Air Transat Baggage Policy: Fees, Allowances & Rules 

Air Transat’s baggage policy varies by fare class. Eco Budget includes only a personal item. Eco Standard and Option Plus include one free carry-on (10 kg). Club Class includes two free checked bags (32 kg each). Checked bag fees start from approximately CA $35 when prepaid, with a price increase for bags purchased within 24 hours of departure, effective June 1, 2026.

Getting your bags to your destination shouldn’t be a guessing game. Yet Air Transat’s baggage rules across four fare classes, dozens of routes, and multiple currencies are genuinely confusing. Miss a detail, and you could be paying CA $100 in overweight fees at the check-in counter, with no option to prepay.

What Is Air Transat’s Carry-On Baggage Allowance?

Air Transat allows one carry-on bag and one personal item per passenger on most fares. The carry-on must not exceed 40 × 23 × 55 cm (15.5″ × 9″ × 21.5″) including handles and wheels, with a maximum weight of 10 kg (15 kg for Club Class). The personal item must fit within 43 × 13 × 31 cm (17″ × 5″ × 12″) and be stored under the seat in front of you.

Carry-On Allowance by Fare Class

Eco Budget travelers take note: Since February 2025, Eco Budget fares no longer include a free carry-on bag on domestic, US, and southern destination flights. Only a personal item is included. Showing up at the gate with an unpaid carry-on will result in airport-rate fees significantly higher than prepaid prices.

Is a Backpack Considered a Personal Item on Air Transat?

A backpack counts as a personal item on Air Transat, provided it fits within the personal item dimensions of 43 × 13 × 31 cm. Most slim laptop backpacks and daypacks comfortably meet this requirement. A standard hiking or travel backpack almost certainly won’t it would need to be treated as a carry-on bag or checked.

Is Air Transat Strict With Carry-On Size?

Yes. Air Transat enforces carry-on rules strictly. Bags that exceed the maximum dimensions will be checked at the gate, and additional fees will apply. Even compliant-sized bags may be gate-checked if overhead bin space is limited. Pack your travel documents and medication in your personal item as a precaution.

Carry-on restrictions to know:

• All liquids and gels must be in containers of 100 ml or less, stored in a single transparent resealable bag
• E-cigarettes must be in carry-on (not checked) but cannot be used on board
• Knee defenders are not permitted
• Lighters: one per passenger in carry-on only none in checked baggage

What Is Air Transat’s Checked Baggage Allowance?

Air Transat’s standard checked bag allowance permits one bag weighing up to 23 kg (50 lbs), with total linear dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 158 cm (62″). Club Class passengers receive two free checked bags at up to 32 kg (70 lbs) each. All other fare classes must pay for checked baggage separately.

Does Air Transat Give Free Checked Bags?

Club Class is the only fare that includes free checked baggage two bags at up to 32 kg each. Eco Budget, Eco Standard, and Option Plus fares do not include any free checked bags. Checked baggage must be purchased as an add-on for these fares.

How Much Does Air Transat Charge for Bags?

Air Transat’s checked baggage fees depend on your route, fare class, and when you purchase. Prepaying online (more than 24 hours before departure) is cheaper than paying at the airport or within 24 hours of departure.

Pre-24-Hour Checked Bag Fees (Prepaid Online)

Fees for Bags Purchased Within 24 Hours of Departure (from June 1, 2026)

Is It Cheaper to Prepay Baggage With Air Transat?

Yes prepaying more than 24 hours before departure saves a meaningful amount. On a Europe route, for example, the second checked bag costs CA $135 when prepaid versus CA $145 if purchased within 24 hours of departure. On a trip with two bags, that’s CA $20 in avoidable costs per person. The savings are even greater compared to paying at the airport counter.

What Are Air Transat’s Overweight Baggage Fees?

Air Transat charges CA $100 (US $100 / €80 / £65) for any bag exceeding 23 kg, up to a maximum of 32 kg. Bags over 32 kg are not accepted as checked baggage. A separate fee of CA $100 applies to oversized bags exceeding 158 cm in linear dimensions, up to a maximum of 292 cm (115″).

A critical detail that many travelers miss: If your bag is both overweight and oversized, both fees apply CA $200 in total surcharges on top of the standard checked bag fee. And unlike standard baggage fees, overweight and oversized fees cannot be prepaid online. They must be paid at the airport.

Overweight & Oversized Fee Summary

Practical example: A traveler on a Montreal–London flight checks in with a bag weighing 27 kg that measures 170 cm linear. They’d owe CA $100 for overweight + CA $100 for oversized = CA $200, payable only at the counter, with no option to have prepaid.

What Are Air Transat’s Baggage Fees From the UK to Canada?

For passengers departing from the UK, all Air Transat baggage fees are charged in Pounds Sterling (GBP). The overweight fee is £65 and the oversized fee is £65. For sports equipment, a bicycle to/from Europe costs £50 when prepaid or £65 at the airport. A surfboard or paddleboard costs £65 prepaid or £75 at the airport.

Route-based checked baggage fees for flights between the UK and Canada fall under the Europe & Africa pricing tier among the highest on the Air Transat network. Prepaying online well in advance of the 24-hour cutoff is the single most effective way for UK passengers to reduce costs.

What Are Air Transat’s Rules for Sports Equipment?

