Emirates uses a weight system on flights from the UK to Dubai. Your allowance is a total number of kilograms, not a set number of bags. That figure depends on your cabin and, in Economy, on the fare you bought. It ranges from 20 kg to 50 kg.
This guide covers everything that affects your bags on an Emirates flight. You will find checked allowances by fare, cabin bag sizes, what to pack and what to leave out, how excess baggage works, and what to do if your luggage goes missing. We took the figures from Emirates’ own pages and checked them in October 2026. Emirates updates its rules, so confirm the details on your booking before you pack.
Emirates baggage allowance at a glance
| Cabin or fare | Checked baggage | Cabin baggage |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Special | 20 kg | One bag, 7 kg |
| Economy Saver | 25 kg | One bag, 7 kg |
| Economy Flex | 30 kg | One bag, 7 kg |
| Economy Flex Plus | 35 kg | One bag, 7 kg |
| Premium Economy | 35 kg | One bag, 10 kg |
| Business Class | 40 kg | One 7 kg bag plus one 7 kg briefcase or garment bag |
| First Class | 50 kg | One 7 kg bag plus one 7 kg briefcase or garment bag |
Every checked bag must weigh no more than 32 kg. Its length, width and height must add up to 203 cm or less. Cabin bags follow separate size limits, which this guide covers below.
How the weight system works
Emirates uses two systems around the world. The weight system gives each passenger a total allowance in kilograms. The piece system gives each passenger a set number of bags, each with its own weight limit.
Most routes use the weight system, including flights between the UK and Dubai. Emirates applies the piece system to flights to and from the Americas and Africa. If your journey ends in either region, check your booking to see which system covers your whole trip.
Under the weight system, you can split your allowance across bags as you like, as long as no single bag goes over 32 kg. A 30 kg allowance could mean one 30 kg bag, or two 15 kg bags. Two lighter bags are easier to lift, and they also stay under the single-bag limit with room to spare.
Skywards Silver, Gold and Platinum members may get extra weight on routes that use the weight system. The page we reviewed did not give a figure, so check your membership benefits or your booking.
Economy baggage: which fare gives you what
Four different allowances apply in Economy, and the fare name decides which one you get. Emirates shows the fare name on your booking.
The lowest fare, Economy Special, allows 20 kg. Saver adds 5 kg for a total of 25 kg, Flex allows 30 kg, and Flex Plus reaches 35 kg. A passenger who buys the cheapest fare and packs for a month will probably go over the limit.
Before you pay for a higher fare only for the baggage, compare the cost of extra weight. Emirates sells extra allowance in 5 kg blocks. You can price the blocks you need in Manage Your Booking and compare the total against the fare upgrade.
One note on the numbers: Emirates lists a 30 kg Economy Saver allowance for journeys between Europe and Australia or New Zealand. That figure does not apply to Dubai flights, so ignore it on this route.
Business Class and First Class baggage
Business Class passengers can check up to 40 kg. First Class passengers can check up to 50 kg. The 32 kg limit per bag still applies, so a 50 kg allowance needs at least two bags.
In the cabin, both classes get one 7 kg bag plus one 7 kg briefcase or garment bag. That gives you 14 kg of cabin baggage in total, which is double the Economy limit.
The size limits for these bags differ:
- Briefcase: up to 45 x 35 x 20 cm.
- Handbag: up to 55 x 38 x 22 cm.
- Garment bag: up to 20 cm thick when folded.
Business and First Class passengers also use the Emirates chauffeur-drive service on eligible tickets. Our guide to airlines offering a complimentary chauffeur service explains who qualifies and how the car handles luggage.
Cabin baggage and hand luggage sizes
Emirates limits cabin bags by size and weight. The limits depend on your cabin.
- Economy: one bag up to 7 kg and 55 x 38 x 22 cm.
- Premium Economy: one bag up to 10 kg and 55 x 38 x 22 cm.
- Business and First: one 7 kg bag, plus a briefcase or garment bag as above.
The page lists one cabin bag for each cabin. It does not mention a separate personal item, so do not assume you can carry a handbag on top of your cabin bag in Economy. If you carry both, ask Emirates how it counts them before you reach the airport.
Bags must fit under the seat in front of you or in an overhead locker. Emirates does not allow bags behind your legs, in the aisle or in front of emergency exits. Staff can ask you to check a bag that does not fit, and the flight crew can enforce the weight limit at the gate.
