Etihad Baggage Allowance, Sizes, Fees & Weight Policy [2021]

When you’re flying or planning to fly, one of the most crucial things to keep in mind is the baggage allowance. Most airlines have more or less a similar baggage allowance policy, but it’s always recommended that you check before you board the flight. There is always a chances of some changes that you may have missed out on by not reading the e-ticket during online booking.

Today, we are going to talk about Etihad Airways and its baggage allowance policy. We will take a look at their general baggage allowance while paying close attention to things you need to keep in mind while packing your luggage. So, let’s begin!

What is the baggage allowance on Etihad Airways?

The baggage allowance on Etihad Airways depends on multiple factors. A few of them are – your membership tier, fares, travel class, where you’re going, etc. However, one of the most general rules for carrying luggage while flying with this airline is that you can check in as many bags as you want within a certain weight allowance.

There are no strict rules about how many bags you can check in with the flight as long as the total weight of your baggage is within the allowance. Before we tell you about the general baggage allowance policies of Etihad, please note that if you are traveling to and from the US and Canada, different baggage rules will apply. We will talk about those as we go through their policies.

The strongest factor determining what’s your baggage allowance is your travel class – Economy or Business. Let’s have a look at the details of Etihad Carry Allowance first.

Etihad Carry-On Allowance

Etihad Airways have a very liberal policy for people who want to travel with carry-on luggage. There’s a difference in fares between carrying just hand luggage and carrying checked-in balance along with it. First, we’ll look at carry-on baggage allowance. Tickets issued for just carry-on baggage allowance are usually Economy class.

When you book a hand luggage flight with Etihad Airways, it will be relatively cheaper than most airlines. People traveling with just carry-on luggage can take up to 7kgs of weight in the cabin. Your cabin bag should not weigh more than 7KGs. However, along with your cabin bag, you are also allowed to carry one personal item such as a handbag or a laptop bag.

Please note that your personal item apart from your cabin bag should be able to fit under your seat on the airplane. Your personal duty-free item can weigh up to 5kgs. This means that summed up, you can carry up to 12kgs of hand luggage according to the Etihad Airways baggage allowance. If, for some reason, the total weight of your bags is more, then excess baggage charges will apply.

Please remember that carry-on allowance is only allowed on certain direct flights. Their hand-baggage-only fare can now be purchased in several countries in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Hand-baggage allowance fare is only available on flights between:

• Abu Dhabi
• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Saudi Arabia
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Egypt
• Azerbaijan
• Russia
• Belarus
• Serbia
• Turkey
• Greece
• Kazakhstan
• Sudan
• Kenya
• Pakistan
• Nepal
• India
• Sri Lanka
• Maldives
• Seychelles
• Nagoya
• Beijing

Hand baggage fares also apply in several connecting flights. They are as followed:

• Ahmedabad
• Bengaluru
• Mumbai
• Kozhikode
• Kolkata
• Kochi
• Delhi
• Hyderabad
• Chennai
• Trivandrum
• Colombo
• Maldives
• Kathmandu
• Seychelles
• Karachi
• Islamabad
• Karachi
• Lahore
• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Muscat
• Salalah
• Dammam
• Jeddah
• Medina
• Riyadh

The standard dimension of your cabin bag should be 50*40*25 cm. This is for the Economy class passengers.

The Business and First Class travelers can bring 2 cabin bags with a combined weight of 12 kg. Much like the Economy class, you can also bring a personal item such as a handbag or a laptop bag that can fit under your seat and does not weigh more than 5 kgs.

The amount of checked baggage you can take depends on where you’re going. You can calculate the value of how much checked baggage you will be allowed to check-in using this calculator here.

Extra Fares for Excess Baggage

You can buy extra baggage by paying online during the booking process. This will help you save 30%. You can also buy an extra baggage allowance easily after your flight ticket has been booked. This can be done online as well. In case you are having trouble booking extra baggage allowance online, you can always call their in-person team to help you with it. You can contact them to book excess baggage here.

The best part about flying with Etihad is that you can pay for your excess baggage with your guest miles. Guest miles are mostly earned when you book your flights with Etihad. However, this depends on whether you are an Etihad Guest Member or not. If you’re a Guest member, all you have to do is call them and book your extra checked baggage allowance.

