Solomon Airlines Baggage Policy: Allowance, Fees and Rules 2026 

Solomon Airlines gives every passenger free cabin and checked baggage allowances that vary by fare class and route. International Economy travelers get 30kg checked plus 7kg cabin, while Domestic Economy passengers receive 16kg checked plus 5kg cabin. Exceeding these limits triggers excess baggage fees, which are cheaper when prepaid online before departure.

Packing for a trip through the Solomon Islands’ remote atolls or connecting onward to Brisbane, Auckland, or Nadi comes with one recurring question: how much luggage can you actually bring? Solomon Airlines structures its baggage policy around fare class, route type, and a few special categories like sporting gear and infant essentials. Getting the details wrong can mean paying more at the airport than you would have by planning ahead.

What Is Solomon Airlines’ Baggage Allowance?

Solomon Airlines’ baggage allowance depends on your cabin class and whether you’re flying domestically or internationally. Every fare includes a free cabin bag and a free checked bag allowance, but the exact weight limit ranges from 5kg (domestic cabin) up to 50kg (International Business Belama Plus checked baggage).

Here’s the full breakdown of Solomon Airlines’ checked and cabin baggage allowances:

A key rule applies across every fare class: no single checked bag can weigh more than 32kg, regardless of your total allowance. If you’re checking two bags to reach a 40kg allowance, split the weight evenly rather than overloading one suitcase  bags over 32kg will be refused or redirected to cargo.

What Is Solomon Airlines’ International Baggage Allowance?

International passengers flying Solomon Airlines Economy receive 30kg of checked baggage and 7kg of cabin baggage, with Business Class passengers receiving 40kg checked and 10kg cabin. Belama Plus and Flexible Economy fares boost these allowances further, to 40kg and 50kg checked baggage respectively.

International cabin baggage must also meet dimension limits:

these international allowances only apply automatically when a domestic-to-international connection is booked on a single Solomon Airlines ticket. If you’re connecting via a different carrier, the domestic allowance applies to that leg instead, even if your onward journey is international.

What Are Solomon Airlines’ Free Baggage Allowances for Special Items?

Beyond standard checked baggage, Solomon Airlines offers extra free allowances for specific traveler categories. Adults traveling with infants receive an additional 7kg of cabin baggage for baby essentials, plus free carriage of prams, cots, and car seats. Passengers with sporting equipment  surfboards, scuba gear, golf clubs, and bicycles  get an additional 7kg of checked baggage at no charge.

Quick reference for these free allowances:

• Infants: 7kg extra cabin baggage for baby food, milk, and wipes, plus free prams, strollers, and car seats/capsules
• Children: Same baggage allowance as adults (car seats count toward their allowance, not the parent’s)
• Sporting equipment: Additional 7kg checked baggage for surfboards, scuba gear, golf clubs, and bicycles
• Musical instruments: Small instruments under 85cm x 34cm x 23cm may travel in the cabin as part of the 7kg allowance; larger instruments count toward checked baggage or require a purchased seat

What Counts as Oversize Baggage on Solomon Airlines?

Any item measuring between 158cm and 277cm (length + width + height combined) is classified as bulky and incurs a separate oversize fee on top of any excess weight charges. Anything over 277cm cannot travel as baggage at all and must be booked as cargo instead.

Oversize fees vary by departure port:

Surfboards illustrate this well: international flights accept boards up to 277cm (9 feet), but domestic aircraft cap surfboard bags at 213cm (7 feet)  anything longer requires purchasing an extra seat to secure the space.

What Are Solomon Airlines’ Baggage Rules for Connecting Flights?

Solomon Airlines only through-checks baggage to your final destination when your entire journey is booked on a single ticket. If you’ve booked separate tickets  say, a Solomon Airlines flight to Brisbane and a separate onward ticket with another carrier  you must collect your bags, clear immigration, and re-check in for the next flight yourself.

This distinction trips up a lot of travelers connecting through Brisbane onto international flights. Consider these four scenarios:

Regardless of your ticket setup, you’ll always need to collect bags and clear immigration on your first entry into a country  even if you’re technically checked through to a domestic destination beyond it. Build in extra time at Brisbane or other transit points to avoid missing a connection.

What Is Solomon Airlines’ Excess Baggage Fee?

Solomon Airlines charges excess baggage by the kilogram once you exceed your fare’s free allowance, with prepaid online rates running roughly 27% cheaper than paying at the airport. For example, excess baggage from Brisbane to Honiara costs AUD16 per kilo when prepaid versus AUD22 per kilo at the airport (effective May 1, 2026).

