Kulula allowed one free checked bag (20kg, 90x75x43cm) and one carry-on (7kg, 56x36x23cm) per passenger. Extra bags cost R330 online or R410 at the airport, while overweight bags (20-32kg) incurred a flat R330 heavy bag fee. International routes operated by British Airways followed separate, more generous allowances.

Kulula was one of South Africa’s best-loved low-cost carriers, known for its cheeky aircraft liveries and no-nonsense approach to budget travel. Although Comair placed Kulula into liquidation in June 2022 and the airline no longer flies, its baggage policy still gets searched daily by travelers comparing budget airline rules, researching historical bookings, or looking for a benchmark against carriers like FlySafair and Mango.

What Was Kulula’s Baggage Allowance?

Kulula’s standard baggage allowance included one carry-on bag (7kg), one small personal item (handbag or laptop bag), and one free checked bag (20kg). The exact checked allowance depended on which “Branded Fare” a passenger booked, ranging from no checked bag at all to two free checked bags.

Kulula’s Branded Fares system meant baggage allowance wasn’t one-size-fits-all:

This tiered structure is a detail many comparison sites overlook, but it mattered enormously for cost-conscious flyers. Someone who booked “Fly Light” for a quick weekend trip and then decided to bring home souvenirs would need to pay for a checked bag they hadn’t originally budgeted for.

What Was Kulula’s Carry-On Baggage Policy?

Kulula’s carry-on baggage policy permitted one bag weighing no more than 7kg, with maximum dimensions of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm (22″ x 14.2″ x 9.1″), measured including wheels, handles, and pockets. Passengers could also bring one small personal item, such as a handbag or slimline laptop bag.

What Was Kulula’s Carry-On Baggage Size Limit?

Unlike airlines that use a combined linear measurement, Kulula checked each dimension individually against its limit. That means a bag measuring 58cm long wouldn’t pass, even if its width and height were well under the maximum. As a strict budget carrier, Kulula was known for enforcing these limits closely at the gate rather than treating them as loose guidelines.

Practical example: A 30-liter daypack (roughly 48cm x 30cm x 20cm) would comply. A 40-liter travel backpack, which typically runs closer to 55cm x 35cm x 25cm, would exceed the height limit by 2cm and risk being sent to check-in.

What Was Kulula’s Carry-On Baggage Price If It Didn’t Fit?

If a bag exceeded Kulula’s carry-on dimensions or weight at the gate, passengers had to check it in as an extra bag, at a cost of R410 when purchased at the airport. This made pre-flight measuring far cheaper than discovering a problem at boarding.

What Was Kulula’s Checked Baggage Policy?

Kulula’s checked baggage policy allowed one free bag up to 20kg and 208cm total dimensions (90cm x 75cm x 43cm), depending on the Branded Fare selected. Bags between 20kg and 32kg incurred a heavy bag fee, and bags over 32kg or oversized had to be shipped as cargo at the passenger’s expense.

What Was Kulula’s Baggage Size Limit for Checked Bags?

The maximum checked bag size was 208cm combined (length + width + height), with no single bag allowed to exceed 32kg regardless of how the fee was paid. Larger items, like oversized sports equipment, simply weren’t accepted through standard check-in.

Exception: Kulula did make allowances for musical instruments, mobility aids, and dialysis machines up to 45kg and 190cm x 75cm x 65cm, provided passengers gave at least 24 hours’ notice before departure.

What Were Kulula’s Extra Baggage Fees?

Kulula charged R330 per extra 20kg bag when purchased online or via the contact center, and R410 per bag at the airport. This pricing structure consistently rewarded travelers who planned ahead, saving R80 per bag simply by booking in advance.

Cost breakdown example: A family of four traveling on a “Pack & Go” fare, each needing a second suitcase, would pay 4 x R330 = R1,320 if booked online in advance, versus 4 x R410 = R1,640 at the airport  a R320 difference for the same four bags.

Extra bags purchased online remained refundable up to two hours before departure, but not after check-in closed.

What Was Kulula’s Overweight Baggage Fee?

Kulula charged a flat R330 heavy bag fee for any checked bag weighing between 20kg and 32kg, regardless of how many kilograms over the limit it was. Bags exceeding 32kg were not accepted at check-in and had to be sent as air cargo instead, at additional cost.

This flat-rate approach differs from airlines that charge per kilogram over the limit. Kulula’s own FAQ explained the reasoning: flat fees created a faster, simpler payment process at a busy check-in counter compared to weighing and calculating incremental per-kilo charges.

Worked example: A bag weighing 21kg and a bag weighing 31kg both attracted the same R330 heavy bag fee. This meant travelers just over the 20kg mark paid proportionally more per excess kilogram than those closer to the 32kg ceiling, an important detail for anyone packing close to the limit.

