British Airways Baggage Fees & Tips To Cover the Expenses

British Airways utilizes a pretty classic baggage allowance system, dependent on cabin class.

Fees for additional luggage per piece depend on when you purchase your baggage allowance, your cabin class, and lastly (at times), whether you’re flying out of Gatwick/Stanstead or any other route.

The British Airways baggage policy can get a little confusing at times — we hope our guide clears things up a bit!

British Airways Carry-on Allowance

1 handbag/laptop bag: FREE
1 standard carry-on bag: FREE

Size Restrictions:

• Personal item: 16 x 12 x 6 inches (40 x 30 x 15 cm), up to 51 pounds (23 kg)
• Standard carry-on: 22 x 18 x 10 inches (56 x 45 x 25 cm), up to 51 pounds (23 kg)

Lap Infant Carry-on Policy:

• 1 additional cabin bag is permitted for items required during the flight
• Up to 22 x 18 x 10 inches (56 x 45 x 25 cm), up to 51 pounds (23 kg)

Stroller Check Policy:

• 1 stroller per child can be checked at the gate free of charge.
• A small, fully collapsible stroller (with maximum dimensions of 46 x 15 x 15 inches/117 x 38 x 38 cm (when collapsed)) can be taken to the gate and picked up outside of the destination gate on arrival.
• A stroller that collapses down into a carry bag can be taken on board in place of your standard carry-on bag, providing it does not exceed the maximum carry-on bag dimensions.
• Larger strollers checked at the gate will be available for pick up at the baggage carousel in the baggage hall.

British Airways Checked Baggage Allowance

All checked bags must adhere to a max weight of 51 pounds (23 kg) for economy and premium economy or 70 pounds (32 kg) for business and frst class fares and must adhere to max dimensions of 35 x 30 x 17 inches (90 x 75 x 43 cm). Check the airline’s baggage calculator for your accurate allowance.

Hand Baggage Only/Basic: 0 bags included

Economy: 1 bag included (51 pounds/23 kg)*

Premium Economy: 2 bags included (51 pounds/23 kg)

Business: 2 bags included (70 pounds/32 kg)

First: 3 bags included (70 pounds/32 kg)

Children and infants (aged 2 to 11 with a booked seat): Same allowance as an adult plus up to 2 items, including a collapsible stroller, travel cot, car seat or carry harness.

Infants under 2 years: 1 bag (51 pounds/23 kg) plus up to 2 items, including a collapsible stroller, travel cot, car seat or carry harness.

*2 bags included (23kg) for economy flights:

• Flights to/from Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria
• Flights between Europe and Japan
• Connecting between India and U.S./Bermuda/Canada
• Connecting between Islamabad and U.S./Canada
• Journeys originating in Kuwait to the British Airways network 
• Journeys originating in Saudi Arabia to U.S./Bermuda/Canada
• Journeys originating in Shanghai to London Heathrow 
• Journeys originating in the United Arab Emirates to U.S./Mexico/Canada 

Additional/Excess Baggage Fees

British Airways no longer publishes additional baggage charges on its website and advises passengers to use its baggage calculator tool as the fee varies by route. Below are example fees from searches that we’ve run using the tool.

Economy Hand Baggage Only (Basic)

Economy

Euro Traveller (Plus and Plus Flex)

Premium Economy

World Traveller Plus

• Purchased Online/In Advance: £130/$170/€150
• Purchased at the Airport: £155/$200/€180

Business and First Class

Club Europe

• To/from London Gatwick:
  • Purchased Online/In Advance: £70/€85
  • Purchased at the Airport: £80/€95
• All other Routes:
  • Purchased Online/In Advance: £80/€95
  • Purchased at the Airport: £95/€105

Club World and First Class

• Purchased Online/In Advance: £120-£130/$170/€140-€150
• Purchased at the Airport:£140-£155/$200/€150-€180

Excess Baggage Fees

• Overweight Fee: 51 to 70 pounds (23 to 32 kg) £65/$100/€75
• Oversized Fee: British Airways’ website states — “You can take larger items of up to 190 x 75 x 65cm (75 x 29.5 x 25.5in) as long as they weigh no more than your permitted baggage weight allowance. If the bag weighs more than your allowance, you will be charged extra at the airport. No bag can weigh more than 32kg.”

For baggage fees related to special luggage (sporting equipment, musical instruments, etc.) please refer to British Airway’s policy.

Exclusions and Waivers

The extra allowances apply:

• In any travel class for everyone on your booking as long as you as the qualifying frequent flyer is traveling on the booking
• Only on British Airways flights, except for hand baggage only (basic) fares and group rate bookings

Executive Club Gold/Oneworld Emerald: 1 additional free checked bag in any cabin class (excl. hand baggage only (basic) fares); weight allowance of 70 pounds (32 kg) per checked bag.

Executive Club Silver/Oneworld Sapphire: 1 additional free checked bag but maximum of 2 bags per person when traveling in economy (excluding hand baggage only (basic) fares); weight allowance of 70 pounds (32 kg) per checked bag.

Can I Prepay for Baggage?

British Airways does allow passengers the ability to prepay for luggage online.

Passengers need to log in to their booking on the British Airways website to do this.

Credit Cards That Reimburse You for Checked Bag Fees

Unfortunately, the British Airways Visa Signature^® Card does not offer free checked baggage as a benefit, but you can use one of the Capital One cards below to knock out some of your checked bag fees when flying British Airways. Simply use your Capital One miles to pay for your travel statement charges (e.g. baggage fees) within 90 days of purchase at a rate of 1 cent per mile.

To see more airline baggage fees and policies, click here.