Lufthansa baggage allowance

Lufthansa uses a piece concept: you count bags, and each bag has its own weight cap. Long-haul Economy Classic and Flex include one checked bag up to 23 kg, Premium Economy two at 23 kg, Business two at 32 kg and First three at 32 kg. Economy Light includes none. Airlaza's desk: +1-888-890-4009, 24/7.

*Last reviewed August 2026.*

The piece concept, and why it matters more than the total

Lufthansa does not give you a weight pool to distribute as you like. It gives you a number of pieces, each with its own ceiling, and the ceilings do not combine. Two Premium Economy bags at 23 kg each is 46 kg of allowance, but a single 30 kg case inside that allowance is still overweight — the bag has broken its own limit even though your total is well under.

That distinction produces most of the excess-baggage charges Lufthansa collects from people who thought they had done the arithmetic. Splitting weight evenly across the pieces you are entitled to is free; concentrating it is not.

The second thing to know is that the allowance is attached to your fare and your route, not to the airline. Two passengers sitting next to each other in Economy on the same aircraft can hold different allowances because one bought Light and the other bought Classic. Lufthansa prints the applicable allowance on the ticket and shows it in My Bookings, and that figure — not a general table on any website, including this one — is the one that governs your journey.

Checked baggage by cabin and fare

The structure below is Lufthansa's standard intercontinental position. Read it as the starting point, then check your own ticket for route exceptions.

Economy Light is the fare that surprises people. It is a genuine long-haul fare with a real seat and a real meal, and it includes no checked bag at all — the bag is bought separately, and it costs less bought in advance than at the airport counter.

The 23 kg to 32 kg step between Premium Economy and Business is worth noticing when you are choosing cabins. Premium Economy doubles the number of pieces but keeps the Economy weight limit. Only Business and First raise the per-piece ceiling to 32 kg, and 32 kg is also the absolute maximum Lufthansa accepts as baggage at all.

Cabin baggage: sizes, weight and the personal item

Lufthansa's cabin rules are stricter on dimensions than many carriers and more generous on weight than most low-cost airlines.

The 55 x 40 x 23 cm box is measured, and it includes wheels and handles. A case sold as "cabin size" for another airline is not automatically compliant here, and Lufthansa's sizers at Frankfurt and Munich are used more often than sizers at smaller stations.

The musical instrument rule is a genuinely useful and little-known concession: a violin, a flute or a small guitar within 125 cm of combined dimensions and 8 kg travels in the cabin free. Anything larger needs either checked handling as special baggage or its own seat purchased, which for a cello is the normal solution rather than an exotic one.

Excess, overweight and oversize baggage

Lufthansa treats three separate failures as excess baggage, and they are charged separately from each other. A bag can be excess on more than one count at once.

We are not publishing charge amounts here, and the reason is worth stating plainly: Lufthansa prices excess baggage by route rather than from one worldwide tariff, and the figures circulating on comparison sites disagree with each other by hundreds of euros. The number that applies to you appears in Lufthansa's own baggage calculator for your specific routing and in My Bookings.

The hard ceilings, though, are absolute and worth planning around. Nothing over 32 kg goes as baggage at any price — it goes as cargo, on a separate document, and usually not on your flight. If you are moving house, relocating or carrying equipment, the sensible move is more pieces rather than heavier pieces.

Buying extra bags: timing beats everything

The single most reliable saving in Lufthansa baggage is buying early. Adding a bag when you book, or later inside My Bookings, or during online check-in, consistently costs less than presenting it at the airport desk, where some countries also add a local service charge on top.

There is no universal price to quote, because the amount depends on your route and how many extra pieces you are adding. What is consistent is the direction of travel: online cheaper, airport dearer, and the gap widens on long-haul.

The 2022 change on flights between India and North America shows how sharply this can bite. Lufthansa cut the Economy allowance on those routes from two free checked bags to one from 1 August 2022, aligning with its Atlantic joint venture partners, and set extra bags at €200 bought online against €250 at the airport — €100 of pure timing penalty on a return trip. Those specific figures are from 2022 and should not be treated as current, but the online-versus-airport gap they illustrate has not gone away.

If Airlaza issued your ticket and you need bags added, we can do it against the ticket rather than leaving it to the airport: +1-888-890-4009.

Route exceptions that override the standard table

The allowance table above is Lufthansa's general position, not a guarantee. Several categories of exception exist and each of them beats the general rule.

Route-specific allowances are the most common. Certain markets have historically carried different free allowances from the standard intercontinental structure, and Lufthansa adjusts them — as it did on India to North America Economy in 2022 — when commercial or partnership arrangements change. Codeshare and interline journeys are the second: where your itinerary includes a segment on another airline, the allowance applied for the whole journey may follow the rules of the carrier operating the first marketed segment rather than Lufthansa's own.

Status is the third. Miles & More status and Star Alliance Gold generally add an extra piece over the fare's allowance, and Lufthansa has extended specific concessions such as free golf equipment to HON Circle, Senator and Star Alliance Gold members, with exclusions for the most restricted fares and for some North American routes.

The practical rule from all three: check the allowance printed on your own ticket. If it disagrees with any table you have read, the ticket wins.

