Thailand
Full service airline, Suvarnabhumi hub Thai Airways baggage allowance
Thai Airways International is the flag carrier of Thailand. A founding member of the Star Alliance, it operates from its hub at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to destinations across Asia, Europe and beyond.
| Allowance | Economy | Business and First |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 7 kg56 x 45 x 25 cm | 7 kg56 x 45 x 25 cm |
| 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 45 x 25 cm
- Weight
- 7 kg
- Pieces
- One bag
One cabin bag allowed per passenger.
Personal item
- Size
- Not separately specified
- Weight
- Included in carry-on allowance
- Examples
- One small personal item allowed in addition.
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 Thai Airways 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
THAI counts pieces, and has done since 2 March 2026, when a piece concept replaced the old weight allowance across its network. Economy carries one bag of 23 kg on the cheaper fares and two on Flexi and Full Flex. Royal Silk carries two of 32 kg, Royal First three.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Included | Included | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Business (Royal Silk) | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
| First (Royal First) | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
Economy: Piece concept: one or two bags of 23 kg depending on the fare, each up to 158 cm.
Business (Royal Silk): Piece concept: two bags of 32 kg on international sectors, one on domestic.
First (Royal First): Piece concept: three bags of 32 kg, or two on a redemption ticket. Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official Thai Airways baggage page before you pack.
Checked bags by fare, international
The step that matters in Economy is from Standard to Flexi: that is where the second bag appears, and it is worth more than the fare difference suggests.
| Economy Saver and Standard | 1 bag, 23 kg | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Flexi and Full Flex | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
| Premium Economy | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
| Premium Economy Plus | 2 bags, 32 kg each | |
| Royal Silk | 2 bags, 32 kg each | |
| Royal First | 3 bags, 32 kg each |
Flights wholly within Thailand give one piece to every class, 32 kg in Royal Silk and Premium Economy Plus and 23 kg elsewhere. Every bag is capped at 158 cm including wheels and handles. Premium Economy Plus flies only on the A330-300. THAI notes that some destinations carry no allowance at all on the cheapest Economy fares, see status extras.
Excess baggage fees
What sits outside the pieces your fare includes.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bag over 158 cm total | Oversize charge | Wheels and handles count |
| Bag over its per piece weight | Overweight charge | 23 kg in Economy, 32 kg in the premium cabins |
| Downgraded against your will | Higher allowance kept | Even where the fare difference is refunded |
| Mixed cabins on one ticket | Highest cabin applies | Set by the highest class of service you paid for |
On a codeshare touching the United States it is the marketing carrier, the airline whose code is on the ticket, that sets the baggage rule rather than the airline flying the aircraft.
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 thaiairways.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.
- Use your Royal Orchid Plus statusROP Silver, ROP Gold and Star Alliance Gold and Royal Orchid Platinum members get 10 to 30 kg extra on top of the fare allowance, see status extras.
Royal Orchid Plus status extras
Frequent flyer status adds to the fare allowance. The extra applies to the member only, on Thai Airways operated flights.
| Tier | Weight concept routes | Piece concept routes | Also included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Orchid Plus member | None | None | Fare allowance only |
| ROP Silver | +10 kg | None | On THAI operated sectors only |
| ROP Gold and Star Alliance Gold | +20 kg | None | Published as extra weight, not an extra piece |
| Royal Orchid Platinum | +30 kg | None | On THAI operated sectors only |
Royal Orchid Plus: extra allowance based on 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 |
|---|---|
| Sports equipment | golf and dive gear accepted |
| Musical instruments | special handling available |
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.
Thai Airways 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 Thai Airways 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 Thai Airways 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 Thai Airways compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
Turkey
Singapore
Japan
Taiwan