Baggage allowance

Economy Classic and Delight

One checked in bag*

Maximum weight 23kg

Maximum dimensions 90 x 75 x 43cm (35.5 x 29.5 x 16ins)

Economy Light

Economy Light tickets don't come with a free checked in bag, but you can buy additional baggage when you check in if you need it, more details on this can be found further down this page.

Premium

Two checked in bags

Maximum weight 23kg each

Maximum dimensions 90 x 75 x 43cm (35.5 x 29.5 x 16ins)

Upper Class

Two checked in bags

Maximum weight 32kg each

Maximum dimensions 90 x 75 x 43cm (35.5 x 29.5 x 16ins)

Children's baggage allowance

  • For children and infants who have their own seat, the baggage allowances above will apply.
  • For infants on a lap (without their own seat) they’ll get one checked bag, except in Economy Light where no baggage is included.
  • If you're flying Economy Light, you may purchase one bag per infant at 50 GBP / 75 USD if you booked on or after 28th July 2021 or 45 GBP / 60 USD if you booked before 28th July 2021.
  • You can also bring a collapsible pushchair and car seat in addition to their free bag allowance. We will take this from you at the gate and pop in the hold. At London Heathrow, all pushchairs (with the exception of Special Assistance pushchairs) are collected from the baggage reclaim.

Baggage allowance exceptions

Extra baggage allowance for Flying Club Gold members

If you've reached the heady heights of our Flying Club Gold tier, you can check in an extra piece of baggage on all Virgin Atlantic operated flights for no extra charge (weighing up to 23kg). It doesn’t matter which cabin you’re flying in. Find out more about Flying Club Gold benefits.

Extra baggage allowance on selected routes

Two bags (maximum 32kg each) as standard in Upper Class

Two bags (maximum 23kg each) as standard in Premium, Economy Classic or Economy Delight

Extra bag fees apply from the third bag, as detailed in the table below

Note: Two bags in Economy Classic or Delight only applies when flying UK/USA to India or India to UK/USA

Two bags (maximum 32kg each) as standard in Upper Class

Two bags (maximum 23kg each) as standard in Premium, Economy Classic or Economy Delight

Extra bag fees apply from the third bag, as detailed in the table below

Note: One bag in Economy light for US - Nigeria

Two bags (maximum 32kg each) as standard in Upper Class, with extra bag fees applying from the third bag

Two bags (maximum 23kg each) in Premium, with extra bag fees applying from the third bag

One bag (maximum 23kg each) in Economy Classic or Economy Delight, with extra bag fees applying from the second bag

Extra bag fees are detailed in the table below

Note: One bag in Economy light and two Bags Economy Delight and Economy Classic from US-South Africa

Extra, overweight, or oversized baggage

Taking extra bags

If you'd like to bring more than your free bag allowance, or if you've bought an Economy Light ticket and decided you need a bag after all, you can add up to seven extra bags per person when you check in online.

Online check in opens 24 hours before your flight is due to depart and closes 70 minutes before.

You can also pay for extra bags at the airport. it costs exactly the same, but the limit is ten bags per person.

Extra baggage fees

Additional baggage charges are per flight. Please note that any excess baggage that you buy is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Prices are based on whether your trip originates in the UK or US. If you're not flying from the UK or US we'll convert the GBP rate to your local currency.

Routes with baggage allowance of two checked in bags as standard (except for Economy Light):             

  • UK/US - Nigeria
  • UK/US/Canada - India
  • UK/US - Pakistan
  • UK - Australia
  • US - Lebanon, South Africa, Ghana and Senegal 

Changed bag rules

Please note: for tickets purchased on or after 6th September 2023, the cost to purchase an additional bag when travelling on an Economy Light ticket, increased from 50 GBP / 75 USD to 65 GBP / 100 USD.

 

Number of bags being checked in

 

Economy Light

 

Economy Classic & Delight

 

Premium

 

Upper Class*

 

Overweight

 

Oversized*

 

Bag 1

Bookings made on or after 3rd October 2023

 

65 GBP / 75 USD

 

Bookings made between 6th September 2023 and 2nd October 2023

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

Bookings made between 28th July 2021 and 5th September 2023

 

50 GBP / 75 USD

 

Bookings made before 28th July 2021

 

45 GBP / 60 USD

 

Included

 

 

Included

 

 

Included

 

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

 

200 GBP / 300 USD

 

Bag 2

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

 

Included

 

 

Included

 

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

 

200 GBP / 300 USD

 

Bag 3

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

 

200 GBP / 300 USD

 

Bag 4

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

140 GBP / 200 USD

 

 

65 GBP / 100 USD

 

 

200 GBP / 300 USD

 

*For UK to South America the baggage allowance includes three checked in bags as standard in Upper Class

Flying with infants?

