Checked bag allowance by airline: weight, size and what one kilo over costs

Quick answer: the standard checked bag is 23 kg (50.7 lb) and 158 cm (62 in) length plus width plus height, on almost every airline in the chart. US carriers write it 50 lb, which is only 22.7 kg. Almost no airline takes a single bag over 32 kg (70.5 lb). What changes from one airline to the next is the price of being over, and whether the cheapest fare includes a bag at all.

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European low-cost

• easyJet
• Norwegian
• Pegasus
• Ryanair
• Transavia
• Vueling
• Wizz Air

European network airlines

• Air France
• British Airways
• Iberia
• ITA Airways
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• SWISS
• TAP Air Portugal
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

North America

• Air Canada
• American Airlines
• Delta
• JetBlue
• United

Gulf

• Emirates
• Etihad Airways
• flydubai
• Qatar Airways
• Saudia

Asia

• Air India
• Air India Express
• AirAsia
• ANA
• IndiGo
• Japan Airlines
• Singapore Airlines

The scale at the check-in desk is where travel budgets go wrong. Most network airlines charge a flat fee for a bag between 23 and 32 kg, whether it is 200 grams over or 9 kilos. Low-cost airlines charge by the kilo. The cheapest economy fare now carries no bag on most European carriers, on every US carrier, and on several Gulf and Indian ones. This page has every limit in both units, read on the airlines’ own pages, and the fee each one charges when the bag is heavy.

Low-cost Europe

No bag is included on the base fare, you buy a weight, and the airport charges by the kilo for anything above the weight you bought. Ryanair’s 20 kg bag costs 21.49 to 59.99 euros online depending on the route and the date, and 59.99 euros at the bag drop. The same logic runs through the whole table: the price you pay is set by when you buy, not by what the bag weighs.

Airline	Checked bag in economy	Max size	Max weight	Overweight fee	Paid bag	Source
easyJet	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Inclusive Plus · no bag on the cheapest fare	275 cm 108 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	12 GBP per kg 23–32 kg	60 GBP	official page
Norwegian	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb LowFare+ · no bag on the cheapest fare	250 × 79 × 112 cm 98.4 × 31.1 × 44.1 in	32 kg / 70.5 lb	15 EUR per kg 23–32 kg	45 EUR	official page
Pegasus	1 × 20 kg / 44.1 lb Saver · no bag on the cheapest fare	not published	32 kg / 70.5 lb	5–13 EUR / 11–14 USD per kg 20–32 kg	25–40 EUR / 31–50 USD	official page
Ryanair	1 × 20 kg / 44.1 lb Plus · no bag on the cheapest fare	80 × 120 × 120 cm 31.5 × 47.2 × 47.2 in	32 kg / 70.5 lb	13 EUR / 13 GBP per kg 20–32 kg	59.99 EUR / 59.99 GBP	official page
Transavia	20 kg / 44.1 lb total Plus · no bag on the cheapest fare	165 cm 65 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	15 EUR per kg	60–80 EUR	official page
Vueling	1 × 25 kg / 55.1 lb Fly Grande · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	12 EUR per kg 25–32 kg	50–160 EUR	official page
Wizz Air	1 × 20 kg / 44.1 lb WIZZ Go · no bag on the cheapest fare	149 × 119 × 171 cm 58.7 × 46.9 × 67.3 in	32 kg / 70.5 lb	13–15 EUR per kg 20–32 kg	70–80 EUR	official page

Figures read on the airlines’ own pages, last check September 2026.

Network carriers, Europe

The cheapest fare (Light, Basic) carries no checked bag; the next one up includes one bag of 23 kg. Above 23 kg most of them charge one flat fee per bag, up to 32 kg: 65 pounds on British Airways, 50 euros on SWISS, 75 to 90 euros on TAP depending on the season. A bag at 23.4 kg pays the same as one at 31 kg. Iberia is the exception and charges 12 to 15 euros per kilo; ITA Airways does not sell the 23 to 32 kg band in economy at all. Air France and Lufthansa price it by itinerary and publish no figure.

Airline	Checked bag in economy	Max size	Max weight	Overweight fee	Paid bag	Source
Air France	1 × 23 kg / 50 lb Economy Standard · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	not published	not published	official page
British Airways	1 × 23 kg / 50 lb Economy · no bag on the cheapest fare	90 × 75 × 43 cm 35 × 30 × 17 in	32 kg / 70.5 lb	65 GBP / 75 EUR / 100 USD 23–32 kg	not published	official page
Iberia	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Optimal · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	12–15 EUR per kg 23–32 kg	18–95 EUR	official page
ITA Airways	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy Classic · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	not published	60–70 EUR / 75–90 USD	official page
KLM	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy Standard · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	75–100 EUR 23–32 kg	20–70 EUR	official page
Lufthansa	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy Comfort · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	not published	not published	official page
SWISS	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy Comfort · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	50 EUR / 60 CHF 23–32 kg	not published	official page
TAP Air Portugal	1 × 23 kg / 50 lb Classic · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70 lb	75–90 EUR / 92–109 USD 23–32 kg	30 EUR	official page
Turkish Airlines	not published ExtraFly · included on every fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	not published	not published	official page
Virgin Atlantic	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy Classic · no bag on the cheapest fare	not published	not published	65 GBP / 100 USD / 85 EUR	80 GBP / 100 USD / 85 EUR	official page

Figures read on the airlines’ own pages, last check September 2026.

