This article is in collaboration with American Tourister. Thanks to their continued tradition of quality and design at a great value, American Tourister offers a wide selection of travel products including luggage items as well as casual, and business bags.
As a general rule, all airlines have a weight limit of 7kg for carry-on luggage. A few allow for slightly more, and the standout airlines in this regard are British Airways which lets you take on 23kg (so long as you can put the bag in the overhead lockers unassisted) and United which has no carry-on luggage weight limit.
Carry-on luggage restrictions
Nearly all airlines allow you one bag plus a smaller one, such as a handbag or laptop bag. China Airlines and Emirates, however, make no mention of a second bag on their websites, while Flyscoot stands out from the rest of the low-cost carriers with a hand carry limit of 10kg.
Hand luggage dimensions for international flights
The size of bags you’re allowed to carry-on vary from airline to airline, although there are a few dimensions that occur more than once. From the airlines checked, Thai Airways was the most spacious, allowing bags of 56cm x 45cm x 25cm onboard.
The table below lists the full details of each airline for you to compare and check prior to packing.
What size restrictions are there for hand luggage on international flights?
Each airline has slightly different rules for hand luggage allowances on international flights, with the weight, size and even number of bags different from one company to another.
The standard size for cabin luggage — or the most common, at least — has a maximum length of 56 cm, width of 45 cm, and depth of 25 cm, including all handles, side pockets, and wheels. The 55cm American Tourister Bon Air Deluxe shown below falls under this category, with a size of 55cm x 40cm x 23(27)cm. It weighs 2.9kg with a volume of 37 – 45 litres.
American Tourister Bon Air DeluxeThe American Tourister Bon Air Deluxe suitcases are the perfect blend of quality construction, lightweight and attractive design. The range features a generous capacity; yet is compact and easy to manage on the go thanks to its 100% polypropylene shell that is light yet sturdy. The 4 spinner wheels and multi-height handle make it comfortable for travellers of all ages and sizes.
Airline | Allowance | Max Dimensions | Max Weight |
AirAsia | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56cm x 36cm x 23cm | 7kg |
Air New Zealand | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | Sum of length, width and height must not measure more than a combined 118cm | 7kg |
British Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm | 23kg |
Cathay Pacific | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56cm x 36cm x 23cm | 7kg |
China Airlines | 1 cabin bag | 56cm x 36cm x 23cm | 7kg |
Emirates | 1 cabin bag | 55cm x 38cm x 20cm | 7kg |
Etihad Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 50cm x 40cm x 25cm | 7kg |
Fiji Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55cm x 40cm x 23cm | 7kg |
Garuda Indonesia | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56cm x 36cm x 23cm | 7kg |
Japan Airlines | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55cm x 40cm x 25cm | 10kg |
Jetstar | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55cm x 36cm x 23cm | 7kg |
KLM | 1 cabin bag | 55cm x 35cm x 25cm | 12kg |
Lufthansa | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55cm x 40cm x 23cm | 8kg |
Malaysia Airlines | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 55cm x 35cm x 25cm | 7kg |
Qantas | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 48cm x 34cm x 23cm | 7kg |
Qatar Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 50cm x 37cm x 25cm | 7kg |
Scoot | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 54cm x 38cm x 23cm | 10kg |
Singapore Airlines | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | Sum of length, width and height must not measure more than a combined 115cm | 7kg |
Thai Airways | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm | 7kg |
United | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 56cm x 35cm x 22cm | No limit |
Virgin Australia | 1 cabin bag + 1 personal item | 48cm x 34cm x 23cm | 7kg |
Personal items include handbag, briefcase, laptop computer, camera bag, crutches, umbrella, etc.
Table correct as of 30 September 2018
Hand luggage restrictions
When travelling with hand luggage alone it’s important to remember restrictions on liquids and other prohibited items.
Also if you’re not sure what size luggage you should take away with you, check out our cabin baggage guide which gives you an indication of the size of bag you need for the number of days you’re away.
What size luggage do you need for carry-on?
Whether you’re going away for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, it’s entirely possible to travel with just hand luggage. If you’re not sure how much you’ll need to pack, this image gives an idea of the size of luggage you’ll need for carry-on, for trips of all lengths.
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