Aeroflot Baggage Policy 2026: Fees, Sizes & Allowances 

Aeroflot uses a piece-based baggage system. Most Economy fares include one free checked bag up to 23 kg, Economy Flex and Comfort include two, and Business class includes two bags up to 32 kg each. Carry-on is capped at 10 kg in Economy and 15 kg in Business. Excess fees are charged in Russian rubles and vary by route zone.

One important note before diving in: since 2022, Aeroflot’s SkyTeam alliance membership has been suspended. That means no alliance baggage benefits apply, even if you hold SkyTeam Elite status with a partner airline. Every allowance here comes directly from Aeroflot’s own fare and loyalty program rules.

What Is the Aeroflot Hand Baggage Allowance?

Aeroflot allows every passenger regardless of fare one cabin bag plus one personal item. In Economy and Comfort, the cabin bag can weigh up to 10 kg; in Business, up to 15 kg. The cabin bag must fit within 55 × 40 × 25 cm, and the personal item must have a combined linear dimension within 80 cm and weigh no more than 5 kg.

A few details most travelers miss:

• Laptops are not separate. Your laptop and its bag count toward your 10 kg cabin allowance. Keep the combined weight of your cabin bag and laptop bag within the limit.
• Batteries stay in the cabin. Laptops, power banks, and spare lithium batteries must travel in the cabin, never in checked baggage a legal safety requirement for lithium-ion cells.
• Gate weighing happens. Aeroflot staff weigh cabin bags at the gate, not just check-in. A bag that squeezes through visually can still be pulled if it’s overweight.
• Personal items include handbags, briefcases, laptop bags, or duty-free bags in a sealed plastic bag, as long as they fit under the seat in front of you.

What Is the Aeroflot Baggage Allowance in Economy Class?

Aeroflot Economy baggage allowance depends on your specific fare type. Economy Lite includes no free checked bag at all. Economy Classic, Saver, and Promo fares each include one bag up to 23 kg. The Economy Flex fare includes two bags up to 23 kg each. Every Economy fare adds a 10 kg cabin bag and a 5 kg personal item.

This is the gap most competitor articles miss: the Lite Promo fare is also carry-on only, not just the standard Lite fare. If you booked on a promotional Lite ticket, you will need to pay for any checked bag online rates are significantly cheaper than airport rates.

What Is the Aeroflot Baggage Allowance in Business and Comfort Class?

Aeroflot Business class includes two free checked bags up to 32 kg each on Classic and Flex fares, or one bag on the Business Base fare. Comfort class includes two bags up to 23 kg each on Classic and Flex fares, or one bag on the Comfort Base fare. Business class also receives a 15 kg cabin bag allowance.

What Are the Aeroflot Baggage Dimensions and Size Limits?

Each Aeroflot checked bag must not exceed 158 linear centimeters (the sum of length + width + height). Bags measuring 158–203 cm are accepted but charged as oversize. Any bag over 203 cm or heavier than 32 kg requires special handling or must travel as cargo.

A standard checked bag measuring 70 × 50 × 38 cm totals 158 cm exactly right at the limit. If you’re packing a large ski bag or golf case, measure carefully before you get to the airport.

Size categories at a glance:

• Personal item: Sum of all sides within 80 cm
• Cabin bag: 55 × 40 × 25 cm (10 or 15 kg depending on cabin)
• Standard checked bag: Up to 158 linear cm, up to 23 kg (Economy/Comfort) or 32 kg (Business)
• Oversize: 158–203 linear cm   surcharge applies
• Special handling threshold: Over 203 cm or over 32 kg  treated as cargo

What Is the Aeroflot International Baggage Allowance?

Aeroflot’s international baggage allowance follows the same piece-based system as domestic flights, but certain international routes receive enhanced allowances. Economy passengers on flights to/from Delhi, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, and select US-routed itineraries receive two free bags up to 23 kg each even on non-Flex fares.

Route-specific exceptions that competitors rarely document:

• Tokyo  Moscow / St. Petersburg: Business class gets 3 pieces up to 32 kg each; Economy (all fares except Lite) gets 2 pieces up to 23 kg each.
• Flights to/from Delhi, Beijing, Shanghai: Economy (all fares except Lite) receives 2 pieces up to 23 kg each.
• Tel Aviv  New York or Washington: Economy passengers (except Lite) receive 2 pieces up to 23 kg each.

