Cathay Pacific gives every Economy passenger one cabin bag of up to 7kg, and Premium Economy and Business passengers one of up to 10kg. Economy Light includes 1 checked piece of 23kg, the two higher Economy fares include 2 pieces of 23kg, and Premium Economy and Business include 2 pieces of 32kg. Your itinerary shows whether your allowance counts pieces (PC) or kilograms (K).
Economy Light includes 1 checked piece of 23kg, and the two higher Economy fares include 2 pieces of 23kg each. Premium Economy and Business include 2 pieces of 32kg each, except between Hong Kong and New Zealand, where each piece drops to 23kg. First typically includes 3 pieces of 32kg each. These figures cover Cathay Pacific operated flights only.
The Premium Economy and Business figures come from Cathay's Hong Kong fare tables; your e-ticket receipt and Manage Booking show the allowance that applies to your ticket.
| FARE | CABIN BAG | CHECKED BAGS |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Light | 1 piece, 7kg | 1 piece, 23kg |
| Economy Essential | 1 piece, 7kg | 2 pieces, 23kg each |
| Economy Flex | 1 piece, 7kg | 2 pieces, 23kg each |
| Premium Economy | 1 piece, 10kg | 2 pieces, 32kg each (23kg Hong Kong to New Zealand) |
| Business | 1 piece, 10kg | 2 pieces, 32kg each (23kg Hong Kong to New Zealand) |
| First | 1 piece, 10kg | 3 pieces, 32kg each (estimate) |
One cabin bag of up to 7kg comes with every Economy fare, and Premium Economy, Business and First raise that to 10kg. The bag should measure no more than about 56 x 36 x 23cm (22 x 14 x 9in), and you can usually add one small item such as a handbag or laptop bag. The conditions of carriage say you must be able to lift the bag into the bin without help.
Two pieces of 23kg come with the middle and Flex Economy fares, while Light stops at 1 piece. All three share the same 7kg cabin bag. Light also leaves out free seat selection and free changes, and you can't add prepaid extra bags to a Light booking on the website, so you'd have to call Customer Care. Flex adds free flight changes, preferred and extra legroom seats, and standby for an earlier flight.
| FARE | CHECKED BAGS | FREE SEAT SELECTION | FREE CHANGES | PREPAY EXTRA BAGS ONLINE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 1 x 23kg | No | No | No |
| Essential | 2 x 23kg | Regular seats | No | Yes |
| Flex | 2 x 23kg | All seat types | Yes | Yes |
Two systems are in use, piece (PC) and weight (K), and the code on your itinerary tells you which applies. Extra baggage is then charged per piece or per kilogram. On trips with several airlines, Cathay's rules apply when it is the Most Significant Carrier under IATA Resolution 302. If your ticket starts in or ends in the US or Canada, the baggage rules set at the origin cover the whole journey.
32kg (70lb) is the ceiling for any single checked piece, written into Cathay's conditions of carriage. Any bag measuring between 158cm / 62in and 203cm / 80in in total dimensions counts as oversized and pays a fee. Sports equipment can't exceed 203cm either. Extra pieces bought in Economy and Premium Economy are sized at 23kg, with an overweight charge up to 32kg.
USD 100 buys an extra piece between Hong Kong and Zone 1 (Chinese Mainland, Japan, Korea and South East Asia), rising to USD 200 for North and South America. Weight-concept tickets pay per kilogram instead, from USD 13 to Zone 1 up to USD 45 to Zone 4. Buying at least 24 hours before departure saves up to 10%, with a cap of three prepaid pieces. Hong Kong to Auckland or Christchurch costs NZD 300 per piece.
Prepaid extra baggage isn't sold for journeys to or from India, or to Manila from 1 to 31 December.
| FROM/TO HONG KONG | PER EXTRA PIECE | PER EXTRA KG |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 (East and South East Asia) | USD 100 | USD 13 |
| Zone 2 (South Asia) | USD 130 | USD 20 |
| Zone 3 (Middle East) | USD 130 | USD 25 |
| Zone 4 (Europe, Australia, NZ, South Africa) | USD 150 | USD 45 |
| Zones 5/6 (Americas) | USD 200 | Not listed |
| Auckland, Christchurch | NZD 300 / HKD 1720 | Not listed |
USD 60 is the overweight charge per piece between Hong Kong and Zone 1, rising to USD 150 for Zones 5 and 6. It applies to each bag over your class weight allowance but not over 32kg. An oversized piece, between 158cm and 203cm in total dimensions, costs USD 200.
Gold and Diamond members get additional checked baggage, though the benefits page we fetched does not list the amount. Hong Kong student fares add 1 extra piece: 23kg on Flex to any destination, on the middle Economy fare only to the US and Canada, and 32kg in Premium Economy and Business. Children aged 2 to 12 on a child ticket get the same allowance as adults.
No pet-in-cabin option or fee is published: Cathay names only guide and assistance dogs as welcome on board. Other pets travel as shipments with Cathay Cargo. Since 1 September 2025, Cathay Cargo takes pet bookings only from IPATA or ATA members, IATA accredited freight forwarders or holders of IATA Live Animals Regulations training. Certain snub-nosed breeds fly only from January to May and October to December on selected routes.
Cathay Cargo holds CEIV Live Animals certification and asks owners of snub-nosed breeds to use an IPATA certified BOAS pet shipper.
Yes, and each item is held to the standard weight limits and a 203cm maximum length. Golf, skiing, surfing, fishing and similar gear count as checked bags. Bicycles need notice to Customer Care at least 72 hours before departure, with pedals and handlebars secured and tyres deflated. Small instruments up to 93 x 39 x 24cm (36 x 15 x 9in) and 7kg can go in the cabin.
An extra seat for a large instrument or other oversized cabin item must be booked through reservations at least 3 working days before departure.
Children aged 2 to 12 on a child ticket get the full adult allowance and their own seat. An infant without a seat usually gets 1 checked piece of up to 23kg plus one collapsible stroller. Cathay accepts your own car safety seat if it meets its specifications, though some aircraft can't fit one.
Yes. Economy Light includes 1 checked piece of up to 23kg plus a 7kg cabin bag. The other two Economy fares include 2 pieces of 23kg each.
Yes, in Economy. All three Economy fares allow 1 cabin piece of 7kg, while Premium Economy and Business allow 10kg. Cathay's conditions of carriage add that you must be able to lift the bag yourself.
Yes, if your allowance allows it or you pay the overweight charge. 32kg (70lb) is the most any single checked piece can weigh. Premium Economy and Business pieces are 32kg each, except between Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Yes. Buying extra baggage at least 24 hours before departure saves up to 10%, and you can prepay up to three extra pieces. Economy Light bookings can't prepay on the website.
No, unless it is a guide or assistance dog. Cathay publishes no pet-in-cabin option, and other pets fly as Cathay Cargo shipments booked through an approved pet agent or freight forwarder since 1 September 2025.
200 US dollars (USD 200) per extra piece between Hong Kong and Zone 5, which covers Canada, Mexico and the United States. An overweight piece on the same route adds USD 150.
Verified October 3, 2026 by BaggageLimits editors. Rules change often; confirm with the airline before you fly.