British Airways baggage allowance depends on three things: your cabin, your fare and your Executive Club tier. A standard Economy ticket includes one 23kg hold bag. Business includes two bags of up to 32kg each. Basic fares include hand luggage only. Every passenger can also take two bags into the cabin.
This guide covers the full picture. You will find cabin bag sizes, checked weights, status extras, heavy bag fees, extra bags, bag drop deadlines, what you cannot pack in the hold and what to do if your bag goes missing. Details were last checked on 23 October 2026. Airlines change their rules, so check your own booking before you pack.
Quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Cabin bag size | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including wheels and handles |
| Under seat bag size | 40cm x 30cm x 15cm |
| Hold bag, Economy | 1 bag, up to 23kg |
| Hold bags, Business | 2 bags, up to 32kg each |
| Hold bag, Basic fare | None included |
| Heavy bag fee (23kg to 32kg) | £65 per bag, each way |
| Heaviest bag BA accepts | 32kg |
| Largest hold bag size | 90cm x 75cm x 43cm |
British Airways hand luggage allowance
BA lets every passenger bring two pieces of hand luggage on board. That applies in every cabin and on every fare, including Basic.
- Cabin bag: up to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including wheels and handles. It goes in the overhead locker.
- Handbag or small backpack: up to 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. It must fit under the seat in front.
BA’s baggage page says you must be able to lift the cabin bag into the locker without help. It does not publish a weight limit. Do not take that as permission to overpack. If you cannot lift it, staff may ask you to check it in.
The handbag size is where many travellers go wrong. Some websites quote 45cm x 36cm x 20cm for the under seat item. BA’s own baggage page gives the smaller 40cm x 30cm x 15cm figure, so pack to that one.
What to keep in the small bag
Flights can be full. When the lockers fill up, staff may ask you to put your cabin bag in the hold. BA says to avoid packing medication in the larger cabin bag for this reason. Keep these in the bag under your seat:
- Passport, boarding pass and wallet
- Medicines and a copy of your prescription
- Laptop, tablet, phone and power bank
- Anything fragile or valuable
- A change of clothes, if the trip is long
The hand luggage rule is the same on BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer as on mainline flights, according to BA’s baggage page. For a wider view of how BA compares with Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2, see our UK hand luggage size and weight rules guide.
British Airways checked baggage allowance by cabin
This is the part most people search for. The number of bags and the weight per bag change with the cabin you book.
| Cabin | Hold bags included | Maximum weight per bag |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Basic | None (hand luggage only) | Not applicable |
| Economy | 1 | 23kg |
| Premium Economy | 2 (1 on a small number of routes) | 23kg |
| Business | 2 | 32kg |
| First | 3 | 32kg |
Every checked bag can measure up to 90cm x 75cm x 43cm. That is the total size, with handles and wheels included.
BA has its own cabin names, which can confuse first time bookers. On long-haul flights, Economy is called World Traveller and Premium Economy is World Traveller Plus. On short-haul flights, Economy is called Euro Traveller. Business is Club World on long-haul and Club Europe on short-haul. Your confirmation email shows the name that applies to your flight.
Two points are worth remembering. First, the 23kg limit applies to each bag. You cannot split a total of 46kg across two bags on a one bag fare. Second, no checked bag can weigh more than 32kg, whatever you are willing to pay.
Children and infants
A child or infant with their own seat gets the same allowance as an adult. An infant under 24 months without a seat gets one checked bag of up to 23kg.
Parents also get help with baby gear. BA lets you take up to two free items, such as a pushchair, car seat, travel cot or baby carrier. That applies even on a Basic fare. One catch: if both you and your infant travel on a Basic fare, neither of you has a checked bag allowance.
What the Basic fare means for your bags
Basic is BA’s lowest fare. BA’s page says you pay extra to put any bag in the hold on this fare. Third party guides also say status perks usually do not apply to Basic tickets. If you are a Silver or Gold member, do not assume your free extra bag still applies.
The cheapest ticket is not always the cheapest trip. If you know you will need a suitcase, price the Basic fare plus a hold bag against a standard Economy fare. The gap is often smaller than it first looks.
Connecting flights and partner airlines
On one booking with several flights, the allowance generally follows the airline that operates the longest flight. Partner airlines such as American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways can have different rules. If part of your trip is on a partner, check their baggage page too.