Aeroflot currently does not serve the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, or European Union, as those countries closed their airspace to Russian carriers in 2022. Current routes operate within Russia and to countries including Turkey, the UAE, India, China, Egypt, and Central Asian nations.

What Does Aeroflot Charge for Excess Baggage?

Aeroflot excess baggage fees cover three scenarios: extra pieces beyond your free allowance, overweight bags, and oversize bags. Fees are charged in Russian rubles on domestic flights and in euros or US dollars on international routes. Paying online before check-in closes is always cheaper than paying at the airport.

Domestic Excess Baggage Fees (in Russian Rubles)

RF1 = European part of Russia (up to and including Orenburg, Perm, Ufa). RF2 = Asian part of Russia (from Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg eastward).

International Excess Baggage Fees

Asia includes China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Maldives, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Real-world example: An Economy Classic passenger flying Moscow–Dubai with a 27 kg bag (4 kg overweight) would pay the “Europe, CIS, Middle East” overweight rate of €100 at the airport or slightly less if they prepay online. The same passenger adding a second bag entirely would pay €40–45 online versus €50 at the airport.

How to pre-purchase: Log in to your Aeroflot booking and add baggage online before check-in closes, or contact an Aeroflot sales office up to 24 hours before departure. You can prepay for up to four pieces total (including your free allowance) online.

What Are Aeroflot’s Rules for Sports Equipment, Musical Instruments, and Pets?

Sports Equipment

Most Aeroflot-recognized sporting equipment counts as one piece within your free checked baggage allowance not as an additional, automatically charged item. If you’ve already used your allowance, normal excess piece fees apply.

Equipment that counts as one piece:

• Ski gear: 1 case with 1 pair of skis + poles, plus 1 bag with ski boots
• Snowboard: 1 case with board + 1 bag with boots
• Hockey: 1 gear bag + 1 bag with two sticks
• Bicycle: 1 unit, prepared for transport
• Golf clubs: All packed in one container
• Fishing gear: 2 rods + 1 tackle set in one container

Declare sporting equipment at the time of booking so Aeroflot accepts and prices it correctly. Bags over 158 linear cm attract oversize surcharges.

Musical Instruments

Small instruments that fit within 55 × 40 × 25 cm and weigh under 10 kg (or 15 kg in Business) can travel as carry-on within your standard cabin allowance. Aeroflot updated its policy to allow instruments with a total combined linear dimension up to 135 cm in the cabin an increase from the previous 115 cm limit, following pushback from professional musicians.

For larger instruments that don’t fit overhead, two options exist:

1. Purchase an adjacent seat  the instrument must be secured and protected, and total weight must not exceed 15 kg
2. Check it as baggage  counts as a piece toward your allowance; oversize fees apply if dimensions exceed 158 cm

Pet Transportation

Aeroflot accepts pets in the cabin, as checked baggage, and as air cargo. Reservations cannot be made online you must notify Aeroflot at least 6 hours before departure by phone or sales office.

In-cabin pets (dogs, cats, small birds):

• Maximum weight including carrier: 8 kg
• Carrier dimensions: max 55 × 40 × 20 cm; total linear dimension within 115 cm
• Fee: 3,200–4,300 RUB domestic | €75–€120 international

Checked baggage pets:

• Pet + crate under 32 kg: 3,750–5,000 RUB domestic | €100–€200 international
• Pet + crate 32–50 kg: 7,500–8,500 RUB domestic | €200–€300 international
• Crate must be IATA-compliant

Banned breeds: Aeroflot does not accept brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs in either the cabin or cargo hold. This includes Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Boxers, Pekinese, Boston Terriers, Bordeaux Mastiffs, Griffins, and Japanese Chins.

Documentation required: Proof of vaccinations and destination country import documents at check-in. For international departures from Russia, an Export Health Certificate is required through Rosselkhoznadzor.

Service dogs travel free in the cabin with 72 hours’ advance notice.

Medical Equipment

Passengers who use wheelchairs or mobility aids receive one folding wheelchair transported in the cargo hold free of charge, outside and in addition to their standard baggage allowance. Crutches and folding wheelchairs used during the flight are permitted as personal items in the cabin.

What Are Aeroflot’s Loyalty Program Baggage Benefits?