The amount of excess baggage you will be allowed to check-in in depends on your member tier. There are four member tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. In some cases, people are allowed to check in extra baggage for free as well. Etihad Guest Silver members have the liberty to take an additional 10 kgs. Etihad Guest Gold members have the freedom to take an extra 12 kgs, and Platinum members can take up to 15 kgs.

To find out more about your checked and cabin baggage allowance and how much excess baggage you can buy, you can visit your Etihad account here. Details like maximum dimensions, the exact amount of weight, etc., will be given on your account while booking.

Oversized Baggage Allowance for Etihad

If you would like to carry more baggage than the allowed amount, you can request for an oversized baggage allowance at Etihad. For oversized baggage, you will be charged an extra fee depending on how much baggage you are taking. Here are some of the general fees you might be charged for oversized baggage allowance:

• As we mentioned earlier, you can use your Guest Miles to pay for extra baggage.
• You will have to pay 40 $ both ways to and from the Middle East, between the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, and between Beijing and Nagoya.
• For any other flights you take with Etihad Airways, you will be charged the US $60 to buy excess baggage allowance.
• If you are moving and would like to take your television with you, you can do so by buying an extra baggage allowance. If the TV is bigger than 32 inches, there will be an oversized fee in case you are traveling to and from the United States of America. In the case of other countries, people traveling with a TV larger than 40 inches will be charged an additional oversized fee.
• Sporting equipment like bikes, scuba diving equipment, skis, poles, ski boots, surfboards, and golf bags are not a part of your excess baggage fees, and you can take them as your baggage allowance.
• According to the weight concept, any items that weigh more than 30 kgs or are 300 cms in dimensions will not be allowed.

According to the baggage policy, the fees for excess baggage are calculated per kg. Plus, it depends on where you are trying to and from. For the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, the cost can vary from $25 – $40. For all the other countries except the US and Canada, the excess baggage fee will be $35 – $50 per kg.

As per the instructions from the Etihad Baggage policy, excess baggage can also be charged per item. For example, if you are flying to and from the US and Canada, the weight of your baggage can be increased up to 32 kgs. Depending on where you are going, this may cost you anywhere between $91 – $115.

In case of flying to and from other countries, the excess baggage fee will be $208 – $280 to add an extra bag that weighs 23 kgs. The excess baggage fee for an additional bag of 32 kgs will be $262 – $335.

Once you have paid the excess baggage fee, you will receive a voucher mentioning the weight, the number of bags added, or a combination of both. This voucher needs to be with you at all times, so you don’t face any problems during check-in at the airport.

Please note that the allowance for extra baggage allowances depends on whether the aircraft has enough space. It’s subject to availability. If there’s no scope for flying your extra baggage to your destination, then the airline has the right to refuse this service.

However, that’s not what usually happens. If the aircraft cannot carry your bags, they will load your baggage onto another loading service. Although the airlines take all the precautions, you still have to be extremely careful about this because there’s no guarantee if any of your important or sensitive baggage will reach you safely.

Please note that in case you have already checked in online, you can still add extra baggage to the allowance online. This will also be beneficial for you because you will save 30% off the usual rate if you purchase an extra baggage allowance online.

What are the restricted items on the Etihad baggage allowance?

Much like other airlines operating right now, Etihad also has a list of prohibited items that cannot be carried on board or checked in under any circumstances. This is negotiable due to the dangerous implications of these items. Please refrain from carrying these items on board. If you are found with any of these items, there’s no doubt that they will get confiscated.

First, you must understand that there are strict restrictions regarding these items. This is because these items are risky to carry not just for the aircraft, but the cabin crew and other passengers as well. Etihad takes complete responsibility for protecting their passengers while flying, so they a list of prohibited items that can’t be taken on board.

