Hong Kong
Full service airline, Hong Kong hub Cathay Pacific baggage allowance
Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong's flag carrier and an Oneworld member, known for long-haul international service.
| Allowance | Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 7 kg56 x 36 x 23 cm | 10 kgFirst: 15 kg |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 23 kgUp to 158 cm | 32 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
- 56 x 36 x 23 cm
- Weight
- 7 kg in EconomyBusiness: 10 kg, First: 15 kg
- Pieces
- One bag
One piece of cabin baggage allowed. Must fit in overhead bin.
Personal item
- Size
- 40 x 30 x 15 cm
- Weight
- Included in carry-on allowance
- Examples
- One small personal item like handbag or laptop 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 Cathay Pacific 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
Cathay measures an allowance either by piece or by weight, and prints which on your ticket: 2PC means two pieces, 23K means 23 kg. What it does not publish anywhere is how many pieces each fare gets, pointing instead to your itinerary and its baggage calculator. The per piece limits it does publish are 23 kg in Economy and Premium Economy, 32 kg in Business and First, and 158 cm in all of them.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Light | From HK$350 / $45 | From HK$500 / $65 | Not included | 158 cm |
| Economy Essential/Flex | Included | From HK$500 / $65 | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Premium Economy | Included | Included | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Business/First Class | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
Economy Light: Light fares include cabin baggage only
Economy Essential/Flex: Essential: 1 bag, Flex: 2 bags included
Premium Economy: 2 bags at 25kg each included
Business/First Class: Business: 2 bags, First: 3 bags at 32kg each Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official Cathay Pacific baggage page before you pack.
Excess baggage fees
What Cathay publishes about baggage charges, which is the limits and the bands rather than the piece counts.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bag over 23 kg, up to 32 kg | Overweight charge | Per piece, priced by flight zone. Applies in Economy and Premium Economy |
| Bag over 158 cm, up to 203 cm | Oversize charge | Width plus height plus length |
| Bag over 32 kg | Contact Customer Care | Not accepted as ordinary checked baggage |
| Hong Kong to Auckland or Christchurch | An additional fee | On direct flights, for each overweight or oversized piece |
| Extra baggage bought in advance | Up to 10% off | At least 24 hours ahead, up to three extra pieces, on selected routes |
Cathay does not publish a per fare allowance table. Its own answer is that the figure depends on cabin and membership tier and lives in your itinerary or its baggage calculator, so any per fare number quoted elsewhere is somebody else's reconstruction rather than Cathay's.
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 cathaypacific.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 |
|---|---|
| Sports equipment | Golf bags, skis, surfboards with specific handling |
| Musical instruments | Can purchase extra seat for large instruments |
| Infant baggage | 10kg allowance plus fully collapsible stroller |
| Smart bags | Lithium batteries must be removable for checked baggage |
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.
Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific 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 Cathay Pacific compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
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