From October 12, 2026, Solomon Airlines is increasing domestic airfares by 2%, international fuel surcharges by AUD5 to AUD15 per sector, and seat selection fees to AUD18–AUD90. Prepaid excess baggage rates are also changing across international routes.

Travelers must ticket flights, select seats, and prepay baggage by 23:59 on October 11 to lock in current prices. Since baggage and fuel surcharges apply per flight sector, passengers with connecting flights may face higher total costs.

What exactly is changing on October 12, 2026?

Solomon Airlines’ October 12 changes cover four pricing categories: a 2% increase to all domestic airfares, a AUD5–AUD15 rise in the international fuel surcharge per sector, new seat selection fees ranging from AUD18 to AUD90, and revised prepaid excess baggage rates on every international route the airline operates.

Here’s the full picture in one table:

Deadline to lock in current pricing: Travelers must have tickets issued, seats selected, and excess baggage prepaid by 23:59 on October 11, 2026. Bookings ticketed on or after October 12 are charged under the new structure, regardless of when the booking was originally made.

Solomon Airlines excess baggage new rates: AUD, SBD, and VUV breakdown

Solomon Airlines prices excess baggage per kilogram, and the rate depends on which direction you’re flying and which currency applies at your point of departure. From October 12, the prepaid international rates are:

Worth noting: these are the prepaid rates. If you miss the prepayment window and pay for excess baggage at the airport instead, you’ll pay the higher at-airport rate  currently AUD22/kg on Brisbane–Honiara, SBD100/kg on Honiara–Brisbane, VUV700/kg on Port Vila routes, FJD22/kg from Nadi, and PGK63/kg on Port Moresby–Honiara. In practice, prepaying saves roughly 18–22% per kilogram compared to paying at check-in.

Example: A passenger flying Brisbane to Honiara with 10kg of excess baggage pays AUD180 if prepaid versus AUD220 at the airport  a AUD40 saving on a single sector.

Solomon Airlines Brisbane, Munda, Honiara, and Port Vila baggage: what travelers need to know

Brisbane, Munda, Honiara, and Port Vila form the backbone of Solomon Airlines’ international network, and baggage rules differ slightly depending on which pair you’re flying. On Brisbane–Honiara and Brisbane–Munda routes, excess baggage is charged in Australian dollars outbound (AUD18/kg prepaid) and Solomon dollars on the return leg (SBD80/kg prepaid). Port Vila routes are billed in Vanuatu vatu (VUV600/kg prepaid) regardless of direction into Honiara.

A few practical details matter here:

• Free checked allowance is 30kg in International Economy (40kg on Belama Plus/Flexible Economy fares) and 40kg in Business (50kg on Belama Plus/Flexible Economy).
• Separate tickets aren’t through-checked. If you’re connecting from Honiara through Brisbane onto a different airline on a separate ticket, you must collect your bags, clear immigration, and re-check in Brisbane. This catches out travelers who assume their Solomon Airlines sector covers the whole journey.
• Sporting equipment gets an extra 7kg allowance free of charge, which is useful for divers and surfers routing through Munda or Gizo.
• Oversize items (158–277cm combined dimensions) incur a separate bulky item fee on top of any excess weight charge  AUD75 at Brisbane, SBD350 at Honiara, and VUV5800 at Port Vila.

Solomon Islands domestic flight baggage allowance 2026

Solomon Airlines domestic flights include a 16kg checked baggage allowance and a 5kg cabin allowance in Economy, and this allowance is not changing on October 12  only the airfare (+2%) and excess baggage rates are affected. Domestic excess baggage is charged per kilogram and varies significantly by destination, reflecting the operational cost of reaching Solomon Islands’ outer islands.

A sample of domestic excess baggage rates from Honiara:

The spread between the cheapest domestic excess rate (Auki, SBD24/kg) and the most expensive (Lomlom, SBD51/kg) is more than double  a detail worth factoring in if you’re traveling with dive gear, produce, or supplies to the outer islands.

How does Solomon Airlines compare to Fiji Airways and Air Vanuatu on baggage?

Solomon Airlines is the only one of the three Pacific carriers to offer a prepaid excess baggage option on its Pacific Island routes, letting travelers save roughly 20% versus paying at the airport. Fiji Airways, by contrast, accepts excess baggage to Pacific Island destinations on a space-available basis only, with fees collected at the airport and no prepayment option. Air Vanuatu’s baggage fee structure is less consistently published following its 2024 operational restructuring.

