Air New Zealand Baggage Allowance and Fees

If you’re planning to fly with Air New Zealand, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the airline’s baggage policy.

We’ll explain everything that you’ll need to know, including:

• How much carry-on baggage you can bring on board,
• How much checked baggage your fare type entitles you to,
• If you’re traveling with an infant, what additional baggage allowance you receive,
• How much you’ll have to pay for extra, oversized, and overweight baggage,
• How to add extra bags to your reservation,
• Baggage rules for special baggage such as sports equipment, musical instruments, and assistive devices.

Carry On Baggage Allowance

All Air New Zealand fares include 1 personal item and, at least, 1 carry-on bag. Premium cabins can bring 2 carry-on bags on board.

Carry On Bag

Carry On Bag Size Limit

Your carry-on bag can be up to 46.5 linear inches (118 centimeters) in size. To calculate the size of your carry-on, measure the outside length, width, and height, then add the measurements together.

It must be able to fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

Examples of typical carry-on bags include:

• Small suitcase
• Backpack
• Duffel bag
• Garment bag

Carry On Bag Size Limit for Domestic Flights within New Zealand

For domestic flights within New Zealand, the airline uses Bombardier Q300 and ATR 72 aircraft.

If your domestic flight is on a Q300, the width of your carry-on bag can be no larger than 8.7 inches (22 centimeters).

Carry On Bag Weight Limit

The weight limit for your carry-on depends on your fare type.

For Economy fares, your carry-on bag can weigh up to 15 pounds (7 kilograms).

For Premium Economy and Business Premier ticket holders, they receive a total carry-on weight allowance of 30 pounds (14 kilograms). However, no single bag can weigh more than 22 pounds (10 kilograms).

You should be able to lift your carry-on bag in the overhead bin without needing assistance.

Personal Item

All fares include 1 personal item. Air New Zealand doesn’t specify size or weight limits. However, the airline provides examples of typical personal items:

• Handbag
• Thin laptop

Presumably, it should be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. Many airlines use 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 centimeters) as the size limit for personal items, so you can use that as a guide.

Carry On Baggage Allowance for Infants

Infants can have one carry-on bag. However, they don’t receive a checked baggage allowance.

Checked Baggage

In this section we will discuss the size and weight limits for checked baggage. We will also show how much checked baggage you can check in, based on your fare type and itinerary.

Checked Baggage Size Limit

Each checked bag can be up to 62 linear inches (158 centimeters) in size.

To calculate the size of your bag, measure the outside length, width, and height, then total these measurements together.

Make sure that you include all protruding wheels, handles, and pockets with your measurements.

Checked Baggage Weight Limit

Each checked bag can weigh up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms). This applies for all cabin classes, including Business.

If your checked bag exceeds this weight limit, you’ll have to pay an overweight baggage fee when checking in at the airport.

Air New Zealand doesn’t allow checked bags weighing more than 70 pounds (32 kilograms).

Checked Baggage Allowance

The following tables show how many checked bags are included with your fare, based on your itinerary.

Domestic Travel within New Zealand

International Travel

From Australia

From New Zealand

All Flights Except from Australia and New Zealand

Checked Baggage Allowance for Infants

Infants don’t receive a checked baggage allowance, nor can they buy extra bags.

However, infants can check in the following assistive items at no charge:

• 1 stroller, and
• 1 car seat.

These items must be packed in suitable protective bags for check-in.

Extra Baggage Fees

If you want to buy extra baggage beyond what is included with your fare, you will have to pay a fee. The fee amount depends on your itinerary. In most cases, the fee is in the local currency of the country of departure.

Each passenger can travel with up to 3 checked bags in total.

You can either prepay for your extra bags (and receive a discount) or wait until you arrive at the airport and pay the airport rate.

Prepaid Extra Baggage Fees

You can prepay up to 3 checked bags. Doing so entitles you to a discounted fee.

You will be eligible for a discount if you pay for your bags:

• Domestic travel: at least 30 minutes before your flight
• International travel: at least 90 minutes before your flight.

There is no fee discount for your third checked bag. This bag will be charged at the airport rate.

How to Add Extra Bags to Your Booking

You have a few ways to add extra bags to your reservation.

If you purchased your ticket directly with Air New Zealand, you have two options available to you:

Visit the Air New Zealand Website

You can add checked bags to your booking by logging in to your reservation on Air New Zealand’s website. You will need to provide your last name and booking reference number:

Your booking reference number can be found in your reservation confirmation email from the airline. The number has six characters and ends with the letter H. For example: SPD4RH.