Our guide to airline cabin bag sizes in the UK compares Emirates with other carriers if you also fly with another airline.
What you can carry in your cabin bag
Liquids, medicines and baby food
Each liquid container must hold 100 ml or less. All containers must fit inside one transparent, resealable plastic bag of up to one litre. Emirates allows one such bag per passenger. Containers over 100 ml are refused even when they are only partly full.
Medicines, baby milk, baby food and special dietary items are exempt. You must show proof of what they are, so keep prescriptions or labels with them.
Duty free
Emirates allows reasonable quantities of liquor, cigarettes and perfume in all cabins. Security rules at your departure airport or a connecting airport may still stop liquids, so ask the shop to seal your purchase in a tamper-evident bag and keep the receipt.
Powders
Rules on powders apply to flights to, from or through the US, and from or through Australia and New Zealand. Powders in containers of 350 ml or more cannot go in cabin baggage on those routes. Baby formula, prescription medicines and human remains are exempt.
Power banks and batteries
Since 1 October 2025, Emirates bans the use of any power bank on board. You may carry one power bank per passenger if its rating is under 100 Wh. Keep it in the seat pocket or in a bag under the seat in front of you, and never in the overhead locker. Power banks cannot go in checked baggage. You also cannot charge a power bank from the aircraft’s power supply.
Have the capacity rating visible, because staff may ask to see it. Charge your phone and tablet before you board, because you will not be able to top them up from a power bank in the air.
Items Emirates does not accept
Some items cannot travel in the cabin or the hold. Two categories matter most to UK passengers.
Fireworks and explosives. Emirates prohibits fireworks and any item that contains explosives, in both cabin and checked baggage. The list includes Christmas crackers, firecrackers, bottle rockets, poppers and sparklers. If you buy festive crackers in the UK to take to family abroad, leave them at home.
Personal motorised vehicles. Smart bags with motorised rideable scooters, hoverboards and mini-Segways are not accepted in checked or cabin baggage, because of their large lithium batteries. This applies even if you connect from an airline that does accept them.
Emirates also publishes a dangerous goods guide for items such as lighters, aerosols and chemicals. Check it before you pack anything unusual. Our guide to Zamzam water on flights explains the rule for that item, which must travel in checked baggage.
Excess baggage: how it works and how to pay less
Excess baggage is the weight you carry above your allowance. Emirates charges for it, and the price depends on when and where you pay.
Buying online costs less. Emirates says extra weight bought in advance can save up to 45% against airport check-in fees. Its own example is a flight from London to India, where an extra 5 kg is 35% cheaper and an extra 20 kg is 45% cheaper. Extra pieces bought in advance save 15%.
How to buy.
- Open Manage Your Booking and log in with your booking reference.
- Select the extra baggage option and check the fee.
- Pay by credit card, in the same currency as your ticket.
You can buy extra baggage online or through Emirates retail and contact centres, up to four hours before departure. Online purchases come in 5 kg blocks, up to a maximum of 50 kg.
Prices. Emirates does not list online prices on its information page. They appear in Manage Your Booking. The page does list airport rates, in US dollars per kilogram or per piece, in a table by region. At the airport, you pay at check-in in local currency. Cards are generally needed, because some airports do not accept cash or debit cards.
Who can buy it. Adult and child tickets qualify. Infant tickets do not. The ticket must be issued by Emirates, and the flight must be operated and marketed by Emirates, so codeshare tickets usually do not qualify.
Limits to know about. Emirates can refuse an excess baggage purchase at check-in for safety or operational reasons. If you check more than 15 pieces, some bags may travel on a later flight and arrive within five days. Under the piece system, you can buy up to five extra pieces in advance, and each extra piece allows 23 kg in Economy and Premium Economy or 32 kg in Business and First. Pieces between 150 and 203 cm in total size attract oversize fees.
The simple rule is to weigh your bags at home, work out what you need and buy online. A bag that is 8 kg over at the desk costs more than the same weight bought a day earlier.
Sports equipment, instruments and special items
Emirates lists special rules for items that do not fit a normal suitcase. Many passengers do not know that these have their own limits.