Choose Solomon Airlines if you want cost certainty on excess baggage before you fly  the prepaid option guarantees both a lower rate and a confirmed seat for your bags. Choose based on route availability with Fiji Airways or Air Vanuatu if Solomon Airlines doesn’t serve your specific city pair, but budget extra for baggage since fees aren’t locked in ahead of travel.

Honiara–Brisbane fuel surcharge and baggage: what’s the combined cost impact?

On the Honiara–Brisbane sector, the fuel surcharge increase (AUD5–AUD15) applies on top of any excess baggage charges, meaning a traveler with checked excess baggage could see two separate fee increases on a single ticket. For a round-trip itinerary, that’s up to AUD30 in additional fuel surcharge alone, before factoring in baggage or seat selection.

Example scenario: A round-trip Brisbane–Honiara traveler who selects a preferred seat (AUD54 each way) and checks 15kg of excess baggage each way (15kg × AUD18 outbound, 15kg × SBD80 inbound) faces meaningfully higher total costs than under the previous fee structure  illustrating why Solomon Airlines is flagging multi-sector itineraries as the hardest hit.

Why is Solomon Airlines raising fees now?

Solomon Airlines attributes the October 12 increases to continued rises in aviation fuel prices and increasing operating costs affecting both its domestic and international operations. This mirrors a broader trend across Pacific carriers, where thin route networks and high fuel-import costs leave little room to absorb global price pressure without passing some of it on to passengers.

How to lock in current rates before October 12

1. Ticket existing bookings immediately. Unticketed reservations must be issued by 23:59 on October 11, 2026 to retain current pricing.
2. Prepay excess baggage now, even for flights months away, if your booking allows it.
3. Select and pay for seats in advance rather than waiting until check-in.
4. Prioritize multi-sector itineraries for early ticketing, since these accumulate the largest cost increases across connecting fuel surcharges and baggage fees.
5. Check your fare type  Belama Plus and Flexible Economy fares carry higher baggage allowances (40kg vs 30kg), which may offset some of the excess baggage cost increase.

Frequently Asked Questions

When exactly do Solomon Airlines’ new fees take effect?
The new fares and fees apply to all tickets issued on or after October 12, 2026. Bookings ticketed before 23:59 on October 11, 2026 retain current pricing, even for travel dates well into the future.

How much is the new Solomon Airlines fuel surcharge?
The international fuel surcharge is increasing by AUD5 to AUD15 per sector, meaning each individual flight leg on your itinerary carries its own surcharge increase, not just the overall journey.

Is checked baggage allowance changing on October 12?
No. Free checked baggage allowances remain 30kg (Economy) and 40kg (Business) internationally, and 16kg on domestic flights. Only the excess baggage rates charged beyond these allowances are increasing.

How much does it cost to prepay excess baggage from Brisbane to Honiara?
The prepaid rate from Brisbane to Honiara is AUD18 per kilogram. Paying at the airport instead costs AUD22 per kilogram, so prepaying 10kg of excess baggage saves AUD40.

Does Fiji Airways offer prepaid excess baggage like Solomon Airlines?
No. Fiji Airways accepts excess baggage to Pacific Island destinations on a space-available basis only, with fees collected at the airport. Solomon Airlines is the only carrier of the three compared here offering a discounted prepaid option.

What are the new Solomon Airlines seat selection fees?
Standard seats cost AUD18, Preferred seats cost AUD54, and Extra legroom seats cost AUD90. These fees apply to international flights and are new as of October 12, 2026.

Will domestic Solomon Islands flights cost more after October 12?
Yes, domestic airfares across the entire Solomon Islands network increase by 2%. Domestic excess baggage rates are also revised, ranging from SBD22/kg to SBD51/kg depending on the destination.

What happens if my booking is ticketed but I haven’t paid for baggage yet?
Ticketing locks in your airfare, but ancillary services like prepaid excess baggage and seat selection must be purchased separately before October 12 to secure current rates on those specific fees.

Which Solomon Airlines domestic route has the highest excess baggage fee?
Honiara to Lomlom has the highest domestic excess baggage rate at SBD51 per kilogram, more than double the lowest rate of SBD22 per kilogram on the Munda to Gizo route.

Does the fee increase affect codeshare flights?
No. The revised rates apply only to flights operated by Solomon Airlines under its own IE designator. Codeshare flights follow the operating carrier’s baggage and fee rules instead.