I have flown British Airways from Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City for the last fifteen years on Economy, Premium Economy, Club Europe, and Club World fares — mostly to the US, the Caribbean, and across Europe. BA is the UK’s national carrier and the only mainline full-service airline operating from London with a serious global network. This page is the central guide: bags, fares, Executive Club benefits, AirPortr’s doorstep check-in service, what to do when things go wrong, and the gear that fits the cabin.
Quick answer for the bag question — checked May 2026
What Size Weight Cabin bag (overhead) 56 x 45 x 25 cm 23 kg combined with personal item Personal item (under seat) 40 x 30 x 15 cm 23 kg combined with cabin bag Standard checked bag up to 90 x 75 x 43 cm 23 kg (Economy) / 32 kg (Business and First) Oversized checked bag up to 190 x 75 x 65 cm additional fees apply Bicycle (in box or bag) up to 190 x 95 x 65 cm 23 kg The big ones to know: the 23 kg cabin weight is combined across both bags, not 23 kg each. The free cabin bag allowance is the largest of any major UK airline (56 x 45 x 25 cm vs easyJet’s 45 x 36 x 20 cm or Ryanair’s free 40 x 30 x 20 cm). Economy Basic includes no checked bag at all.
Jump to a section
- Baggage rules and measurements
- Cabin classes and what each one includes
- Executive Club benefits
- Booking and check-in
- AirPortr doorstep check-in
- Cabin bags that fit British Airways
- Special routes with two free checked bags
- Your rights: cancellations, delays, refunds
- British Airways vs other UK airlines
- Frequently asked questions
Baggage rules and measurements
The British Airways baggage measurements are the most generous of any major UK airline. Every fare from Economy Basic through to First includes the same cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25 cm) and personal item (40 x 30 x 15 cm), with a 23 kg combined cabin weight. What changes by fare is the checked bag allowance — Economy Basic includes none, Economy with checked bag includes one 23 kg, Premium Economy two at 23 kg, Business two at 32 kg, and First three at 32 kg.
Worth knowing for 2026: BA tightened cabin bag enforcement at busy Heathrow and Gatwick gates during 2025. Bag sizers are in active use, personal items are being counted, and oversized cabin bags are routinely tagged at the gate and moved to the hold with a checked bag fee added if your allowance is already used.
For the full breakdown:
- British Airways Baggage Measurements 2026 — every cabin and checked bag dimension, weight by class, and £65 overweight fee
Cabin classes and what each one includes
BA’s cabin class structure is more layered than the budget airlines. Short-haul and long-haul use different naming.
| Cabin | Short-haul name | Long-haul name | Checked bags | Per-bag weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Basic | Euro Traveller (Basic) | World Traveller (Basic) | None | — |
| Economy (with bag) | Euro Traveller | World Traveller | 1 | 23 kg |
| Premium Economy | n/a (short-haul) | World Traveller Plus | 2 | 23 kg each |
| Business | Club Europe | Club World / Club Suite | 2 | 32 kg each |
| First | n/a (short-haul) | First | 3 | 32 kg each |
Important detail on Club World/Club Europe and Executive Club status: Silver and Gold tier baggage bonuses only add extra bags on Economy fares. If you fly Club World as a Gold member, you do not get an additional bag on top of the standard 2 × 32 kg — the Gold bonus applies in the Economy cabin only.
Executive Club benefits
BA’s frequent-flyer programme. Bronze gives lounge access on certain fares but no extra baggage. The baggage perks start at Silver:
- Silver — In Economy, 2 checked bags at 32 kg each (instead of 1 × 23 kg). Benefit applies to everyone on the booking.
- Gold — Adds 1 extra bag on top of whatever the fare already includes. In Economy that means 1 → 2 bags. In First (which already includes 3) that means 4 bags total.
OneWorld Emerald (Gold equivalent) and OneWorld Sapphire (Silver equivalent) members carry the same allowances when flying BA. Neither status applies on Economy Basic fares — the basic fare strips the perks even for top-tier members.
Avios redemption baggage: an Economy Reward booking gets the same baggage as a paid Economy fare in the same cabin tier. If you book at the Basic tier with Avios, no checked bag is included — just like a paid Basic ticket.
