UAE Airlines Baggage Allowance (2026): Emirates, Etihad, FlyDubai & Air Arabia

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You’ve found a cheap flight, paid, and then spotted it: no checked bag. It happens a lot in the UAE because the four main airlines don’t play by the same rules. The Emirates baggage allowance and Etihad’s are counted by weight or by piece. FlyDubai and Air Arabia sell luggage inside fare bundles. Not sure where you’re flying yet? Start with the best countries to visit from Dubai.
Below: each airline’s cabin and checked allowance, hand-bag sizes, how weight, piece and bundle systems differ, excess fees and one comparison table. All figures come from the airlines’ own pages, checked in October 2026. Fares and routes change things, so confirm yours in Manage Booking before you fly.

Emirates Baggage Allowance – Cabin and Checked

The Emirates Economy cabin checked baggage allowance on weight-concept routes is

1. 20 kg (Special),
2. 25 kg (Saver),
3. 30 kg (Flex),
4. 35 kg (Flex Plus).

On the other hand, where the piece concept applies on flights to the Americas and Africa, the allowance is one 7 kg bag only.
Higher cabins receive more allowances. In particular, Premium Economy allows 35 kg, Business Class is allowed 40 kg, and First Class is allowed 50 kg on weight-concept routes. Where the piece concept applies, Premium Economy is allocated two 23 kg bags, while Business and First are allowed two 32 kg bags.
One thing about weight: you can split the total across as many bags as you like, as long as none goes above 32 kg.

Etihad Baggage Allowance – Cabin and Checked

The Etihad Airways baggage allowance depends on the fare. Basic includes no checked bag. Value, Comfort and Deluxe include 25, 30 and 40 kg on most routes, and two 23 kg bags to the USA and Canada. Cabin baggage is one bag up to 7 kg, sized 56 × 36 × 23 cm.
Basic looks tempting on price. Just don’t assume a suitcase comes with it, because adding one costs extra:
Etihad’s baggage guide says Tunisia and Morocco also get two 23 kg bags on non-Basic Economy fares. Business, First and The Residence passengers on those routes take two 32 kg bags. The table above applies to fares issued from 18 June 2026, so look at the issue date if your ticket is older.

FlyDubai Baggage Allowance – Cabin and Checked

The FlyDubai baggage allowance comes in bundles:

1. Lite is hand baggage only,
2. Value includes 20 kg,
3. Flex includes 30 kg,
4. Business includes 40 kg.

Economy cabin baggage is one 7 kg bag (55 × 38 × 20 cm) plus a personal item. Business passengers carry two cabin bags, 14 kg in total.
On Lite, there’s nothing to fall back on. You pay for a checked bag separately, and online is the cheaper route. The Emirates partnership doesn’t change any of this.
Each checked bag has to weigh less than 32 kg, and you can check up to three pieces within your total.

Air Arabia Baggage Allowance – Cabin and Checked

The Air Arabia baggage allowance in the cabin is 7 kg plus a 3 kg personal item, 10 kg in total. The cabin bag can measure up to 55 × 40 × 20 cm, the personal item 25 × 33 × 20 cm, and duty-free shopping counts towards the limit.
Checked luggage is where it gets fiddly. Air Arabia lets you choose 20, 30 or 40 kg when you book or change a flight. Its fare-types page gives the rough picture: on Basic, a checked bag is often chargeable; Value includes 15 to 30 kg depending on the region, and Ultimate 30 to 40 kg.
The fare types page is clear that included weight changes by route. So trust your own booking over any general table; ours included.

Weight Concept vs Piece Concept vs Fare Bundle – What’s the Difference

A weight concept gives you a total number of kilos to split across bags. A piece concept gives you a set number of bags, usually 23 kg each. A fare bundle ties checked baggage to the fare you buy. Emirates and Etihad use weight on most routes and piece on the Americas, while FlyDubai and Air Arabia use bundles.
Why bother knowing? Picture one 30 kg suitcase. On a 30 kg weight fare, it’s fine. Under the piece concept, it’s over the 23 kg limit, and you’d have to repack. Under a bundle, as with FlyDubai baggage, the cheapest fare may carry no checked bag at all. That last one is the surprise people mention most.

Cabin (Hand) Baggage Rules and Sizes

Emirates, Etihad and FlyDubai allow one cabin bag up to 7 kg, and Air Arabia allows 7 kg plus a 3 kg personal item. The Emirates baggage allowance size is 55 × 38 × 22 cm, Etihad’s is 56 × 36 × 23 cm, FlyDubai’s is 55 × 38 × 20 cm, and Air Arabia’s is 55 × 40 × 20 cm.
Premium cabins are different. Emirates gives Premium Economy 10 kg, and Business and First 7 kg plus a 7 kg briefcase or garment bag. Etihad Business, First and The Residence passengers carry two bags up to 12 kg combined, plus a smaller 5 kg bag. On FlyDubai, Business means two 7 kg bags.
Weigh your cabin bag at home. Low-cost carriers do check, and the gate fee stings: AED 200 per item on FlyDubai, AED 100 per oversized piece on Air Arabia.

