Lufthansa Baggage Rules: Carry-On, Personal Item and Checked Bag Fees

Where these numbers come from

Lufthansa's US pages describe a simple long-haul deal. Economy passengers flying from the United States to Germany get one checked bag of up to 23 kilograms (50 pounds) at no charge. A second bag of the same size costs $90 on the route example shown. The maximum size per piece, length plus width plus height, is 158 centimeters (62 inches) in every class.

Cabin rules are tight on weight. One carry-on of up to 55 x 40 x 23 centimeters, about 22 x 16 x 9 inches, may weigh up to 8 kilograms (18 pounds). A personal item of 40 x 30 x 15 centimeters fits under the seat. On short and medium-haul flights, the Economy Basic fare includes only the personal item, so the carry-on allowance there depends on your fare.

Here is a worked example. Two friends fly Chicago to Frankfurt and back, each with one checked bag, and one of them adds a second. Standard first bags are free, so the extra bag costs $90 x 2 directions = $180. If that bag were reported at $100 instead, as one guide says for some routes, it would be $200. Budget between $180 and $200 for the pair's extra bag round trip.

Overweight and oversize charges are the gap in our data. Lufthansa says flat rates apply for bags between 23 and 32 kilograms, or larger than 158 centimeters, and a third-party guide dated June 2026 cites roughly $240 to $280 on intercontinental routes, but the airline's US pages did not show an amount. We therefore leave the overweight figure blank in the data; confirm your price in the booking or at the service center before travel.

Premium Economy gets two bags of 23 kilograms, Business two of 32 kilograms, and First three of 32 kilograms. Senators and Star Alliance Gold members get two bags in Economy. Compare other transatlantic carriers with the cheapest airline for my bags calculator, see British Airways, and check a suitcase with the bag-fit checker.

Fees vary with the origin and destination, and Lufthansa's own notice says allowances and charges are subject to change. Ticket fares called Light can carry a per-bag charge that a guide puts at about $90 to $100 to and from the US, so the fare you pick matters as much as the route.

Sources

• Lufthansa carry-on baggage
• Lufthansa current fees
• Lufthansa baggage and other fees
• Lufthansa excess baggage
• Deep Arrival: Lufthansa baggage fees

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.