Booking and check-in
Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure on ba.com or in the BA app. Check-in is free online and at the airport, but airport check-in is slower at peak times — particularly at Heathrow Terminal 5 in summer.
If you booked through an OTA (Expedia, Skyscanner, etc.), your baggage allowance is identical to a direct BA booking in your fare class. Add extra bags through ba.com Manage My Booking first; if your booking reference does not appear there, go through the OTA.
On codeshare flights, the operating airline’s rules apply — not BA’s. If your BA-issued ticket is operated by American Airlines, Iberia, Finnair, or another partner, that airline’s cabin dimensions and checked bag fees apply on those legs. Check the operated-by carrier on your booking confirmation before you pack.
AirPortr doorstep check-in
BA partners with AirPortr to collect your checked luggage from home or your hotel and deliver it directly to the check-in desk at Heathrow or Gatwick. If you are travelling with young children, bringing heavy sports gear, or you simply do not want to drag bags across London, it can be worth it.
- Collection from around £30 for the first bag and £10 per additional bag from central London postcodes
- Available the day before departure
- Bags appear at baggage reclaim at your destination as normal
- Book at airportr.com — not via BA directly
For premium cabin passengers, BA sometimes runs promotional pricing on AirPortr.
Cabin bags that fit British Airways
BA’s cabin bag allowance is generous enough that most travellers never need a hold bag for short trips. The full 56 x 45 x 25 cm with a 23 kg combined cabin weight gives you roughly two-and-a-half times the packable volume of a Ryanair free bag.
For now, see our broader guides:
- Cabin bag backpacks
- Best luggage for travel
- Luggage scales — to weigh before you leave home
- Luggage sets
Dedicated BA buyer’s guides coming soon:
Special routes with two free checked bags in Economy
On certain long-haul routes, Economy passengers receive 2 free checked bags at 23 kg each rather than the standard 1. The routes where this currently applies include Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Saudi Arabia.
India routes are more complex — the 2-bag allowance depends on the specific routing and fare type. Check your booking confirmation, or use BA’s baggage calculator at ba.com before you pack.
Your rights: cancellations, delays, refunds
UK passengers flying British Airways are covered by UK261 (the post-Brexit version of the EU261 regulation) on flights departing the UK, and by EU261 on flights departing the EU back to the UK. Compensation thresholds are the same — up to £520 (€600 equivalent) for a long-haul flight delayed by more than four hours, with shorter distances paying less.
Damaged bag claims must be filed within 7 days of arrival. Lost or delayed bag claims within 21 days from when the bag was supposed to arrive. Miss those windows and BA is under no obligation to pay. The Montreal Convention sets the maximum compensation for lost or damaged baggage at approximately £1,600 per passenger (limits revised upward effective 28 December 2024). All claims go through baggageclaim.britishairways.com.
British Airways vs other UK airlines
How British Airways stacks up against the four other airlines UK travellers fly most. For the full breakdown, see the UK airline baggage allowance comparison.
| Airline | Free cabin bag (every fare) | Personal item | Cabin weight | Free checked bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways | 56 x 45 x 25 cm | 40 x 30 x 15 cm | 23 kg combined | Fare-dependent (Basic = none) |
| easyJet | 45 x 36 x 20 cm under-seat | None | 15 kg | No |
| Ryanair | 40 x 30 x 20 cm under-seat | None | No limit | No |
| Jet2 | 56 x 45 x 25 cm + personal item | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | 10 kg cabin | With Jet2holidays packages |
| TUI | 55 x 40 x 20 cm + personal item | 40 x 30 x 20 cm | 10 kg cabin | With packages |
British Airways gives you the largest combined cabin allowance (cabin bag + personal item, 23 kg total) of any UK airline. The trade-off is Economy Basic fares — they include nothing in the hold, and at peak season the price gap to Economy with a checked bag can be small enough to make Basic the wrong choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the British Airways cabin bag size for 2026?
