British Airways baggage fees 2026: carry-on, checked bag, seat and change fees
On British Airways's cheapest fare (Short-haul, Economy Basic (hand baggage only)), a carry-on bag is: included. The first checked bag: priced by route in a calculator; no range published. Changing the flight: its service-fees page did not load when we read it. We read these on British Airways's own pages on 14 November 2026; each line below links to the page and quotes what it says.
British Airways fees on the cheapest fare
| fee | what British Airways publishes | evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bag | Included Its page says: “1 cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25cm)” | source |
| First checked bag | Priced by route in a calculator; no range published Its page says: “See your baggage allowance and cost of extra bags in Manage My Booking or using the calculator.” | source |
| Second checked bag | Priced by destination in a calculator; no range published Its page says: “The cost of each extra hold bag depends on your destination and how many more bags you want to check in over your hold allowance.” | source |
| Choosing a standard seat | Allocated free when check-in opens; the price to choose is shown only when booking Its page says: “Prices are available when booking your flight or in Manage My Booking.” | source |
| Changing the flight | Its service-fees page did not load when we read it | source |
A fee marked as not published is one the airline shows only inside a booking or a route calculator. We do not estimate it. Fees paid at the airport are higher wherever the airline publishes both.
British Airways against the other airlines
| airline | carry-on bag | first checked bag |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | €/£12.49 to €/£36 when booking (sold as Priority & 2 Cabin Bags) about $13.82 to $39.85 for the euro prices at the latest exchange rate | €/£21.49 to €/£59.99 when booking (20 kg) about $23.79 to $66.40 for the euro prices at the latest exchange rate |
| Wizz Air | €13 to €60 online (sold as WIZZ Priority) about $14.39 to $66.41 at the latest exchange rate | €10 to €112.50 online in low season (20 kg) about $11.07 to $124.52 at the latest exchange rate |
| Frontier | Priced by route in a bag price checker; no range published | Priced by route in a bag price checker; no range published |
| Southwest | Included | $45 |
| Delta | Included | $45 each way |
| United | Not allowed (personal item only); $75 if a bag has to be checked at the gate | From $45 prepaid, $50 at the airport lobby, $75 at the gate |
| American | Included | $50 online, $55 at the airport |
| JetBlue | Included | $50 off-peak, $55 peak, when added more than 24 hours before departure |
| British Airways | Included | Priced by route in a calculator; no range published |
| Emirates | Included, one piece up to 7 kg | Included, one piece up to 23 kg on Americas routes |
| Allegiant | $10 to $75 | Priced by route in a fee table; no range published |
| Breeze Airways | Price when booking shown only in a quote tool; $75 if added at the airport | Price when booking shown only in a quote tool; $75 if added at the airport |
Questions
Does British Airways charge for a carry-on bag?
On its cheapest fare (Short-haul, Economy Basic (hand baggage only)): included. Read on British Airways's own page on 14 November 2026.
How much is a checked bag on British Airways?
First checked bag: priced by route in a calculator; no range published. Second checked bag: priced by destination in a calculator; no range published. Read on 14 November 2026.
Can you change a British Airways flight on the cheapest fare?
Its service-fees page did not load when we read it. Read on 14 November 2026; the table links to the page.