United Kingdom
Full service airline, London Heathrow hub Virgin Atlantic baggage allowance
Virgin Atlantic is a British airline headquartered in Crawley, United Kingdom. Founded by Richard Branson, it operates long-haul routes to destinations in North America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.
| Allowance | Economy | Upper Class |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 10 kg56 x 36 x 23 cm | 12 kgOr two bags, 16 kg between them |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 23 kgUp to 90 x 75 x 43 cm | 32 kgUp to 90 x 75 x 43 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
- 10 kg in Economy and PremiumUpper Class: 12 kg in one bag, or 16 kg across two
- Pieces
- One bag
One cabin bag allowed per passenger.
Personal item
- Size
- 40 x 30 x 15 cm
- Weight
- No published weight limit
- Examples
- One additional personal item such as a 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 Virgin Atlantic 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
Virgin Atlantic sets the allowance by cabin. Economy Light carries nothing, Classic and Delight one bag of 23 kg, Premium two of 23 kg and Upper Class two of 32 kg. Every bag is measured as three sides, 90 x 75 x 43 cm, rather than as a single total.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Light | Bought separately | Bought separately | 23 kg | 90 x 75 x 43 cm |
| Economy Classic and Delight | Included | Bought separately | 23 kg | 90 x 75 x 43 cm |
| Premium | Included | Included | 23 kg | 90 x 75 x 43 cm |
| Upper Class | Included | Included | 32 kg | 90 x 75 x 43 cm |
Economy Light: No checked bag included. One bought before you fly or at check-in weighs up to 23 kg.
Economy Classic and Delight: One bag of 23 kg. Some routes give two, listed in the fare chart footnote.
Premium: Two bags of 23 kg each.
Upper Class: Two bags of 32 kg each. Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official Virgin Atlantic baggage page before you pack.
Checked bags by cabin
Economy Light is the one to watch, and Flying Club is the way around it: Silver and Gold members carry a bag on that fare even though it includes none.
| Economy Light | No checked bag | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Classic and Delight | 1 bag, 23 kg | |
| Premium | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
| Upper Class | 2 bags, 32 kg each | |
Six route groups give Economy two bags instead of one, excluding Economy Light: from the UK and Ireland to Nigeria, Ghana and India, and from the USA and Canada to India and Lebanon. USA and Canada to Nigeria was on that list until 15 April 2026 and is now one bag when flown directly. Flights to and from Key West cut every cabin to one bag of 23 kg, Upper Class included, because of the runway, see status extras.
Excess baggage fees
What sits outside the bags your cabin includes.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Light with a bag to check | Bought separately | Before the flight or at check-in, up to 23 kg |
| Flying Club Silver or Gold | One extra bag free | Including on Economy Light, which otherwise carries none |
| Six Economy routes | A second bag free | UK and Ireland to Nigeria, Ghana and India; USA and Canada to India and Lebanon |
| Flights to or from Key West | One bag in every cabin | Runway and aircraft restrictions, and it applies to Flying Club members too |
Virgin measures each bag as three sides rather than a linear total, so a 90 x 75 x 43 cm case passes even though it sums to 208 cm, well over the 158 cm most carriers allow. Read the three numbers, not the sum.
Estimate your excess fee
Your allowance
Estimate in pounds sterling based on published rate ranges. The exact fee depends on your route, currency and booking date. Confirm on virginatlantic.com before you pay.
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 virginatlantic.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 90 x 75 x 43 cm size rule.
- Check your credit card perksSome premium cards include extra baggage or refund fees on selected airlines.
- Use your Flying Club statusHigher tiers add extra weight or an extra bag on top of the fare allowance, see status extras.
Flying Club status extras
Frequent flyer status adds to the fare allowance. The extra applies to the member only, on Virgin Atlantic operated flights.
| Tier | Weight concept routes | Piece concept routes | Also included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Club Red | None | None | Cabin allowance only |
| Flying Club Silver | None | +1 bag | Up to 23 kg, and it applies on Economy Light too |
| Flying Club Gold | None | +1 bag | Up to 23 kg, and it applies on Economy Light too |
Virgin Red Points: earn on every flight
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, ski and surf gear accepted |
| Musical instruments | as cabin or 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.
Virgin Atlantic 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 Virgin Atlantic 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 Virgin Atlantic 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 Virgin Atlantic compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
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