New Zealand
Full service airline, Auckland hub Air New Zealand baggage allowance
Air New Zealand is New Zealand's flag carrier and a Star Alliance member, serving domestic routes and key international markets.
| Allowance | Economy | Business Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 7 kg55 x 40 x 23 cm | 14 kgTwo bags, one of them up to 10 kg |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 23 kgUp to 158 cm | 23 kgUp to 158 cm |
Cabin baggage
What you keep with you on board. The carry-on bag goes in the overhead bin, the personal item goes under the seat in front of you.
Carry-on bag
- Size
- 55 x 40 x 23 cm
- Weight
- 7 kg
- Pieces
- One bag
Standard: 1 carry-on bag (7 kg). Koru Gold/Platinum/Black members on a seat-only fare: 2 carry-on bags (7 kg each). Total dimensions ≤118 cm.
Personal item
- Size
- Small personal item
- Weight
- Included in carry-on allowance
- Examples
- Handbag or small personal item in addition to carry-on bag.
Liquids: containers of 100 ml or less, all inside one transparent resealable 1 litre bag. Baby food, medication and sealed duty free purchases are exempt.
Power banks and batteries
Lithium batteries travel in the cabin, never in the hold. Since 2025 most carriers also ban using or charging a power bank during the flight.
| Item | Cabin | Checked | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power bank up to 100 WhAbout 27,000 mAh at 3.7 V | Allowed | Not allowed | One per passenger, under the seat, not in the overhead bin. Do not use or charge it on board. |
| Power bank 100 to 160 Wh | Approval needed | Not allowed | Maximum two, with airline approval before the flight. |
| Power bank over 160 Wh | Not allowed | Not allowed | Cannot travel on Air New Zealand in any form. |
| Spare laptop and camera batteries | Allowed | Not allowed | Terminals taped or in original packaging, up to 100 Wh each. |
| Devices with built-in batteriesLaptops, phones, cameras, tablets | Allowed | Switched off | Better in the cabin. If checked, fully switched off and protected from accidental activation. |
| E-cigarettes and vapes | Allowed | Not allowed | Cabin only, never used on board. |
Checked baggage
Air New Zealand puts the bag in the fare name. A seat fare is carry-on only, seat+bag adds one, and the works fares carry one on international routes while Premium Economy carries two and Business Premier three. Every bag is 23 kg before fees and 158 cm across.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Included | NZD $30-$80 prepaid | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Premium Economy | Included | Included | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Business Premier | Included | Included | 23 kg | 158 cm |
Economy: 1 bag included on most Economy fares; 2 bags on select Asia/US routes
Premium Economy: 2 bags included
Business Premier: 3 bags included (maximum) Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official Air New Zealand baggage page before you pack.
Checked bags by fare, international
A seat fare on Air New Zealand really is only a seat: carry-on and nothing in the hold. Everything above it carries at least one bag, and three is the ceiling nobody can pass.
| seat only | No checked bag | |
|---|---|---|
| theworks, worksflexi and Economy | 1 bag, 23 kg | |
| Premium Economy | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
| Business Premier | 3 bags, 23 kg each | |
New Zealand domestic fares run differently: seat+bag and flexichange carry one bag, flexirefund two. Some Economy routes carry a second bag anyway, from New Zealand or Australia to Shanghai and Singapore, from New Zealand to Taipei, and from Australia to Canada, the United States except New York, and Honolulu. Three bags is the hard ceiling, and Business Premier cannot add a fourth.
Excess baggage fees
What sits outside the bags your fare includes.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid Extra Bag | Cheapest option | Bought before the flight, up to a total of three bags |
| Bag over 23 kg | Excess at the airport | Accepted up to 32 kg if there is space on the aircraft |
| Arriving with a bag on a seat fare | Upgrade the booking | A seat fare carries no hold baggage at all |
| Koru and Koru Club members | Extra bags free | On every fare except a seat fare |
Three checked bags is the ceiling on any Air New Zealand ticket, so a Business Premier passenger has nothing left to add. Air New Zealand also says a bag over 23 kg is only accepted if the aircraft has room, which makes repacking safer than paying at the desk.
Before you pack
Six habits that keep you out of the excess baggage queue.
- Weigh bags at homeA luggage scale costs less than a single overweight bag fee, and it settles the argument at home rather than at the counter.
- Prepay extra weight onlineBuying through airnewzealand.com is 10 to 20 percent cheaper than paying at the counter.
- Wear the heavy itemsBoots, coats and jackets on your body do not count toward any limit.
- Use compression bagsVacuum bags cut clothing volume by up to 75 percent, which helps with the 158 cm size rule.
- Check your credit card perksSome premium cards include extra baggage or refund fees on selected airlines.
- Check your loyalty statusFrequent flyer tiers often add extra weight or an extra bag on top of the fare allowance.
Sports equipment, instruments and infants
Special items travel with conditions. Every one of them needs advance reservation, and acceptance at the airport is not guaranteed without it.
| Item | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Bike boxes available at NZ airports | NZD $35 |
| Wheelchair and mobility aids | Free in cargo |
Sporting equipment under 2m and ≤23 kg counts as standard bag
Cellos may travel in cabin with extra seat purchase
Oversize handling fee for items over 1m in length
Book special items online before travel. Airport prices are higher than the same allowance bought online, and hold space is first come, first served.
Check-in and bag drop deadlines
Counted back from scheduled departure. Miss the bag drop cut-off and the bag does not fly, even if you do.
Air New Zealand sets its check-in and bag drop deadlines by airport rather than publishing one timeline. Check the times on your booking, and allow longer if you have bags to drop.
If your bag does not arrive
Delayed and damaged bags follow a strict clock. Most claims fail because the report was made after leaving the airport.
Report before you leave the hall
Go to the Air New Zealand baggage services desk in the arrivals baggage hall. You get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with a 10 character reference. Without it there is no claim.
Track with the PIR reference
Use the reference and your surname on the Air New Zealand baggage tracing page. Most delayed bags arrive within 48 hours and are delivered to your address free of charge.
Track a bagKeep receipts, mind the deadlines
Essentials bought while the bag is missing can be claimed. Damage must be reported within 7 days, delayed bag expenses within 21 days of delivery, under the Montreal Convention.
How Air New Zealand compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
Turkey
Singapore
Japan
Taiwan