  • The baggage allowance for lap infants (without their own seat) is 1 checked bag, except in Economy Light where no baggage is included.
  • A fully collapsible pushchair and car seat can be taken in addition to the free bag allowance.

1. You may purchase Excess Baggage either:

  • in advance via Online Check in on the Virgin Atlantic website (www.virginatlantic.com); or
  • at the airport.

2. In order to be eligible to purchase Excess Baggage you must hold a valid ticket on a Qualifying Flight. A "Qualifying Flight" is a flight on services operated by Virgin Atlantic only (not on flights operated by codeshare partners).

3. You’ll be charged at the rates applicable at the time of purchase.

4. In case of a flight cancellation or diversion:

(i) If you are re-booked on to another Virgin Atlantic flight, we’ll attempt to carry Excess Baggage purchased.

(ii) If for operational or safety reasons we’re unable to carry your Excess Baggage on the re-booked flight, we’ll arrange for your Excess Baggage to be transported on another flight at no extra cost.

(iii) If you are re-booked on another carrier, the charges already paid will be refunded in accordance with Virgin Atlantic’s refund process and you’ll be booked in the equivalent class of cabin as purchased on their original ticket and in accordance with the other carrier’s policies and procedures.

5. Virgin Atlantic shall not be liable for any higher excess baggage charges and/or lower weight allowances imposed by another carrier.

6. Subject to paragraph 4 (iii) above, payments made for Excess Baggage are non-refundable. No cash or credit alternatives will be offered.

7. Excess Baggage allowances are non-transferable to other passengers.

8. If you decide to upgrade to a different cabin, any Excess Baggage allowance which may have already been purchased is non-refundable.

9. The purchase of Excess Baggage in advance or at the airport does not alter the terms or fare rules the ticket purchased nor does it alter check-in times or any other aspect of the Virgin Atlantic service.

10. The purchase of Excess Baggage does not entitle you to earn additional Flying Club miles or tier points.

11. All refunds will be processed by in the UK and credited back to the original form of payment.

12. All carriage of baggage is subject to the rules contained in Virgin Atlantic’s Conditions of Carriage and to its baggage policies (available here).

13. Should any piece of Excess Baggage exceed the weight or dimension limits or does not comply with the rules governing the carriage of baggage, Virgin Atlantic shall have the right to refuse to carry such Excess Baggage.

14. In case of conflict between these terms and Virgin Atlantic’s Conditions of Carriage, the Conditions of Carriage shall prevail.

15. Infants not occupying a seat (“Lap Infants”) are entitled to one piece of excess baggage when travelling in Economy Light only.

16. It is not possible to purchase additional hand baggage allowance.

17. Virgin Atlantic reserves the right to amend any or all of these terms and conditions, without notice and at any time.

18. These terms and conditions are governed by English law and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.

Date of publication: 17 March 2018

Overweight baggage

The maximum weight in Premium and Economy is 23kg per bag. If yours are heavier than that, you'll need to pay an overweight baggage fee at the airport.

In Upper Class the maximum weight is 32kg per bag.

Taking oversized bags

How big is oversized?

We classify oversized baggage as an item that is larger than our standard baggage size of 90 x 75 x 43cm (35.5 x 29.5 x 16ins).

If any of your bags are over 190 x 75 x 65cm (75 x 29.5 x 25.5in) you won’t be able to check them in as baggage, but you might be able to fly them as cargo. You'll need to contact a freight forwarder to do this.

If you need to fly your bags as cargo, you'll need to contact a freight forwarder to arrange this separately. We are unable to book this for you directly.

Oversized baggage fees

Oversized checked in bags will be £200 (or $300 US) per item.

Outside of the UK and US, the £UK fee will be converted to your local currency.

What to do if you have oversized bags

You can only pay for oversized bags at the airport - you don’t have to do anything in advance. Just head over to one of the check in desks and a member of our airport team will be able to take your payment and show you where to take your bags.

Travelling with a partner airline