North America

In the US, economy pays for the first bag on every fare, around 45 dollars each way, and the limit is 50 lb and 62 in. Delta charges 100 dollars for a bag between 51 and 70 lb and 200 dollars above that, and adds the oversize fee on top when a bag breaks both limits. A 24 kg bag checked on a 50 lb allowance is 2.9 lb over, which is where the fee starts. American Airlines is the only one with a small first step, 30 dollars up to 53 lb; United charges both the overweight and the oversize fee on the same bag.

Airline	Checked bag in economy	Max size	Max weight	Overweight fee	Paid bag	Source
Air Canada	1 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy Flex · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	100–120 CAD 23–32 kg	45–54 CAD	official page
American Airlines	1 × 22.7 kg / 50 lb paid on every economy fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	45 kg / 100 lb	30–100 USD 22.7–31.8 kg	45–55 USD	official page
Delta	1 × 22.7 kg / 50 lb paid on every economy fare	157 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	45.4 kg / 100 lb	100 USD 23.1–31.8 kg	45 USD	official page
JetBlue	1 × 22.7 kg / 50 lb paid on every economy fare	157 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	44.9 kg / 99 lb	150 USD 23.1–31.8 kg	45–59 USD	official page
United	1 × 22.7 kg / 50 lb paid on every economy fare	157 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	45 kg / 100 lb	100 USD 23.1–31.8 kg	45–50 USD	official page

Figures read on the airlines’ own pages, last check September 2026.

Gulf carriers

Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad and flydubai count a total weight, not bags: 20 or 25 kg in economy depending on the fare, split across as many bags as you like. The cheapest fares on Etihad and flydubai carry no bag at all. The excess is charged per kilo at the airport. The exception is flights to and from the Americas, where the same airlines switch to two bags of 23 kg. Saudia counts bags everywhere.

Airline	Checked bag in economy	Max size	Max weight	Overweight fee	Paid bag	Source
Emirates	25 kg / 55 lb total Economy Saver · Economy Special: 20 kg / 44 lb total	203 cm 80 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 71 lb	15–50 USD per kg	125–350 USD	official page
Etihad Airways	25 kg / 55.1 lb total Economy Value · no bag on the cheapest fare	not published	32 kg / 70.5 lb	not published	26–200 USD	official page
flydubai	20 kg / 44.1 lb total Value · no bag on the cheapest fare	203 cm 80 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	50–90 AED per kg	not published	official page
Qatar Airways	25 kg / 55 lb total Economy Classic · Economy Lite: 20 kg / 44 lb total	300 cm 118 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70 lb	20–85 USD / 40–140 QAR per kg	130–255 USD	official page
Saudia	2 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Guest Semi Flex · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70 lb	not published	not published	official page

Figures read on the airlines’ own pages, last check September 2026.

Asia and India

Japan is the generous corner again: JAL includes two bags of 23 kg on every economy fare, each up to 203 cm where most airlines stop at 158. Singapore Airlines gives 25 to 30 kg in total. Indian domestic flights stop at 15 kg on IndiGo and Air India Express, and the cheapest Lite fares carry no bag at all.

Airline	Checked bag in economy	Max size	Max weight	Overweight fee	Paid bag	Source
Air India	2 × 23 kg / 50 lb Economy Classic · Economy Value: 1 × 23 kg / 50 lb	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70 lb	90–130 USD / 190 CAD 23–32 kg	180–250 USD / 360–375 CAD	official page
Air India Express	1 × 15 kg / 33.1 lb Xpress Value · no bag on the cheapest fare	81 × 119 × 119 cm 31.9 × 46.9 × 46.9 in	32 kg / 70.5 lb	700–750 INR per kg	950–1000 INR	official page
AirAsia	20 kg / 44.1 lb total Value Pack · no bag on the cheapest fare	119 × 81 × 119 cm 46.9 × 31.9 × 46.9 in	32 kg / 70.5 lb	not published	not published	official page
ANA	2 × 23 kg / 50 lb Economy Standard · Economy Light: 1 × 23 kg / 50 lb	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	45 kg / 99.2 lb	6000 JPY / 60 USD / 45 EUR 23–32 kg	10000–20000 JPY / 100–200 USD / 75–150 EUR	official page
IndiGo	1 × 15 kg / 33.1 lb Saver · no bag on the cheapest fare	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	not published	750–800 INR per kg	800–1000 INR	official page
Japan Airlines	2 × 23 kg / 50.7 lb Economy · included on every fare	203 cm 80 in (L + W + H)	45 kg / 99.2 lb	6000–10000 JPY / 60–100 USD 23–32 kg	10000–20000 JPY / 100–200 USD	official page
Singapore Airlines	30 kg / 66.1 lb total Economy Standard · Economy Lite: 25 kg / 55.1 lb total	158 cm 62 in (L + W + H)	32 kg / 70.5 lb	6–56 USD per kg	40–280 USD	official page

