Etihad Airways is the second flag carrier of UAE and is one of the most popular traveling partners for long-distance travel. Have an Etihad Airways booking and want the low-down on your baggage allowance? 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.
Etihad Cabin Baggage Allowance
Etihad Airways allows one personal item on board at no charge, but they charge for both carry-on and checked bags. The personal item must fit under the seat in front of you, and the carry-on bag must be stowed in the overhead bin or it will have to be checked.
Etihad size requirements for cabin baggage are:
- Carry on baggage – Up to 56 x 36 x 23cm (22 x 14 x 9in) in size and 7 kg/15.5 lbs in weight.
- Personal Item – Up to 39 x 23 x 19cm (15 x 9 x 7in) in size and 5 kg/11 lbs in weight.
Personal items include a purse, briefcase, laptop, backpack, shopping bag or a similar sized item. Your personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and weigh up to 5kg.
If you aren’t sure what size your carry-on is, Etihad typically provides “size check templates” located at their ticketing counters and departure gates. But if you wait until you get to either of these locations and have an issue, it’s too late.
If the bag is too big or too heavy, you’re going to have to pay a fee, so it’s always better to know your bag size and the limitations in advance.
Etihad Cabin Baggage Weight Limits
Etihad requires carry-on bags to weigh less than 7 kg (15.5 lbs.) and personal items to weigh less than 5 kg (11 lbs). However, they don’t weigh your carry-on items prior to boarding, so you’re generally not going to have a problem if it’s too heavy. The weight issue applies to check baggage more than carry-on baggage, since they weigh your checked bags when you check in for your flight.
Etihad Check-in Baggage Allowance
There are several seating classes available on Etihad airlines. These seats include The Residence, Economy, Economy Saver, Economy Flex, Business Class, and First Class. The checked-in baggage policy has been generalized based on the seating class ticket that you buy.
While there are no restrictions on the number of bags allowed, there are certain regulations in terms of weight and dimensions. It has to be noted that these policies are only applicable for International flights anywhere other than North America.
| Class | Weight | Dimensions |
| Economy | 50 pounds (23 kg) | 35.4 x 28.3 x 17.7 inches (90 x 72 x 45 cm) |
| Economy Saver and Classic | 66 pounds (30 kg) | 35.4 x 28.3 x 17.7 inches (90 x 72 x 45 cm) |
| Economy Flex | 77 pounds (35 kg) | 35.4 x 28.3 x 17.7 inches (90 x 72 x 45 cm) |
| Business | 88 pounds (40 kg) | 35.4 x 28.3 x 17.7 inches (90 x 72 x 45 cm) |
| First | 110 pounds (50 kg) | 35.4 x 28.3 x 17.7 inches (90 x 72 x 45 cm) |
| The residence | 70 pounds (32 kg) per bag (maximum 4) | 35.4 x 28.3 x 17.7 inches (90 x 72 x 45 cm) |
Additional routes
Although most of the flights adhere to the baggage allocation policies mentioned above some long distant flights have their own rules including journeys to the United States, Canada and a few more countries. These policies have been drawn in the table below:
| Route | Economy | Business | First |
| To/From U.S. and Canada | 2 bags, up to 50 pounds (23 kg) | 2 bags, up to 70 pounds (32 kg) | 2 bags, up to 70 pounds (32 kg) |
| Africa to/from Most Destinations (excl U.S./Canada) | 88 pounds (40 kg) | 88 pounds (40 kg) | 110 pounds (50 kg) |
| From India to the UK | 88 pounds (40 kg) | 110 pounds (50 kg) | 132 pounds (60 kg) |
| Australia to Europe | 66 pounds (30 kg) | 88 pounds (40 kg) | 110 pounds (50 kg) |
| From India & Pakistan to Australia | 66 pounds (30 kg) | 88 pounds (40 kg) | 110 pounds (50 kg) |
Excess Baggage Fee
The amount you pay for your excess baggage depends on the route that you take and the extra kilograms that your bag weighs. The excess baggage fees have been drawn in the table below. All prices are in USD and express in terms of unit per kg.