Separate bookings count as separate journeys. If you fly BA to Heathrow and then board a different airline on another ticket, you collect your bag and check it in again.
For comparison with other airlines you may fly from the UK, see our guides to the Emirates baggage allowance and the Qatar Airways baggage allowance from the UK.
Executive Club tier allowances
Frequent flyers get extra hold luggage. BA’s page lists the following, and the allowances also apply to the companions on your booking.
| Tier | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue, Bronze | 1 bag, 23kg | 2 bags, 23kg | 2 bags, 32kg | 3 bags, 32kg |
| Silver (oneworld Sapphire) | 2 bags, 32kg | 2 bags, 32kg | 2 bags, 32kg | 3 bags, 32kg |
| Gold (oneworld Emerald) | 2 bags, 32kg | 3 bags, 32kg | 3 bags, 32kg | 4 bags, 32kg |
A few notes on the table:
- On some routes, Premium Economy allowances for Blue, Bronze and Gold members are lower. Manage My Booking shows the figure for your flight.
- The 32kg limit does not apply to group bookings or to infants without their own seat.
- Going by the sources we checked, the extra allowance does not carry across to Basic fares.
Oneworld partners use their own tier names. That is why the sources list Sapphire and Emerald next to Silver and Gold. If you hold status with another oneworld airline, check what it earns on your BA flight.
Heavy bags: what happens between 23kg and 32kg
Suppose your suitcase weighs 27kg on an Economy fare. BA will not refuse it, but it will charge a heavy bag fee. BA’s page lists the fee as £65, €75, $100 or C$100 per overweight bag, for each one way journey. Local taxes may apply.
A bag over 32kg does not travel as ordinary checked baggage at all. You would need to repack it or send the extra weight another way.
The fee is a flat charge, not a price per kilo. A 24kg bag and a 31kg bag cost the same. That changes how you pack. If you are over by 2kg, move heavy items into your cabin bag or wear the thicker coat. If you are over by 8kg, a second bag may cost less than the heavy bag fee on a long trip. Compare both prices in Manage My Booking before you decide.
Extra checked bags and how to pay less
You can add extra bags to a BA booking, up to 10 for personal use. Prices depend on your route and on how many bags you add. BA does not publish one fixed price list on the page we checked, so use Manage My Booking to see your exact figure. Goods for commercial use should go through BA’s cargo arm instead.
What does not change:
- Online costs less. Pay in Manage My Booking before you check in.
- Avios work online only. At the airport you need a card.
- Cash is often refused. At many airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, BA takes card payments only for extra bags.
- Space is not guaranteed. Extra bags travel only if there is room on the aircraft.
- Refunds are possible. If you cancel before departure, pre-paid extra baggage can be refunded to your card.
One third party price table, last edited in January 2026, lists online prices of roughly £35 to £80 for a first bag on a Basic fare and £65 to £80 for a second bag, with higher airport prices. Treat those as a rough guide, not a quote. BA sets the real price when you search your flight.
A worked example
Take a family of four flying to Orlando in World Traveller on standard fares. Each passenger gets one 23kg bag, so the family can carry 92kg in the hold. If one suitcase weighs 27kg, the family can usually move a few kilos into the others and avoid the £65 fee. They cannot share spare weight across bags in a way that breaks the 23kg per bag limit, so the shift has to happen before the airport.
Now picture the same family on Basic fares. They would have no hold bags included, so every suitcase becomes a paid extra. For a family with children, that can add up quickly. Price both options before you book.
Check-in and bag drop deadlines
Missing the bag drop deadline is one of the costliest baggage mistakes. If the desk closes before you arrive, you cannot check your bag in, and the airline can refuse to carry you on that flight.
BA’s check-in page gives these airport closing times:
| Airport | Check-in and bag drop closes |
|---|---|
| Heathrow and Gatwick | 60 minutes before long-haul flights, 45 minutes before short-haul flights |
| London City | 30 minutes before all flights |
| Stansted | 60 minutes before all flights |
Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure through Manage My Booking. Doing it online saves time, but you still need to drop any hold bags.
Heathrow terminals and bag drop
BA uses Terminal 5 at Heathrow, and some BA flights also leave from Terminal 3. Our own Heathrow check-in guide lists the desk opening times. In brief, desks open at 04:30 at both terminals. At Terminal 5, Euro Traveller bag drop opens two hours before departure, while premium and World Traveller open three hours before or from 04:30. At Terminal 3, premium cabins open from 05:00 and World Traveller and Euro Traveller open three hours before departure, but not before 05:00.
