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British Airways vs Virgin Atlantic Baggage Allowance
Cabin bag size, checked allowance and excess fees for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic side by side — both from the airlines' official policies, checked 30 October 2026.
British Airways
- Cabin bag: 1 cabin bag, max 56 x 45 x 25 cm including wheels and handles; you must be able to lift it into the overhead locker unassisted
- Personal item: 1 hand bag or laptop bag, max 40 x 30 x 15 cm; must fit under the seat in front of you and is guaranteed in the cabin
- Checked (Economy (hand baggage only)): No checked bag included (hand-baggage-only ticket, per britishairways.com)
Virgin Atlantic
- Cabin bag: Economy (Light/Classic/Delight) and Premium: 1 x 10 kg hand luggage; Upper Class: 2 pieces, max 12 kg per bag and max 16 kg combined
- Cabin weight: 10.0 kg
- Checked (Economy Light): No checked baggage included
The short verdict
By cabin volume and weight the two are closely matched — the real difference is in the fare tables below.
Both airlines count baggage differently across fares, so compare the checked tables before you book the cheaper ticket: a fare with no bag included can end up costing more.
British Airways checked baggage by fare
| Fare / class | Checked baggage allowance |
|---|---|
| Economy (hand baggage only) | No checked bag included (hand-baggage-only ticket, per britishairways.com) |
| Economy standard | 1 bag up to 23 kg |
| Premium economy (BA Holidays) | 2 bags up to 23 kg each |
| Business | 2 bags up to 32 kg each |
| First (BA Holidays) | 3 bags (weight per bag not stated in the official excerpt read) |
Figures are from britishairways.com pages as indexed/excerpted in search on 2026-10-30; the live site itself served a high-demand placeholder, so no further detail (sizes, fees) could be verified.
Virgin Atlantic checked baggage by fare
| Fare / class | Checked baggage allowance |
|---|---|
| Economy Light | No checked baggage included |
| Economy Classic | 1 x 23 kg |
| Economy Delight | 1 x 23 kg |
| Premium | 2 x 23 kg |
| Upper Class | 2 x 32 kg |
Table from official help centre compare seats/cabins section. Some routes (e.g. India, Lagos, South Africa, Pakistan) have 2 bags in Economy per other Virgin Atlantic pages, not detailed here.
Policy checked: 30 October 2026. Airlines change allowances and fees — confirm on the official page before you travel.
Policy checked: 30 October 2026. Airlines change allowances and fees — confirm on the official page before you travel.