Lufthansa baggage fees: Economy Basic, checked bags, and carry-on
Lufthansa's short- and medium-haul Economy Basic fare includes only one 40 × 30 × 15 cm personal item. Other Economy fares include one 8 kg carry-on, while checked baggage depends on the route, cabin, fare, status, and ticketed allowance.
On long-haul flights, Economy and Premium Economy include one 8 kg carry-on and Business and First include two. On short- and medium-haul flights, Economy Basic is different: it includes only one personal item unless an eligible status exception applies.
Lufthansa allows an additional small item, such as a slim laptop bag, alongside the main cabin baggage allowance.
Lufthansa checked baggage is fare-, cabin-, route-, and status-dependent rather than one global first-bag price. Economy Basic on selected European routes includes no checked bag; other tickets must be read from the booking or Lufthansa baggage calculator.
Economy Basic on selected short- and medium-haul routes is now the sharpest baggage restriction: no overhead carry-on, no checked bag, and no seat reservation are included. Economy Light is a different fare and does include one 8 kg carry-on.
Price a common Lufthansa roundtrip before booking.
For two travelers with one checked bag each, the published first-bag fee produces an estimated roundtrip total of $0 before fare, status, card, and route exceptions.
Run the checked-bag calculator- On selected European routes, distinguish Economy Basic from Economy Light. Basic includes only a personal item; Light includes the 8 kg overhead carry-on.
- Price the exact origin, destination, and fare family before assuming a checked bag is included. The ticketed allowance is controlling.
- Keep Economy and Premium Economy checked bags at or below 23 kg and 158 cm total dimensions to avoid excess-baggage treatment.
- Use included or status-eligible seat-selection options where available instead of buying advance seat reservation by default.
Economy Basic and Economy Light no longer mean the same baggage allowance
On selected European short- and medium-haul routes, Economy Basic is personal-item-only. Economy Light, Comfort, Comfort Green, and Flex include the overhead carry-on. For checked baggage, use the allowance printed on the ticket instead of applying a route example as a universal price.
| Trip / cabin | Included in cabin | Main bag limit |
|---|---|---|
| Short/medium-haul Economy Basic | Personal item only | 40 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Other short/medium-haul Economy fares | 1 carry-on + personal item | 8 kg; 55 × 40 × 23 cm |
| Long-haul Economy / Premium Economy | 1 carry-on + personal item | 8 kg; 55 × 40 × 23 cm |
| Business / First | 2 carry-ons + personal item | 8 kg per carry-on |
Estimate the bag-fee hit before you book.
Use the current published fees for Lufthansa to test a simple scenario. If the price depends on route, fare, or purchase timing, this module will send you to the full calculator instead of pretending there is one universal fee.
Across 2 trips, that is about $0 before elite status, fare bundles, waived bags, or route-specific exceptions.
If an eligible card covers the first checked bag for this party, the calculated first-bag cost is about $0 per year before annual fees.
Does Lufthansa still win after the fees?
Start with Lufthansa preselected, add the competing flight, and compare the whole party's fare, checked bags, overhead carry-ons, and seats. Choose the exact fare profile only when it matches the booking.
Compare true trip costCore fee breakdown
International allowances and charges often depend on route, cabin, fare family, and whether the itinerary uses a weight or piece concept.
Carry-on rules
See also the broader carry-on fee reference.
When the issue is whether a bag will physically pass at the gate, compare the published rule with sizer enforcement reality.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Light/Comfort/Flex and long-haul Economy/Premium Economy | All routes (rules may vary by origin) | 0.00 EUR | per flight | One carry-on up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm and 8 kg, plus one personal item up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm. Short/medium-haul Economy Basic is excluded. | Official sourceChecked 2026-09-28 |
| Business / First | All routes (rules may vary by origin) | 0.00 EUR | per flight | Business and First include 2 carry-on items, each up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm and 8 kg, plus a personal item up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm. | Official sourceChecked 2026-09-28 |
| Economy Basic | Selected short- and medium-haul routes | 0.00 EUR | per flight | One 40 x 30 x 15 cm personal item; no overhead bag unless an eligible HON Circle, Senator, or Star Alliance Gold exception applies | Official sourceChecked 2026-09-28 |
Checked baggage fees
See also the checked baggage fee reference. For a side-by-side baseline comparison, review Air France, British Airways, KLM, United Airlines.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible fares | All routes (allowance varies by fare/cabin/route) | 0.00 EUR | each way | Free allowance is determined by service class, fare, route, status, and ticket/receipt baggage rule | Official sourceChecked 2026-08-22 |
| Economy (example scenario) | United States → Germany | 0.00 USD | each way | First checked bag up to 23 kg may be free on eligible Economy routes, such as US to Germany; rules vary by route and fare. | Official sourceChecked 2026-08-22 |
| Economy (example scenario) | United States → Germany | 90.00 USD | each way | Second checked bag up to 23 kg; fees vary by origin, destination, and fare and may change. | Official sourceChecked 2026-08-22 |
Excess and overweight baggage
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy / Premium Economy | All routes | Depends on route and excess weight EUR | each way | Economy/Premium Economy bags over 23 kg up to 32 kg are excess; flat rates vary by route | Official sourceChecked 2026-08-22 |
| All fares | All routes | Not permitted EUR | at airport | Maximum travel weight per checked bag is 32 kg; items exceeding this weight are not accepted as travel baggage |
Oversized baggage
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy / Premium Economy | All routes | Depends on route and excess size EUR | each way | Bags over 158 cm up to 292 cm are excess baggage; flat rates vary by route and cabin | Official sourceChecked 2026-08-22 |
Seat and fare-related fees
See also the seat selection fee reference.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most fares | All routes (varies) | Depends on fare, route, and status EUR | at booking / manage booking | Advance seat fees may apply by fare, route, and status; Economy Light and eligible status-member rules can differ. |
Change and cancellation references
See also the change and cancellation fee reference.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Light | International (published example context) | 199.00 USD | before departure | Economy Light international rebooking example: USD 199 plus fare/tax/fee difference, if conditions are met | Official sourceChecked 2026-08-22 |
| Economy Classic and above | International (published example context) | Fare difference may apply USD | before departure | Economy Classic fares and upwards can be rebooked; fare differences may apply and additional conditions apply per published rules | |
| All fares | All routes | Depends on fare conditions USD | before journey begins | Refund eligibility depends on fare conditions; online refund requests may be available up to 24 hours before journey start. |
When fees may not apply
- The United States to Germany checked-bag amounts are examples, not a global Lufthansa checked-bag table.
- Bags above 32 kg are not accepted as ordinary travel baggage.
- Status can affect advance seat reservation treatment on eligible flights.
Compare with other airlines
Comparison links below are limited to airlines with closely related fee structures or booking models.
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Legal Disclaimer
This reference reflects the published policy details and linked official sources available for this airline.