| From/To | ME/GCC | Asia | Africa | Europe | SWP | ISC |
| ME/GCC | 20 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 40 | 20 |
| Asia | 30 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 40 |
| Africa | 30 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 45 | 40 |
| Europe | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 45 | 40 |
| SWP | 40 | 30 | 45 | 45 | N/A | 40 |
| ISC | 20 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
From the Middle East to the Philippines it takes 25 USD per kg. It takes 40 USD from the Middle East to Japan and Korea. Additionally, the prices differ for journeys to and from US and Canada.
| To/From | GCC | ME | Asia | Africa | Europe | SWP | ISC |
| US/Canada | 225 | 250 | 250 | 250 | 250 | 275 | 250 |
The above table is only applicable for bags up to 23 kg. For bags that exceed 32 kg, different prices are followed for journeys between US and Canada.
| To/From | GCC | ME | Asia | Africa | Europe | SWP | ISC |
| US/Canada | 270 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 330 | 300 |
Etihad has a lot of checkpoints in various countries. These countries are listed below. In addition to them, Etihad also travels to many important cities in the United States and Canada.
GCC: Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
Middle East: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan
Asia: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
Africa: Kenya, Morocco Seychelles, South Africa and all African islands.
Europe: Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and most remote islands with an airport.
SWP: Australia and offline points in South West Pacific
ISC: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and some islands in the Indian subcontinent.
Prohibited Items and Dangerous Goods
There are certain items that are considered dangerous and classified as a hazardous materials. Dangerous goods are prohibited from both your carry-on and checked bags on all flights. These rules are not specific to any airline and are mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency.
The list includes items such as aerosols, fireworks, matches, etc… A complete list can be found on the FAA website, the TSA website, and/or the EASA website.
One more way to find them is with the Etihad summary of dangerous goods.
Etihad Flights to or from the US
If you’re flying to or from the U.S. on Etihad, please keep in mind:
- All electronic devices and accessories must be charged and you may be asked to switch them on to prove this
- Loose or spare batteries, power banks, e-cigarettes, e-pipes or other personal vaporizers may only be carried in your cabin baggage and are not permitted in checked baggage
- Powder substances or granular materials weighing 350ml/350g/12oz or greater are not permitted in your cabin baggage and must be placed in your checked baggage
Medically-prescribed powder substances, including baby formula and cremated human remains are exempt from these regulations provided that they are sealed, not tampered with and have supporting evidence. Duty-Free items contained in Security Tamper Evident Bags are also exempt as long as they have been purchased after clearing US Customs and Border Protection in Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Etihad Liquids Policy
The rules for carry-on liquids are set by the TSA, EASA and FAA. Etihad doesn’t have its own specific Liquids Policy, they just enforce the rules and policies of the Authorities.
- Containers with liquids and gel-like substances may hold up to 100 ml (maximum capacity must be printed on the container).
- All containers must be carried in a plastic bag (transparent, resealable, max. capacity of 1 liter). One bag per person.
- The bag must be presented separately at security. Take your liquids out of your carry-on baggage at the security screening point and present them separately. In exceptional cases, liquids may be opened in the course of security checks and removed from their outer packaging.
- Liquid duty-free goods purchased at an international airport or onboard an aircraft outside the EU must be transported in a tamper-proof, certified bag on connecting flights via an EU airport. The proof of purchase must be inside the bag and the bag must be sealed by the retailer.
- Medicines and special food (e.g. baby food) can be carried outside the plastic bag and must also be presented at security.
Etihad Carry-On Foods
There are two different scenarios pertaining to food:
- The food you bring with you to the airport.
- The food you buy at the airport after you have gone through security.
An important thing to note is the classification of liquid foods vs. solid foods.
The general rule is “If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it, or pour it, then it’s considered a liquid or gel”. This means your food may be considered a liquid and will fall under the TSA 3-1-1 liquids rule, which mandates that any liquid, gel, cream, aerosol, or paste in a carry-on must be 3.4 ounces or less, and fit in one quart-size resealable bag (only one such bag is allowed per passenger).
The TSA website advises what food can be brought with you on your flight. This applies to food you are bringing from home through security. Once you get through security, you can bring just about any food on the plane that you buy at the airport.
Etihad Carry-On Pet Policy
Similar to Emirates, Etihad Airways does not allow passengers to travel with any kind of pets in the passenger cabin or as checked baggage. In accordance with the regulations of the United Arab Emirates government, all animals must enter the UAE as manifested cargo.
Here is a link to Etihad’s guide on transporting live animals.
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!
