Lufthansa baggage fees and fare rules
Lufthansa includes carry-on baggage, but the cabin matters: Economy and Premium Economy get one 7 kg item, while Business and First get two 7 kg items. A small personal item is also permitted under the cabin rules.
Lufthansa allows an additional small item, such as a slim laptop bag, alongside the main cabin baggage allowance.
Lufthansa checked baggage is fare-, cabin-, and route-dependent rather than one global first-bag price. In the U.S.-to-Germany Economy example shown here, the first 23 kg bag is free and the second bag costs USD 90.
Economy Light is the main restriction point: it has paid/limited rebooking treatment, and advance seat reservation fees may apply depending on fare, route, and status.
Price a common Lufthansa roundtrip before booking.
Using the published first-bag fee we can model two travelers, one checked bag each, roundtrip at about $0 before fare, status, card, and route exceptions.
Run the checked-bag calculator- Price the exact origin, destination, and fare family before assuming the first checked bag is included; the free first-bag example here is specifically United States to Germany in Economy.
- Avoid treating Economy Light like a normal flexible fare. The example shown here has a USD 199 rebooking fee plus possible fare difference.
- Keep Economy and Premium Economy checked bags at or below 23 kg and 158 cm total dimensions to avoid excess-baggage treatment.
Check nearby fee models before you decide.
Estimate the bag-fee hit before you book.
Use the current published fee rows for Lufthansa to test a simple scenario. If the price depends on route, fare, or purchase timing, this module will send you to the full calculator instead of pretending there is one universal fee.
Across 2 trips, that is about $0 before elite status, fare bundles, waived bags, or route-specific exceptions.
If an eligible card covers the first checked bag for this party, the modeled first-bag exposure is about $0 per year before annual fees.
Compare the bag bill before the fare wins.
Pick travelers, bags, route context, and bag size. The table estimates only when the stored fee data has a usable fixed amount. Route-priced airlines stay flagged for lookup instead of showing a false $0.
| Airline | Trip bag cost | Annual exposure | Best card waiver | Overweight / oversize | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lufthansa Current page | $0 | $0 | No modeled card | Standard-size input | Price this airline |
| Air France | Route lookup needed Missing first bag fee. | Route-priced | No modeled card | Standard-size input | Price this airline Usually depends on route or market and fare family. |
| British Airways | Route lookup needed Missing first bag fee. | Route-priced | No modeled card | Standard-size input | Price this airline Usually depends on route or market and fare family. |
| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | Route lookup needed Missing first bag fee. | Route-priced | No modeled card | Standard-size input | Price this airline Usually depends on route or market and fare family. |
| United Airlines | $180 | $180 | $180 / year United Explorer Card | Standard-size input | Price this airline |
| Alaska Airlines | $180 | $180 | $180 / year Atmos Rewards Visa Business card | Standard-size input | Price this airline |
| American Airlines | $180 | $180 | Standard-size input | Price this airline | |
| Delta Air Lines | $180 | $180 | $180 / year Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card | Standard-size input | Price this airline |
| Southwest Airlines | $180 | $180 | No modeled card | Standard-size input | Price this airline |
| JetBlue | $180 | $180 | $180 / year JetBlue Plus Card | Standard-size input | Price this airline |
Core fee breakdown
Published fees below are grouped by fee type and keep the route, fare, and timing limits that matter for booking.
Carry-on rules
See also the broader carry-on fee reference.