Most sports equipment on Air Transat is charged at standard baggage rates, but a few items carry flat fees. All sports equipment must be preregistered up to 72 hours before departure, as cargo space is limited. Sports equipment bags can only carry sporting goods no sneaking clothing or personal items inside.

Sports Equipment Fees

Electric bicycles, electric scooters, and lithium battery-powered vehicles are not accepted in checked or carry-on baggage under any circumstances.

What Happens with Connecting Flights and Baggage Transfers?

Air Transat will make every effort to carry your checked baggage on the same flight as you. If your bags are carried on a subsequent flight for safety, security, or operational reasons, they will be delivered to you free of charge. However, Air Transat cannot guarantee space on any specific flight, particularly during peak travel periods.

What Is Air Transat’s Baggage Policy for Infants and Children?

Infants traveling on an adult’s lap receive no baggage allowance of their own. However, one stroller (or folding wagon) and one car or booster seat per child travel free of charge as checked baggage. Parents may also carry a diaper bag in addition to their regular carry-on items this is not counted against the carry-on allowance.

A Gate Delivery Service is available at most airports, allowing parents to take strollers right to the boarding gate and collect them at the aircraft door on arrival. Note that this service is not available in Cancun, Punta Cana, Rome, Zagreb, Cuba, and Spain.

What Should You Do if Your Bags Are Lost, Delayed, or Damaged?

If your checked baggage does not arrive at your destination, immediately report it to an Air Transat representative and complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). You can then track your bags online via the WorldTracer baggage tracking system. If you have an Apple AirTag in your bag, you can share its location link directly through your delayed baggage report a useful feature that few competitors have documented.

Delayed baggage reimbursement: Air Transat covers CA $50 per day, per bag, for a maximum of 7 days for essential purchases while you wait.

Filing deadlines:

• Delayed baggage claims: Within 21 days of the date your bag was returned
• Lost baggage claims: Within 30 days (21 days for domestic flights)
• Damaged baggage claims: File PIR within 7 days of receipt; bring bag to repair shop within 45 days

Air Transat’s maximum liability under the Montreal Convention is 1,519 SDR (approximately CA $2,700 at current rates) for lost or damaged baggage.

5 Tips for Avoiding Unexpected Baggage Fees with Air Transat

• Weigh your bags at home. A $15 luggage scale saves you from a CA $100 overweight fee at the airport counter.
• Prepay baggage online well before departure. The June 1, 2026 fee increase applies to purchases within 24 hours get ahead of it.
• Know your fare class. Eco Budget includes no carry-on and no checked bag. Confirm what’s included before you arrive at the airport.
• Preregister sports equipment at least 72 hours out. Cargo space is limited and last-minute requests are often rejected.
• Don’t pack valuables in checked baggage. Electronics, jewelry, medication, and cash are excluded from Air Transat’s liability and should always travel in your carry-on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the baggage allowance on Air Transat?
It depends on your fare class. Eco Budget includes only one personal item. Eco Standard and Option Plus include one personal item and one carry-on (10 kg). Club Class includes one personal item, one carry-on (15 kg), and two free checked bags up to 32 kg each. All other fares require checked bags to be purchased separately.

Do you get a free checked bag with Air Transat?
Only Club Class passengers receive free checked bags two bags at up to 32 kg each. Eco Budget, Eco Standard, and Option Plus fares do not include any free checked baggage.

How many carry-on bags are allowed on Air Transat?
One carry-on bag plus one personal item are allowed on Eco Standard, Option Plus, and Club Class fares. Eco Budget passengers are limited to one personal item only.

How much does Air Transat charge for a checked bag on international flights?
For flights between the UK or Europe and Canada, the first checked bag costs approximately CA $95 when prepaid in advance. If purchased within 24 hours of departure, that rises to CA $100. The second bag is approximately CA $135 prepaid or CA $145 within 24 hours (as of June 1, 2026).

Can Air Transat overweight fees be prepaid?
No. Overweight and oversized baggage fees cannot be prepaid online under any circumstances. They must be paid at the airport check-in counter at the rate of CA $100 (£65 from the UK) per violation.

What happens if my bag is both overweight AND oversized?
Both fees apply. A bag that exceeds 23 kg and 158 cm in linear dimensions will incur two separate CA $100 charges CA $200 total payable only at the airport.

Is a musical instrument allowed as a carry-on on Air Transat?
Yes, if it fits within carry-on dimensions (23 × 40 × 55 cm) and is included in your reservation. It replaces your regular carry-on bag. Air Transat does not offer the option to purchase a separate seat for a musical instrument.

What does Air Transat’s military baggage policy include?
Active and veteran Canadian military personnel receive one free checked bag up to 32 kg across all fare classes, plus a 50% discount on overweight and oversized baggage charges.

Can I bring a CPAP machine on Air Transat?
Yes, free of charge. A CPAP machine is accepted as a carry-on item if it meets the standard carry-on size limit. On Eco Budget fares, medical equipment is also accepted as carry-on if it meets the authorized dimensions. The machine must have an independent power source for use during the flight.

What is Air Transat’s compensation for lost baggage?
Air Transat’s maximum liability for lost baggage is 1,519 SDR under the Montreal Convention (approximately CA $2,700). Baggage is declared lost if it is not located within 21 days of the expected delivery date. Claims must be submitted within 30 days for international flights or 21 days for domestic flights.