British Airways baggage allowance system depends on your ticket class and club membership. It can be a bit complicated to understand. 

Additional baggage fees depend on several complicated factors, including size, weight, whether you booked your baggage when you bought your ticket, and where you’re flying from.

Don’t worry, if you book your flight with us, we’ll make sure you have all the information you need! 

Let’s start with the basics:

Hand Baggage Allowances (aka: Carry-on or Hand Luggage)

Cabin baggage allowances apply to your British Airways and BA City Flyer tickets, along with hand baggage only (Basic) fares and selected British Airways short and long haul flights.

Note: Your baggage allowance may be different if you’re flying on a British Airways partner airline for any part of your journey.

Free carry-on baggage allowance for adults, young adults, and children:

1 – Handbag or laptop bag

1 – A standard carry-on bag

British Airways Size & Weight Restrictions:

Personal item (purse or laptop bag): 16 x 12 x 6in (40 x 30 x 15cm), up to 51lb (23kg)

Standard carry-on: 22 x 18 x 10in (56 x 45 x 25cm), up to 51lb (23kg)

• At check-in, your bags must fit completely into the baggage gauge (including handles, pockets, and wheels).
• Each bag must be under the weight limit. A light bag cannot make up for a bag that exceeds the weight limit.
• Your bags must be light enough for you to handle by yourself. You must be able to lift your bags into the overhead locker and retrieve them on landing.
• You will always be able to carry your handbag or laptop-size bag with you in the cabin.
• The number of carry-on bags will occasionally exceed the storage capacity, and British Airways booking agents may ask you to check a carry-on at the ticket counter. As long as it is within the size limitations for carry-on allowance, you won’t be charged extra. Make sure you have no valuables or essential medication packed in this bag.
• Duty-free shopping bags and other airport purchases count as hand baggage. If you have more than your free allowance, any extra bags will be checked into the hold and you’ll be charged a baggage fee.

Carry-on Bag Allowance For Infants and Toddlers (under 2) Riding in Your Lap

1 – carry-on bag for items required during the flight.

Size and weight restrictions: Up to 22 x 18 x 10in (56 x 45 x 25cm), maximum weight: 51lb (23kg)

British Airways Hand Luggage Only Fare

For travelers who hate the baggage carousel and like to pack light, British Airways offers a lower fare on selected short and long-haul routes with no checked luggage included. Hand luggage allowance remains the same, one personal item and one carry-on bag.

With Business Class Experts, you’ll get such a deep discount, you won’t care about the extra baggage fees! 

British Airways Economy Class Checked Baggage Allowances (Euro Traveller, World Traveller)

Each checked bag can be up to 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm), including anything that sticks out, like the handle, pockets, and wheels. The maximum weight for any bag is 70lbs.

• Adults and young adults (from 12 years) – 1 bag (max. 32kg / 70lb per bag)

• Children (2-11) – 1 bag (max. 32kg / 70lb per bag) plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

• Infants (under 2) – 1 bag, up to 22 x 18 x 10in  (56 x 45 x 25cm), maximum weight: 51lb (23kg) plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

British Airways Premium Economy Class Checked Baggage Allowances (World Traveller Plus)

Each checked bag can be up to 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm), including anything that sticks out, like the handle, pockets, and wheels. The maximum weight for any bag is 70lbs.

• Adults and young adults (from 12 years) – 2 bags 
• Travel crib
• Carry harness (baby carrier)
• Children (2-11) – 2 bags plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
• Infants (under 2) – 1 bag, up to 22 x 18 x 10in  (56 x 45 x 25cm), maximum weight: 51lb (23kg) plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

British Airways Business Class Checked Baggage Allowances (Club Europe, Club World, First, Club World London City)

Each checked bag can be up to 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm), including anything that sticks out, like the handle, pockets, and wheels. The maximum weight for any bag is 70lbs.