When the issue is whether a bag will physically pass at the gate, compare the published rule with sizer enforcement reality.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy / Premium Economy | All routes (rules may vary by origin) | 0.00 EUR | per flight | Economy and Premium Economy include 1 carry-on item up to 56 x 36 x 23 cm and 7 kg, plus a small personal item. | Source |
| Business / First | All routes (rules may vary by origin) | 0.00 EUR | per flight | Business and First include 2 carry-on items, each up to 56 x 36 x 23 cm and 7 kg, plus a small personal item. | Source |
Personal item rules
Checked baggage fees
See also the checked baggage fee reference. For a side-by-side baseline comparison, review Air France, British Airways, KLM, United Airlines.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible fares | All routes (allowance varies by fare/cabin/route) | 0.00 EUR | each way | Free allowance is determined by service class, fare, route, status, and ticket/receipt baggage rule | Source |
| Economy (example scenario) | United States → Germany | 0.00 USD | each way | First checked bag up to 23 kg may be free on eligible Economy routes, such as US to Germany; rules vary by route and fare. | Source |
| Economy (example scenario) | United States → Germany | 90.00 USD | each way | Second checked bag up to 23 kg; fees vary by origin, destination, and fare and may change. | Source |
| Sports and special baggage | Lufthansa-operated flights | Free if within allowance; flat sports rate if excess EUR | register up to 72 hours before departure / airport | Sports gear may count within allowance; excess/special flat rates apply if it exceeds free allowance | Source |
| Winter sports equipment | Most Lufthansa-operated routes outside listed exceptions | 0.00 EUR | register before travel / airport | One ski or snowboard item can travel free in addition to allowance except USA, Mexico, Central America, or Economy Light | Source |
Excess and overweight baggage
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy / Premium Economy | All routes | Depends on route and excess weight EUR | each way | Economy/Premium Economy bags over 23 kg up to 32 kg are excess; flat rates vary by route | Source |
| All fares | All routes | Not permitted EUR | at airport | Maximum travel weight per checked bag is 32 kg; items exceeding this weight are not accepted as travel baggage | Source |
Oversized baggage
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy / Premium Economy | All routes | Depends on route and excess size EUR | each way | Bags over 158 cm up to 292 cm are excess baggage; flat rates vary by route and cabin | Source |
Seat and fare-related fees
See also the seat selection fee reference.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most fares | All routes (varies) | Depends on fare, route, and status EUR | at booking / manage booking | Advance seat fees may apply by fare, route, and status; Economy Light and eligible status-member rules can differ. | Source |
Change and cancellation references
See also the change and cancellation fee reference.
| Applies to | Region / route | Amount | Timing | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Light | International (published example context) | 199.00 USD | before departure | Economy Light international rebooking example: USD 199 plus fare/tax/fee difference, if conditions are met | Source |
| Economy Classic and above | International (published example context) | Fare difference may apply USD | before departure | Economy Classic fares and upwards can be rebooked; fare differences may apply and additional conditions apply per published rules | Source |
| All fares | All routes | Depends on fare conditions USD | before journey begins | Refund eligibility depends on fare conditions; online refund requests may be available up to 24 hours before journey start. | Source |
How to avoid paying this fee
- Price the exact origin, destination, and fare family before assuming the first checked bag is included; the free first-bag example here is specifically United States to Germany in Economy.
- Avoid treating Economy Light like a normal flexible fare. The example shown here has a USD 199 rebooking fee plus possible fare difference.
- Keep Economy and Premium Economy checked bags at or below 23 kg and 158 cm total dimensions to avoid excess-baggage treatment.
- Use included or status-eligible seat-selection options where available instead of buying advance seat reservation by default.
Fare-class behavior
Economy Light
Economy Light is the restrictive change example, with a USD 199 rebooking fee plus possible fare difference in the international example context.
Economy Classic and above
These fares can be rebooked under Lufthansa's fare rules, but the amount stays fare-rule based because fare differences and fare conditions still apply.
Economy / Premium Economy baggage
Carry-on is one 7 kg item plus a small item. Checked-bag allowance varies by fare, cabin, and route, with excess treatment above 23 kg or 158 cm total dimensions.
Business / First
Carry-on is two 7 kg items plus the small item. Premium-cabin checked-bag fees are not reduced to one separate universal ladder here.
Real-world scenarios
For international delay and cancellation coverage on itineraries that fall within EU261 scope, see the EU261 passenger rights reference.
Flying Economy from the U.S. to Germany
The U.S.-to-Germany example shows the first checked bag up to 23 kg free and the second checked bag at USD 90, but that should not be treated as a universal Lufthansa rule for every route.
Booking Economy Light
Economy Light can look cheaper until you need flexibility. The rebooking example shown here is USD 199 plus any fare difference.
Checking a 25 kg Economy bag
For Economy and Premium Economy, bags above 23 kg and up to 32 kg move into excess-baggage treatment, with fees varying by route.
Selecting seats before check-in
Advance seat reservation may cost extra depending on fare, route, and status, so the fee is variable rather than one flat seat-selection amount.
When fees may not apply
- The United States to Germany checked-bag amounts are examples, not a global Lufthansa checked-bag table.
- Bags above 32 kg are not accepted as ordinary travel baggage.
- Status can affect advance seat reservation treatment on eligible flights.
- No Lufthansa co-branded credit-card baggage waiver is shown here.
Compare with other airlines
Comparison links below are limited to airlines with closely related fee structures or booking models.
Related guides
Legal Disclaimer
This reference reflects the published fee rows and linked source documents available for this airline.