What Was Kulula’s Baggage Policy for International Flights?

Kulula’s international routes, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mauritius, and Kenya, were operated under a codeshare with British Airways (operated by Comair) and followed a different, more generous checked baggage allowance than domestic Kulula flights.

This distinction matters because a traveler flying Johannesburg-to-Cape Town and a traveler flying Johannesburg-to-Mauritius on the same day could have entirely different checked baggage allowances, despite both technically flying “Kulula.” Baggage drop-off cutoffs also differed: at least 40 minutes before international departures versus 30 minutes for domestic flights.

What Items Were Prohibited on Kulula Flights?

Kulula prohibited firearms, sharp objects, and hazardous materials from both cabin and, in most cases, checked baggage. Items like compressed gases, explosives, corrosives, and flammable liquids were banned entirely, with no exceptions for checked or hand luggage.

• Never accepted (cabin or hold): compressed gases, explosives, corrosives, flammable liquids/solids, radioactive or oxidizing materials, poisons, infectious substances, firearms, and ammunition
• Not allowed in the cabin only: knives, scissors, razor blades, daggers, and other sharp objects (these could sometimes travel in checked baggage)
• Special case: crossbows were permitted only with strings relaxed and arrows detached

What Special or Oversized Items Could You Take on Kulula?

Kulula accepted sports equipment, musical instruments, pets, and medical devices, provided they met weight and size rules or were booked as an extra bag in advance. Items combining with checked luggage to exceed 20kg required an additional bag purchase.

• Sports equipment (bicycles, surfboards, skis): accepted within the 20kg checked allowance, or as an extra bag if it pushed weight over the limit
• Musical instruments: same rule as sports equipment; oversized instruments needed cargo arrangements
• Pets: transported via Kulula’s Pet Lounge partner, arranged at least 48 hours ahead, with dedicated holding areas in Johannesburg and Cape Town
• Medical equipment: wheelchairs and dialysis machines up to 45kg accepted at no charge, with 24 hours’ notice
• Fragile items: accepted if properly packed in protective containers, though Kulula wasn’t liable for damage in transit

How Can You Avoid Unexpected Baggage Fees on a Budget Airline?

The single most effective strategy is to weigh and measure bags at home using a portable luggage scale, then purchase any extra or heavy bag allowance online rather than at the airport. Since Kulula (like most low-cost carriers) charged noticeably more for last-minute purchases at check-in, pre-booking baggage was almost always the cheaper route.

• Weigh every bag, including the personal item, before leaving home
• Book extra bags at least a day in advance to lock in the discounted rate
• Wear bulkier items (jackets, boots) instead of packing them, to shave kilograms off checked weight
• Check which Branded Fare you booked; “Fly Light” fares include no checked baggage at all
• Keep proof of any pre-purchased baggage allowance in case of a dispute at check-in

Frequently Asked Questions

How much was Kulula’s extra baggage fee?
Kulula charged R330 per extra 20kg bag when purchased online or through the contact center, and R410 per bag at the airport, a R80 savings for booking ahead.

What was Kulula’s carry-on weight limit?
Kulula’s carry-on weight limit was 7kg per bag, with maximum dimensions of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm, plus one small personal item like a handbag or laptop bag.

Did Kulula charge per kilogram for overweight bags?
No. Kulula charged a flat R330 heavy bag fee for any checked bag between 20kg and 32kg, regardless of exactly how many kilograms over the 20kg limit it was.

Could you check in more than 32kg on Kulula?
No. Bags over 32kg were not accepted through standard check-in and had to be sent as air cargo at the passenger’s own expense.

Was Kulula’s international baggage allowance different from domestic?
Yes. International routes operated by British Airways offered 23kg checked baggage in Economy (versus 20kg domestically) and 32kg in Business Class, though carry-on rules stayed largely the same.

Did children get the same baggage allowance as adults on Kulula?
Yes, children aged 2 to 12 received the same checked and hand baggage allowance as adults, plus a free collapsible pushchair and car seat.

Could infants get an extra baggage allowance on Kulula?
Infants under two received one free checked bag (20kg), a car seat, and a pushchair, but no additional bags could be purchased for them.

Were firearms allowed on Kulula flights?
No. Kulula prohibited firearms and ammunition entirely, in both cabin and cargo holds, making it stricter than some full-service carriers on this point.

Could you combine baggage allowance with a travel companion on Kulula?
No. Kulula required each bag to weigh no more than 20kg per passenger; a family of four couldn’t pool their allowance into two 40kg bags instead of four 20kg bags.

Did Kulula refund unused extra baggage fees?
Yes, but only if canceled more than two hours before departure. Once check-in closed, extra baggage fees became non-refundable.