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British Airways

British Airways Baggage Fees (2026)

British Airways Economy Basic has no free hold bag. Extra bags are priced by route in the calculator or Manage My Booking. Overweight fees are per bag, one way.

Quick answer

Hand baggage (1 hand bag 40 × 30 × 15 cm and 1 cabin bag 56 × 45 × 25 cm) is included across the cabins on British Airways’ baggage essentials page, including Economy Basic, which has no free checked bag. Economy with checked bag includes 1 × 23 kg hold bag (90 × 75 × 43 cm). Premium economy usually 2 × 23 kg; Business 2 × 32 kg; First 3 × 32 kg (elite status can add pieces or weight; see table). Extra hold bags: price depends on destination and how many, so use Manage My Booking or the baggage calculator. Online before check-in is cheaper than airport after check-in (up to 10 extras; Avios OK online, not at airport after check-in). Heavy bag when over your per-bag allowance: 65 pounds, 75 euros, 100 US dollars, or 100 Canadian dollars per overweight bag, one way. No bag over 32 kg. No pooling of allowances between passengers.

Last verified:

Official sources:

How we check: We only publish what these official pages say. See How we verify fees.

Table

Included hold allowance (British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer)

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Cabin or fare name Free hold bags Max size per bag Max weight per bag Notes Source
Economy Basic 0 (“No checked baggage”) Only if you buy a bag Only if you buy a bag Hand bag and cabin bag only Baggage essentials page
Economy with checked bag (Blue and Bronze tiers) 1 90 × 75 × 43 cm (35 × 30 × 17 in) 23 kg (50 lb) Gold and Silver members (and oneworld Emerald and Sapphire, AerClub Platinum and Concierge) at booking: 2 bags × 32 kg in Economy Baggage essentials page
Premium economy (Blue and Bronze tiers) 2 on most routes; limited routes allow 1 90 × 75 × 43 cm 23 kg (50 lb) Gold, Emerald and Platinum: 3 on most routes (2 on a few); Silver, Sapphire and Concierge: 2 × 32 kg Baggage essentials page; check Manage My Booking or the calculator
Business (Blue and Bronze tiers) 2 90 × 75 × 43 cm 32 kg (70 lb) Gold, Emerald and Platinum: 3 × 32 kg; Silver, Sapphire and Concierge: 2 × 32 kg Baggage essentials page
First (Blue and Bronze tiers) 3 90 × 75 × 43 cm 32 kg (70 lb) Gold, Emerald and Platinum: 4 × 32 kg; Silver, Sapphire and Concierge: 3 × 32 kg Baggage essentials page
Group bookings and infants without a seat Status weight notes list exceptions Not published Not published Status weight upgrades “do not apply to group bookings or infants travelling without their own seat” where British Airways states that Baggage essentials page

Published charges (fixed amounts in £, € and $)

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Charge Amount When Source
Heavy or overweight bag 65 pounds, 75 euros, 100 US dollars, or 100 Canadian dollars per overweight bag, per one-way journey Bag heavier than your allowance; the FAQ says a bag between 23 kg and 32 kg that is over your allowance gets a heavy bag charge; no bag over 32 kg FAQ “What should I do if my bag weighs over 23kg?”
Extra or first hold bag on Basic Not published as a single £ amount: “depends on your destination and how many more bags” Economy Basic, or any bag over your ticket’s allowance FAQ “Can I take extra checked baggage?”
Extra bags online or at the airport Online in Manage My Booking before check-in: discounted online rate (card, Avios, or both). After check-in: airport rate, no Avios Up to 10 extra bags, if the flight has space and allows excess baggage; local taxes may apply Baggage essentials FAQ
Oversize or out-of-gauge hold bag Max size 190 × 75 × 65 cm; usually accepted as part of your allowance with restrictions, and no separate oversize £ charge is printed on this FAQ Tell the airline at least 48 hours before; check in at the out-of-gauge drop at least 90 minutes before departure FAQ “Can I travel with oversized baggage?”

Local currency: if your departure country uses another currency, British Airways converts the heavy bag charge from pounds.

Payment: at many airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and North America, payment for a heavy bag is card only (no cash) and Avios can’t be used, as stated on British Airways’ overweight FAQ and its pages on getting ready to travel, linked from baggage essentials.

