Airline spec · verified 2026-07-02
British Airways carry-on & personal item size limits
Every number below was checked against British Airways's official pages on 2026-07-02, with links to the source.
Carry-on bag free verified
22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 36 × 23 cm)
No published weight limit
Wheels and handles count toward the limit.
No published hand-bag weight on current pages — you must be able to lift it into the locker yourself
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Personal item free verified
18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm)
No published weight limit
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Checked bag verified
35.5 × 29.5 × 16.9 in (90 × 75 × 43 cm*)
Weight limit: 23 kg
Wheels and handles count toward the limit.
Up to 90 × 75 × 43 cm per bag including handles, pockets and wheels; 23 kg (50 lb) standard; piece count varies by fare
Source: official page · checked 2026-07-02
Check if your bag fits British Airways →
Sizer enforcement: medium editorial view, not airline data
Generous weight allowance; size enforced on full flights
Shopping for a bag? These clear British Airways
Already have a bag — check it against British Airways. Buying a new one? Each below is measured against British Airways's published limit; only bags we can verify appear.
What is worth knowing about British Airways
British Airways publishes no hand-baggage weight on its current pages; the stated test is whether you can lift the bag into the locker yourself. The sizes are generous for Europe — 56 x 36 x 23 cm for the cabin bag and 45 x 35 x 20 cm under the seat, which is the American shape rather than the Ryanair one, so a bag bought in the US usually travels here unchanged. Checked bags are measured per piece at up to 90 x 75 x 43 cm including handles, pockets and wheels, at 23 kg, with the piece count set by your fare.
Two limits British Airways does not set
The sizes above are the ones British Airways publishes. These are not, and they do not change when you switch carriers: liquids in the cabin — at a US checkpoint every liquid, aerosol, gel, cream and paste must be 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less and fit one quart-sized bag (TSA — Liquids, Aerosols and Gels Rule); and power banks and spare lithium batteries, which must be carried in the cabin only, never in a checked bag, with an ordinary rechargeable cell capped at 100 watt-hours (FAA PackSafe — Lithium Batteries). The FAA states that airlines may set stricter watt-hour and quantity limits than its own, so British Airways can be tighter than this and never looser.
Item by item, the answers are on our can you bring it on a plane pages.
Size limits change. We watch them for you.
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Common questions
What size carry-on does British Airways allow?
22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 36 × 23 cm), including wheels and handles. Checked against the official page on 2026-07-02.
Does British Airways charge for a carry-on?
No — a carry-on is included for standard fares.
What size personal item does British Airways allow?
18 × 14 × 8 in (45 × 35 × 20 cm) — it must fit under the seat in front of you.
Is there a carry-on weight limit on British Airways?
No general weight limit is published for British Airways carry-ons as of 2026-07-02. You must be able to lift the bag into the bin yourself.