International Excess Baggage Rates

Cost example: A passenger flying Brisbane to Honiara with 5kg of excess baggage pays AUD80 if prepaid online, versus AUD110 at the check-in counter  a saving of AUD30 for the same five kilos.

Domestic Excess Baggage Rates

Domestic excess rates scale with distance from Honiara, Solomon Airlines’ main hub:

Cost example: Checking 3kg of excess baggage on a Honiara–Gizo flight costs SBD111 (3kg x SBD37), compared to just SBD72 (3kg x SBD24) on the shorter Honiara–Auki route  a reminder that excess weight costs more on longer domestic sectors.

How Does Solomon Airlines Check-In Work?

Solomon Airlines offers both online and airport check-in, with counters typically opening several hours before departure and closing shortly before boarding.** Because exact cutoff times vary by airport and route, confirm your specific check-in window on flysolomons.com or through your booking confirmation before you travel. 

To avoid stress at the airport:

• Complete check-in online where available to skip counter queues
• Review your baggage allowance and any excess weight before arriving, so you can prepay if needed
• Arrive with extra buffer time on international routes, particularly if you’re connecting on a separate ticket and need to clear immigration
• Keep travel documents, including any visas needed for transit points like Brisbane, ready before you reach the counter

Practical Tips for Managing Your Solomon Airlines Baggage Allowance

A few small decisions before departure day can save real money and hassle:

• Weigh your bags at home. A kitchen or luggage scale prevents surprises at check-in, especially with domestic’s tighter 16kg limit.
• Prepay excess baggage if you know you’ll need it. As shown above, prepaid rates are consistently cheaper than airport rates across every international route.
• Split weight across multiple bags rather than overloading one, since no single item can exceed 32kg.
• Declare sporting equipment and infant items in advance so the free 7kg allowances are applied correctly rather than charged as excess.
• Check import restrictions at your destination. Travelers heading to Australia should note that high-risk plant products  including rice, lentils, and dried chillies  are barred entry due to Khapra Beetle biosecurity rules and will be destroyed if found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much checked baggage does Solomon Airlines allow for free?
Solomon Airlines allows 16kg free checked baggage on Domestic Economy, 30kg on International Economy, and 40kg on International Business, with Belama Plus and Flexible Economy fares increasing international allowances to 40kg and 50kg respectively.

Can I combine two checked bags to reach my full allowance?
Yes, you can split your allowance across multiple bags, but no single item can exceed 32kg. A passenger with a 40kg allowance should pack two bags of roughly 20kg each rather than one oversized case.

Is it cheaper to prepay excess baggage on Solomon Airlines?
Yes. Prepaid international excess baggage rates are about 27% cheaper than at-airport rates  for example, AUD16/kg prepaid versus AUD22/kg at the airport on the Brisbane–Honiara route.

Does Solomon Airlines charge extra for surfboards?
Surfboards aren’t charged extra if they fall within the free 7kg sporting equipment allowance and standard dimensions. Boards exceeding 158cm incur a bulky item fee, and those over 277cm must be shipped as cargo.

What happens to my bags if I book two separate tickets?
Your bags are only checked to the destination on your first ticket. You must collect them, clear immigration, and check in again separately for any onward flight booked as a second ticket.

Do infants get a separate baggage allowance on Solomon Airlines?
Infants don’t receive a standard checked allowance, but accompanying adults get an extra 7kg of cabin baggage for baby essentials, plus free carriage of prams, strollers, and car seats.

What items count as oversize baggage?
Any item measuring 158cm to 277cm in combined length, width, and height is classified as bulky and charged a separate fee  for example, SBD350 at Honiara or AUD75 at Brisbane  in addition to any excess weight charges.

Can I bring rice or dried food into Australia on Solomon Airlines?
No. Since October 2020, high-risk plant products including rice, lentils, chickpeas, and dried chillies are banned from entry into Australia under Khapra Beetle biosecurity rules and will be destroyed if declared or discovered.

How much does domestic excess baggage cost on Solomon Airlines?
Domestic excess baggage ranges from SBD22/kg on short routes like Munda–Gizo to SBD51/kg on longer routes like Honiara–Lomlom, with pricing generally scaling alongside distance from Honiara.

Do children get the same baggage allowance as adults on Solomon Airlines?
Yes, children receive the same free baggage allowance as adults. However, if a child checks in a car seat or booster seat, it counts toward their allowance rather than being carried for free.