Terminal 5 has self-service bag drop points. BA also offers bag drop at Gatwick and London City.
Overnight bag drop
Flying early? BA lets you drop bags the evening before at some airports. BA’s page lists these windows:
- Heathrow Terminal 3: 16:00 to 21:30, for flights before 10:00 the next day
- Heathrow Terminal 5: 16:00 to 22:00, for flights before 10:00
- Gatwick: 18:00 to 21:00, for flights before 13:00
- London City: 16:00 to 20:30, for flights before 10:00
Doorstep check-in
BA’s page also mentions AirPortr, a paid service that collects your bags from your home, office or hotel. It is available for flights from Heathrow and Gatwick. The page gives no collection timings, so check them when you book. A chauffeur transfer does not replace it, but you can combine the two on a travel day if you want to arrive at the terminal with only a hand bag.
Long-haul passport checks
On long-haul flights from Heathrow Terminal 3 or 5, staff check your passport and visa at the bag drop desk before security. If you travel with hand luggage only, you use a separate passport and visa desk. Go there first.
For airline neutral advice on timing, see our guide on how early to arrive at Heathrow.
What you cannot pack in a BA hold bag
BA bans some items from checked luggage completely, and it will refuse claims for others.
- Power banks and spare batteries: not allowed in the hold. Put them in hand luggage.
- Laptops and tablets: BA says to carry them in the cabin for security and safety. If one goes in a hold bag, switch it off fully. Sleep or hibernation mode is not allowed. BA also says it would refuse a claim for damage, removal or loss of electrical devices from hold baggage.
- Large fragile screens: TVs, monitors and gaming screens are not accepted as hold baggage, even if they fit the size and weight limit. They can go as cargo.
- Lithium powered leisure vehicles: small electric scooters are not allowed on board, either as hand or checked baggage.
Liquid limits at security are a separate matter. Rules differ by airport, so read our UK liquids rules guide before you pack toiletries.
Oversize bags and special items
Large and awkward bags
The largest bag BA accepts is 190cm x 75cm x 65cm. Anything over the normal 90cm x 75cm x 43cm size counts as oversize. BA asks you to tell it when you book or at least 48 hours before you fly. Take oversize bags to the out of gauge drop at least 90 minutes before departure. The bag needs proper protection and a stable base so it does not roll in the baggage system.
Sports equipment and instruments
BA treats most sports gear as part of your normal checked allowance. If you have no free bag left, you pay for an extra one. Skis, bikes and golf bags must be declared in advance. Our ski bag fees comparison and guide to flying with golf clubs cover the costs by airline. A musical instrument can travel as checked baggage, and BA has separate pages if you want to take one into the cabin.
Medical items and mobility aids
- Wheelchairs and mobility aids travel free for personal use, within size limits.
- Medical equipment such as a CPAP machine, nebuliser or insulin pump has no weight or number limit. BA may need to approve some items, so contact it before you travel.
- Essential medical supplies in a bag holding nothing else can travel free if you carry a letter from a medical professional.
- Daily medicines belong in hand luggage, with a copy of the prescription.
- Cabin help: if you cannot lift your own bag, BA lets you bring a cabin bag that an adult could reasonably lift.
Rules that catch people out
You cannot pool allowances. If you and your partner each have a 23kg allowance, you cannot put 46kg in one bag. Equally, one person cannot use another person’s unused bag.
Pack your own bags. BA tells you to check only bags you packed yourself, because you are responsible for anything linked to your name.
One heavy bag, one fee. The heavy bag charge applies per bag, per one way journey. A return trip with the same overweight suitcase can mean paying twice.
Allowances can change by route. One third party guide says the checked baggage policy does not cover some routes to and from Africa and Brazil. Always check the allowance on your own booking.
Payment type matters. At the airport you cannot pay extra bag fees with Avios, and many desks accept cards only.
How to avoid excess baggage fees
A few simple habits save money.
- Weigh your bag at home. A hand held luggage scale costs very little. Weigh the packed case before you leave, not at the check-in desk.
- Pack for the lowest limit on your trip. If one leg has a lower allowance, plan for that one.