Let’s have a look at the list of prohibited items on the Etihad baggage allowance:

Dangerous Goods and Chemicals

Harmful goods like acids and alkalis such as wet batteries are not allowed in either the cabin or the checked luggage. Other dangerous goods and chemicals that are not allowed arE:

• Corrosive or bleaching substances such as chlorine and mercury.
• Disabling devices such as mace, pepper spray, etc.
• Electroshock devices such as Tasers. Furthermore, explosives, compressed gases, lithium batteries, etc are not allowed in either the cabin luggage or the checked luggage.
• Radioactive material.
• Infectious or hazardous biological materials.
• Materials that are capable of spontaneous combustion.
• Alcoholic beverages exceeding 70% volume.
• Fire extinguishers.
• Fireworks, flares, and other pyrotechnics such as party poppers or toy caps.
• Hoverboards, mini-segways, other vehicles like riding toys because more often than not, they contain lithium batteries.
• Non-safety matches.
• Security type cases, cash boxes, cash bags, etc.
• Smoke-generating cartridges or canisters.
• Flammable liquid such as petrol, diesel, lighter fluid, alcohol or ethanol, turpentine, paint thinner, aerosol spray paint, etc.

Weapons

As a general rule of thumb, make sure that your Etihad baggage does not have weapons. Here’s a list of prohibited weapons on the flight:

• Firearms such as pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, and pellet guns, including signal flare pistols. These are not allowed in the cabin baggage, but they can be carried in checked baggage conditionally.
• The above condition, i.e., prohibited in the cabin baggage, but allowed in the checked baggage is applicable to the following – replica and imitation firearms, components of firearms, toy guns, crossbows, catapults, slingshots, harpoon, and spear guns. Stun or shocking devices, and lighters shaped like firearms are not allowed in both the cabin baggage and the checked baggage.
• Ammunition is allowed in checked baggage under certain conditions – they must be packed in Div. 1.4S, UN 0012, or UN 0014 only. They should be for your own personal use. They must not weigh more than 5 kgs.

Other Prohibited Items

• E-cigarettes are allowed but smoking of any kind under any conditions is not allowed.
• Most sharp objects are not allowed in the cabin baggage but can be carried in the checked baggage.
• Blunt instruments are allowed in checked baggage but cannot be carried in the cabin baggage.
• Inflatable items must be deflated. They are not allowed in the cabin baggage but can be taken in the checked baggage.

How do I book extra baggage if my journey includes another flight?

If any part of your entire journey involves more than one airline, the MSC (Most Significant Carrier) airline will be responsible for the extra baggage you carry. The MSC is generally the airline you’re traveling with for the longest time out of your journey. These regulations are put in place by the Internation Air Transport Association (IATA).

Do I have to carry an additional bag if I pay for extra weight?

If you have paid for extra weight, then you can either carry a separate bag for it or put it in the same bag. However, this is not applicable for flights to and from the US and Canada. In that case, if you’re flying Economy, you are only allowed to carry two bags that weigh up to 23 kgs. The airline will charge you excess fees if either of the two bags weighs more than the designated weight. Buying an extra 23 kgs means that you will have to carry it in another bag.

FAQs about Etihad’s baggage allowance

How strict is Etihad with baggage allowance?

As per several reviews online, Etihad’s baggage policy seems to be incredibly strict. For example, one reviewer mentioned that they are stringent about the carry-on baggage as well as the checked-in baggage. Furthermore, there were stations at the airport where you could alter the arrangements of your luggage to maintain the maximum weight that can be allowed on the flight.

We recommend being wary of the amount of baggage you take and get your affairs regarding this beforehand. This is because for whatever reason if you reach the airport late and the weight variation isn’t met by their expectations, you might end up missing your flight. This will only waste your money and time.

What is 2 piece baggage allowance?

A 2 piece baggage allowance refers to whether your ticket says 2PC. If it does say 2PC on your ticket, that means you’re allowed to carry a maximum of two bags within the weight allowance of 32kgs. If the ticket says 1PC, you’re only allowed to check in one bag that can’t weigh more than 23 kgs.

Can I use Etihad Guest Miles to pay for extra baggage?

Yes, if you are a member of any of the Guest tiers like Bronze, Gold, Silver, and Platinum, then you can use your Etihad Guest Miles to pay for extra baggage. If you do it online, you may as well save 30% on your booking.

Please make sure that you follow the rules and regulations for baggage allowances to travel with Etihad Airways. They are in place only for your safety. Happy flying!