Cabin bag and check-in bag: what your fare actually includes

Many travellers find out at the airport that their fare did not include the bag they packed. The baggage allowance belongs to the fare, not to the flight, so two people on the same plane can have different allowances. It takes a minute to check before you pay.

Two kinds of bag

The cabin bag goes with you on board and must fit the airline's size and weight limit. The check-in bag goes into the hold, and you collect it on arrival. Some fares include both, some include only a cabin bag, and some include a check-in bag only on certain routes. The limits are usually in kilograms.

Where to find it

On a fare, look for the check-in baggage and cabin baggage lines. If a line says it is not stated, treat it as not included until the airline confirms. Allowances can also differ for infants, for international trips and for the flight with a connection.

If you need more than the fare allows

• Buy extra baggage with the airline, either when you book or later online. It is almost always cheaper before the airport.
• Where the airline offers it, extra baggage, seats and meals may be shown when you enter traveller details. The airline sets those prices.
• Pay at the airport only as a last resort: it costs the most, and the rate is the airline's.

Weigh before you leave

Airlines weigh both bags, and a small excess can be charged by the kilogram. A luggage scale at home is cheap, and it saves the argument at the counter. Keep medicines, documents and valuables in the cabin bag, not in the hold.

A separate ticket for each leg

If your trip is on separate tickets, each airline applies its own allowance. A bag that is fine on the first flight may be over the limit on the second, so check every leg.