Cabin bags (free; sizes on our cabin bag page)

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Product Size Fee
Hand bag 40 × 30 × 15 cm Free
Cabin bag 56 × 45 × 25 cm, including wheels and handles Free (may go in the hold if space runs out; no published cabin bag charge)

Free and paid

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Fare Cabin free Hold included Buy extra
Economy Basic Hand bag and cabin bag None First and further hold bags through the calculator or Manage My Booking
Economy with checked bag Hand bag and cabin bag 1 × 23 kg (standard) Second and later bags; status members may already have 2
Premium economy Hand bag and cabin bag 2 × 23 kg most routes Extra beyond allowance; route limits
Business and First Hand bag and cabin bag 2 × 32 kg in Business, 3 × 32 kg in First (more with status) Extra beyond allowance
Euro Traveller and World Traveller Cabin sizes are the same Depends on ticket (Basic or with checked bag) Buy through the British Airways baggage page calculator

Pooling: No. Official: “You cannot pool, share or combine your checked baggage allowance with another traveller, even someone in your travel party.” Bags linked to your name; pack yourself.
23 kg rule: “applies to each bag and can’t be split between multiple bags.”
Infant without seat: 1 × 23 kg hold included unless both adult and infant are on hand-baggage-only (Basic). Then no free infant hold bag and you can’t buy extra for the infant. Children and infants with a seat get the adult allowance. Up to two essential extras (pushchair, car or booster seat, cot, or baby back carrier) even on Basic.
Codeshare: the operating airline or the longest sector may set the allowance. Check your itinerary.

Gotchas

  • On Basic you pay for any hold bag, but the cabin bag is still free (full details on our British Airways cabin bag page).

  • No single extra-bag £ price is published on baggage essentials. Use the calculator or Manage My Booking for your itinerary; a flat first-bag £ price is not on this page.

  • Buy online before check-in. At the airport after check-in, the price is higher and you can’t use Avios.

  • The heavy bag charge is a flat 65 pounds, not per kilo like Ryanair.

  • Hard 32 kg ceiling. You cannot check heavier.

  • No pooling, unlike Ryanair, which pools bags on the same booking.

  • Premium and status allowances vary by route. British Airways says “most routes” and “limited number,” so always check Manage My Booking.

  • Oversize max 190 × 75 × 65 cm. TVs and monitors are refused as hold baggage even if within that size.

  • Partner flights can change piece and weight rules mid-itinerary.

  • Infant on Basic has no purchaseable infant hold bag.

  • Many airports take heavy bag payments by card only (examples in the FAQ); check how your departure airport handles it on ba.com.

Traveler caution: On Basic, the trolley is free; the suitcase is a calculator problem. Buy it in Manage My Booking before you check in. Check current prices on ba.com for your dates.

FAQ

How much is a British Airways checked bag?
If your ticket already includes hold bags, those pieces are free within the published piece and weight limits. Extra bags (including any hold bag on Economy Basic) are priced by destination and bag count. British Airways directs you to Manage My Booking or the baggage calculator. British Airways does not publish one flat extra-bag £ price on its baggage essentials FAQ. Online before check-in is the discounted rate; after check-in is the airport rate.

Does Economy Basic include a checked bag?
No. Economy Basic is hand bag and cabin bag only. Hold bags are paid extras (subject to space).

What is British Airways’ overweight or heavy bag fee?
65 pounds, 75 euros, 100 US dollars, or 100 Canadian dollars per overweight bag, one way. No checked bag may exceed 32 kg. The 23 kg limit is per bag and cannot be split across bags. Local taxes may apply.

Can I share bag weight with my family on British Airways?
No. Official FAQ: you cannot pool, share or combine checked baggage allowance with another traveler, even on the same booking. Going over the maximum weight or piece count can trigger heavy bag or extra bag charges.

When should I add an extra British Airways bag?
Official: best price online via Manage My Booking before checking in (up to 10 bags; card, Avios, or both). After check-in, airport rate only and no Avios. Travel agency bookings may need the agent to finalize them before extras show in Manage My Booking.

What if my bag is oversized?
Oversize hold bags can be up to 190 × 75 × 65 cm, with packing and base rules; they usually count in your allowance, with restrictions. Tell British Airways when booking or at least 48 hours before; check in at the out-of-gauge drop at least 90 minutes before departure. No separate oversize £ is printed on that FAQ.

Related

Disclaimer

Fees, fare bundles, and size rules change. Confirm the latest limits and live bag prices on official British Airways pages before you travel. BagRule is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with British Airways.