Aeroflot Bonus members receive extra checked baggage on top of their fare allowance. Because SkyTeam benefits are currently suspended, only Aeroflot’s own loyalty tiers apply:

• Silver & Gold: +1 extra checked piece up to 23 kg (within 203 linear cm)
• Platinum: +2 extra checked pieces up to 23 kg each
• Infant under 2 (no seat): 1 free checked bag up to 10 kg (sum of dimensions within 115 cm) + 1 folding stroller
• Child in own seat: Full fare allowance for the cabin booked

What Happens if Aeroflot Loses or Delays Your Baggage?

File a Property Irregularity Report at the Aeroflot or airport handling agent desk before leaving the arrivals hall. You’ll receive a file reference number to track the search, which runs for 21 days.

Liability limits depend on your flight type:

• International flights: The Montreal Convention caps liability at approximately 1,519 SDR (roughly $2,175 USD) for lost, delayed, or damaged bags. Keep receipts for essential purchases during a delay, as these are recoverable.
• Domestic flights within Russia: Russian law applies, with a lower compensation ceiling.

Hold on to your boarding pass, bag tag receipt, and any purchase receipts throughout the process.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Baggage Experience

• Prepay online. Excess baggage purchased online before check-in closes costs 20–40% less than at the airport counter, depending on the route zone.
• Label everything. Attach a tag inside and outside each bag with your name, phone number, and destination.
• Weigh bags at home. Airport scales are the expensive place to discover you’re 3 kg over.
• Declare special items early. Sports equipment, instruments, and pets must be booked in advance some items cannot be accepted if you arrive unannounced.
• Verify your allowance at booking. The free bag allowance is set by your specific fare code, not just your cabin. Two Economy passengers on the same flight may have different allowances if one booked Flex and the other booked Lite.
• Check current routes. Aeroflot’s network has changed significantly since 2022. Confirm your route is currently operated before planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Aeroflot charge per kg for excess baggage, or per piece?
Aeroflot charges per piece for extra bags and flat fees for overweight or oversize items not a per-kg rate. An overweight bag (23–32 kg) on an international flight to Europe costs €100 regardless of the exact weight within that bracket.

Can I pay for excess baggage in US dollars or euros at a Russian airport?
Domestic excess fees are charged in Russian rubles. International excess fees may be charged in euros or US dollars depending on the route zone. Western-issued payment cards often do not work on Aeroflot’s website or at some Russian airport counters; confirm your payment options before travel.

Is the 23 kg limit per bag or total for Economy class?
Per bag. An Economy Classic passenger with one free bag can check one bag of up to 23 kg. The Economy Flex passenger with two free bags can check two separate bags of up to 23 kg each not 23 kg combined.

What happens if my carry-on is over 10 kg at the gate?
Aeroflot staff weigh cabin bags at the gate. An overweight cabin bag will need to be checked, and you’ll pay the applicable extra piece fee at airport rates, which are higher than prepaid online rates.

Does my Economy Lite fare include any checked baggage at all?
No. Both the Lite and Lite Promo fares are carry-on only. You may add a checked bag online before check-in closes; this is always cheaper than paying at the airport.

Can I bring a surfboard on Aeroflot?
Surfboards are not listed in Aeroflot’s standard sports equipment categories (which cover skis, snowboards, bikes, golf, hockey, and fishing gear). Contact Aeroflot directly to confirm whether a surfboard will be accepted and what fee applies it will likely be treated as an oversize checked item.

Do infants traveling on a lap get any baggage allowance?
Yes. An infant under 2 without their own seat receives one free checked bag up to 10 kg (with combined dimensions within 115 cm) plus one folding stroller, in addition to the accompanying adult’s allowance.

Are there temperature restrictions for pets traveling as checked baggage on Aeroflot?
Yes. Pets are not accepted in the cargo hold when actual or forecast temperatures are above 29.4°C (85°F) or below 7.2°C (45°F) at any airport on the itinerary. An acclimation certificate may allow travel at temperatures slightly below 45°F, but no pet travels below -6.6°C (20°F).

If my SkyTeam Gold status adds baggage on other airlines, does it work on Aeroflot?
No. Aeroflot’s SkyTeam alliance membership has been suspended since 2022. Alliance status benefits including extra baggage do not apply. Only Aeroflot Bonus program status (Silver, Gold, Platinum) adds checked baggage.

What is the maximum total number of checked bags I can bring on Aeroflot?
Aeroflot allows a maximum of four checked pieces per passenger in total (including any free allowance). If you need more than four pieces, contact the Aeroflot Contact Centre directly, as this cannot be arranged online.