Excess and Extra Baggage Fees

All four airlines charge for excess baggage, and prepaying online beats paying at the airport. Emirates says you can save up to 45% on weight-concept routes, Etihad up to 65%, and FlyDubai up to 70%. Rates depend on route and weight, so use each airline’s Manage Booking tool.
The logic differs by airline type. For the Emirates extra baggage allowance, the airport rate is charged per kilo on weight routes and per extra piece on piece routes. Etihad also prices by weight or piece, and caps extra bags at 32 kg each. On FlyDubai, airport excess from Dubai runs AED 40-80 per kg, depending on the route.
Mind the deadlines. Emirates and Etihad let you buy online up to four hours before departure; FlyDubai up to six.

UAE Airlines Baggage – Side-by-Side Comparison

Here’s the whole picture at once. Full-service carriers include a checked bag on Economy fares, apart from Etihad Basic. Low-cost carriers let you start without one and add it only if you need it, and Air Arabia hand baggage is the most generous at 10 kg with the personal item.

Tips to Avoid Excess Baggage Fees

Before payment, check what is included in your price, particularly on FlyDubai and Air Arabia. Afterward, book baggage online, weigh it yourself at home, and ensure it weighs less than 32 kilograms. With budget airlines, a little mistake will make the inexpensive ticket an expensive one. A few things to do include:

1. Read the fare name, not just the price. Basic and Lite mean cabin-only on Etihad and FlyDubai.
2. Buy extra baggage in advance, since airport rates are higher.
3. Put heavy items in your cabin bag, but stay under 7 kg.
4. Flying to the US or Canada? Plan for two 23 kg bags, not one big one.
5. On a low-cost carrier, compare a higher bundle with the cheap fare plus paid bags.

Heading to Europe? Our guide to the most beautiful places to visit in Europe may change how much you pack, since a short city break rarely needs a checked bag.
Travel tip from First Visa Service: For FlyDubai and AirArabia airlines, the least expensive fare may not include any luggage whatsoever – and after the inclusion of luggage, the value bundle is actually less expensive than the basic/Lite package with purchased baggage.
Planning a trip abroad from the UAE? Sort the visa first – First Visa Service handles tourist visas with a high approval rate. Not sure where to go without one? See the visa-free countries for UAE residents.
Get a free consultation

FAQ

What is the Emirates Economy baggage allowance?

Emirates Economy includes 20 kg on Special, 25 kg on Saver, 30 kg on Flex, and 35 kg on Flex Plus. A single bag can’t be heavier than 32 kg. To the Americas and Africa, it’s counted in pieces: one 23 kg bag on Special and two on other fares. Hand baggage is one 7 kg bag.

Does the FlyDubai Lite fare include checked baggage?

No. The Lite fare includes only hand baggage, which is one 7 kg bag plus a personal item. A checked bag can be added during booking, and FlyDubai says this costs up to 70% less than buying it at the airport. The Value fare includes 20 kg.

How much cabin baggage does Air Arabia allow?

Air Arabia allows a 7 kg cabin bag up to 55 × 40 × 20 cm and a 3 kg personal item up to 25 × 33 × 20 cm, for a total of 10 kg. Duty-free purchases are included in that weight. A piece that exceeds the limits may cost AED 100 at the boarding gate.

What is the maximum weight for a single checked bag?

Emirates sets 32 kg as the maximum for one bag. Etihad limits extra bags to 32 kg each, and FlyDubai accepts pieces under 32 kg. The Air Arabia pages we checked don’t state a limit, so confirm it in your booking. A heavier load has to be split into two bags.

How much does extra baggage cost on FlyDubai and Air Arabia?

The cost depends on the route and the weight. At the airport, FlyDubai charges AED 40-80 per kg from Dubai, and booking in advance is up to 70% cheaper. Air Arabia offers extra baggage of 20, 30, or 40 kg through Manage Booking, where the price for your flight is shown.

What is the difference between weight, piece, and fare-bundle baggage?

Weight gives you a total number of kilos to split across bags. Piece gives you a fixed number of bags, usually 23 kg each. In a fare bundle, baggage is part of the fare, so the cheapest one may include none. Emirates and Etihad use weight or piece; FlyDubai and Air Arabia use bundles.