Travel Update:The UK has issued hand baggage restrictions on certain British Airways flights, including direct flights to the UK from the following countries: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. For these routes, all large electronic devices must be checked into the hold baggage.Read more here about how the travel restrictions could impact you.
British Airways hand luggage allowance: size, weight and fees | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways cabin bag size | British Airways hand luggage weight allowance | Number of bags allowed onboard | Cost to check in oversized hand luggage |
| 56x45x25cm including handles, pockets and wheels 40x30x15cm handbag or laptop bag 45x36x20cm on flights arriving and departing from Brazil | 23kg per bag | 2 hand luggage bags per passenger; one cabin bag and one handbag or laptop bag British Airways’ hand luggage allowance includes any duty free bought at the airport Infants under 2 entitled to one additional cabin bag | Free if the bag meets BA luggage regulations and the flight is full Check BA website to calculate costs on your route |
What is British Airways checked luggage allowance?
There’s no simple answer here as it depends on what type of ticket you’ve bought and what route you’re flying. British Airways allows free checked baggage on lots of flights but this obviously won’t apply if you’ve purchased a “hand luggage only” ticket; you’ll have to pay extra baggage charges. We recommend you buy the extra allowance before you get to the airport as you might end up paying double if you leave it until the last minute.
Summary of BA’s hold luggage allowances:
‘Hand luggage only’ tickets: it depends on your departure and destination airport but if you book hold luggage in advance you’ll pay between £20 (Dh90) and £35 (Dh160) in advance online, and £65 (Dh295)* per bag if you pay at the airport.
All other flights, including Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First tickets have a free checked bag allowance
Executive Club Gold and Silver and one world Emerald and Sapphire passengers get at least one extra bag weighing a maximum of 32kg
To find out what your specific British Airways baggage allowances are, check your booking online or check out this table.
On most international BA flights you can take one hand luggage bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm including handle, pockets and wheels, plus one handbag/laptop bag no larger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. The combined weight must not exceed 23kg.
Can I bring sports equipment or musical instruments on a British Airways flight?
- Sports equipment such as tennis rackets or diving equipment are counted as hand luggage so must weigh less than 23kg and be no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, otherwise you’ll have to pay to put them in the hold
- You can take a bicycle up to 190cm in length on a BA flight as long as it’s in a bicycle bag with deflated tyres and fixed handlebars
- You can take a musical instrument on a British Airways flight but it must fit the baggage allowance restrictions. If the instrument is bigger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm you will have to check it into the hold
- Give BA at least 24 hours’ notice if you’d like the airline to accommodate a musical instrument heavier than 45kg or larger than 190cm x 75cm x 65cm
How can I make the most of the British Airways hand luggage allowance?
If you’re determined to only carry hand luggage on your flight, follow these tips to make the most of what you’re allowed:
1. Always check the hand luggage dimensions
Different airlines have slightly different luggage restrictions so do your homework and measure your hand luggage bags before you fly, especially if you’re trying out an airline for the first time. The British Airways baggage allowance measurements include handles and wheels, so make sure they’re factored in when you’re measuring your bag. If you’ve measured and you’re still not sure, it might be better to be on the safe side and buy a new bag. Check our guide to some of the newest cabin bags on the market.
2. Get a guarantee
If the plane is especially full the airline might want to take your hand luggage and put it in the hold. But British Airways will guarantee that you can take your smaller piece of hand luggage into the cabin as long as you attach a yellow tag to the bag, and the bag is within the hand luggage allowance. You can pick up the tag from the check in desk or from a British Airways member of staff.
3. Shop around for a fare deal
There’s no one-size-fits-all with British Airways fares.On a short-haul BA flight there are three options on an ‘Economy’ ticket: Basic, Plus and Plus Flex (in Europe) or Business UK flying British Airways UK (useful if you’re planning to visit multiple cities when you’re visiting the UK). Basic offers the ‘hand luggage only’ option, which might suit you if you’re taking some internal or short-haul flights, while Plus offers free checked baggage. Business UK gives you priority boarding so there’s no chance of your hand luggage being squeezed off the plane. Premium Economy is available on a lot of international BA flights from Dubai and lends you a bit more legroom for your large handbag, plus two checked luggage bags (23kg each) as part of the fare.
4. Fly to Brazil
While this is a rather specific tip, flying to brazil affords you significantly more hand luggage because the country’s Civil Aviation Agency makes the rules. It stipulates that flights in and out of Brazil must give passengers two checked bags weighing a maximum of 32kg and hand baggage should measure up to 45cm. But as with most luggage rules, it’s not always simple and the number of cabin bags varies between destinations/origin countries. Always check with British Airways before you start packing!
5. Use the extra centimeters
If you’re planning to visit different countries in Europe on your summer holiday, it’s worth comparing the baggage allowances of different European airlines. British Airways hand luggage allowance is 5cm x 5cm larger than the Ryanair maximum dimensions for hand luggage. This means you have an extra 25cm of bag to fill with more miniatures, books, or whatever else you like to have to hand on a plane.
6. Join the club
Membership to the very expensive sounding British Airways Executive Club is actually free. You’ll start off at registration in the Blue Tier, and automatically start earning Avios (the BA reward points) on flight purchases as well as member offers. If you make it to the next tier, the Bronze Tier (9300 Tier points on BA and partner flights) you’ll be offered more perks like priority boarding and check-in as well as being allowed to select a seat a week before you fly. At 600 Tier points you’ll be upgraded to Silver Tier which gives you an extra luggage allowance and other perks, and the Gold Tier (1,500 points) opens the doors to the exclusive lounges and more chances to earn bonus rewards.
7. Choose another airline
The BA baggage allowance is actually more generous than other airlines including Emirates and Virgin Atlantic, which both have smaller size allowances. It’s worth comparing allowances as even a few centimeters can make a big difference when you’re trying to cram in all your holiday essentials. Read about Emirates’ baggage rules here.
This article was adapted from a piece by Skyscanner writer Laura Gavin.
Want to compare British Airways baggage allowance with other airlines? Read up on the below:
Emirates Hand Luggage Explained
How to beat Emirates’ hand luggage rules and make sure you’re never paying extra at the airport…
Hand luggage rules: 10 banned items
Not sure what can go in your hand luggage? Here are 10 unusual items that make the banned list…
Beat the easyJet luggage rules
Make sure you never get stung on your easyJet luggage allowances…
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*Published January 2017. Prices correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change and/or availability. Price conversions from GBP to Dh correct as of January 2017.
