SAS baggage policy 2026: Fees, Sizes & Allowances 

SAS baggage allowance depends on your ticket type, destination, and EuroBonus status. Economy Light includes no checked bag, while Economy Standard and Flex include one 23 kg bag. Every passenger gets a free underseat item, and checked bag fees range from €20 to €95 per bag.

Packing for an SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) flight gets a lot easier once you know the rules. The catch? Your allowance changes based on which ticket you book, where you’re flying, and your loyalty tier. Book the wrong fare and you could pay €50 at the gate for a carry-on that would have been free with a different ticket.

What Is the SAS Baggage Allowance?

Your SAS baggage allowance is set by three factors: ticket type, destination, and EuroBonus membership level. Economy Light includes only a free underseat bag. Economy Standard and Flex add a carry-on plus one 23 kg checked bag. Premium and Business fares offer larger allowances.

When you book, SAS shows exactly what’s included in your fare. If you’ve already booked, log in to “My trips” or the SAS app to see your allowance. Higher EuroBonus tiers can unlock extra checked bags on top of your ticket’s standard allowance a detail many comparison sites overlook.

What Is the SAS Carry-On Baggage Allowance and Size Limit?

SAS lets you bring one carry-on bag (max 55 x 40 x 23 cm, up to 8 kg) plus one underseat personal item (max 40 x 30 x 15 cm, up to 18 L). The overhead carry-on is included with Economy Standard, Flex, Premium, and Business fares. Economy Light travelers must buy it separately.

SAS carry-on baggage sizes at a glance:

• Underseat bag: 40 x 30 x 15 cm, max 18 L  free on every fare
• Carry-on bag: 55 x 40 x 23 cm, max 8 kg  included on Standard and above

If your carry-on is slightly too big or heavy, SAS moves it to the hold and charges a fee. So a bag that’s a couple of centimeters oversized can cost you at the gate.

How much does an SAS carry-on cost on Economy Light?

Economy Light passengers can add a carry-on for a fee that rises the closer you get to departure. Book early to save. On European routes, prices start at €16 online but jump to €55 if you wait until the airport.

Carry-on fees for Economy Light (one way):

The lesson is simple: a carry-on that costs €14 online can cost €50 at the gate. That’s a 257% markup for waiting.

What Is the SAS Checked Baggage Allowance?

SAS checked baggage must not exceed 158 cm (length + width + height) and can weigh 23–32 kg depending on your ticket and destination. Economy Light includes no checked bag. Economy Standard and Flex include one 23 kg bag. You can add up to nine checked bags per passenger for a fee.

SAS checked baggage by ticket type:

• Economy Light: No checked bag included (add for a fee)
• Economy Standard / Flex: One 23 kg checked bag included
• Premium / Business: Higher allowances, more bags

Note one edge case: flights to and from Greenland cap checked bags at 30 kg, not the usual 32 kg. Miss that and you’ll repack at the counter.

What Are the SAS Baggage Fees in 2026?

SAS checked bag fees depend on route, ticket type, and how far ahead you book. On European flights, the first extra bag starts at €30 for Light fares. Long-haul bags to Asia or North America start at €70 (about $82). Fees roughly double if you add bags less than 22 hours before departure.

Extra checked bag fees  booked early (first bag, one way):

Last-minute penalty (less than 22 hours before departure):

• Domestic and Scandinavian flights: €55–€75 per bag flat
• Asia & North America: €120 / $140 per bag flat

What does SAS charge for heavy or oversized bags?

If your bag weighs 23–32 kg or exceeds 158 cm, you pay a flat fee at the airport only. These charges apply per bag, per one way, and can’t be prepaid online.

Heavy/oversized bag fees:

Cost scenario: Flying from Copenhagen to New York with a 30 kg bag on an Economy Light fare? You’d pay €70 for the checked bag online, plus €135 at the airport for the excess weight. That’s €205 total more than a discount airline’s base fare. Splitting your load into two 23 kg bags (€70 + €90 = €160) would actually be cheaper.

What Are the Latest Changes to SAS Baggage Policy in 2026?

The biggest 2026 update is SAS’s partnership with Google, launched in March 2026, to improve lost baggage tracking. Passengers can now share the live location of a tagged bag with SAS support teams through Google’s Find Hub ecosystem, speeding up recovery and giving travelers real-time visibility.

Here’s how the new tracking works, according to SAS:

• Travelers use a compatible luggage tracker linked to the Find Hub app.
• If a bag goes missing, you generate a secure, time-limited link.
• You submit that link through the SAS Self Service Reporting Tool.
• SAS staff view the bag’s location on a map to recover it faster.
• The data is encrypted, and you can stop sharing at any time.

This puts SAS among the first Nordic carriers to accept passenger-shared location data in its recovery process. It also reduces the need to keep calling customer service for updates a common frustration with delayed bags.

How Does SAS Compare to Ryanair, Norwegian, and Wizz Air?

SAS offers more generous free allowances than budget rivals, especially on Standard and Flex fares that bundle a carry-on and checked bag. Ryanair and Wizz Air charge for nearly everything beyond a small underseat bag, while Norwegian sits in the middle with tiered fares similar to SAS.