Sports equipment and special baggage

Lufthansa handles bicycles, golf bags, skis, surfboards, diving gear and similar items under a special baggage regime rather than as ordinary suitcases, and the crucial step is registering them in advance.

*Special baggage conditions summarised from Lufthansa Group's sports baggage documentation for trade partners and Lufthansa's published sports baggage guidance.*

Two points decide whether this goes well. Register the item before you travel, because unregistered oversized sports equipment can be refused when the hold is already committed. And pack to the limits — 32 kg and 315 cm are refusal thresholds, not negotiating positions, and a surfboard bag that exceeds them does not fly as baggage regardless of what you are willing to pay.

Power banks, batteries and restricted items

Lufthansa Group tightened its lithium battery rules with effect from 15 January 2026, and these are among the most frequently breached rules in the cabin because they changed recently.

Power banks may no longer be used or charged on board any Lufthansa Group flight. You may not charge a phone from one during the flight, and you may not plug the power bank itself into a seat USB port or power outlet. Each passenger may carry a maximum of two power banks, and they must be in your carry-on baggage, on your person, or in the seat pocket — not in the overhead bin and never in checked baggage.

Capacity limits apply on top. Batteries up to 100 watt-hours, roughly 27,000 mAh, are permitted without approval. Between 100 and 160 watt-hours, advance airline approval is required. Approved medical devices are exempted from the restriction.

The reasoning is straightforward: lithium battery fires in the cabin can be reached and dealt with by crew, while the same fire in the hold cannot. Treat this as a safety rule rather than a bureaucratic one, and pack the power bank where you can see it.

Delayed, damaged or lost baggage: the deadlines that decide your claim

If a bag does not arrive, the paperwork you complete in the first hour is worth more than anything you do afterwards.

Report the problem at the airport's baggage service desk before you leave the terminal and get a Property Irregularity Report reference. Without that reference filed on the day, a later claim can be rejected outright, and no amount of correspondence recovers the position.

The liability limit is the other number to know. The Montreal Convention caps an airline's liability per passenger for baggage, and that ceiling was raised to 1,519 SDR — a currency basket unit, worth well over €1,700 at typical rates — with effect from 28 December 2024. Keep receipts for essential replacement purchases while your bag is delayed, because those are what a delay claim reimburses.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Lufthansa checked baggage allowance?

It depends on your fare and route. Long-haul Economy Classic and Flex include one bag up to 23 kg, Premium Economy two at 23 kg, Business two at 32 kg and First three at 32 kg. Economy Light includes none. Every piece is capped at 158 cm total dimensions.

How much can a Lufthansa bag weigh?

Twenty-three kilograms per piece in Economy and Premium Economy, and 32 kg per piece in Business and First. Thirty-two kilograms is also the absolute ceiling: a bag heavier than that is not accepted as baggage at any price and has to travel as cargo instead.

What is the Lufthansa carry-on size?

One cabin bag of 55 x 40 x 23 cm weighing up to 8 kg, plus one small personal item of around 40 x 30 x 10 cm that fits under the seat in front. The dimensions include wheels and handles, and Lufthansa measures at Frankfurt and Munich more often than at smaller stations.

Does Economy Light include a checked bag on Lufthansa?

No. Long-haul Economy Light includes no checked baggage as standard — the bag is bought separately. You keep the standard 8 kg cabin bag and personal item. Buying the checked bag in advance or at online check-in costs less than paying for it at the airport counter.

How much is excess baggage on Lufthansa?

There is no single figure. Lufthansa prices extra, overweight and oversize pieces by route rather than from a worldwide tariff, and published third-party numbers disagree widely. Use Lufthansa's baggage calculator for your exact routing, or check My Bookings, where the amount for your ticket is shown.

Can I take a power bank on a Lufthansa flight?

Yes, but under tightened rules since 15 January 2026. Maximum two per passenger, in carry-on only, never in checked baggage or the overhead bin. They may not be used or recharged on board. Up to 100 watt-hours needs no approval; 100 to 160 watt-hours requires advance airline approval.

Can I bring sports equipment on Lufthansa?

Yes, as special baggage, registered in advance — typically 24 to 72 hours before departure. Large items are charged at a flat rate rather than counting as free allowance, and nothing over 32 kg or 315 cm in length is accepted. Golf equipment is free for qualifying status members, with exclusions.

What do I do if Lufthansa loses my bag?

File a Property Irregularity Report at the airport baggage service desk before leaving the terminal, and keep the reference. Claim within 7 days for damage and within 21 days for delay. Keep receipts for essential replacements: those are what a delay claim reimburses under the Montreal Convention.

Does Lufthansa allow two checked bags in Economy?

Not as standard on long-haul, where Economy Classic and Flex include one piece. A second bag is bought separately, cheaper online than at the airport. Route exceptions exist and have changed over time — Lufthansa cut India to North America Economy from two free bags to one in August 2022.

Can I carry a musical instrument on Lufthansa?

Small instruments travel in the cabin free of charge if they are packed and stay within 125 cm of combined dimensions and 8 kg — a violin or flute qualifies comfortably. Larger instruments must either go as checked special baggage or occupy a seat bought for them, which is standard practice for a cello.