When traveling by Air France your cabin and check-in baggage allowances vary according to your selected travel cabin, fare type, and destination.
In this article, I explain Air France’s cabin and check-in luggage allowances when traveling in the Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and La Première cabins. I describe Air France’s free baggage allowances and the indicative prices for any additional baggage allowance that you may require.
As with all airlines, Air France may change its baggage rules and allowances at short notice, so please consult the Air France website for any latest information, and carefully check the conditions of travel before you book and confirm your ticket. The online ticket booking process is quite intuitive and your additional check-in baggage purchase options and prices are clearly explained.
Baggage Size and Weight Limitations
Air France Cabin Baggage Size
The maximum dimensions of carry-on baggage are 55 x 35 x 25cm, including wheels and handles. If your carry-on baggage exceeds these dimensions, you will be asked to place it in the aircraft hold which may incur additional fees.
Source: Air France
Note that if you are traveling on an Economy Light fare Air France may ask you to check in your carry-on baggage, free of charge, if they expect space in the aircraft cabin to be limited.
In addition to your carry-on baggage, you may bring one personal item with you such as a handbag or laptop bag. This item cannot be larger than 40 x 30 x 15cm. You must place your personal item under the seat in front of you.
Source: Air France
If you are traveling in the Economy cabin, your carry-on baggage and personal item cannot exceed a combined weight of 12kg. If you are traveling in the Premium Economy, Business, or La Première cabins, the combined weight of your hand baggage items and personal item must not exceed 18kg.
Other items can also be brought on board, including a jacket, coat, or any other item of clothing you may be wearing, an umbrella, and duty-free items that you have purchased on board the aircraft or at the airport.
Air France Check-in Baggage Size
Your check-in baggage can measure up to a total of 158cm (a + b + c), including wheels and handles. Maximum weights are 23kg for Economy or Premium Economy passengers, and 32kg for Business and La Première passengers.
Source: Air France
Air France Cabin Baggage Free Allowances
Economy and Premium Economy Cabins
In the Economy cabin, you may take one carry-on baggage item and one personal item.
If you are traveling in the Premium Economy cabin, you can take two carry-on baggage items and one personal item.
Business and La Première Cabins
If you are traveling in the Business or La Première cabin, you may take two carry-on baggage items and one personal item.
Air France Check-In Baggage Free Allowances
The number of check-in bags within your free allowance depends on the cabin in which you are traveling, your fare type, and your Flying Blue status.
Economy and Premium Economy Class
In the Economy cabin, you are allowed between zero and two check-in bags, depending on your fare type and route.
In the Premium Economy cabin, you are allowed two check-in bags.
Air France offers four Economy Class fare types and typically the check-in baggage allowances for each of these fare types are as follows:
- Economy Light – no check-in baggage allowance.
- Economy Standard/Standard Plus/Flex – one item of check-in baggage.
However, there are certain routes (for example, some routes between Europe and Africa) where different rules apply:
- Economy Light – one item of check-in baggage.
- Economy Standard/Standard Plus/Flex – two items of check-in baggage.
Please check your route-specific allowance at the time of booking.
Business Class and La Première
- In the Business cabin, you are allowed two check-in bags.
- In the La Première cabin you are allowed three check-in bags.
Frequent Flyers
If you are a Flying Blue Silver, Gold or Platinum, or SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus member, you are entitled to one additional check-in bag at no extra charge. The permitted weight is either 23kg or 32kg depending on your travel cabin.
Additional Check-in Baggage
If you would like to take more check-in baggage than your free allowance you can purchase additional baggage. Buying online up to 24 hours before your flight is significantly cheaper than the rates applied at the airport. If you are an Explorer member of the Flying Blue frequent flyer program you can save €10 on your first additional check-in bag.
Each passenger can take a maximum of ten baggage items (or three on certain aircraft types). But if you are intending to travel with more than three bags you will need to contact Air France who will check availability.
You have a number of different options to purchase additional baggage allowances – when you purchase your ticket online, online at any point after you have purchased your ticket up to 30 hours before departure, and when you check-in online. Preferential rates apply up to 24 hours before your flight departure time.
I used the Air France website to check the price of additional baggage allowances for two example flights. This is what I found:
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Montreal (YUL): One check-in bag (23kg) on the Economy Light Fare – €60 each way, or two check-in bags (23kg each) for €130 each way.
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to London Heathrow (LHR): One check-in bag (23kg) on the Economy Light Fare – €28 each way, or two check-in bags (23kg each) €75 each way.
