Baggage allowance is one of those things we often take for granted. We book our flight and head to the airport without giving this matter due consideration. This is not advisable! You should always be fully aware of what baggage allowance an airline provides. By arming yourself with information, you can avoid any mishaps at the airport and any unexpected fees.

Airport terminal with people and suitcases

Luggage allowance can vary greatly depending on routes, class of flight, and the airline in question. Some airlines provide ample free hold luggage capacity. Others only allow you to take cabin luggage. Moreover, some airlines will impose weight and size restrictions. In the sections below, we look at which airline has the most baggage allowance so that you can fly with confidence:

Which Airline has the most baggage allowance?

We have gathered a list of major airlines and their baggage allowance. We have included how many free bags they allow together with weight restrictions and cost. The price and allowance may vary for international flights or domestic routes – always check the airline’s website for clarification:

Free Baggage Allowance

First, we must look at the actual free baggage allowance. This is the basic allowance that is given when you book your flight. Some airlines allow you to check hold luggage for free, others may not offer this service at all, especially on economy class routes or shorter flights. The following is a list of popular airlines together with their free baggage allowance (if any):

Aer Lingus – Zero free allowance
Air France – 1 free piece of luggage
Air Asia – Zero free allowance
British Airways – 2 free pieces of luggage
Delta – 1 free piece of luggage
EasyJet – Zero free allowanceEmirates – 1 free piece of luggage
Etihad Airways – 1 or 2 free pieces of luggage depending on the route
Flybe – Zero free allowance
Jet2 – Zero free allowance
KLM – 1 or 2 free pieces of luggage depending on the route
Lufthansa – 1 free piece of luggage
Norwegian Airlines – 1 free piece of luggage
Qatar Airways – 1 free piece of luggage up to 30kg
Ryanair – Zero free allowance
TUI Airways – 1 free piece of luggage up to 20kg
Turkish Airlines – 2 free pieces of luggage
Virgin Atlantic – 1 free piece of luggage
Vueling Airlines – Zero free allowance

Read more: Best carry on luggage with wheels

Workers sorting suitcases outside the airplane

Weight and size of baggage

Size and weight allowed is another important consideration when looking at which airline has the most baggage allowance. An airline might allow you to bring carry-on luggage, but the size could be really small. It is always prudent to be aware of weight restrictions and size limitations. There is nothing worse than checking in at an airport only to find that your luggage is classed as oversized, and you have to pay a hefty charge!

Aer Lingus – No restriction on size / 32kg maximum weight per bag / 40kg combined for 2x bags
Air France – 158cm overall dimension / 23kg maximum weight per bag
Air Asia – 15kg – 40kg maximum weight per bag depending on the route
British Airways – 90x75x43cm / 32kg maximum weight per bag
Delta – 157cm overall dimension / 23kg maximum weight per bag
EasyJet – 275cm overall dimension / 15kg – 32kg maximum weight per bag depending on the route
Emirates – 300mm overall dimension / 15kg – 40kg maximum weight per bag depending on the route
Etihad Airways – 207cm overall dimension / 23kg maximum weight per bag
Flybe – No restriction on size / 23kg maximum weight per bag
Jet2 – No restriction on size / 32kg maximum weight per bag
KLM – 158cm overall dimension / 23kg maximum weight per bag
Lufthansa – 158cm overall dimension / 23kg maximum weight per bag
Norwegian Airlines -250x79x112cm / 32kg maximum weight per bag
Qatar Airways – 300cm overall dimension / 30kg maximum weight per bag
Ryanair – 81x119x119cm / 20kg maximum weight per bag (3 bags max)
Thomas Cook Airlines – 158cm overall dimension / 20kg maximum weight per bag
TUI Airways – No restriction on size / 20kg maximum weight per bag
Turkish Airlines – No restriction on size / 20kg maximum weight per bag
Virgin Atlantic – 90x75x43cm / 23kg maximum weight per bag
Vueling Airlines – No restriction on size / 23kg maximum weight per bag

Be sure to check the size of your additional baggage beforehand! Compare this with the airline guidelines and you should experience no issues. Remember that check-in luggage will differ to checked luggage and airline usually have separate classifications for both.

Read more: Can You Take a Pen on a Plane?

Airplane preparing to take on passengers

Charges for additional bags

Finally, when considering which airline offers the best baggage allowance, we should consider the price. An airline could, for example, allow you to check multiple bags, but there could be a hefty price tag too. The following is a list of the current price for additional bags, always remember that in some cases restrictions apply:

Aer Lingus – €20 – €85 per bag depending on the route
Air France – £21 – £80 per bag depending on the route
Air Asia – Varying depending on the route – check the website
British Airways – £65 per bag
Delta – €23 – €85 per bag depending on the route
EasyJet – £13 – £35 per bag
Emirates – Varying depending on the route – check the website
Etihad Airways – Increasing costs for every subsequently checked bag
Flybe – 15kg = £19 / 23kg = £24 / 46kg = £48
Jet2 – £10 – £45 per bag
KLM – €10.50 online / €55-300 at the airport
Lufthansa – €75 – €350 for 23kg / €125 – €450 over 23kg
Norwegian Airlines – €7 – €80 per bag depending on the route
Qatar Airways – $25 – $70 per kg
Ryanair – £25 – £40 per bag depending on the route
Thomas Cook Airlines – £15 – £90 online / £10 per kg at the airport
TUI Airways – On-flight only deals
Turkish Airlines – €5 per kg depending on class and route
Virgin Atlantic – £65 for second bag / £140 for each additional bag
Vueling Airlines – €35 for first bag / €70 for 2nd and subsequent bags

Read more: Best Place to Buy Luggage

Crowded airport terminal

So which airline does have the most baggage allowance? We have broken it down into the three categories so that you can clearly see:

Free Baggage allowance – British Airways / Turkish Airlines / Etihad Airways
Weight allowance – Various airlines offering 32kg per bag
Additional allowance charges – EasyJet / Flybe

Free Baggage allowance

British Airways certainly have a fantastic baggage allowance and is one of the best out of the major airlines. Turkish Airlines also has a similar offering, and many of the Asian operators such as Etihad also have favorable free bags with minimal restrictions.

Read more: Is Turkish airlines safe to fly?

Weight allowance

In terms of weight restrictions, many of the airlines allow bags up to 32kg in weight – this should be more than enough. The average traveler will only use around 20kg of weight allowance per bag.

Additional allowance charges

Budget airlines such as EasyJet, Jet2, and Flybe generally have the cheapest additional bag charges whereas larger international airlines cost more – this is usually offset by their free baggage allowance, however. For example, British Airways charges £65 per bag, but you get 2x free bags to start with anyway.

When choosing an airline, always consider baggage allowance. You do not want to be limited in what you can take on your travels and if you can get a large free baggage allowance then it will make your trip that much more enjoyable!