Australia
Full service airline, Sydney hub Qantas baggage allowance
Qantas is the flag carrier of Australia and its largest airline. Founded in 1920, it is the world's oldest continuously operating airline and a founding member of the Oneworld alliance.
| Allowance | Economy | Business and First |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 7 kg56 x 36 x 23 cm | 14 kgTwo bags, 10 kg maximum each |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 30 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
- Pieces
- One bag
One cabin bag allowed plus one small personal item.
Personal item
- Size
- Not separately specified
- Weight
- Included in carry-on allowance
- Examples
- Laptop bag, handbag, or small item that fits under seat.
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 Qantas 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
Qantas decides by route before it decides by cabin. Australian domestic flights count pieces of 23 kg, flights to the Americas count pieces of 32 kg, and everywhere else you get a total weight to split as you like. On a weight route Economy carries 30 kg and First 50, and no single bag may pass 32 kg on any of them.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy (Domestic) | Included | From AUD $15-$75 | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Economy (International) | Included | From AUD $75 | 30 kg | 158 cm |
| Business/First Class | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
Economy (Domestic): Domestic flights: 1 bag included, varies by fare
Economy (International): International: Up to 30kg included depending on fare
Business/First Class: Business: 40kg, First: 50kg total allowance Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official Qantas baggage page before you pack.
Checked weight by cabin, rest of the world
Qantas runs three systems at once, and this is the one that covers most of its international network: a total weight you can split across as many bags as you like.
| Economy | 30 kg | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Economy | 40 kg | |
| Business | 40 kg | |
| First | 50 kg |
Australian domestic counts pieces at 23 kg: one in Economy, two in Premium Economy, two of 32 kg in Business. North and South America count pieces at 32 kg: one in Economy, two in Premium Economy and Business, three in First. Nowhere may a single piece pass 32 kg. Dash 8 services and flights to Lord Howe, Christmas and the Cocos Islands are exceptions.
Excess baggage fees
What sits outside the allowance your cabin and route give you.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single piece over 32 kg | Not accepted | On every route and in every cabin |
| Extra weight on a weight route | Charged per kilogram | Cheapest bought before you reach the airport |
| Extra piece on a piece route | Charged per piece | Australian domestic and the Americas |
| Travelling on a partner airline | Their allowance, not this one | Qantas says partner allowances may differ |
Dash 8 services and the routes to Lord Howe Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands run on their own allowances, which are smaller than the domestic figures above.
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 qantas.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.
Frequent Flyer status extras
Frequent flyer status adds to the fare allowance. The extra applies to the member only, on Qantas operated flights.
Qantas Frequent Flyer: Additional allowance by status
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 | Fee estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Sports equipment | Included in your checked allowance, each item counting as one piece, up to 32 kg and 140 cm long. Anything over the allowance is charged | Included in allowance |
| Musical instruments | In the cabin within 142 cm in total on Boeing and Airbus aircraft, or 105 cm on a Dash 8, counting as part of your carry-on allowance | Included in allowance |
| Infant baggage | Stroller and car seat carried free |
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.
Qantas 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 Qantas 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 Qantas 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 Qantas compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
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