• Adults and young adults (from 12 years) – 2 bags 

• Children (2-11) – 2 bags, plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

• Infants (under 2) – 1 bag, up to 22 x 18 x 10in  (56 x 45 x 25cm), maximum weight: 51lb (23kg) plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

British Airways First Class Checked Baggage Allowances (Club Europe, Club World, First, Club World London City)

With a first class ticket, you are allowed extra baggage, but the rules for bags remain the same. If you upgrade to a higher class at the airport, the baggage rules for that class apply for that flight. Connecting and return flights may have different rules. Each checked bag can be up to 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm), including anything that sticks out, like the handle, pockets, and wheels. The maximum weight for any bag is 70lbs.

• Adults and young adults (from 12 years) – 3 bags 

• Children (2-11) – 3 bags, plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

• Infants (under 2) – 1 bag, up to 22 x 18 x 10in  (56 x 45 x 25cm), maximum weight: 51lb (23kg) plus:
  • Up to two items selected from the following:
    • Fully collapsible stroller
    • Car seat
    • Travel crib
    • Carry harness (baby carrier)

Additional Baggage Allowances for Silver & Gold Executive Club Members (and equivalent members in other Oneworld frequent flyer programs)

Each additional checked bag can be up to 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm), including anything that sticks out, like the handle, pockets, and wheels. The maximum weight for any bag is 70lbs.

*Notes: 

• The Executive Club member must be traveling on the booking for these benefits to apply. 
• Additional bag allowances apply to British Airways flights only. 
• Infants who are traveling without their own seats do not get an extra baggage allowance. 
• Not available for group rate bookings.

Wheelchairs and Medical Equipment

You can take wheelchairs, mobility aids, and other equipment for personal use at no additional baggage charges, as long as they meet the size restrictions:

• British Airways long haul aircraft: maximum dimensions 55.1 x 33.5 x 41.7in (140 x 85 x 106cm)
• British Airways short-haul aircraft: maximum dimensions 55.1 x 33.5 x 41.7in (140 x 85 x 106cm)
• BA CityFlyer: maximum dimensions 75 x 29.5 x 25.5in (190 x 75 x 65cm)

If your wheelchair or mobility aid weighs over 551lbs, contact British Airways to verify they are able to carry it.

Increasing your British Airlines checked baggage allowance

Need to take more bags, bigger bags, or special equipment? Excess baggage or oversized items can be arranged.

• You can take more bags than your free checked baggage allowance – it just costs more (about $100 each).
  • You’ll get a lower bag charge rate if you pay online in advance.
• You can ship overweight bags for an extra charge.
• You can take larger items of up to 75 x 29.5 x 25.5in (190 x 75 x 65cm) as long as they weigh no more than your permitted baggage weight allowance. If the bag weighs more than your allowance, you will be charged extra at the airport. No bag can weigh more than 70lbs. Any items larger than the above dimensions will require shipping as cargo.
• You can take sporting equipment and musical instruments.
• If you are checking in a large piece of baggage, please allow an additional 15 minutes so that the item can be safely and securely handed over to the Baggage staff.
• There are no overweight charges for personal wheelchairs, mobility aids or medical equipment. Check BA’s disability assistance or medical information for specific information.

Baggage Allowances when Traveling on British Airways Partner Airlines

When you book a British Airlines flight, some parts of your journey may be on other airlines. Your baggage allowances may follow BA rules, or may be subject to the rules of the other carrier. You can tell by the code on your ticket.

If all connecting flights on your trip have a BA code (for example: BA1234) you can go by the British Airways’ checked baggage allowance outlined above, even if some or all of the flights are on other carriers. 

• If every flight in your journey has another airline’s code (examples: AA1122 or IB3210), please follow the baggage allowance for those carriers.
• If some of the flights on your trip have a BA code and connecting flights have other airline codes, you will get the allowance of the most significant carrier – usually the airline operating the longest part of the journey. For example, if you’re flying from the USA to Europe, and the first part of your trip is LAX to NYC on American Airlines, then you catch an international flight to Europe from New York on British Airways, you can follow the baggage allowance guide for British Airways.