Baggage Allowance: Sizes and Weight Restrictions for Cabin Luggage

Ever paid an additional fee because you went over your luggage allowance? It's a great way to ruin a trip...

To prevent that, check the weight and dimension restrictions of your carry-on baggage before packing for your flight and avoid the unpleasant surprise of an additional charge when you reach the check-in desk at the airport.

Once you've reviewed your travel packing checklist and taken a refresher course on "how to pack a carry-on, all that's left to do is select the appropriate piece of luggage for your flight.

We compiled the cabin allowances of the major international airlines for your convenience, including:

• How many bags you can travel with
• Maximum weight of your luggage
• Maximum dimensions

Don't forget to submit a flight compensation claim with ClaimCompass if your flight is delayed, canceled, or overbooked, or if you lose your luggage.

Baggage Allowance by Airline

Note: Above is the baggage allowance for the economy class of each airline.  Business class passengers generally benefit from less restrictive rules.

What is the difference between cabin bag, handbag, small bag, and personal item?

Your cabin bag is the piece of luggage that you are supposed to store in the overhead compartment in the cabin. The handbag, small bag, and personal item, are the other piece of luggage that you're allowed to bring in the cabin. Since overhead lockers fill up quickly, you are supposed to only place your cabin bag there, while the other piece of luggage must be kept below the seat in front of you.

Sometimes, especially when flying with a low-cost airline, there isn't enough space in the overhead lockers for all cabin bags. Some of them will therefore be stored in the aircraft hold instead. If this happens, you might want to make sure that you keep your important items, such as electronic devices and credit cards, with you in the cabin.

If you're travelling with a baby, check your airline's policy regarding baby equipment. With most airlines, diapers (transported in a diaper bag), stroller, child safety seats, baby food, and cooler bags with breast milk do NOT count as your personal item or carry-on. The same goes for medical devices, as well as mobility devices.

Note that some airlines consider garment bags as your personal item. Check the maximum dimensions and weight authorized by the airline.

What can I pack in my carry-on baggage?

Airlines allow you to bring electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptop. Note that if you have a laptop bag in addition to your cabin bag, it will be regarded as a personal item: make sure that the airline lets you bring it at no extra cost by referring to the table above.

Airlines allow you to bring liquids in containers of up to 100ml, as long as they are transported into a plastic bag or transparent container. In most cases, you are limited to a total of 1 litre per passenger.  

What happens in case of excess baggage?

If you're trying to board the plane with luggage exceeding your baggage allowance, you can expect to pay an additional baggage fee. The same applies if your baggage exceeds the dimension or weight limits.

You may have to register some luggage as checked bags instead of cabin baggage if you brought more than what your ticket allowed. If you had already registered a checked bag, you may have to pay an additional fee, so make sure

Can I bring a musical instrument on the plane?

The rules regarding the transportation of musical instruments on the plane vary from one airline to another, so you should check your airline's policy to make sure that you can bring your instrument on board.

However, as a rule of thumb, airlines will allow you to bring a small musical instrument as a personal item as long as there is room for it in the overhead bin. Some airlines will consider it as your hand luggage instead. Larger, bulkier musical instruments may be accepted as checked items, assuming that they fall within the maximum sizes allowed by the airline.

What are some restricted items on a plane?

The specifics may change for some airlines, but TSA forbids passengers to bring the following items in their hand luggage, as they are considered dangerous goods:

• Guns and other firearms
• Items with a sharp or pointed blade
• Explosive and flammable substances
• Chemical and toxic substances
• Liquids of more than 100ml

As a general rule, it's safer to pack your liquids, gels, and aerosols in your checked bag whenever possible. If you're travelling without one, make sure to read the airline's baggage rules regarding those items if you don't want them to be taken from you during the security screening.

Some items, such as batteries or electronic cigarettes, can be packed in the carry-on baggage, but their use during the flight is prohibited.

What about my hand baggage allowance when I have a connecting flight?

When your journey includes international flights with different airlines, make sure to check the baggage allowance of each airline before leaving, as their policy may differ. For instance, the first airline may authorize 1 handbag and 1 personal item, while the second one only allows a handbag. You may then have to pay a baggage fee for the extra baggage.

The same applies if the total weight of your luggage exceeds the limit for one airline (e.g. the first airline had a 22kg limit, but the second one allows only up to 20kg). In this case, you want to pack no more than 20kg of luggage.

Don't forget to check how to claim compensation for a lost luggage, just in case the airline messes up with your bag or suitcase during transportation.