The cabin bag is 56 x 45 x 25 cm, and the personal item is 40 x 30 x 15 cm. Both bags together must not exceed 23 kg combined weight. These dimensions and the weight cap are identical on every fare from Economy Basic through to First.
Can I take a handbag and a cabin bag on British Airways?
Yes. Every BA fare includes both — a 56 x 45 x 25 cm cabin bag for the overhead locker and a 40 x 30 x 15 cm personal item for under the seat. Duty-free purchased after security is allowed on top of the standard allowance.
Does British Airways Economy Basic include a checked bag?
No. Economy Basic tickets include a cabin bag and a personal item only. No checked bag is included. Add one when booking online — it is significantly cheaper than paying at the airport or check-in.
How much does British Airways charge for overweight bags?
£65 per bag, per journey (€75 or $100 equivalent). This applies when a single bag exceeds the weight limit for your ticket class. No bag over 32 kg will be accepted at all and must be repacked.
Do British Airways Executive Club Silver and Gold members get extra baggage in Club World?
No. Silver and Gold tier baggage bonuses only apply on Economy fares. If you fly Club World as a Gold member, you carry the standard 2 × 32 kg — the Gold bonus applies in Economy only.
Can I combine weight across multiple bags on British Airways?
No. Each checked bag is weighed individually against the limit for your cabin class. A 20 kg bag and a 26 kg bag are not equivalent to two 23 kg bags — the 26 kg bag will be charged as overweight.
What is the maximum checked bag size on British Airways?
Standard checked bags must not exceed 90 x 75 x 43 cm including handles and wheels. Bags up to 190 x 75 x 65 cm are accepted as oversized with additional fees. Bicycles get a wider exception — up to 190 x 95 x 65 cm — but must be packed in a box or bag and pre-notified at least 72 hours before departure.
Do infants get baggage allowance on British Airways?
Yes. Infants under 2 on an adult’s lap get a 23 kg checked bag (except on Economy Basic) plus 2 free items of baby equipment — pushchair, car seat, booster seat, or travel cot. These are in addition to the adult’s own allowance.
Whose baggage rules apply on a BA codeshare flight?
The operating airline’s rules apply, not BA’s. If your BA-issued ticket is operated by American Airlines, Iberia, Finnair, or another partner, that airline’s cabin and checked bag rules apply on the operated leg. Check the operated-by carrier on your booking confirmation before you pack.
My British Airways bag has not arrived — what do I do?
Go to the BA baggage services desk before leaving arrivals and file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). You need that reference number for any subsequent claim. Damaged bag claims must be filed within 7 days. Lost or delayed bag claims within 21 days. All claims are processed at baggageclaim.britishairways.com.
Is AirPortr worth it?
For families with young children, anyone bringing heavy sports kit, or travellers based in central London who do not want to drag bags through public transport — yes. From around £30 first bag and £10 per additional bag, AirPortr collects from your home or hotel and delivers to the BA check-in desk at Heathrow or Gatwick. For solo travellers with one cabin bag, no.
Are British Airways and Iberia tickets the same on baggage?
Sometimes. Both are International Airlines Group (IAG) carriers and offer combined itineraries. On BA-ticketed flights operated by Iberia, BA rules apply if BA’s flight number is on the boarding pass. On Iberia-ticketed flights, Iberia rules apply. Always check the booking confirmation.
Tested on the routes I actually fly
I have flown British Airways from Heathrow (Terminals 3 and 5), Gatwick, and London City on Economy Basic, Economy with checked bag, Premium Economy, Club Europe, and Club World fares. The pricing and policy details here are what I have actually paid and seen in 2025 and 2026. Where BA has changed a rule mid-year — gate sizer enforcement tightened in 2025, the Montreal Convention compensation cap raised on 28 December 2024 — this guide and the underlying cluster posts have been updated accordingly. The dates at the top of each linked article show when it was last verified.
— Clint Edgar, Travellon
Last updated: May 2026
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- british-airways-avios-redemption-guide
- british-airways-check-in-guide
- british-airways-cancellations-refunds
- british-airways-flight-delays-eu261
Decision gate: T+14 day check-in agent fires 2026-05-18. Same logic as /ryanair/ and /easyjet/.
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