Last Updated on January 1, 2024 by Henry @ The Getaway Lounge
This post is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure a high level of accuracy.
Just how strict is Air France about carry on size and weight?
It’s a question we’re often asked in our travel community, and here’s the latest.
Air France are relatively strict and state that if you’re travelling with carry on luggage only, you’ll be limited to one main bag on board as well as a smaller personal item. According to them, your main bag must fit in the sizer and so be easily stored in the overhead compartment, whilst your smaller personal item must fit underneath the seat in front of you.
And if you’re looking for a bag which fits perfectly within Air France’s limits allowing you to maximise your allowance, we recommend this great value suitcase on Amazon.
Air France’s main hand luggage allowance is currently as follows, including any handles or wheels:
55 x 35 x 25cm / 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.9 inches
On top of that, they also allow a smaller bag to accompany your main bag which must fit under the seat in front of you.
Typical examples on Air France’s website include a handbag or briefcase for example, and they state you mustn’t exceed the following:
40 x 30 x 15 cm / 16 x 12 x 6 inches
But in reality, you can take a little bit more than that if you wanted to!
There’s a lot of space under the seat in front of you, and so you could always take a small backpack or holdall for example.
Not only could you fit your handbag or briefcase in there, you’ll also be able to squeeze in any more essentials you might need for your trip!
In the economy cabin, the combined weight of your main carry on and smaller item must not exceed 12kg / 26 lb.
If you happen to be travelling in the Premium economy, Business or La Première cabins, the combined weight of your overall luggage must not exceed 18kg / 40 lb.
With all that said however, it is rare for airlines to examine the weight of your hand luggage.
Even still, it’s worth double checking this as you might just get unlucky on the day.
Where possible, you should stick within the weight limit, but don’t worry too much if it’s slightly over.
Just be ready to wear some of your heavy clothing to make up for it – think coat with deep pockets if you’re really looking to make the most of your hard-earned cash!
As with most other airlines, you can take all your liquids, pastes and creams through security as long as each bottle contains no more than 100ml / 3.4 fl. oz each.
They must fit comfortably into one see through, re-sealable bag no larger than 20 x 20cm / 7.6 x 7.8 in.
The volume of the bag must not exceed 1 litre, or 34.8 fl. oz.
You can usually pick these up at the airport if you don’t already have one.
Certain liquids are accepted with no restrictions (baby food, medicine, etc.).
Please see the Prohibited and regulated goods page on Air France’s website for more details.
No is the simple answer.
Certainly not if your main bag is that of a suitcase, or a hard shell – they’ll be no negotiating with the steel cage!
You might get away with it using a soft-edged bag like a backpack, but even then, it’s a risk and you might still have to pay extra at the gate.
Besides, it does seem as though Air France are monitoring the situation to an extent – with staff sometimes checking passengers bags pre-boarding.
This is a bit more feasible and may be worth the risk if you need the additional weight.
As noted previously, it’s rare for carry on luggage to be weighed before you go through the gate.
As long as you’re all checked-in online then our advice would be not to worry too much if both of your bags combined weigh slightly over the 12kg limit.
There’s no guarantee you won’t be checked for weight, but in our experience, this would take an exceptional circumstance.
If you decide to take any risks and get caught out, the penalties with Air France are fairly substantial.
In fact, you could buy yourself a Maximum Allowance Suitcase on Amazon for less, which you can use over and over again.
You can find out more details about baggage fees on this page.
We recommend taking precautions, but if you’re going to risk it with Air France – make sure you’re using a soft-edged bag like a backpack which gives you more room for negotiation with the sizer.
Backpacks are also a lot more “carry on friendly”, and therefore you have less chance of being questioned in the first place!
If you’d rather invest in a bag which is fully compliant with their hand luggage rules, as well as the vast majority of other airlines – we recommend the bag above.
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