Figures read on the airlines’ own pages, last check September 2026.

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Piece or weight: two ways of counting the same suitcase

Piece concept means a number of bags, each with its own limit: one bag of 23 kg, or two. You cannot move kilos from one bag to the other. Two bags of 15 kg on a one-bag ticket pay for an extra bag even though the total is 30 kg.

Weight concept means a total: 25 kg, in one bag or three. A 20 kg suitcase and a 5 kg duffel are fine; a single 26 kg suitcase is one kilo over. Gulf carriers, Singapore Airlines and AirAsia use it, and easyJet lets passengers on the same booking pool their weight.

The ticket says which one applies. If the allowance reads “1PC” or “2PC”, it is pieces. If it reads “25K”, it is weight.

What one kilo over really costs

The two fee models reward opposite behaviour.

• Flat fee (most network airlines). Being 1 kg over costs the full fee, 50 to 100 euros. Being 8 kg over costs the same. If the bag is over, it makes no difference how far over, up to 32 kg. If it can be brought back under 23 kg by moving a jacket and a pair of shoes into the cabin bag, do it.
• Per kilo (low-cost and weight-concept airlines). 12 pounds per kilo on easyJet, 12 euros on Vueling, 13 euros on Ryanair, 13 to 15 euros on Wizz Air, 15 euros on Norwegian and Transavia, 12 to 15 euros on Iberia. Two kilos over on Ryanair is 26 euros, and buying the next weight up online the day before is almost always cheaper.

Either way, the airport is the expensive place to find out. Iberia’s 23 kg bag costs 18 to 95 euros online and 42 to 110 euros at the desk. Vueling says its bags cost about half as much online as at the desk, flydubai up to 70 percent less, Singapore Airlines 25 percent less when bought more than 48 hours ahead.

32 kg is a wall, not a fee

Almost every airline in the chart refuses a single bag over 32 kg (70.5 lb) at the desk, and several send it to cargo. The limit comes from the people who lift the bags, not from the aircraft. No fee turns a 34 kg suitcase into an accepted one; the only fix is to open it and make two. The exceptions are ANA and JAL, which take up to 45 kg on some routes for a large fee, and the US carriers, which go up to 100 lb (45 kg) at 200 dollars.

The size limit works the same way. 158 cm is the sum of length, width and height, measured with wheels and handles on most airlines: a 75 × 50 × 30 cm suitcase is 155 cm and passes; a 78 × 52 × 32 cm one is 162 cm and pays the oversize fee.

The 50 lb trap on connecting flights

A trip that starts in Europe and connects in the US is filed in kilograms on one leg and in pounds on the other. 50 lb is 22.7 kg, not 23. Pack to exactly 23.0 kg for the Air France leg and the Delta counter can call it 300 grams over. The full kilograms to pounds chart for luggage is here; the safe habit is to stop at 22.5 kg.

Fast answers

• 23 kg in lb: 50.7 lb. 20 kg: 44.1 lb. 25 kg: 55.1 lb. 30 kg: 66.1 lb. 32 kg: 70.5 lb.
• 50 lb in kg: 22.7 kg. 70 lb: 31.8 kg.
• 158 cm in inches: 62.2 in, the standard maximum (L + W + H).
• 62 in in cm: 157.5 cm. 203 cm: 80 in, the JAL and Emirates limit.
• A 158 cm bag in dimensions: about 75 × 50 × 33 cm, or 29.5 × 19.7 × 13 in, the typical large suitcase.

Weigh it in both units before you leave

Every line in this chart is a kilograms and pounds problem, or a centimetres and inches one. Put the bag on the bathroom scale, type the number into Conversion Calculator and read it in the airline’s unit, offline, with the calculator built into the field for the sum of the three sides. Packing is one of the everyday scenes the app was built around, next to the cabin bag chart with every sizer in cm and inches and inches to centimetres.

Get the app free before you weigh the suitcase. And for the drawer with the passports, the PDF is here.