Contact Air New Zealand

Another way to add checked baggage is to contact Air New Zealand’s customer service department. You may have to pay a fee if you choose this option.

Contact Your Travel Agent

If you bought your flight through a travel agent, you probably won’t be able to add checked bags through the Air New Zealand website. You will have to contact your travel agent.

However, before contacting the travel agent, I recommend checking the email that you received from the agent to see if they provided you with an Air New Zealand booking reference number.

The following table shows the prepaid fees for extra baggage, based on your itinerary. All fees are in U.S. dollars.

Extra Baggage Fees at the Airport

In this section we’ll show you how much you’ll have to pay for each bag, based on your itinerary.

Unlike prepaid fees, the cost of airport baggage fees doesn’t increase with each extra bag. Each bag is charged the same fee.

From North America

For international travel from the U.S. or Canada, the fee is the same for all destinations.

Baggage fees for flights from the United States are in US dollars (USD).

Baggage fees for flights from Canada are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

From Oceania

This region includes Air New Zealand destinations in the Pacific:

• New Zealand
• Australia
• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• French Polynesia
• New Caledonia
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• Samoa
• Tonga

From New Zealand

Baggage fees for flights from New Zealand are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).

From Australia

Baggage fees for flights from Australia are in Australian dollars (AUD).

From Cook Islands

Baggage fees for flights from the Cook Islands are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).

From Fiji (Nadi)

Baggage fees for flights from Fiji are in Fijian dollars (FJD).

From French Polynesia (Papeete)

Baggage fees for flights from French Polynesia are in CFP francs (XPF).

From New Caledonia

Baggage fees for flights from New Caledonia are in CFP francs (XPF).

From Niue

Baggage fees for flights from Niue are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).

From Norfolk Island

Baggage fees for flights from Norfolk Island are in Australian dollars (AUD).

From Samoa

Baggage fees for flights from Samoa are in Samoan tālā (WST).

From Tonga

Baggage fees for flights from Tonga are in Tongan paʻanga (TOP).

From Europe

Baggage fees for flights from the United Kingdom are in pound sterling (GBP).

Baggage fees for flights from Europe are in euros (EUR).

From Asia

Baggage fees for flights from Asia are charged in the local currency of the country of departure.

• China: Chinese yuan / renminbi (CNY)
• Hong Kong: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
• Indonesia: Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
• Japan: Japanese yen (JPY)
• Korea: South Korean won (KRW)
• Taiwan: Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Oversized and Overweight Baggage

If your checked bag is oversized or overweight, you will have to pay a fee when you check in at the airport. The fee amount depends on your itinerary. In most cases, the fee is in the local currency of the country of departure.

If a checked bag is both oversized and overweight, only one fee applies.

Oversized and overweight baggage fees can’t be prepaid.

Oversized Baggage

If your checked bag is larger than 62 linear inches (158 centimeters), it is considered oversized. You will have to pay an oversized baggage fee when you check in at the airport.

Air New Zealand doesn’t allow checked bags where the length, width, or height is longer than 39 inches (100 centimeters).

However, the airline may be able to accommodate pieces of baggage longer than 39 inches, depending on how much space is available in the plane’s hold.

You can contact Air New Zealand before your flight with the measurements of your oversized baggage to see if it will be able to be transported. I recommend doing this as soon as you can to reserve space in the plane’s hold.

Overweight Baggage

If your checked bag weighs more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms), it is considered oversized. You will have to pay an overweight baggage fee when you check in at the airport.

Air New Zealand doesn’t accept checked bags weighing more than 70 pounds (32 kilograms).

Hot Tip: It’s cheaper to pay for an extra bag instead of paying for overweight baggage fees. And by purchasing an extra bag, you have an additional 50 pounds of weight allowance, compared to only 20 pounds with an overweight bag.

Oversized and Overweight Baggage Fees

The following tables show how much you’ll have to pay at the airport if your checked bag is oversized or overweight. The amount you’ll have to pay depends on your itinerary.

Remember, if your checked bag is both oversized and overweight, only one fee will apply.

• Oversized bags: larger than 62 linear inches (158 cm) but each side is no greater than 39 inches (100 cm) long.
• Overweight bags: between 50 and 70 pounds (23 to 32 kg).

From United States and Canada

For international travel from the U.S. or Canada, the fee is the same for all destinations.

Baggage fees for flights from the United States are in US dollars (USD).

Baggage fees for flights from Canada are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

From Oceania

This region includes Air New Zealand destinations in the Pacific:

• New Zealand
• Australia
• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• French Polynesia
• New Caledonia
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• Samoa
• Tonga

From New Zealand

Baggage fees for flights from New Zealand are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).

