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Hand baggage allowances
Your free hand baggage allowance, i.e. the total number of bags, size and weight, varies depending on the airline that is operating your flight.
British Airways and BA CityFlyer flights
These allowances also apply on our hand baggage only (Basic) fares, available on selected British Airways short and long haul flights.
- Your bags must fit into the baggage gauge at check-in (including handles, pockets and wheels).
- The weight limit applies to each bag; it isn't possible to split the total weight across multiple bags.
- You must be able to lift your bags into the overhead locker by yourself.
- Your handbag/laptop size bag is guaranteed to travel in the cabin.
- On busy flights, you may be asked to check in your additional cabin bag, so make sure you have no valuables or essential medication packed in this bag.
- All duty free bags or airport purchases count as hand baggage so if you have more than your free allowance, your extra bags will be checked into the hold.
If your hand baggage is over these free allowances, the excess may be checked into the hold at bag drop or at the gate. Be aware that, if you exceed your checked baggage allowance, any extra hold bags are chargeable.
| Adults, young adults and children |
1 handbag/laptop bag (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 40 x 30 x 15cm / 16 x 12 x 6in) plus 1 additional cabin bag (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 56 x 45 x 25cm / 22 x 18 x 10in) |
| Infants (under 2) | 1 cabin bag for items required during the flight (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 56 x 45 x 25cm / 22 x 18 x 10in) |
How to store your bags on board
To help you put your baggage away safely and quickly on board, and get to your destination on time, we'll attach a yellow tag to your handbag or laptop bag. This is the cabin bag that we guarantee you can take into the cabin. These yellow tags are also available from our bag-drop desk or from a member of British Airways staff.
Place your smaller cabin bag with the yellow tag under the seat in front of you. If you are travelling in First, Club World, Club World London City, or if you sit in an exit row or bulkhead seat at the front of the cabin, this bag must go into an overhead locker.
Your additional cabin bag goes into the overhead locker. If we do not have space on board, this bag may need to be checked in the aircraft hold. For this reason, please make sure you have no valuables or essential medication packed in this larger cabin bag.
We guarantee that you can take your handbag/laptop sized bag with you on board, provided that the yellow tag is attached and visible for boarding and that your bag is within your hand baggage allowance.
Exceeding your allowance
If any of your hand baggage is over the size or weight limit, or you have more hand baggage than your allowance, you will need to check it in and it will count towards your checked baggage allowance. If this then takes you over your free checked baggage allowance, or if you are travelling on a hand baggage only (Basic) fare, you will need to pay for extra baggage at the airport rate.
If your bag also exceeds the weight limit of your checked bag allowance, you may need to pay an overweight bag charge as well.
What you can take with you
We recommend to place any essential items you may need during your flight into your hand baggage. However, there are a number of rules and restrictions about what you can carry in your hand baggage.
If you are travelling with gifts, please ensure they are unwrapped. Security staff may need to open items to inspect them.
Airport security may ask you to turn on any electronic devices, e.g. mobile phones, tablets or laptops, so please ensure they are charged.
Travelling with other airlines
Your free hand baggage allowance, i.e. the total number of bags, size and weight, varies depending on the airline that is operating your flight.
Comair and SUN-AIR
Our franchise partners Comair and SUN-AIR of Scandinavia are independent airlines that use British Airways branding and flight codes across their networks. Comair operates across southern Africa, and SUN-AIR across northern Europe. They use smaller aircraft so their baggage allowances are smaller.
- Your bags must fit into the baggage gauge at check-in (including handles, pockets and wheels) and be big enough to fit any duty free or airport purchases.
- The weight limit applies to each bag. It's not possible to split the total weight across multiple bags.
- You must be able to lift your bags into the overhead locker by yourself.
| Adults, young adults and children |
1 handbag/laptop bag (max. 7kg / 15lb and up to 45 x 36 x 20cm / 18 x 14 x 8in) plus 1 bag (max. 7kg / 15lb and up to 56 x 36 x 23cm / 22 x 14 x 9in) |
| Infants (under 2) | 1 bag (max. 7kg / 15lb and up to 56 x 36 x 23cm / 22 x 14 x 9in) |
| All passengers | 1 bag (max. 6kg / 13lb and up to 45 x 36 x 20cm / 18 x 14 x 8in) |
Other airlines
Check your hand baggage allowance on American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways.
For other airlines, please visit their websites or contact them directly.
Find out which airline you are flying with in Manage My Booking
Flight connections
If your journey includes connecting flights between different airlines, the hand baggage allowance of one airline may be different from another so please check before you travel. If you exceed your hand baggage allowance, you will have to check your bags in and could be charged for extra baggage.
If this happens when connecting from a British Airways to an American Airlines flight, you will not be charged the extra baggage fee.