I checked the same routes for the Economy Standard fare and found that to add one extra 23kg check-in bag to my one check-in bag free allowance would cost around €70 each way for Paris – Montreal and around €50 each way for Paris – London.
For Business Class the cost of adding one extra check-in bag (32kg) to the fee allowance of two check-in bags (32kg) would be €190 each way for Paris – Montreal, and €50 each way for Paris – London.
Excess Baggage
If the total dimensions of your check-in baggage items exceed 158cm, but are less than 300cm, and/or weigh more than your 23kg/32kg allowance you will need to pay excess baggage fees at the airport. The fee amount depends on your booking conditions. If the total dimensions of your check-in baggage items exceed 300cm these will need to be carried as cargo.
Sports Items
Air France accepts sporting equipment (golf bags, diving equipment, fishing equipment, bikes, ski equipment, scooters, windsurfers, kite-surfers, longboards, bodyboards) up to 23kg for Economy passengers and up to 32kg for Business and La Première passengers. The total dimensions must not exceed 300cm, although on certain aircraft with restricted hold space, equipment longer than 180cm is not permitted.
To take certain sporting items with you, you need to contact the Air France customer service department at least 48 hours before your flight’s departure.
Golf bags, fishing equipment, ski equipment, and scooters can be checked in as part of your free or purchased check-in allowance. Other sporting items incur additional carriage fees.
Musical Instruments
A musical instrument can be considered as a standard check-in baggage item if it does not exceed the standard maximum size and weight limits for Economy/Premium Economy and Business/La Première tickets. In this case, your musical instrument is included in the price of your ticket (except for Economy Light fares) if you are only checking in one instrument. If your musical instrument exceeds your weight allowance limit or means that your number of check-in baggage items will exceed your free allowance you will need to purchase excess baggage or additional baggage item allowance.
Musical instruments over 32kg in weight or 300cm in length are only accepted in the aircraft hold with the prior approval of the Air France customer service department. You will need to submit your request at least 48 hours before your flight’s departure time.
Musical instruments with total dimensions less than 115cm can be taken in lieu of your cabin baggage allowance. Musical instruments with total dimensions greater than 115cm require prior approval from Air France’s customer service department before they can be taken into the cabin. All requests must be made at least 48 hours before your flight’s departure time. In this case, your musical instrument will be placed on one or more additional seats and you will need to pay the relevant fare for those seats. The weight of your musical instrument in the aircraft cabin must not exceed 45kg.
Traveling With Infants and Children
Infants (less than 2 years old) with reserved seats and children have the same baggage allowances as adults, and this is determined by your travel cabin and your fare type.
Air France may permit you to take a baby stroller into the aircraft cabin, subject to space availability. The following size limits apply.
- Small foldable stroller – the maximum permitted dimensions of 15 x 30 cm x 100cm.
- Other foldable strollers – this item replaces your infant’s hand baggage allowance and once folded, its maximum permitted dimensions are 55 x 35 x 25cm.
Infants with no seat booking have a free allowance of one item of cabin baggage weighing up to 12kg with maximum dimensions of 55 x 35 x 25cm, plus the following items to be placed in the aircraft hold:
- One check-in bag weighing up to 10 kg.
- A foldable stroller or backpack-style baby carrier.
- A car seat.
If you are traveling on an Economy Light fare without the purchase of a check-in baggage allowance, all infant check-in baggage items will incur fees.
Conclusion
When traveling by Air France your cabin and check-in baggage allowances vary according to your selected class of travel, fare type, and destination.
All passengers are allowed one free personal item and at least one carry-on item in the cabin. Although passengers traveling on Economy Light fares may be asked to check in their carry-on bag if space in the aircraft cabin is limited.
Free check-in baggage allowances are provided for all passengers, except for passengers traveling on Economy Light fares. Economy Standard, Economy Standard Plus, and Economy Flex fares are allowed one item of check-in luggage. There are some exceptions to these rules where Economy Light fares on some routes come with a single item of check-in luggage, and other Economy fares come with an additional item of check-in luggage.
Passengers traveling in the Premium Economy and Business Class cabins benefit from a two-bag check-in bag allowance, and La Première passengers have a 3 check-in bag allowance. Business and La Première passengers also enjoy as an additional weight allowance.
All passengers have the option to purchase an additional check-in baggage allowance if required.
Air France has family-friendly baggage policies with many infant and child-related items allowed inside the cabin, or can be checked-in, both free of charge for all passengers except for those traveling on Economy Light fares.
