Air New Zealand baggage allowance.

The travel rush is filled with lots of things to remember and some things to absolutely not forget. When catching a flight it’s important to know how much baggage you’re allowed to take so you don’t get an unpleasant surprise at the airport.

To that end, let’s take a look at the baggage policy for Air New Zealand including the allowances, fees and charges and what to keep in mind before you set off.

Speaking about unwanted surprises and fees, we’ll also introduce Wise, an international money specialist who can help you spend like a local while travelling abroad. Let’s jump right in.

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Air New Zealand checked (hold) luggage vs carry on

Like many airlines around the world, Air New Zealand allows customers to take checked baggage and carry on luggage.

• Checked baggage is **stored in the hold, away from passengers **during the flight and is usually bigger, heavier items such as a large suitcase.
• Carry on luggage is generally smaller and is carried onto the plane by the owner. It’s usually kept in the overhead compartment above their seat for the duration of the flight.

Baggage allowance with Air New Zealand

The baggage allowance for Air New Zealand flights can vary depending on the fare class, route and your reward points tier with Air New Zealand or Star Alliance.

Here’s the allowance for carry-on bags, keeping in mind that the small item refers to something like a handbag or laptop.¹

Type of Passenger	Allowance
Economy fare	1 carry on bag up to 7kg + 1 small item
Premium Economy fare Business Premier fare Connecting Business Premier fare	2 carry on bags up to 14kg total + 1 small item
Airpoints Gold or Elite tier members Star Alliance Gold tier members	2 carry on bags up to 14kg total + 1 small item

The allowance for checked luggage varies more, but here’s a general overview.²

Route	Type of Passenger	Allowance
NZ Domestic Flight	Eat+bag fare Flexichange fare	1 check bag up to 23kg
NZ Domestic Flight	Flexirefund fare	2 checked bags up to 23kg each
International Flight	Seat+bag fare Theworks fare Economy fare	1 check bag up to 23kg
International Flight	Theworks fare to Honolulu Premium economy fare Economy fare to Shanghai, Singapore, Tapai Economy fare from Australia to Canada/USA (Excluding New York/Honolulu)	2 checked bags up to 23kg each
International Flight	International Premier fare	3 checked bags up to 23kg each

Koru members also get an additional bag on top of their allowance and if your journey involves a connection between a domestic and international flight the international bag limit applies.²

If you want to double check your allowance you can see it on your e-ticket or use the Air New Zealand baggage allowance calculator.²

Air New Zealand baggage limits

Air New Zealand has maximum dimensions and weights allowed for the checked bags and carry on luggage taken on their flights. These limits apply to everyone and may be above the baggage allowance for some passengers anyway.

Luggage Type	Maximum Weight	Maximum Dimensions
Carry on luggage¹	Single piece can not exceed 10kg	Sum of the length, width and height of each piece can’t exceed 118cm.
Checked baggage²	Single piece can not exceed 32kg	Sum of the length, width and height of each piece shouldn’t exceed 158cm. If it does you may still be able to take it for a fee.

Buying extra checked in luggage with Air New Zealand

If you need to take more luggage than your Air New Zealand ticket allows then you might be able to pay to take an extra checked in bag. Here’s some of the main points to keep in mind.³

• There’s a limit of 3 checked bags per person
• Infant fares are unable to buy additional checked bags
• If you have an international multi stop itinerary you can’t purchase extra bags online.
• The maximum dimensions and weight still apply

You can upgrade your bag allowance in advance or at the airport, but doing it in advance is the most cost effective option.³ Here’s the methods you could use to do that.

• Online when you make your initial booking
• Retrieve your booking online and add to your flight
• Call an Air New Zealand contact centre
• Speak to your travel agent

Here’s the prepaid additional baggage fees at the time of publishing.³

Route	Cost per additional bag
New Zealand Domestic flight	$35 NZD
International flights between New Zealand & Australia or the Pacific Islands, excluding Perth, Honolulu and Bali	$70 NZD
International long haul flights including between New Zealand and Perth, Honolulu or Bali	$120 NZD

Air New Zealand fees for excess or oversized luggage

If you arrive at the airport with more bags than your ticket allows or have overweight or oversized luggage, you may still be able to travel with it for a fee. That fee varies depending on your route.⁵

As an example, here’s what you’d be charged at the airport to fly out of New Zealand if you were over your bag limit.⁵

Route	Extra bag	Overweight (Over 23kg under 32kg) or oversize bag
New Zealand Domestic	$45 NZD per bag	$20 NZD
New Zealand to Australia or the Pacific Islands, excluding Perth, Honolulu and Bali	$90 NZD per bag	$40 NZD
New Zealand to any other destination	$150 NZD per bag	$60 NZD

To see what you’d be charged on your flight you can check the excess baggage charges on the Air New Zealand website.

Taking sports equipment or musical instruments on Air New Zealand

You can take sports equipment and musical instruments on Air New Zealand flights but how the baggage charges are worked out depends on what it is and how big it is.

Sports Equipment

If your sports luggage is less than 2m long and 23kg in weight, it generally still counts as standard baggage.⁴ Above this you’ll have to pay excess baggage charges, or depending on the flight, you may not be able to take it as checked baggage at all.

Musical Instruments

Taking musical instruments is a little more restrictive, as it only counts as standard baggage if it’s up to 1m long and weighs less than 7kg.⁴ Above this you’ll be charged for overweight or oversized luggage. In the case of a cello, you can book an extra plane seat and have it travel in the cabin with you.

Baby and Infant baggage allowance on Air New Zealand

If you have a baby travelling on an infant fare there’s different rules for their luggage. Each Air New Zealand infant fare includes one carry on bag and two items from the following list.⁶

• Pram, stroller or buggy
• Car seat
• Bassinet or port-a-cot

Keep in mind

When it comes to flying with baggage one of the biggest things to keep in mind is what the limits and dimensions are. Doing this can help minimise bag related stress at the airport and allow you to make thoughtful packing decisions to avoid unnecessary fees.

Something useful to invest in is a set of luggage scales that you can use to double check the weight of your bags. Alternatively, many airports feature weighting stalls (or simply use an unoccupied stall) that you can use before reaching the check in counter.

Contacting Air New Zealand

If you have any other questions about the Air New Zealand baggage policy you can reach out to them using these contact details.

• Phone 0800 737 000 in New Zealand
• Call +64 (0)9 357 3000 from overseas
• Use Facebook messenger or Twitter
• Send an email through the Air New Zealand website

The Wise Account and card

Whether it’s for baggage, foreign exchange or overseas transactions, no one likes being surprised with unexpected fees. If you’re setting off overseas and want an easy and transparent way to convert (or spend) your NZD to foreign currency, a Wise account may be tailor-made for you.

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Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

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Sources:

1. Air New Zealand - Carry-on bags
2. Air New Zealand - Checked-in baggage
3. Air New Zealand - Prepaid extra bags
4. Air New Zealand - Overweight and oversized items
5. Air New Zealand - Excess baggage charges
6. Air New Zealand - Travelling with children

Sources checked on: 21 October 2022