Carry-on and checked baggage comparison:

Checked bag price ranges (online):

• SAS: €20–€95 depending on route
• Ryanair: 10 kg from €10.49; 20 kg from €21.49; 23 kg from €28.99
• Norwegian: Included on LowFare+ and above; airport add-ons ~£40–£80
• Wizz Air: 10 kg €8.50–€65; 20 kg €13–€86.50; 32 kg €25.50–€104

Who should choose what?

• Choose SAS Standard or Flex if you want a carry-on and checked bag bundled without gate-fee surprises.
• Choose Ryanair or Wizz Air if you travel light with just an underseat bag and want the lowest base fare.
• Choose Norwegian if you want tiered flexibility on medium-haul Nordic routes.

What Items Are Prohibited in SAS Baggage?

SAS bans explosives, compressed gases, and corrosive or radioactive materials from all baggage. Some items are carry-on only, like e-cigarettes and power banks. Others must go in checked bags, such as firearms and sharp tools. Liquids in carry-on are capped at 100 ml per container.

Carry-on only (never in checked bags):

• E-cigarettes, vapes, and similar devices (can’t be used or charged onboard)
• Spare batteries and power banks  up to 20 batteries and 2 power banks, each up to 100 Wh (2 larger batteries up to 160 Wh allowed)

Checked bags only (never in carry-on):

• Firearms (unloaded, licensed, pre-approved)
• Sharp tools and blunt instruments like bats

Liquids and powders:

• Max 100 ml per liquid container, all fitting in a 1 L resealable bag
• Powders over 350 ml are banned from carry-on on US-bound flights (exceptions: prescription meds, powdered baby food, cremated ashes)

One overlooked rule: hoverboards and self-balancing wheels can’t fly in the cabin or hold at all they must ship as cargo.

How Do You Handle Sports Equipment and Special Items?

Sports and special items may count within your allowance or require an extra fee, depending on your fare and EuroBonus status. Firearms carry a separate charge paid at the airport, ranging from €45 domestically to €109 on long-haul routes. Musical instruments must travel in hard cases.

Firearm transport fees (per one way):

• Domestic: €45 / $50
• Europe, Greenland, Scandinavia: €69 / $80
• Asia, Canada, US: €109 / $125

Useful edge cases most guides skip:

• A ski bag plus a boot bag together count as one piece of sports equipment.
• Large instruments (up to 150 x 35 x 50 cm and 75 kg) can travel on their own purchased seat.
• Fragile and valuable items should always go in your carry-on SAS isn’t liable for damage to electronics, jewelry, or documents packed in checked bags.

How Can You Avoid Excess Baggage Fees on SAS?

The best way to avoid SAS excess fees is to book the right fare and add bags online early. Prepaid bags cost far less than airport rates, and weighing your luggage at home prevents surprise heavy-bag charges of €55 to €160.

Practical strategies:

• Match your fare to your trip. If you’re checking a bag, Economy Standard often costs less than Economy Light plus a paid bag.
• Add bags at booking. European checked bags jump from €30 online to €75 at the last minute.
• Weigh before you leave. Staying under 23 kg avoids the entire heavy-bag fee bracket.
• Split heavy loads. Two 23 kg bags can cost less than one bag hit with excess-weight charges.
• Use your EuroBonus status. Higher tiers may include extra bags automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Does Economy Light include a checked bag on SAS?
No. Economy Light includes only a free underseat item. A carry-on and checked bag both cost extra. Checked bags start at €20 domestically and €70 on long-haul routes when booked online.

How much is an SAS carry-on at the airport?
For Economy Light passengers, a carry-on added at the airport costs €45–€55 one way, compared to €12–€18 booked online a markup of up to 257%.

What is the maximum checked bag weight on SAS?
Standard checked bags weigh up to 23 kg. You can go up to 32 kg for a heavy-bag fee, except on Greenland routes, which cap at 30 kg.

How many bags can I check on an SAS flight?
You can check up to nine bags per passenger. Each bag beyond your included allowance is charged a fixed fee per bag, per one way.

What size carry-on does SAS allow?
The overhead carry-on max is 55 x 40 x 23 cm and 8 kg. The underseat item max is 40 x 30 x 15 cm and 18 L.

Can I bring a power bank on an SAS flight?
Yes, in carry-on only. You may bring up to two power banks and 20 spare batteries, each up to 100 Wh. They can’t be charged onboard or stored overhead.

How much does SAS charge for an overweight bag?
Overweight fees are paid at the airport: €55–€85 domestically, €65–€105 in Europe, and €75–€135 to Asia or North America, depending on the exact weight.

Is SAS cheaper than Ryanair for checked bags?
Not always. Ryanair’s 10 kg bag starts at €10.49 online, undercutting SAS’s €20 minimum. But SAS Standard fares bundle a 23 kg bag, which can be better value overall.

What happens if my SAS bag is lost?
As of March 2026, you can share your bag’s live location with SAS via Google’s Find Hub app, then submit a secure link through the SAS Self Service Reporting Tool for faster recovery.

Do ski and boot bags count as two items on SAS?
No. A ski bag and a separate boot bag together count as one piece of sports equipment. Extra sports gear beyond your allowance incurs a fee at the airport.