British Airways cabin baggage allowance
British Airways is unusual in two ways: it publishes no carry-on weight limit — the bag simply has to fit the sizer and be liftable into the locker unassisted — and it warns that even compliant cabin bags may be sent to the hold on busy flights.
The short answer
1 cabin bag up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm (no published weight limit — you must be able to lift it) + 1 hand bag up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm under the seat. First and Club Europe/World passengers get a larger hand-bag allowance (45 x 36 x 20 cm).
Cabin bag: size and weight at a glance
| Item | British Airways allowance |
|---|---|
| Cabin bag (max size) | 56 x 45 x 25 cm |
| Cabin bag weight | No published limit — must be stowed unassisted |
| Hand bag / personal item | 40 x 30 x 15 cm (45 x 36 x 20 cm in First / Club) |
| Checked (typical) | 23 kg per piece included on most fares |
Dimensions always include wheels and handles unless the airline says otherwise.
Personal item policy
Every passenger may also bring a small hand bag — handbag, laptop case or small backpack — that fits under the seat. Beware third-party sites claiming a 23 kg cabin-bag limit: that number is BA's checked weight, not carry-on.
Checked baggage: how it works
Most BA fares include at least one 23 kg checked piece (Basic fares on some routes include none). Excess rates and prepaid options are on BA's baggage pages.
If your bag is too big or too heavy
Oversize cabin bags are checked, and BA may gate-check even compliant bags on full flights — keep valuables and essentials in the underseat hand bag. See our guide: what happens if your carry-on is too big at the gate.
Allowances verified: 1 November 2026
Baggage rules change without notice. Always confirm with British Airways before flying — current official page: British Airways — baggage essentials (official).
Weigh before you wing it
Most carriers here enforce a 7–10 kg cabin limit. A luggage scale costs less than one gate fee and ends the guesswork.
Compare luggage scales →