Sports equipment. Emirates accepts it as checked baggage within your standard allowance. Excess rates apply if you go over. Items longer than 300 cm in total size cannot be checked and must travel as cargo.
- Bicycles: contact Emirates at least 24 hours before your flight, because special packaging rules may apply.
- Skis and snowboards: one pair of skis, poles and boots, or one snowboard and boots. Additional charges may apply.
- Surfboards: remove the fins or pad them with polystyrene. Protect the nose and tail, add cardboard along the rails and use a padded surf bag.
- Scuba equipment: air bottles must be empty.
- Windsurf, kitesurf and kayak equipment: pack it in a hard-shell case, or Emirates may require a Limited Release.
Musical instruments. Instruments have no free special allowance. They can travel as checked baggage, as cabin baggage if they fit your cabin’s limits, or in a paid seat. Excess charges apply if a checked instrument takes you over your allowance, and the 300 cm limit applies.
Pets. Pets cannot travel in the cabin, except falcons on certain routes between Dubai and Pakistan. They travel as cargo or as checked baggage in the hold. Fees apply even when you have no other bags, and you must contact Emirates well before the flight to confirm permits, tests and vaccinations.
Mobility aids and medical equipment. Some items travel free. They include a fully collapsible wheelchair that you bring yourself, braces or crutches, one portable dialysis machine and all its equipment, and one CPAP or PAP sleep apnoea device in checked baggage. Assistance dogs for passengers who are blind or have hearing loss travel in the hold kennels.
Rules for other airlines on connecting itineraries may differ, so check each carrier if you change planes.
Travelling with babies and children
Emirates gives infants under two their own allowance, and it appears on the infant’s ticket.
- Most routes: one cabin bag up to 5 kg and 55 x 38 x 22 cm, plus checked baggage up to 10 kg.
- Routes to and from the Americas and Africa: the same cabin bag, with checked baggage up to 23 kg.
Check-in staff may allow one of these on board for free, depending on space: a fully collapsible stroller or pushchair, a carrycot or a car seat. If you want to use an approved car seat on the plane, you must buy an additional aircraft seat at the child fare. Contact Emirates to arrange it.
Baby milk and baby food are exempt from the 100 ml liquid limit, though you need to be ready to show what they are. Remember that infant tickets cannot buy extra baggage, so plan the family’s total weight across the adult and child tickets that qualify.
If you travel with a lot of equipment, a private transfer saves you from carrying pushchairs, car seats and bags through car parks. We explain how in the transfer section below.
Connecting flights and codeshares
Baggage rules follow the airline that sells and operates each flight. A trip with Emirates and another airline can involve two sets of rules.
The key points:
- You can only buy extra baggage online if Emirates issued the ticket and operates and markets every flight.
- Special items such as sports equipment may have different rules on the other airline.
- A trip that touches the Americas or Africa may use the piece system.
- If you travel on separate tickets, you usually collect your bags and check them in again.
On a single Emirates booking, the airline normally checks your bags through to your final stop. Ask at the desk to confirm it, and look at the tag to see the destination printed on it.
Packing and weighing your bags at home
A few habits save time and money.
- Weigh your bags on a luggage scale. Do it twice, once after packing and once after you add last-minute items.
- Measure your cabin bag. Use the size limit for your cabin, including wheels and handles.
- Put valuables, medicines and documents in the cabin bag. Keep proof for any medicine you carry.
- Pack liquids in one clear bag, and keep it where you can reach it at security.
- Photograph your bags and their contents. The photos help if you later need to make a claim.
- Remove old airline tags, and put your name and address inside each bag.
For the check-in side of the journey, including online check-in and bag drop deadlines, read our Emirates guide for Birmingham Airport.
If your bag is delayed, damaged or lost
Most bags arrive on time. If yours does not, act at once.
Report it at the airport. If your bag does not appear, register the problem at the baggage desk before you leave the arrivals hall. Delayed bags automatically get a Property Irregularity Report reference, known as a PIR number. Keep it, because you need it for everything that follows.
Track your bag. Use the baggage tracker in the Emirates app, under notifications on the home screen or in My Trips. Without the app, use the delayed or damaged baggage tracker on the Emirates website. Tracing a delayed bag can take up to 21 days, because several airlines or airports may be involved.
