British Airways baggage allowance swings more than most airlines, from no hold bag at all on an Economy Basic ticket to three 32kg bags in First. The one constant is the cabin: every passenger, on every fare, gets two bags free. What changes is what you can put in the hold, and what it costs if you go over.
Key takeaways
- Every British Airways fare, even the cheapest Economy Basic ticket, includes two cabin bags free: one small bag for under the seat and one larger bag for the overhead locker.
- Checked baggage depends entirely on your fare and cabin, from no hold bag at all on Economy Basic up to three 32kg bags in First.
- British Airways sets no published weight limit on your cabin bags, but you must be able to lift the larger one into the overhead locker yourself.
- Always check your exact British Airways allowance in Manage My Booking before you fly, because what you get changes with your fare, your cabin and your British Airways Club tier.
British Airways hand luggage allowance
British Airways is more generous than most airlines here, because every passenger gets two pieces of hand baggage at no extra cost, whatever they paid for the ticket.
Your hand bag can measure up to 40 x 30 x 15cm (16 x 12 x 6in) and has to fit easily under the seat in front of you. This is the bag that stays with you, so it is the place for anything you cannot afford to lose like medication, your phone, laptop, passport and other electronics. British Airways guarantees this bag a place in the cabin.
Your cabin bag can be larger, up to 56 x 45 x 25cm (22 x 18 x 10in) including the wheels and handles. There is no stated weight limit, but you do have to lift it into the overhead locker unaided, so pack what you can comfortably manage. If the lockers fill up, this larger bag may be taken from you at the gate and put in the hold.
Keep your valuables, electronics and essential medicines in the smaller hand bag for exactly this reason, because anything gate-checked travels out of your sight.
If you have an accessibility need that stops you lifting your own bag, British Airways lets you bring a cabin bag that an able-bodied adult could reasonably lift for you. Wheelchairs, mobility aids and related equipment for your own use fly free, as long as they sit within the size limits.
For a fuller rundown of what counts as hand luggage and how the rules differ between airlines, read our guide to carry-on baggage rules.
British Airways checked baggage allowance
Your hold allowance is set by the fare you buy and the cabin you fly in. Economy Basic is a hand baggage only fare, so it includes no checked bag at all. Every other fare includes at least one.
Here is how the standard checked allowance works across the cabins.
| Cabin / fare | Checked bags | Weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Basic | None (hand baggage only) | not applicable | not applicable |
| Economy (with checked bag) | 1 | 23kg (50lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
| Premium Economy | 2 (1 on a few routes) | 23kg (50lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
| Business (Club) | 2 | 32kg (70lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
| First | 3 | 32kg (70lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
On a small number of routes, Premium Economy drops to one checked bag, so check Manage My Booking if you are relying on two.
Extra bags for British Airways Club and oneworld members
If you hold status with British Airways Club, oneworld or AerClub, you and everyone on your booking get more baggage allowance. This benefit also passes to your travelling companions on the same reservation, which is worth remembering when you book as a group.
| Status tier | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold / oneworld Emerald / AerClub Platinum | 2 bags | 3 bags | 3 bags | 4 bags |
| Silver / oneworld Sapphire / AerClub Concierge | 2 bags | 2 bags | 2 bags | 3 bags |
| Blue / Bronze | standard fare allowance | standard fare allowance | standard fare allowance | standard fare allowance |
For Gold, Emerald and Platinum members the higher tiers also lift the weight to 32kg per bag. This extra allowance does not apply to group bookings or to infants travelling without their own seat.
British Airways baggage size limits
Weight is only part of the picture, because your bags also have to fit within British Airways' dimensions:
- Your under-seat hand bag must stay within 40 x 30 x 15cm (16 x 12 x 6in).
- Your larger cabin bag can go up to 56 x 45 x 25cm (22 x 18 x 10in), wheels and handles included.
- Every checked bag, in every cabin, can measure up to 90 x 75 x 43cm (35 x 30 x 17in).
