British Airways Baggage Policy 2026: Cabin Bags Free on Every Fare, Checked Bags by Fare
British Airways gives every passenger — even on Economy Basic — a free cabin bag up to 56 × 45 × 25 cm and a free personal item up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm, with a combined weight limit of 23 kg across both. Where fares split is checked baggage: Economy Basic includes no free checked bag at all, while standard Economy includes one 23 kg bag and premium cabins include two or three heavier bags.
BA’s baggage policy rewards travellers who read it before they pack. The cabin allowance is genuinely generous — far better than many low-cost rivals — but the checked allowance is entirely fare-dependent, and the single most common surprise at Heathrow is an Economy Basic passenger discovering their suitcase was never included. Here is the full picture, fare by fare.
Cabin Baggage: The Generous Part
Your main cabin bag can measure up to 56 × 45 × 25 cm (22″ × 18″ × 10″) including handles, pockets and wheels, and travels in the overhead locker. Alongside it, a handbag or laptop bag of up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm (16″ × 12″ × 6″) rides under the seat in front of you. Together they may weigh up to 23 kg — but there is a physical catch: you must be able to lift your cabin bag into the overhead locker unassisted. Staff can ask you to demonstrate it, and a bag you can’t lift, or one that simply doesn’t fit when the lockers are full, goes into the hold and counts against your checked allowance.
Checked Baggage: Where Your Fare Decides
| Fare / Cabin | Free Checked Bags | Weight Per Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Basic | None included | — (pay to add) |
| Economy (Standard / Plus) | 1 bag | Up to 23 kg |
| Premium Economy | Typically 2 bags | Up to 23 kg each |
| Business (Club Europe / Club World) | 2 bags | Up to 32 kg each |
| First | 3 bags | Up to 32 kg each |
Every checked bag shares a maximum size of 90 × 75 × 43 cm, and no checked bag may exceed 32 kg under any circumstances. BA works on a piece system — a set number of bags at a set weight each — rather than one pooled weight. Executive Club Silver and Gold members, and oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, receive additional allowance on top of the table above.
On Economy Basic, buy your checked bag online when you book, not at the airport — airport prices are typically higher, and the bag was never a surprise the airline hid; it’s printed in the fare rules most people skip.
Exceptions Worth Knowing
Mobility and medical: wheelchairs, mobility aids and related equipment travel free and never count against your allowance, and passengers who can’t lift a standard cabin bag get a sizing accommodation for what an able-bodied adult could reasonably lift. Infants: a child under 2 without their own seat gets one free checked bag up to 23 kg (outside Economy Basic) plus up to two essential infant items. Musicians: an instrument up to 80 × 45 × 25 cm can replace your standard cabin bag; larger instruments up to 140 × 50 × 30 cm need a seat booked for them in advance, directly with the airline.
Route exceptions: standard checked allowances don’t apply in the same way on flights to or from Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, or on connecting journeys between India and the USA, Bermuda or Canada. Check your exact route in BA’s baggage calculator before assuming the table above applies.
Cabin Rules That Overlap
✓ Do This
- Confirm your exact fare before you pack anything
- Measure the cabin bag including wheels and outer pockets
- Weigh checked bags at home against your fare’s limit
- Keep liquids in one clear 1-litre resealable bag for security
- Pre-book extra baggage online
✗ Don’t Get Caught By
- Assuming “Economy” includes a checked bag — Basic doesn’t
- Liquids over 100 ml loose in your cabin bag
- Sharp objects in the cabin (they belong in checked bags)
- Spare lithium batteries, power banks or e-cigarettes in checked baggage — cabin only
- Any single bag over 32 kg — it’s refused outright
Before You Leave for the Airport
- Fare confirmed: Basic vs Standard/Plus vs premium cabin
- Cabin bag inside 56 × 45 × 25 cm; personal item inside 40 × 30 × 15 cm
- Combined cabin weight under 23 kg — and you can lift the bag overhead
- Checked bag weighed against your fare’s 23 kg or 32 kg limit
- Route exceptions and status allowances checked, if either applies
British Airways Baggage Policy FAQs
Does every BA fare include a checked bag?
No. Economy Basic includes zero free checked bags. Every other fare includes at least one, up to three 32 kg bags in First.
How big can my cabin bag be?
Up to 56 × 45 × 25 cm including handles and wheels, plus a personal item up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm — 23 kg combined across both.
Can I take a personal item as well as a cabin bag?
Yes, on every fare type, as long as it fits under the seat in front of you and within 40 × 30 × 15 cm.
Do mobility aids count against my allowance?
No. Wheelchairs and mobility equipment travel free and sit outside your standard allowance entirely.
What happens if my cabin bag is too big or too heavy?
It is checked into the hold at the gate and counted against your checked allowance, with excess fees possible if you’re over it.
Can I fly with a musical instrument?
Instruments up to 80 × 45 × 25 cm can replace your cabin bag. Larger ones, up to 140 × 50 × 30 cm, require a separately booked seat arranged with the airline in advance.
British Airways pairs one of the most generous cabin allowances in the sky with a checked-bag policy that lives and dies by your fare type. Cabin bag plus personal item: sorted, free, on every ticket. Suitcase in the hold: check your fare first, especially on Economy Basic. Flying a US carrier instead? See how Southwest’s carry-on policy handles things very differently.
Last checked against British Airways’ official baggage pages: October 2026. Use BA’s own baggage calculator for your exact route and fare before you fly.
Check the Latest Bag Policy Before You Go
Bag requirements can vary depending on the event, performer, league, venue, or current security measures. Always check the official venue’s latest bag policy before your visit to make sure your bag meets the current requirements.