- Wear the heavy items. Boots, a coat and a jumper cost nothing to wear on the plane.
- Use both cabin pieces. The handbag and cabin bag give you a second place for heavy items. Keep the cabin bag light enough to lift.
- Buy extra bags online. It costs less than paying at the airport, and you can use Avios.
- Check your fare before you pay. A Basic ticket can turn out dearer than a standard fare once you add a bag.
- Declare big items early. Bikes, skis and instruments can cause delays if you tell BA at the desk.
- Photograph your packed bag. If it goes missing, a photo of the contents helps with any claim.
If your bag is delayed, damaged or lost
Report the problem before you leave the baggage hall. Go to the BA baggage desk at the airport and ask for a written report. Keep your boarding pass, bag tag and any receipts for essentials you buy while you wait.
Under the Montreal Convention, passengers generally need to complain in writing within 7 days for damaged baggage and within 21 days of getting the bag for delayed baggage. BA’s own claims page confirms the process for your flight, so check it as well. Our guide on lost or delayed baggage compensation at UK airports explains your options in more detail.
Remember the electronics rule too. BA says it refuses claims for electrical devices packed in hold baggage, so keep them in the cabin.
Getting heavy bags to the airport
Most Midlands passengers fly BA from London, usually from Heathrow or Gatwick. A 32kg suitcase is not easy to carry through a station or onto a train. Two of them, plus a cabin bag, make a long journey harder.
A private transfer takes the lifting out of the day. With a chauffeur, the driver loads your cases at your door and unloads them at the terminal. NET’s Birmingham to Heathrow chauffeur service covers that route, and the Mercedes V-Class has space for several large bags. Our guide to V-Class luggage capacity shows what fits. Flying from Gatwick instead? See our Gatwick chauffeur service.
You can also plan your arrival around Terminal 5 with our Heathrow Terminal 5 guide.
Conclusion
The British Airways baggage allowance is simple once you know your fare. Economy gives you one 23kg bag, Business gives you two at 32kg, and Basic gives you hand luggage only. Everyone can bring a 56cm x 45cm x 25cm cabin bag and a small 40cm x 30cm x 15cm bag.
Before you travel, weigh your case, check your fare and look at Manage My Booking. Note the bag drop deadline for your airport, buy extra bags online and keep batteries, laptops and medicines in the cabin. If you are travelling from the Midlands with heavy luggage, a chauffeur from National Executive Transfers can take you from your door to the terminal with your bags in the boot.
Sources: British Airways baggage essentials, British Airways checking in (both as summarised on the date checked), My Baggage, Deep Arrival, The Travel Tinker and Which Terminal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Every passenger can take two pieces of hand luggage: a cabin bag and a smaller handbag or backpack. Hold bags depend on your fare. Economy includes one, Premium Economy usually two, Business two and First three. Basic fares include none.
The cabin bag can be up to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including wheels and handles. The under seat bag can be up to 40cm x 30cm x 15cm. BA does not publish a weight limit, but you must be able to lift the cabin bag into the locker alone.
The standard limit in Economy and Premium Economy is 23kg per bag. In Business and First it is 32kg per bag. No checked bag may weigh more than 32kg.
BA's page lists £65, €75, $100 or C$100 per overweight bag, for each one way journey. This applies to bags between 23kg and 32kg when your fare does not allow that weight.
No. Basic is hand baggage only. You pay extra for a hold bag, and status perks usually do not apply. Check your own booking, because airlines can change fare rules.
Yes, if there is space on the aircraft, but it costs more than booking online. You also cannot use Avios at the airport. At many airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, BA accepts cards only.
BA's page says check-in closes 60 minutes before long-haul flights and 45 minutes before short-haul flights at Heathrow and Gatwick. At London City it closes 30 minutes before departure. Check Manage My Booking for the time on your flight.
At some airports, yes. BA lists overnight bag drop at Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5, Gatwick and London City, for early flights the next day. The windows and flight times differ by airport.
No. BA says power banks and spare batteries must go in your hand luggage.
BA tells you to carry it in the cabin. If you must pack it, switch it off completely. BA says it refuses claims for electrical devices lost or damaged in the hold.
No. Allowances cannot be pooled or shared. Each passenger's allowance applies to that passenger only.
BA's page applies its allowances to mainline, Cityflyer and Euroflyer flights. Check your own booking for any route level differences.