From Australia

Baggage fees for flights from Australia are in Australian dollars (AUD).

From Cook Islands

Baggage fees for flights from the Cook Islands are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).

From Fiji (Nadi)

Baggage fees for flights from Fiji are in Fijian dollars (FJD).

From French Polynesia (Papeete)

Baggage fees for flights from French Polynesia are in CFP francs (XPF).

From New Caledonia

Baggage fees for flights from New Caledonia are in CFP francs (XPF).

From Niue

Baggage fees for flights from Niue are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).

From Norfolk Island

Baggage fees for flights from Norfolk Island are in Australian dollars (AUD).

From Samoa

Baggage fees for flights from Samoa are in Samoan tālā (WST).

From Tonga

Baggage fees for flights from Tonga are in Tongan paʻanga (TOP).

From Europe

Baggage fees for flights from the United Kingdom are in pound sterling (GBP).

Baggage fees for flights from Europe are in euros (EUR).

From Asia

Baggage fees for flights from Asia are charged in the local currency of the country of departure.

• China: Chinese yuan / renminbi (CNY)
• Hong Kong: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
• Indonesia: Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
• Japan: Japanese yen (JPY)
• Korea: South Korean won (KRW)
• Taiwan: Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Special Baggage

Sports Equipment

Air New Zealand allows you to bring a wide range of sports equipment on their flights, such as:

• Archery equipment
• Bicycles (non-motorized)
• Fishing rods
• Golf clubs
• Hang glider equipment
• Scuba diving gear: oxygen tank must be empty and valve open
• Ski equipment
• Snowboard equipment
• Surfboards
• Water skis
• Windsurfing equipment

Size and Weight Limits for Sports Equipment

Sports equipment up to 78.7 inches (200 centimeters) in length and up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms) in weight is considered one checked bag.

If your sports equipment exceeds these limits, it will be subject to an oversized or overweight baggage fee.

The maximum length allowed is 98.4 inches (250 centimeters) and 70 pounds (32 kilograms).

Size Limits for Domestic Flights within New Zealand

Due to smaller aircraft in use on regional routes, the size limit for sports equipment is smaller than for international travel.

If your sports equipment is larger than 70.9 x 47.2 x 31.5 inches (180 x 120 x 80 centimeters), contact Air New Zealand to confirm whether your sports equipment can be transported.

Preparing and Packing Sports Equipment for Travel

A sports equipment item that is packed in more than one bag counts as 1 piece of luggage at check-in.

For example, if you check in one bag containing snow skis and another containing snow boots, both bags are considered 1 piece of baggage.

Make sure that your sports equipment is packed in a suitable protective cover or case, hard-sides where appropriate to best protect your equipment.

If Air New Zealand determines that your sports equipment isn’t appropriately packed, you may have to sign a liability release form. This would absolve the airline of any responsibility for damage to your equipment while it’s in the airline’s custody. Worse yet, they may not allow your item to be checked.

Musical Instruments

Musical Instruments as Carry On

You can bring your musical instrument on board as your carry-on, as long as it’s no more than 39 inches (100 centimeters) long and can weigh up to 15 pounds (7 kilograms).

Alternatively, for larger instruments, such as cellos, you have the option to purchase a seat for it. You can contact Air New Zealand’s customer service center to book the seat.

Musical Instruments as Checked Baggage

Air New Zealand accepts musical instruments as checked baggage. They are subject to the same size and weight limits as standard bags.

Make sure that the instrument is packed in a suitable protective case.

Mobility and Assistive Equipment

Passengers who are dependent on mobility and assistive equipment, such as canes, crutches, and walking frames, can check these items free of charge.

Up to 2 wheelchairs can be checked for free as well.

Final Thoughts

Air New Zealand has a generous carry-on and checked baggage policy. All fares include at least one checked bag, except for their seat-only (Basic Economy) fares. Many itineraries include 2 checked bags for Economy Class passengers.

Although Business Class passengers don’t receive a higher weight limit for each checked bag when compared to Economy Class, they can check up to 3 bags in total.

Air New Zealand is also very accommodating for special types of baggage such as sports equipment and musical instruments. Oversized items can be checked in without attracting oversized baggage fees.

And while we’re on the topic of fees, if your checked baggage is both oversized and overweight, only one fee applies.

We hope this blog post helps make your upcoming Air New Zealand trip as smooth as possible.

Remember to always check Air New Zealand’s website or contact their customer service for the latest information on baggage allowances and fees.

Sources:

• Air New Zealand