Arik Air’s own rules allow just one carry-on bag weighing 6kg, with no separate personal item. That is tighter than almost every international carrier’s cabin allowance. It is one of the few things about the Arik Air baggage policy that has not changed.
What Arik Air actually flies today
Arik Air has been under receivership with Nigeria’s Asset Management Corporation, AMCON, since February 2017. Nigerian aviation press in early 2026 put the airline down to about two operational aircraft. That is a fraction of the 120 daily flights and 23 aircraft it once ran.
The network today is mostly Nigerian domestic routes out of Lagos. Stops include Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Owerri, Jos, Yola, Benin City, Warri and Asaba. The carrier’s own baggage terms also name Freetown, Banjul and Dakar, a thin surviving slice of West African service.
Carry-on baggage rules under this Arik Air baggage policy
Arik Air’s own baggage terms allow one hand bag weighing a maximum of 6kg. That is about 13.2 pounds. There is no listed allowance for a separate personal item on top of that single piece.
The size limit depends on the route. Domestic flights cap the bag at 33x23x38cm, about 13×9.1×15 inches. Regional and international flights allow a larger 55x35x25cm, about 21.7×13.8×9.8 inches.
Pack for the smaller domestic box if any leg of your trip is Nigeria to Nigeria. On every international departure from Nigeria, Arik Air bans liquids and gels in the cabin entirely. That is not the usual under 100ml exception most travelers expect, so pack liquids in a checked bag instead.
Checked baggage allowance
Arik Air caps a single checked bag at 30kg, about 66 pounds. One route is the exception: Lagos to Freetown, Banjul and Dakar uses a different limit. The airline allows up to 10 checked pieces per passenger, space permitting.
Infants get no checked baggage allowance at all. Only a cabin bag is permitted for an infant ticket. Families flying with a baby should size checked bags around the adult traveler’s allowance, not the child’s.
What Arik Air does not spell out
Arik Air’s site points to a separate excess baggage rate document. It does not link that document or publish an actual fee. This page will not guess that number: ask at booking about any extra or overweight bag charge.
The same page still carries security guidance for passengers flying Lagos to New York JFK. Yet 2026 reporting describes Arik Air’s international schedule as suspended, including that New York route.
No forum thread turned up a current baggage complaint for this carrier when this page was checked. That is likely because so little of Arik Air is still flying. Treat any older chatter about Arik Air’s wider service as outdated until you confirm your own booking is real.
How Arik Air compares
Arik Air’s 6kg cabin limit sits well below larger African carriers. Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways both allow heavier cabin bags on comparable routes. EgyptAir is another regional option worth checking if your itinerary can route through a different African hub.
The Arik Air baggage policy is noticeably stricter on the cabin side than its regional peers. Weigh your bag at home with the baggage cost tool before a 6kg limit surprises you at the gate. Review general checked baggage rules and airport security basics too, since Arik Air’s own guidance is thin in places.
The bottom line
The honest Arik Air baggage policy in 2026 is a strict 6kg carry-on. Checked bags cap at 30kg with a 10 bag ceiling. The network behind it has shrunk to mostly Nigerian domestic routes plus a few West African cities.
Excess baggage fees are not published anywhere on Arik Air’s own site. Ask at booking rather than assume a number. Confirm your flight is still scheduled before you plan your packing around it.
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