Excess and extra baggage fees
Going beyond your allowance costs money, and you always pay less by sorting it out online before you travel.
You can add up to 10 extra checked bags, as long as they hold items for personal use only. The price depends on your destination and how many bags you are adding over your allowance, so the exact figure shows in Manage My Booking on the BA site or app. Add them online before check-in for the cheapest rate, where you can pay by card, with Avios, or a mix of the two. If you wait to do this at the airport, you'll pay the higher airport rate. Also, Avios is no longer accepted.
If a single bag tips over your weight allowance, you pay a heavy bag charge:
| Charge | Amount per bag, per one-way journey |
|---|---|
| Overweight bag (23kg to 32kg) | $100 (£65) |
British Airways sets this fee at £65 and converts it into your local currency, so the $100 is the US figure and the exact amount can move a little with exchange rates. Some destinations add local taxes on top of the fee. At many airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and across North America, this charge can only be paid by credit or debit card, not cash or Avios.
Key limit
The 23kg limit applies to each bag on its own and cannot be split across several bags to avoid paying the fee. No checked bag may weigh more than 32kg under any circumstances, for the safety of the people who handle it. Always confirm your exact allowance and fees in Manage My Booking on the official British Airways site before you travel.
Travelling with infants and children
- An infant under 24 months travelling without their own seat gets one 23kg bag checked into the hold, whatever cabin you are in.
- You cannot buy extra allowance for an infant without a seat.
- If you are both travelling on a hand baggage only (Basic) fare, there is no checked allowance for either of you, and none can be added for the baby.
- Children and infants who have their own seat get the same free allowance as an adult.
- Each child and infant can check up to two pieces of essential baby equipment free, even on Basic fare including:
- A fully collapsible pushchair or stroller
- A car or booster seat
- A travel cot
- A baby back carrier
British Airways Club extras
British Airways Club is the airline's loyalty programme, and the higher you climb the more baggage you get.
As the status tables above show, Gold tier members and their companions pick up an extra checked bag and a 32kg weight limit on most fares. Check your tier benefits in Manage My Booking before you book, so you know exactly what is included.
If your bag is delayed, lost or damaged
Even a flag carrier like British Airways mishandles bags, and when it does you have rights. On international flights, baggage problems are covered by the Montreal Convention, which caps airline liability at 1,519 SDR, roughly $2,000 (£1,600), per passenger for a bag that is delayed, lost or damaged.
What you do in the first hour matters. Report the problem at the airport before you leave, keep your bag tag, boarding pass and any receipts for things you had to buy. These documents are what turns a complaint into a claim.
If your bag simply has not arrived, start with our guide on delayed baggage. If it has been missing long enough to be declared lost, our lost baggage guide explains the next steps. And if your suitcase turned up cracked, torn or broken, see damaged baggage for how to claim. For a full walkthrough of the BA process, read our British Airways baggage claim guide.
Claim with BagHelp
BagHelp helps travellers claim compensation for delayed, lost or damaged baggage on a no-win, no-fee basis. If your British Airways bag went missing or arrived broken, we can check your case and handle the claim for you, so you do not have to fight the airline yourself.
Start your claim →FAQ
Economy Basic does not include any hold baggage, so you would pay to add one. Do it online through Manage My Booking before check-in for the lower rate, since adding a bag at the airport always costs more.
No. British Airways sets the allowance per passenger and does not let you pool or combine it, even with someone on the same booking. For security, you must only check in bags you packed yourself, and you are responsible for any bag linked to your name.
No bag may exceed 32kg, full stop. A bag between 23kg and 32kg that is over your allowance triggers the heavy bag charge, and anything heavier than 32kg has to be split into separate bags, each under the limit.
Not necessarily. If your journey includes a flight operated by a partner airline, their baggage rules and allowances may differ from British Airways', so check both before you fly.
Yes, as long as you cancel before the flight departs. British Airways refunds the charge to the card you paid with. Once the flight has left, no refunds or changes to prepaid extra baggage are possible.