Claim for expenses. If your delayed bag arrives, you can claim compensation through Emirates’ complaint form. Contact Emirates within 21 days of receiving your bag. Keep receipts for essential clothing and toiletries that you bought during the delay. The form accepts two documents of up to 7 MB each.
Complete the inventory form. For lost bags, Emirates asks you to fill in a Baggage Inventory Form that lists the contents. Once you submit it, you cannot edit or resend it, so check it carefully first.
Know who handles the claim. If your journey involves more than one airline, the airline that flew the final sector processes the claim, even if you booked with Emirates.
Delivery. Once Emirates finds your bag and it clears customs, the airline arranges a delivery time that suits you. In some countries, local rules mean you must collect it from the airport.
Damage. The Emirates page we reviewed did not state a reporting deadline for damaged bags or give compensation amounts. Report damage at the airport straight away and take photos. Under the Montreal Convention, passengers generally need to complain in writing within seven days for damaged baggage and within 21 days for delayed baggage. Our guide to lost, delayed or damaged baggage compensation at UK airports explains your rights in more detail.
Heavy luggage and your airport transfer
Weight limits shape how you travel to the airport. A 40 kg Business Class allowance means two large suitcases and a cabin bag, and a family can easily add up to six or seven items. A standard taxi does not always cope.
A pre-booked chauffeur solves the practical problems. National Executive Transfers is based at Birmingham Airport and has served passengers since 2015. Tell us how many bags you have, and their sizes, when you book, and we send a vehicle that fits them. Our guide to V-Class luggage capacity explains how much a larger vehicle takes.
Your driver helps you load the bags at your door and unload them at the terminal. You skip the parking, the walk with heavy cases and the drop-off charge. We cover Birmingham Airport transfers, as well as journeys to Heathrow and Manchester Airport. On your return, the driver tracks your flight and waits for you, so a late landing does not leave you hunting for a taxi with a delayed bag claim in hand.
You can book your chauffeur online and add notes about your luggage.
Related Articles
Emirates Flights From Birmingham Airport: Check-In, Lounge and Transfer Guide
Airline Cabin Bag Sizes in the UK: What Each Carrier Actually Allows in 2026
Lost, Delayed or Damaged Baggage: Your Compensation Rights at UK Airports
V-Class Luggage Capacity: Is It Enough for Family Holidays?
Zamzam Water on Flights: UK Airline Rules
Conclusion
The Emirates baggage allowance rewards passengers who check three things before they pack: the fare name, the cabin bag size and the weight of each case. Those figures decide whether you pay nothing at the desk or a high excess fee.
If you need more weight, buy it online before the day, and keep power banks, fireworks and other restricted items out of the wrong bag. A chauffeur from National Executive Transfers carries the practical side, so your bags reach the terminal without stress. Check the final details on your Emirates booking before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Emirates uses a weight system on UK flights to Dubai. Checked allowances range from 20 kg in Economy Special to 50 kg in First Class. Each bag can weigh up to 32 kg.
Economy and Premium Economy cabin bags can measure up to 55 x 38 x 22 cm. Economy allows 7 kg, and Premium Economy allows 10 kg.
Business and First Class passengers can carry one 7 kg bag plus one 7 kg briefcase or garment bag. Briefcases can measure up to 45 x 35 x 20 cm.
Emirates does not publish online prices on its information page, so check Manage Your Booking. Airport rates are listed by region in US dollars per kilogram or per piece. Buying in advance can save up to 45% compared with airport rates.
Yes. You can buy it online or through Emirates retail and contact centres up to four hours before departure. Online purchases come in 5 kg blocks, up to 50 kg.
No. Emirates bans the use of power banks on board. You may carry one under 100 Wh in the cabin, but not in the overhead locker or in checked baggage.
On most routes, an infant under two gets one cabin bag up to 5 kg and checked baggage up to 10 kg. Routes to and from the Americas and Africa allow up to 23 kg checked.
Check-in staff may allow a collapsible pushchair, carrycot or car seat on board for free, depending on space. To use an approved car seat in a seat on the plane, you must buy an additional seat at the child fare.
Report it at the baggage desk before you leave the airport, and keep your PIR number. Track it in the Emirates app, and contact Emirates within 21 days of receiving a delayed bag to claim for essential expenses.
No. Emirates prohibits fireworks and items containing explosives, including Christmas crackers, poppers and sparklers, in both cabin and checked baggage.
