-on size

Source

Date checked

Notes

British Airways

23kg

18Kg - must be able to lift in overhead.

(+Briefcase or laptop size bag except Gatwick, Jersey, Newquay)

56x45x25cm

www.britishairways.com

Feb 2008

Additional checked bags, £120 longhaul, £60 shorthaul, £30 domestic. 2 bags allowed USA/Canada, Carribean, Nigeria, Brazil,Mexico.

Continental

23kg x2 (157cm)
(32kg x2 to Brazil)

18kg Plus a personal item except for Gatwick, Bristol and Belfast.

130cm (114cm UK / Delhi)

www.continental.com

Feb 2008

Personal item described as briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item

American Airlines

23kg x2

18kg Plus a personal item

114cm

www.aa.com

Feb 2008

Checked baggage different to some destinations. The carry on item but not the personal item counts towards the free baggage allowance.

Aeromexico

32kg x 2 (158cm)
20kg x1 to Brazil
25kg within Mexico

12kg Plus briefcases, handbags, Laptop.

115cm

www.aeromexico.com

Feb 2008

Carry-on limited to one piece 10kg and one piece checked 25kg on Aerolitoral flights.

Iberia (Spain)

20kg

10kg plus small briefcase, handbag, small camera or video camera or binoculars, laptop.

115cm
(56x45x25cm)

www.iberia.com

Feb 2008

Some variation in checked allowance with country and date of flight.

Monarch

20kg*

10kg (everything must be inside the one bag)

56x45x25cm

www.flymonarch.com

Feb 2008

*Checked bags cost 3.99 Pounds each way if booked online or 10 Pounds at the airport. There is no free allowance.

Excess baggage charge £10 / Kg for up to 32kg checked

Kenyan

20kg

10kg (Total weight )

56x36x20cm 1 piece

56x45x25cm 2 piece Departing London

Briefcase or laptop size bag allowed unconditionally.

www.kenya-airways.com

Feb 2008

Visit the website and see if you can make sense of this. Does the bag have to shrink for the return trip to UK ? Does the briefcase count towards the weight ?

Delta Airlines

22.5kg x2

18kg

56x36x23cm

www.delta.com

Feb 2008

Dimensions converted from inches

Air France

Complex (From 20kg)

12kg (Total of 1 item and personal item)

55x35x25cm

www.airfrance.com

Feb 2008

KLM

20kg

12kg (Including coat /blanket, walking stick etc)

55x35x25cm
(115cm USA)

www.klm.com

Feb 2008

Checked 2x23kg to USA/Canada - 158cm each;

United Airlines

23kg x 2

? no limit

55x35x23cm 114cm

www.united.com

Feb 2008

Brazil/Phillipines checked 2 x 32kg.. Within Asia total 20kg.

Easyjet

20kg total weight*

Able to lift it overhead

55x40x20cm

www.easyjet.co.uk

Feb 2008

*Checked bags cost 3.99 Pounds each way if booked online or 10 Pounds at the airport. Up to 8 bags but total 20kg - additional £6/kg up to 50kg max.

RyanAir

15kg total weight*

10kg

55x40x20cm

www.ryanair.com

Feb 2008

Checked bags £12 each way. Half price for 1st bag if booked online. Up to 3 bags allowed. Additional kg £7.50 each.

Thomson Fly

20kg (longhaul premium seats 30kg)

10kg (But checked + carry-on total 25Kg. Longhaul premium seats 35kg)

55x40x20cm

www.thomsonfly.com

Feb 2008

Excess £10 per Kg longhaul, £6 shorthaul per flight. Package tours have different allowances - see brochure or ticket. 10kg carry-on cannot be increased.

Flybe

20kg*

10kg

50x35x23cm

www.flybe.com

Feb 2008

Checked luggage fee £9 or £5 if booked online. Excess baggage £6/kg.

Austrian Airlines

20kg

8kg

55x40x23cm

www.aua.com

Feb 2007

23kg x2 checked for USA

Swiss Int.

