Air New Zealand Baggage Allowance, Size, Weight & Policy 2023

If you are going on a trip to Australia or New Zealand, you might be thinking of buying a ticket on Air New Zealand. If you are a part of this scenario right now, it is high time you checked up on all the information regarding baggage allowance, fees, penalties, etc.

In Air New Zealand, economy class passengers are only allowed to bring a single carry-on weighing a maximum of 7 kg. In addition, the passengers can also take another laptop or personal handbag for their daily necessities and important documents. The higher seat classes are allowed to take in carry-on of up to 14 kg in total.    

Air New Zealand Carry-on allowances

Air New Zealand is pretty slack when it comes to its carry-on baggage. Unlike most other airlines that are similar to it, it has a higher weight and size restriction. There are several seat classes on this airline- economy, premium economy, business, and several other VIP cardholders.  The table below gives the bag restriction for all the seating options:

ClassSize restrictionWeight allowanceNumber of bags
Economy118cm total7kg1
Premium Economy118cm totalA maximum of 14 kg2
Business118cm totalA maximum of 14 kg2
Connection Business118cm totalA maximum of 14 kg2
VIP members118cm totalA maximum of 14 kg2

In addition, take note of a few more points since they are included in the airline policies:

  • Each bag must be a total of 7 kg at most.
  • In addition to the standard bag that is allowed, you can also carry a personal handbag or laptop bag.

  If you have too much baggage on your hand, there might be a chance that the carry-on might not fit in the intended compartment. In such cases, you can choose to follow one of the options below:

  • Take some of the items inside the bag you will be checking in.
  • Buy the right for an extra bag, and carry the items in another carry-on.
  • Pay excess charges to airport authorities.

Air New Zealand Checked Baggage

The amount of baggage that you can check-in in depends on your fare type and class service. In cases of domestic flights, the regular fare passengers can bring in a single bag that cannot exceed 23 kg. Flexi plus fare passengers are allowed to get two bags not exceeding 23 kg.

On international flights, economic classes can bring in one piece of checked baggage that cannot exceed 23 kg. The premium economy fare includes two pieces, and the business fare makes you eligible to carry 3 bags on your flight.

For domestic flights:

Fare typeBag sizeWeight allocation per bagNumber of bags
Flexitime158 cm per bag23 kg1
Smart Fare158 cm per bag23 kg1
Flexi Plus158 cm per bag23 kg2

For international flights:

Seat ClassBag sizeWeight allocation per bagNumber of bags
Economy158 cm per bag23 kg1
Premium economy158 cm per bag23 kg2
Business and VIP members158 cm per bag23 kg3

Do note that this is the baggage allocation for a single person who has bought the ticket. While the amount of bags mentioned above is complimentary when you purchase the ticket, you can also add one more bag to be transported by purchasing the rights for it.

 This can be done 90 minutes before any international flight and 30 minutes before any domestic flight. However, if you are already allowed to take 3 bags with you, you are not eligible for this offer.  The net maximum bag allowed per person on any occasion is 3.

Air New Zealand Special cases

For special cases where you are going to take speciality instruments like bicycles, or sporting equipment Air New Zealand has special rules which you need to abide by if you want them to be transported with you. These policies are drawn in below:

ItemPolicySpecial notes
Sporting equipmentMost of the sporting equipment is considered to be individual checked bags so they will not be given any extra treatment.If you need more space for sporting goods, you can buy the rights for extra baggage before you fly.
Strollers and buggiesAs long as you have a ticket for your child or infant, you are allowed to bring in a maximum of two of these pieces of equipment.This will take over the place of the carry-on so you cannot bring the carry-on for your children anymore.
BicyclesCan be taken as part of the checked baggage. Will not be given any special treatment.Electric bicycles will not be transported even if the battery is removed.
Smart baggageIf you are using smart baggage they will be considered the same as a regular bag.They cannot be powered by anything that exceeds 0.3 g of lithium content.

Air New Zealand Pet Policy

  If you are taking a pet along with you on the international flight, they will be going as part of the aeroplane cargo. However, they must be approved by the pet transport agent. The types of pets that can be taken in your journey include common dog and cat races.

  If you are on a domestic flight, the pets must still be of common pedigree and attain the IATA live animal regulation certificate. As long as they aren’t animals for profit, and certified by the Australian government, you can safely transport them in an aeroplane container. If the pet is above 14 g, you will need to buy a separate ticket for it.

  You will need to pay for your pets, no matter if it is domestic or international travel. This payment varies on the weight of the animal:

  • Up to 25 kg: NZD 75
  • 26 kg and up NZD 100

Extra baggage policy and fees of Air New Zealand

If your bag weighs more or has a greater size than the allocated dimension, you may need to pay extra for this bag/s. While Air New Zealand is lax with its baggage rules, there are three situations where you will need to pay for your bag:

  • An extra bag or equipment that is not covered by the allocated allowance.
  • Any bag that weighs above 23 kg.
  • Any item inside your bag that weighs above 32 kg.

  While an item that exceeds 32 kg is mandatory to be sent to cargo shipping, there are plenty more ways that you could purchase the rights to carry bags or items above the restrictions implied on you. This could be either by notifying the airport beforehand or purchasing a Prepaid Extra Bag offer. In addition, if you have a VIP car, then you could also go back on certain baggage restrictions.

  The extra baggage speculations and fees are determined by the route that you will be taking. It differs from both your domestic and international flights. The fees given in the table below are absolutely up-to-date fees that you could rely on to take reference from:

RoutePer extra bagOver 23 kg but less than 32 kg per bag
Domestic New ZealandNZD $45 per bagNZD $20
To Australia and the Pacific Islands, excluding Perth, Honolulu and BaliNZD $90 per bagNZD $40
To Rest of the WorldNZD $150 per bagNZD $60

 In addition to paying the fee for the extra baggage, if you notify the authorities in advance about 24 hours before your flight, or purchase the rights online from the Air New Zealand official portal, you will be eligible to receive a 50 per cent discount on all your bags.

This is only applicable till your 3rd bag has a maximum weight of 32 kg, if it exceeds that restriction; the airline authorities will not transport your bags since this is a serious breach of their protocols.

Restricted items

Aside from having various policies and protocols, Air New Zealand also has various other restrictions on carrying certain items that have been dubbed contraband. The airline authorities will not allow these items onboard for any reason for the safety of the passengers. These contrabands are listed below:

  • Anything sharp or pointy that could cause puncture or damage to anyone or thing. No knives are allowed inside.
  • Chemicals or Poisonous fluids including pesticides, as well as shampoos, detergents, and other similar substances.
  • Matchboxes and lighters or any sort of fire-hazardous objects of any type cannot be in any of your bags.
  • Stunning devices like tasers and batons can stun and harm the human body.
  • Any sort of drugs or medicine, unless you have a doctor’s prescription to prove your need for them.
  • Large electrical devices like hoverboards, e-bikes, solo wheels, balance wheels, etc.
  • No durian fruits can be carried either in your bag or on your person. Prohibited even in liquid form.  

FAQ

What type of laptop bags are you supposed to use?

You can only carry thin and slim bags that will only house your laptop and important documents that you might need with you. A complimentary laptop that you get from buying laptops bags will also work.

Can you bring food in your carry-on?

While the airline prohibits you to carry food in your carry-on, if you have some medical condition that involves the consumption of food, you can bring in dry food like biscuits with you.  

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