How to add baggage to your flight – when and where it's cheapest

When baggage isn't included in the ticket price

These days, a bag included in the basic fare is the exception rather than the rule. On their cheapest fares, low-cost airlines (Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Vueling) normally allow only a small personal bag under the seat, or a cabin bag for the overhead locker. A bigger suitcase in the hold always costs extra.

The information is always on show while you are booking – either as a baggage icon next to each fare, or in the summary of what the fare includes. If you are buying through a comparison site (Skyscanner, Google Flights), check the baggage rules on the airline's own website before you pay.

Baggage is still automatically included in the fare with practically only Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Air China, Korean Air, Thai Airways and a handful of other Asian carriers. On European routes, don't count on it.

One more tip for packing light: read our guide to what to wear on a plane and our guide to the rules on power banks on a plane. A well-packed cabin bag can save you the entire checked-bag fee.

How to add baggage to your ticket

1. Buying it with the ticket is the cheapest

You will always get the lowest price for a bag at the moment you book the flight. Low-cost carriers have their own quirk: with Ryanair and Wizz Air it usually works out cheaper to pick the lowest fare and add the suitcase as a separate item in the next step than to buy a pricier fare with baggage included. With full-service airlines (Lufthansa, Austrian, Czech Airlines) it tends to be the other way round.

If you book through a foreign comparison site that hands you over to a third-party seller, never buy the bag from that seller – add it afterwards on the airline's own website instead. That alone can save you several euros.

2. Afterwards on the airline's website (Manage Booking)

If you decide to add a suitcase only after buying the ticket, every airline's website has a Manage Booking, My Trips or Manage Reservation section: log in with the booking reference from your confirmation e-mail and add the bag there.

With low-cost carriers, expect to pay up to 50% more than if you had added it during booking. With full-service airlines the difference is usually smaller, or there is none at all.

3. At the airport

Adding a bag at the check-in desk is always the most expensive option. With low-cost carriers you will pay roughly 50–60% more than at the time of booking, with full-service airlines 10–15% more. Avoid it whenever you can.

Getting to the airport at the right time won't make a bag bought at the desk any cheaper, but it will speed things up and spare you the stress. Our guide on how early to be at the airport before your flight has recommendations for different types of flight and situation.

Adding a bag to your ticket and what it costs

The fee is always charged per direction, not for each individual leg. So if you fly with a connection on a single ticket, you pay for the bag only once.

• Short-haul routes within Europe: roughly CZK 300–800 each way if you add the bag early.
• Long-haul routes (intercontinental flights): roughly CZK 800–2,000 each way, or EUR 50–70 at the airport on US flights.
• Excess weight fee: EUR 50–75 at the desk, whatever the airline and destination. It always pays to weigh the suitcase at home first.

A quick overview of the limits

Checked baggage usually comes in 10, 20 or 32 kg brackets; the legal maximum for handling a single piece is 32 kg.

Baggage for children and oversized items

Children are normally entitled to carry a pushchair and a car seat free of charge as child equipment, on top of the standard baggage allowance. This applies whatever the fare and you don't have to buy it – just tell the staff at check-in. The exact rules for travelling with an infant are set out in our guide to flying with a baby.

Sports equipment (skis, a bike, golf clubs, diving gear) has its own price list and is usually not covered by the standard checked-bag fee. Declare it when you book the flight, not once you are at the airport.

Oversized baggage that goes beyond the size limit (typically total dimensions of up to 250–275 cm) carries a special fee, which tends to be considerably higher than the standard charge for a suitcase.

How to avoid paying for baggage

The simplest trick is to know your fare before you pay. Read what it actually includes, and only then decide whether you really need a suitcase.

For a weekend break or a short trip, think about whether everything would fit in a cabin bag. Packed properly, it saves you both the fee and the queue at the check-in desk. If you genuinely need a suitcase, buy it as soon as possible after booking the ticket, not just before departure.

Always weigh your case at home on a digital scale. An excess weight charge at the desk will cost you far more than the same kilos bought online in advance.

Baggage sorted – so what about parking?

Fare checked, suitcase paid for, weight within the limit? All that's left is getting to the airport. In our comparison tool you'll find Prague Airport parking in no time. You can compare by price, distance from the terminal and reviews from real travellers. Take a look at our airport parking comparison too for current availability and prices.