In this article, I explain Iberia’s free cabin and check-in luggage allowances and highlight the typical prices for the purchase of any additional baggage allowance that you may require.
When traveling with Iberia, your cabin and check-in baggage allowances will vary according to your travel route and selected travel/fare type class.
Iberia provides baggage information on its baggage policies and fees here:
Baggage allowed on board the aircraft – Iberia
Iberia Carry On Baggage Allowance
Number of Items
When traveling on flights operated by the Iberia Group, the following cabin baggage allowances apply:
- Economy Class and Premium Economy Class – one carry-on bag (10kg) plus one personal item
- Business Class (short or medium-haul) – one carry-on bag (14kg) plus one personal item
- Business Class (long-haul) – two carry-on bags (14kg) plus one personal item
There are some exceptions to these rules:
- Certain Iberia flights are operated by Air Nostrum. For these flights, the carry-on bag weight allowance is 8kg and the maximum dimensions are 45cm x 35cm x 20cm. If your carry-on bag exceeds these limits it will need to be placed in the aircraft hold.
- Certain Iberia flights are operated by Vueling. For these flights you can take one item of carry-on baggage on board weighing up to 10kg and with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm. You can also carry on one smaller-sized personal item such as a small briefcase, handbag, or camera bag. At the boarding gate, any cabin baggage item that does not comply with these rules will be stowed in the aircraft hold at an additional cost of €35.
Iberia Carry-On Size
Carry on baggage
- Maximum size – 56cm x 40cm x 25cm – including handles and wheels.
- Maximum weight 10kg in Economy Class and 14kg in Business Class.
- Carry-on baggage items that exceed these limits must be checked-in.
- Carry-on items should fit in the size-check devices located at airports, and you must be able to lift the items into the overhead locker by yourself.
Personal Items
- Maximum size – 40cm x 30cm x 15cm.
- One personal item in addition to your carry-on bag.
- Permitted personal items include briefcases, handbags, and laptop bags.
- If you are traveling with an infant, you can also take a bag for their food, drink, and items required for the flight.
Iberia Checked Baggage Policy
Number of Items
Your Iberia check-in baggage allowance varies according to your route, your travel class, and your fare type. The Iberia website is not very explicit when it comes to explaining check-in baggage allowances. I, therefore, used the Iberia online booking engine to explore the allowances for some example routes. This is what I found:
London – Madrid (short-haul international)
- Economy Basic – zero
- Economy Optimal – 1 item
- Economy Flexible – 1 item
- Business Promotional – 2 items
- Business Flexible – 2 items
MAD-New York (long-haul international)
- Economy Flexible – 1 item
- Premium Economy flexible – 2 items
- Business Flexible – 2 items
MAD-Malaga (domestic)
- Economy Basic – zero
- Economy Optimal – 1 item
- Economy Comfort – 1 item
- Business Optimal – 1 item
- Business Comfort – 2 items
- Business Flexible – 2 items
So, in broad terms, it seems that Iberia’s check-in baggage allowance is one item for all Economy Class fare types, except Economy Basic where no check-in baggage allowance is included. Premium Economy and Business Class travelers get two free items of check-in baggage.
Iberia Checked Baggage Size
- Maximum size – total dimensions (height + width + length) not to exceed 158cm including handles and wheels
- The maximum standard weight of 23kg, up to an absolute maximum 32kg. Weight in excess of your free allowance will be charged as excess baggage unless you are a passenger traveling in Business Class. The excess baggage surcharge is also exempt for certain Iberia/oneworld frequent flyer program members.
Iberia Plus/oneworld Frequent Flyer Members
There are valuable additional check-in baggage allowances for certain members of Iberia Plus and oneworld alliance frequent flyer programs. There are some exceptions to the rules depending on your membership level and exactly which frequent flyer program you belong to. However, in most cases the additional allowances are as follows:
- Business Class – two additional check-in items for Infinita-Platino Iberia Plus and Emerald oneworld members
- Premium Economy Class – one additional item for Infinita-Platino Iberia Plus and Emerald oneworld members
- Economy Class – one additional item for Infinita-Platino Iberia Plus and Emerald oneworld members, Oro Iberia Plus and Sapphire oneworld members, and Iberia Plus Plata members
On domestic and short-haul flights the additional benefits are as follows:
- Business Class – two additional check-in items for Infinita-Platino Iberia Plus and Emerald oneworld members
- Economy Class – one additional item for Infinita-Platino Iberia Plus and Emerald oneworld members, Oro Iberia Plus and Sapphire oneworld members, and Iberia Plus Plata members
In addition, for both long-haul and domestic/short-haul flights, Iberia Plus Infinita-Platino, Oro and Plata members, and oneworld alliance Emerald and Sapphire members traveling in all cabins are allowed a free excess baggage allowance. This effectively means that all of these frequent flyer program members are allowed to take baggage weighing up to 32kg in whichever cabin they travel in.
