Unit-To-Unit

Airline baggage limits in kg and lb, and how to avoid fees

Most baggage fees come from weight. Here are the limits airlines commonly use in kilograms and pounds, why 50 lb and 23 kg are not quite the same, and how to stay under the line.

The limits you will meet most often

Weight limits differ by airline, route and fare, so the figures below are typical rather than universal. They were checked in October 2026. Always confirm the numbers for your own ticket before you pack, because airlines change them.

Typical weight limits
Bag	Usual limit	In pounds or kilograms
Standard economy checked bag	23 kg or 50 lb	23 kg = 50.7 lb; 50 lb = 22.68 kg
Premium cabin checked bag	32 kg or 70 lb	32 kg = 70.5 lb; 70 lb = 31.75 kg
Highest weight most airlines accept	32 kg on many airlines; 45 kg (100 lb) on some US routes	Heavier bags are normally refused
Ryanair, Wizz Air, TUI cabin bag	10 kg	22.0 lb
easyJet cabin bag	15 kg	33.1 lb
KLM and Air France cabin bag	12 kg	26.5 lb
Lufthansa cabin bag	8 kg	17.6 lb
Most US airlines, cabin bag	No weight limit on most routes	Size limits still apply

US airlines usually quote bags in pounds and European and Asian airlines in kilograms, so the same suitcase can be fine on one ticket and over on another. The two units line up less neatly than they look.

Why 50 lb and 23 kg are not the same

Fifty pounds is 22.68 kg, and 23 kg is 50.71 lb. A bag that weighs 50.5 lb passes a 23 kg limit (it is 22.9 kg) and fails a 50 lb limit. The gap is only 0.3 kg, but it is the difference between a free bag and a fee when the agent is strict. On a flight with a 23 kg limit, you can pack about 0.7 lb more than a 50 lb traveller.

Kilograms to pounds
Kilograms	Pounds
8 kg	17.6 lb
10 kg	22.0 lb
12 kg	26.5 lb
15 kg	33.1 lb
20 kg	44.1 lb
23 kg	50.7 lb
28 kg	61.7 lb
32 kg	70.5 lb

Pounds to kilograms
Pounds	Kilograms
40 lb	18.14 kg
44 lb	19.96 kg
50 lb	22.68 kg
51 lb	23.13 kg
60 lb	27.22 kg
70 lb	31.75 kg
100 lb	45.36 kg

Convert any other weight with the kilograms to pounds or pounds to kilograms converter. To do it in your head, double the kilograms and add 10 percent: 23 kg doubled is 46, plus 4.6 is 50.6 lb.

How overweight fees work

Airlines charge in bands, not per pound. Delta's published fees on US routes are one example: $100 for a bag of 51 to 70 lb (23 to 32 kg) and $200 for 71 to 100 lb (32 to 45 kg), with heavier bags refused. Other airlines use their own bands or charge per kilogram, and the amounts vary by route and change over time, so check yours.

Two rules decide most outcomes. First, an overweight bag usually costs more than the extra bag you could have bought online, because airlines price excess weight high to discourage it. Second, a bag over about 32 kg (70 lb) is often refused outright for handling safety, whatever you are willing to pay.

Weight concept and piece concept

Some airlines, mostly on transatlantic and some Asian routes, use the piece concept: you may check a set number of bags, each up to a weight limit. Others, common on routes within Africa, parts of Asia and to the Middle East, use the weight concept: you get a total number of kilograms to split across your bags, such as 30 kg. With a weight allowance, two light bags can be better than one heavy one, so read the ticket carefully.

How to avoid baggage fees

Weigh your bag at home. A luggage scale costs little. Without one, weigh yourself holding the bag, then weigh yourself alone, and subtract. Weigh the empty suitcase first so you know how much room is left for contents.
Leave a buffer. Scales differ by up to a kilogram. Aim for 1 kg (2 lb) under the limit.
Check the limit in your own unit. If your scale is in pounds and your airline uses kilograms, convert once and write the number on a sticky note.
Move weight to your carry-on. If your carry-on has no weight limit, put books, shoes and chargers in it. If it does (such as 10 kg on Ryanair), check that too.
Wear the heavy items. A coat, boots and a hoodie come off your bag's weight. Do not overdo it, because airlines can also weigh cabin bags.
Prepay online. Adding a bag during booking or in the app is usually cheaper than at the airport desk or gate.
Use the right fare and status. Some fares include a free bag, and many airline credit cards and loyalty tiers include one too.
Ship it instead. For a very heavy load, a courier can cost less than an overweight fee and a second bag.

Packing so you stay under the limit

Pick lightweight versions of heavy items: a travel towel, a lightweight jacket, compact toiletries.
Pack heavy things close to the wheels so the bag stays balanced.
Leave room for the return trip, since souvenirs and gifts add weight on the way home.
Keep power banks and spare lithium batteries in your carry-on, since airline rules require them in the cabin and they also add weight.

Common mistakes

Treating 50 lb and 23 kg as identical.
Assuming a cabin bag has no weight limit. US airlines rarely enforce one, but many European and Asian airlines do.
Forgetting that a connecting flight on a different airline can have a lower limit than your first flight.
Weighing the bag empty, then adding items without checking again.
Relying on a bathroom scale that has not been zeroed.

For the units themselves, see imperial vs metric and US vs UK weights and measures.

Related converters

Kilograms to pounds Pounds to kilograms