20kg

8kg

55x40x20cm

www.swiss.com

Feb 2007

23kg x2 checked for USA

Air India

20kg

8kg

55x40x20cm

www.airinia.com

Feb 2007

23kg x2 checked for USA

Air Greenland

20kg

8kg

50x40x23cm

www.greenland-guide.dk/gla/

April 2006

Lufthansa

20kg

8kg

55x40x20cm

www.lufthansa.com

April 2008

Checked baggage 32kg or 23kg x2 to some destinations

LAN (Equador, Peru, Chile)

20kg

8kg

55x35x25cm

www.lan.com

April 2006

Checked baggage varies with route

S. African Airways

20kg

7kg

52x40x23cm

www.flysaa.com

Aug 2007

More checked to USA see website

Qantas

20kg

7kg

115cm

www.qantas.com

April 2006

Checked allowance varies

Air Seychelles

23kg

7kg

115cm

www.airseychelles.com

April 2006

20kg checked on regional sectors

Singapore Airlines

20kg

7kg

115cm

www.singaporeair.com

Aug 2007

Air Mauritias

23kg

7kg

56x45x25cm

www.airmauritius.com

Aug 2007

Emirates

20kg

7kg

55x38x20

www.emirates.com

Aug 2007

Etihad

20kg

7kg

115cm

www.etihadairways.com

Aug 2007

Qatar Airways

20kg

7kg

50x37x25cm

www.qatarairways.com

Aug 2007

Cathay Pacific

20kg

7kg

56x36x23cm

www.cathaypacific.com

Aug 2007

Eva Air

20kg

7kg

56x36x23

www.evaair.com

Aug 2007

Thai Air

20kg

7kg

56x46x25

www.thaiair.com

Aug 2007

Tame (Galapagos)

20kg

7kg

61x40x25cm

www.tame.com.ec

April 2008

Excess checked baggage 1% fare per kg if available.

Virgin Atlantic

23kg

6kg

56x36x23cm

www.virgin-atlantic.com

Apr 2008

Double checked on some routes but size restrictions

British Midland

20kg

Able to lift in overhead + small personal item.

55x40x23cm

www.flybmi.com

April 2008

TAP Portugal

20kg

6kg

55x40x20cm

www.flytap.com

April 2008

Checked to Brazil, Caracas and NY is 2 x 23kg

Loganair (Scotland)

15kg

6kg

51x38x25cm

www.loganair.co.uk

April 2006

SN Brussels

20kg

6kg

55x40x20

www.flysn.co.uk

April 2006

23kg x2 checked to USA

Air Malta

20kg

5kg

50x45x18cm

www.airmalta.com

April 2008

Varig (Brazil)

20kg

5kg

115cm

www.varig.com

April 2008

Some routes checked is 2 x 32kg.

Alitalia

20kg

5kg

55x35x25cm

www.alitalia.co.uk

Feb 2007

China Eastern

30kg

5kg

none stated

www.chinaeastern.co.uk

April 2008

TAM (Brazil)

23kg

5kg

55x40x20cm

www.tam.com

April 2008

2 carry-ons to Europe and USA except UK; Checked 32kg x2 to some dests inc Europe, USA.

Malaysia Airlines

20kg

5kg

56x36x23cm

www.malaysiaairlines.com

April 2008

Link downloads a pdf file

Egyptair

20kg

not stated

55x45x25cm

www.egyptair.com

April 2008

More checked to USA see website

Information supplied as a guide only. Please check individual airlines websites before making use of information.

Country specific regulations

(These are difficult to verify on Internet so they are based mainly on individual reports)
The lower of the Airline and country allowances will apply.

Germany maximum carry-on weight 8kg
New Zealand carry-on 7kg plus laptop plus ladies handbag (weight checked at security)
Australia - one report of 5kg limit from 1997 (can anyone verify this more recently ?)

UK - Carry-on size of 56x45x25cm 23Kg. Fluids must be in 100ml or smaller bottles. All bottles to be in transparent resealable plastic bag maximum size 20cm x 20cm. One plastic bag per person only.
Government guidlines now allow a second carry-on bag but see individual airlines restrictions plus not all airports comply yet. Gatwick is still one bag except for connecting flights.

UK Stanstead Airport - Carry on size maximum 56x40x20cm

Poland - no hand luggage to UK

Brazil - Congonhas Airport (SBSP/CGH - Sao Paulo's domestic airport) Hand luggage 5Kg 55cm tall. Source

Please be aware that restrictions that apply to specific countries or airports may also apply to flights that pass through them even though your journey does not start or end at them.