Additional Baggage
If you need to take more check-in baggage than your free allowance, you can add up to 9 additional check-in bags online. Iberia gives you three additional check-in baggage weight options – 15kg, 23kg, and 32kg, although 23kg may be the only option available on some flights.
Using the Iberia online baggage calculator I checked the prices for additional 23kg check-in bags for three example flights. The online prices are cheaper than the prices charged at the airport and the prices vary according to your route.
- Barcelona – Malaga: For all travel classes and fare types, the first check-in bag added to your free allowance costs €23 online and €45 at the airport. The second and subsequent additional check-in bags, to a maximum of ten check-in bags per person, each cost €35 online and €65 at the airport. All fees are one-way.
- Madrid – London: For all travel classes and fare types, the first check-in bag added to your free allowance costs €33 online and €45 at the airport. The second and subsequent additional check-in bags, to a maximum of ten check-in bags per person, each cost €38 online and €65 at the airport. All fees are one-way.
- Madrid – New York: For all travel classes and fare types, the first check-in bag added to your free allowance costs €60 online and €70 at the airport. The second check-in bag costs €80 online and €90 at the airport. The third and subsequent additional check-in bags, to a maximum of ten check-in bags per person, each cost €150 online and €180-€190 at the airport. All fees are one-way.
Excess Baggage
The standard Iberia check-in baggage weight is 23kg, and the maximum allowable weight is 32kg. For baggage weighing between 23kg and 32kg, an excess baggage surcharge is applied. Business Class passengers and some frequent flyer program members do not have to pay the excess baggage fee, effectively meaning that their check-in baggage allowance is 32kg per bag rather than the 23kg per bag Iberia standard allowance.
For Premium Economy Class and Economy Class passengers, the excess baggage fee per item on-way ranges from $US100 to $US110 for flights to/from the Americas, Asia, and South Africa. For other routes (Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and domestic), an excess baggage fee is charged on a weight basis and ranges from €12 to €15 per 1kg one-way.
Sports Items and Musical Instruments
Iberia charges a fee to carry your sports equipment and musical instruments on short-haul and domestic flights, but carries them for free on long-haul flights. You can book and pay any applicable fees through the Iberia website
The short-haul and domestic one-way fees are as follows:
- sports equipment – €45
- bicycles – €50
- musical instruments – €45
Sporting equipment that is accepted free of charge on long-haul flights is treated as an item of check-in baggage. This means that if you exceed the number of items included in your free check-in baggage allowance, your sports equipment will be treated as additional baggage and will be subject to an additional check-in bag fee.
Subject to their dimensions, musical instruments can also be taken on board as an item of carry-on luggage from your allowance as long as it does not exceed 30cm x 120cm x 38cm. Alternatively, you can purchase an extra seat for your musical instrument by contacting Iberia’s Booking Centre where you can find out the maximum dimensions allowed for your particular flight and to confirm whether or not an extra seat is available on your flights.
Traveling With Infants and Children
Children and infants have the same check-in baggage allowance as the accompanying adult and may also be able to take a foldable stroller or a car seat. You have the option of keeping the stroller with you (subject to local airport rules), or you can check it in along with the rest of your baggage. If space permits you can take it into the aircraft cabin. If there is not enough space, Iberia staff will place it in the aircraft hold.
Conclusion
When traveling with Iberia, your cabin and check-in baggage allowances will vary according to your travel route and your selected class of travel/fare type.
All passengers are allowed one free personal item and at least one carry-on item in the cabin, except for passengers traveling on Economy Basic fares where no check-in allowance is included.
The number of check-in bags allowed and the weight of check-in bags varies according to your travel class and fare type. All passengers have the option to purchase an additional check-in baggage allowance if required. If you are a member of Iberia Plus or another oneworld alliance frequent flyer program you will receive valuable additional check-in baggage allowances to supplement Iberia’s standard allowances.
This is not clear. We’re hoping to fly from Boston to Barcelona and have been unable to find out what we will have to pay to check in one piece of luggage (within the size and weight limits). What is the “free allowance”? Does it apply to all fares?
I don’t think this should be a difficult question. Generally, people fly with one carry-on bag, or two (e.g., a small piece of luggage and a backpack) and check a larger piece of luggage at the airport which goes into the plane’s hold and is released at the end of the flight.
Can you give me an idea what that example would cost?
Finally, is it worth it to “upgrade” one’s tickets in order to gain free check-in of luggage or other “perks”?
Do you allow small dogs under 8 kilo to travel in the cabin under the front seat ? We want to travel from the UK to Southern Spain. Thank you for your time.