Cathay Pacific has been operating for over 70 years, and is the national airline of Hong Kong.
If you're about to embark on a journey with Cathay, you'll want to know what you can take with you. Each airline has its own policy on what baggage you can carry, which can make packing confusing.
That's where this guide comes in. We've got everything you need to know about Cathay Pacific's baggage allowance, including the size and weight of bags you can take with you, and how to buy extra baggage allowance if you need it.
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Checked Luggage vs Carry on?
Whenever you fly, your baggage allowance is usually divided into two different parts - checked, or hold baggage, and carry-on, which is also called cabin baggage.
Checked baggage is put in the hold of the plane, which means you hand it in when you arrive at the airport and pick it up at your destination from the Cathay Pacific Airlines Baggage Policy carousel. You won't be able to access anything in this bag while you're on the plane so it's important to make sure flight essentials, such as medicines - and valuables - aren't packed in your carry-on bag.
Your cabin baggage is usually smaller, but can be brought on board and accessed while you fly. There are rules about what can be brought into the plane cabin, though, which may vary by destination - so check all the details for your route before you head to the airport.
So, what does it cost?
The baggage allowance you get with your ticket will vary by fare type. You can also buy extra bags on top of your ticket allowance if you need them. Here's the lowdown¹.
Economy
Economy ticket holders can take the following:
- 1 item of cabin baggage, up to 7kg, plus one small item such as a handbag or camera bag
- For most flights, 2 pieces of hand luggage, up to 30kg in total weight. For flights to and from America, you can take up to 2 pieces weighing 23kg each, and for flights between Auckland/Christchurch and Hong Kong, you can take one item weighing 23kg
Premium Economy
Premium Economy ticket holders can take the following:
- 1 item of cabin baggage, up to 7kg, plus one small item such as a handbag or camera bag
- For most flights, 2 pieces of hand luggage, up to 35kg in total weight. For flights to and from America, you can take up to 2 items weighing 25kg each, and for flights between Auckland/Christchurch and Hong Kong, you can take 2 items up to 23kg each.
Business
Business ticket holders can take the following:
- 1 item of cabin baggage, up to 10kg, plus one small item such as a handbag or camera bag
- For most flights, 2 pieces of hand luggage, up to 40kg in total weight. For flights to and from America, you can take up to 2 items weighing 32kg each, and for flights between Auckland/Christchurch and Hong Kong, you can take 3 items up to 23kg each.
First Class
First Class ticket holders can take the following:
- 1 item of cabin baggage, up to 15kg, plus one small item such as a handbag or camera bag
- For most flights, 3 pieces of hand luggage, up to 50kg in total weight. For flights to and from America, you can take up to 2 pieces weighing 32kg each
Buying additional baggage allowance
If you need to bring more than is covered in your ticket allowance, you can purchase additional baggage before you travel.
You will usually pay according to the weight of your extra bag. You can also pay per item, if you have too many cases, but according to the weight allowance that comes with your fare type.
The price is calculated according to the zone where your route starts and ends. Zone 1 includes some flights within Australia, and other flight routes in Asia, Zone 2 covers destinations in South Asia, Zone 3 is the Middle East and Zone 4 includes most of Europe and Africa, as well as many international routes from Australia. Check details for your trip online.
Can I take sports equipment as checked baggage?
You can bring sports equipment to most destinations, as long as it's packed according to Cathay's guidelines, and fits the weight of your purchased luggage.
If you are bringing anything unusual or very large, check with your local Cathay Pacific Airlines Baggage Policy office, at least 3 working days in advance to ensure there is room in the hold³.
What are the fees for excess or oversized baggage?
Cathay Pacific will allow passengers to carry bags with a maximum dimension of 203cm, or a maximum weight of 32 kg per piece⁴. If you have a case heavier than this, you will be asked to repack and may have to pay for additional baggage items. If you know you have heavier items that cannot be repacked, you should contact Cathay first to ask if there is room on your flight for your excess baggage.
There are separate rules for some items such as medical devices, mobility aids and sports equipment. You can also purchase additional cabin baggage allowance if you have valuables that you want to keep in the cabin with you, such as musical instruments or artwork. Check all the details for your specific route, online.
Arriving at the airport with more luggage than allowed can be expensive - and mean your holiday is off to a rough start.
Get your packing right, by checking the baggage allowance for your ticket type and destination, online. You can also save money while you travel, by using Wise currency experts to get your holiday money. Get yourself a free Transferwise multi-currency account online, and send and spend money around the world without foreign transaction fees to worry about.
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Can I Prepay for Baggage?
Cathay Pacific allows passengers to prepay for baggage online or through their Contact Center for some flights.
Here are the ways you can prepay:
- Log in to your account using the Manage Bookings section of the Cathay website
- Calling Cathay’s Contact Centre at 1-888-875-0388
Cathay Pacific offers prepaid baggage discounts on select flights. To see if your flight is eligible, log into your booking or contact the Cathay Pacific Contact Center and take advantage of up to 10% discount on prepaid baggage up to 24 hours before departure.
Contact Cathay Pacific
If you need to contact Cathay Pacific, we recommend that you contact the team based in your departure or destination country. The relevant phone number can be found on this page.
Alternative to Excess Baggage Fees
While carry-on and checked luggage is a convenient option for small amounts of luggage, sometimes we find ourselves having to transport large amounts of luggage or large and heavy items overseas, which can be very expensive via airline.
With the Stasher delivery service, you can eliminate the hassle of traveling with luggage and exorbitant fees for excess luggage. Cathay Pacific Airlines Baggage Policy Shipping your luggage with Stasher is safe, affordable and fully insured.
Baggage delivery eliminates the problem of weight and size restrictions, and gives you more travel flexibility and less stress on travel day. With Stasher you can easily book this service online in a short time and your luggage will be picked up from the location you want at the time you specify.
It will then be sent to the destination address you provided. And you can check its progress throughout the journey, so you always know where your luggage is on its journey.
