China
Full service airline, Guangzhou Baiyun hub China Southern Airlines baggage allowance
China Southern Airlines is one of Asia's largest carriers, operating an extensive domestic network across China alongside long-haul international services from Guangzhou and Beijing.
| Allowance | Economy, every fare | Business, every fare |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 8 kg55 x 40 x 20 cm | 5 kg on domestic flights, where First Class carries two pieces |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 23 kgMax 158 cm linear | 32 kgMax 158 cm linear |
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 20 cm
- Weight
- 5 kg
- Pieces
- One bag
First and Business Class passengers may carry two pieces. Premium Economy and Economy passengers may carry one piece. The same limits apply on domestic and international flights.
Personal item
- Size
- Not separately specified by China Southern
- Weight
- Included in cabin allowance
- Examples
- Small personal items such as a handbag, laptop bag, or duty-free purchases may also be carried.
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 China Southern Airlines 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
China Southern is the clearest case on this site of a fare brand that changes nothing. Full Flex, Flex and Standard carry exactly the same baggage in every cabin; what moves the figure is the route. Internationally that means two pieces of 23 kg in Economy and Premium Economy on the main long-haul groups and one of 32 kg elsewhere, with Business at two of 32 kg and First at three.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy, every fare | Included | Included | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Premium Economy, every fare | Included | Included | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Business, every fare | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
| First Class | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
Economy, every fare: Two pieces of 23 kg on the main long-haul groups, one of 32 kg on other itineraries.
Premium Economy, every fare: The same as Economy: two pieces of 23 kg, or one of 32 kg elsewhere.
Business, every fare: Two pieces of 32 kg on every itinerary.
First Class: Three pieces of 32 kg on every itinerary. Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official China Southern Airlines baggage page before you pack.
Checked bags by cabin, international
The fare brand is a red herring here. Full Flex, Flex and Standard are identical for baggage in all four cabins, so the only questions that matter are which cabin and which route.
| Economy, every fare | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Economy, every fare | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
| Business, every fare | 2 bags, 32 kg each | |
| First Class | 3 bags, 32 kg each |
Those Economy and Premium Economy figures cover the main long-haul groups, between Europe, the Americas, the Southwest Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. On other itineraries both drop to one piece of 32 kg. Every piece is capped at 158 cm. Flights within China run on weight instead: 40 kg in First, 30 in Business, 20 in Premium Economy and Economy, and 10 kg for an infant.
Excess baggage fees
What sits outside the pieces your cabin includes.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flights within China | 40, 30 or 20 kg | First, Business, and Premium Economy with Economy. Weight, not pieces |
| Piece from 23 to 32 kg | Overweight charge | Charged in bands, 23 to 28 kg and 28 to 32 |
| Piece from 32 to 45 kg | Higher band | Above the ordinary ceiling |
| Piece from 159 to 203 cm | Oversize charge | 158 cm is the free limit |
| Cabin bag | 8 kg, or 5 kg domestic | 55 x 40 x 20 cm. First Class carries two pieces on domestic flights |
Paying up from Standard to Flex or Full Flex buys changes and refunds, not baggage: China Southern gives all three brands the same allowance in every cabin. Check the route group instead, because that is what moves Economy between two bags and one. Buying the allowance before you fly costs less than paying at the airport on the routes that offer it.
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 csair.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.
Sky Pearl Club status extras
Frequent flyer status adds to the fare allowance. The extra applies to the member only, on China Southern Airlines operated flights.
Sky Pearl Club elite members may receive extra baggage benefits on eligible itineraries
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.
Oversize and special baggage rules apply to sporting equipment and other non-standard items
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.
China Southern Airlines 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 China Southern Airlines 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 China Southern Airlines baggage tracing page. Most delayed bags arrive within 48 hours and are delivered to your address free of charge.
Keep 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 China Southern Airlines compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
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