British Airways Economy includes 1 checked bag of up to 23kg (50lb); Premium Economy adds a second on most routes, Business allows 2 bags of 32kg (70lb) and First allows 3. Everyone also gets a cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25cm (22 x 18 x 10in) plus a handbag or laptop bag. Basic fares include hand baggage only.
Economy passengers on a fare with hold baggage check 1 bag of up to 23kg (50lb). Premium Economy allows 2 bags of 23kg on most routes, dropping to 1 on a small number of routes that BA does not list. Business allows 2 bags of 32kg (70lb), and First allows 3 bags of 32kg. Each bag must stay within 90 x 75 x 43cm (35 x 30 x 17in).
British Airways treats the 23kg limit as a per-bag cap, so two Economy passengers can't pool weight into one 40kg case.
| CABIN | FREE BAGS | WEIGHT PER BAG | MAX SIZE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy (Basic) | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| Economy (Standard and up) | 1 | 23kg (50lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
| Premium Economy | 2 (1 on some routes) | 23kg (50lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
| Business | 2 | 32kg (70lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
| First | 3 | 32kg (70lb) | 90 x 75 x 43cm |
Your cabin bag can measure up to 56 x 45 x 25cm (22 x 18 x 10in), counting wheels and handles. On top of it you get one handbag or laptop bag, and the pair is the allowance on every fare and cabin, Basic included. You have to be able to lift the cabin bag into the overhead locker without help.
The 56 x 45 x 25cm cabin bag is wider and deeper than the 22 x 14 x 9 in limit used by most US carriers.
The second item is capped at 40 x 30 x 15cm (16 x 12 x 6in) and has to slide easily under the seat in front of you. BA calls it a hand bag, and a laptop bag or small backpack within that size counts. Unlike the cabin bag, it is guaranteed to stay with you in the cabin.
Not published: the hand baggage pages on ba.com give sizes but no kilogram limit for the cabin bag or the handbag. The one physical test is that you lift the cabin bag into the overhead locker unassisted. More than two pieces, or a piece over the permitted size, may be sent to the hold as checked baggage.
Basic includes 0 checked bags: you travel with the cabin bag and handbag, and BA charges for anything put in the hold. Standard bundles checked baggage with seat selection 24 hours before departure, which in Economy means 1 bag of 23kg. Third-party reports say the short-haul Plus and Flex fares also carry a 23kg bag, but we could not confirm that on ba.com, so it is marked unverified.
On Basic, infants and children still get up to two free family extras, such as a pushchair or car seat, in the hold.
| FARE | CABIN BAG + HANDBAG | CHECKED BAGS (ECONOMY) | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Yes | 0 | Verified |
| Standard | Yes | 1 x 23kg | Verified |
| Plus | Yes | 1 x 23kg | Unverified |
| Flex | Yes | 1 x 23kg | Unverified |
Standard checked bags can measure up to 90 x 75 x 43cm (35 x 30 x 17in). The weight cap is 23kg (50lb) in Economy and Premium Economy and 32kg (70lb) in Business and First. No bag may weigh more than 32kg in any cabin. Oversize items can go up to 190 x 75 x 65cm.
A bag between 23kg and 32kg that exceeds your allowance costs 65 GBP, 75 EUR, 100 USD or 100 CAD each way. Prices for extra bags are not published on ba.com: the extra baggage FAQ says the cost depends on destination and on how many bags you add. You can buy up to 10 extra bags, and adding them in Manage My Booking before check-in gets the lowest price.
After check-in, extra bags can only be bought at the airport rate and can't be paid for with Avios.
Gold and Silver members, along with oneworld Emerald and Sapphire, check 2 bags of up to 32kg each in Economy. In Premium Economy and Business, Gold and Emerald get 3 bags, while Silver and Sapphire get 2. First rises to 4 bags for Gold and Emerald and 3 for Silver and Sapphire. BA publishes no military or credit card bag waiver.
| CABIN | GOLD / EMERALD | SILVER / SAPPHIRE | BRONZE / BLUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 2 x 32kg | 2 x 32kg | 1 x 23kg |
| Premium Economy | 3 x 32kg | 2 x 32kg | 2 x 23kg |
| Business | 3 x 32kg | 2 x 32kg | 2 x 32kg |
| First | 4 x 32kg | 3 x 32kg | 3 x 32kg |
Infants under 2 without their own seat get 1 checked bag of 23kg in every cabin. Each infant and child can also check up to two family extras free: a fully collapsible pushchair, a car or booster seat, a travel cot or a baby back carrier. Slimline pushchairs within 38 x 117 x 38cm get a label that returns them at the aircraft door.
In-cabin pet travel is not offered on any British Airways route, and hold prices are not published on ba.com. Pets leaving the UK fly in the hold through PetAir UK, a partner run by vets, while pets arriving in the UK go through sister company IAG Cargo. Trained assistance dogs fly free in the cabin on most flights, but emotional support dogs must travel as pets.
Pets entering the UK must meet the DEFRA Pet Travel Scheme to avoid quarantine.
| ANIMAL | HOW IT TRAVELS | FEE |
|---|---|---|
| Pet leaving the UK | Hold, via PetAir UK | Not published |
| Pet arriving in the UK | Hold, via IAG Cargo | Not published |
| Assistance dog | Cabin, most flights | Free |
| Emotional support dog | Hold, as a pet | Not published |
Yes, a bike counts as 1 item of your checked allowance and can measure up to 190 x 95 x 65cm. Skis and snowboards travel within the allowance up to 190 x 75 x 65cm, and a golf bag counts as one checked item if your ticket includes hold baggage. Tell BA at least 72 hours before departure; items over the maximum have to go as cargo.
Yes, it can happen: BA labels the 56 x 45 x 25cm cabin bag as one that may need to go in the hold, while the handbag is guaranteed a place in the cabin. Pack medication, laptops, power banks and spare batteries in the smaller bag, since power banks are banned from checked baggage.
Yes. Basic gives you the full hand baggage allowance, a cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25cm plus a handbag or laptop bag. What it leaves out is checked baggage, which costs extra to add.
No. British Airways applies its 23kg limit to each bag and won't let you split or combine it across bags. In Business and First, each bag may weigh up to 32kg.
65 GBP each way, or 75 EUR, 100 USD or 100 CAD, is the heavy bag charge for a bag between 23kg and 32kg that goes over your allowance. Bags heavier than 32kg aren't accepted as checked baggage.
Two bags of up to 23kg each on most routes. A limited number of routes cap Premium Economy at 1 checked bag, and BA tells you to check Manage My Booking for yours.
No, unless it is a trained assistance dog. British Airways carries no pets in the cabin, and emotional support dogs must fly in the hold as pets through PetAir UK or IAG Cargo.
No. Each infant and child can check up to two family extras free, chosen from a pushchair, car or booster seat, travel cot or baby back carrier, and this applies on Basic fares too.
Verified October 3, 2026 by BaggageLimits editors. Rules change often; confirm with the airline before you fly.