Lufthansa allowance at a glance
| Bag | Maximum size | Maximum weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on | 21.7×15.7×9.1 in55x40x23 cm | 17.6 lb8 kg | Economy gets one cabin bag plus a personal item, but Economy Basic on short and medium haul is personal item only. Premium Economy, Business and First get two cabin items, though from the USA and India the second must be checked. |
| Personal item | 15.7×11.8×5.9 in40x30x15 cm | No stated limit | One personal item is allowed in every class, including Economy Basic. |
| Checked bag | 62 in158 cm | 50.7 lb23 kg |
Lufthansa checked bag fees
We have not verified this airline's baggage fees against the carrier yet. Rather than guess, we have left it blank — check the airline before you fly.
This page goes deeper on one part of the policy. The full record is at Lufthansa Baggage Rules.
Lufthansa will not accept a checked bag over 32 kg. Full stop, no matter how much you offer to pay. That single ceiling shapes the Lufthansa checked baggage policy.
Everything below it is negotiable with a credit card, and everything above it has to travel as air freight instead.
Economy includes one bag up to 23 kg on Lufthansa operated flights. Premium Economy gets two bags at 23 kg each. Business gets two bags at 32 kg each, and First gets three bags at 32 kg each.
All of it is free of charge, according to Lufthansa’s own baggage and other fees page.
The 158 cm linear size cap, about 62 inches counting length, width and height, applies across every cabin. That figure sits at the heart of the Lufthansa checked baggage policy just as much as the weight does.
Allowance by fare and cabin
The table below reflects what Lufthansa publishes for its own flights. Codeshare partners can differ, so check the marketing carrier’s rules on a mixed itinerary.
| Cabin | Pieces included | Weight per piece | Linear size limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 1 | 23 kg (50.7 lb) | 158 cm (62 in) |
| Premium Economy | 2 | 23 kg (50.7 lb) each | 158 cm (62 in) |
| Business | 2 | 32 kg (70.5 lb) each | 158 cm (62 in) |
| First | 3 | 32 kg (70.5 lb) each | 158 cm (62 in) |
The Lufthansa baggage rules record covers the cabin side of this in more depth. It also explains why US and India departures lose the second cabin item on Economy Basic.
The 32 kilogram wall
Whatever your fare or cabin, a single piece over 32 kg is not accepted as checked baggage at all. Lufthansa’s own excess baggage page states that items above that weight must ship as air freight instead. That rule holds even when a passenger tries to pay extra for the overage.
If you are moving something heavy, book a courier or cargo service ahead of time. Do not count on the counter taking it under the standard Lufthansa checked baggage policy.
Restricted items beyond the standard list
Loose lithium batteries and power banks cannot go in a checked bag at all on Lufthansa. That is per its electronic devices and batteries page. They belong in the cabin, isolated against short circuits.
Our guide to checked baggage weight limits covers why US carriers treat spare batteries the same way.
- Smart luggage with a removable battery can be checked once the battery is pulled and carried in the cabin.
- A permanently installed battery over 2.7 Wh keeps the whole bag out of the hold.
- Fireworks, pepper spray, stun guns and camping gas cartridges are banned outright.
Firearms and ammunition can travel checked but need advance declaration. They must be unloaded and locked, with ammunition capped at 5 kg gross weight per Lufthansa’s dangerous goods page.
Sporting equipment like skis or a bike also needs to be flagged at booking. That way it gets priced and handled correctly.
Connecting and codeshare tickets
On a single ticket that mixes Lufthansa with a codeshare or interline partner, the governing allowance usually comes from whichever carrier operates that flight. US Department of Transportation guidance points to the most significant carrier on the itinerary when rules conflict. Confirm the allowance with whichever airline issued the ticket before you pack.
Overweight, oversize, and what the counter actually does
Lufthansa does not publish a flat fee table for excess baggage. It prices overweight and oversize bags by route through its own calculator instead. The same 5 kg overage can cost very different amounts depending where you fly.
This is the part of the Lufthansa checked baggage policy that catches travelers off guard.
One traveler reported paying about 90 euros for a bag 2 kg over the limit at a Dubai counter. He also described the weighing as inconsistent between passengers in the same line. That matches what frequent flyers say about Lufthansa staff enforcing the scale strictly at bag drop, not eyeballing it.
Booking extra weight online in advance is consistently cheaper than paying at the airport. Check the baggage cost tool before you fly if you know a bag will run heavy.
Lufthansa does not let you pool weight across two checked bags to dodge an overweight fee on either one. Each piece is weighed and charged on its own.
A 27 kg bag next to an 18 kg bag still triggers an overweight charge on the heavier one. That holds even though the pair averages under 23 kg.
Packing to the 23 kg cap
A heavy empty case eats into the allowance before you have packed a thing. That is where a light hardside earns its keep.
The checked baggage weight limit guide has the general math. Here is what fits Lufthansa’s Economy cap specifically.
| Case | Why it suits the 23 kg cap |
|---|---|
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 25 inch expandable spinner | One of the lighter 25 inch shells sold, so more of the 23 kg goes to what you pack. |
| Samsonite Omni PC 24 inch | Stays well under the 158 cm linear limit with room for a family’s shared allowance. |
| Delsey Paris Helium Aero 24 inch checked spinner | A lock built into the shell and a moderate weight for a single traveler’s Economy bag. |
| Amazon Basics 30 inch hardside checked luggage | Fits under 158 cm empty, but pack it carefully; a 30 inch shell can nudge into oversize territory once full. |
Pack an Etekcity digital luggage scale and weigh at home before you leave. It is the cheapest way to avoid finding out at the airport that a bag runs heavy. The calculator behind the Lufthansa checked baggage policy prices overweight by route, and that price moves.
How this compares
Lufthansa’s route by route pricing puts it closer to British Airways than to a US carrier with a flat second bag fee. Within Star Alliance, checking Lufthansa’s allowance against a partner like Air Canada avoids a mismatch at check-in on a connecting trip. Domestic US travelers used to a flat schedule should read the overweight and oversize baggage fees guide first.
The bottom line
Weigh your bag before you leave the house. Keep every piece under 23 kg in Economy if you can. Never assume Lufthansa will simply take an overweight bag for a flat fee at the counter.
The Lufthansa checked baggage policy has one number that never bends, 32 kg, and everything else runs through a calculator that changes with your route.
Common questions
What is the checked baggage weight limit for Lufthansa Economy?
One bag up to 23 kg is included in Economy on Lufthansa operated flights, per its baggage and other fees page.
What is the absolute maximum weight for a checked bag on Lufthansa?
32 kg. Above that, Lufthansa will not accept it as checked baggage and it has to ship as air freight instead.
Does Lufthansa charge a flat fee for an overweight bag?
No. It prices overweight and oversize baggage per route through its own calculator, so the cost varies by itinerary.
Can I put a power bank in my checked bag on Lufthansa?
No. Power banks and loose lithium batteries must travel in the cabin, not the hold.
Can I combine the weight of two checked bags on Lufthansa to avoid an overweight fee?
No. Each bag is weighed and charged separately, so pooling weight across two pieces does not work.
Whose baggage allowance applies on a Lufthansa codeshare or interline ticket?
Usually the operating carrier’s allowance governs, and DOT guidance points to the most significant carrier on the itinerary when rules conflict.
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