Jetstar Baggage Allowance. Be well prepared before you fly

Jetstar is a subsidiary of Qantas, operating from a base in Melbourne Airport. You can fly with Jetstar within Australia, or on regional and international routes. You’ll also find other airlines in the Jetstar family including Jetstar Asia and Jetstar Pacific.

If you’re headed off on a Jetstar flight, you’ll want to know what you can take with you. Luggage allowances vary significantly across different airlines which can be confusing - and expensive if you arrive at the airport with more that you’re permitted to carry. This guide will cover everything you need to get prepared for your Jetstar flight.

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Jetstar checked luggage vs carry on?

One of the reasons luggage allowances are complex is because there are usually two different sets of rules for each ticket and fare type.

• One covers checked luggage — the bags which go in the aircraft hold - and the other is for your carry on bags.
• Carry on, or cabin baggage — is what you take into the plane’s cabin with you, so you’ll need to make sure all your essentials fit within this allowance.

So, what is the baggage allowance with Jetstar Airlines?

The most popular Jetstar tickets come with hand luggage only as a standard. If you want to place items in the hold, you’ll need to buy the allowance you require - from 15kg to 40kg. This means you only pay for what you need.¹

The cost of adding hold baggage varies according to the route and when you arrange your additional bags. We’ll cover this in a moment. First, let’s look at cabin baggage arrangements²:

Jetstar Starter Fare

The Starter Fare tickets are the basic ticket types with Jetstar. You’ll be able to take up to 7kg of carry on luggage, which can be spread across 2 different items. One bag or case must fit in the overhead locker, and the second item can be something like a handbag or laptop bag which will fit under the seat in front.

If you want to carry more into the cabin, or have any hold luggage, you’ll need to upgrade your ticket or buy extra allowance. More on that later.

Flex Bundle and Business Class

You’ll be able to take 2 items of hand luggage, to a total weight of 14kg. As with the Starter Fare, one item of luggage must fit into the overhead locker while the other can go under the seat in front of you. Neither bag should weigh more than 10kg.

Jetstar hold luggage by ticket type

We mentioned that the most popular types of Jetstar ticket don’t include hold luggage. However, you can upgrade to get additional benefits including increased baggage allowance, and other perks like extra legroom and inflight meals. See all the options when you book your ticket online.³

Here’s a brief rundown of the baggage options by fare class, for most Jetstar destinations and flights⁴.

Fare type	Carry-on baggage	Checked baggage in ticket
Starter	7kg combined weight	None
Starter Plus	7kg combined weight	20kg
Starter Max	7kg combined weight	30kg
Flex	14kg combined weight	None
Business and Business Max	14kg combined weight	30kg

Buying extra checked in luggage with Jetstar

If your ticket bundle or type doesn’t include hold luggage, you’ll be able to buy hold luggage allowance when you book your ticket, after booking, or at the airport. The cheapest way to manage your baggage is to book the allowance when you buy your ticket. Prices at the airport are always going to be the most expensive option.⁵

The costs of carrying hold luggage will vary according to the route you’re flying, the weight of your bags, and when you arrange the additional baggage. Log into your existing booking to see the costs online.

If you arrive at the airport with more baggage than you can carry according to your booking type, you’ll pay excess baggage fees.

Here’s a look at what it may cost you⁶:

Flight to/from	Up to 15kg of hold baggage	Every 1kg in excess of 15kg
Domestic flights in Australia or New Zealand	$45 AUD or NZD	$15 AUD or NZD At the airport
Flights between Australia and New Zealand	$70 AUD or NZD	$25 AUD or NZD At the airport
International flights with Jetstar Japan or Jetstar Asia	Usually USD40 - 50, depending on the flight type, destination and airline	$25 AUD or NZD At the airport on flights from Australia/NZ, priced in local currency for flights originating elsewhere

Taking sports equipment as checked baggage on Jetstar

You can take sports equipment on a Jetstar flight. You’ll need to make sure you have enough baggage allowance, and you may need to pay an oversized item fee if you’re carrying something which is longer than 1 metre in any direction.³

There are maximum size allowances which may apply if you need to carry something exceptionally large. These vary according to the type of plane which will be used for your route, so you’ll need to double check with the Jetstar customer service centre before travelling.

What are the fees for excess or oversized baggage?

Oversized items are those which measure over 1 metre in any direction³. If you have oversized baggage you’ll pay an extra fee at the airport of AUD 25 per item when flying with Jetstar. If you’re using one of the other Jetstar companies, such as Jetstar Pacific, the fees may vary and will usually be charged in local currency at your departure airport⁶.

It’s also useful to know that no individual bag can weigh over 32kg, no matter how much baggage allowance you’ve purchased.

If you’re headed off on holiday with Jetstar, it pays to know in advance how much luggage you can carry with you. That will help you avoid fees and hassle at the airport.

Wrapping up

While you’re planning your break and making sure all your baggage is well within weight limits, don’t forget to look at currency specialists like Wise to help you save even more money.

Get a Wise Account online, to hold and manage over 40 world currencies using your phone. You’ll be able to switch between currencies using the mid-market exchange rate, and spend them using a Wise debit card.

There are no nasty hidden fees and your money is always converted using the mid-market rate, like the one you see on Google. That leaves more in your pocket to help you enjoy your holiday.

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Safe travels.

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Sources:

1. Jetstar Baggage Info
2. Jetstar Carry-on Baggage
3. Jetstar Checked Baggage
4. Jetstar Fares and bundles
5. Jetstar adding extra Baggage
6. Jetstar Excess Baggage

Sources accurate as of 27 July 2022