Australia to Americas Airline Baggage Allowance Comparison
Luggage Resource Hub
Australia to the Americas: Airline Baggage Allowance Comparison
Every airline flying nonstop between Australia and the Americas compared in one place. Economy carry-on limits, checked baggage allowances by fare, and the fare-tier traps to watch for - all verified from official airline sources.
| Airline | Economy carry-on | Economy checked (from AUS) | Cheapest fare bag rules | Key watch-out | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
United Airlines Star Alliance - UA
|
1 bag + 1 personal item 56 x 35 x 23 cm carry-on. 43 x 25 x 22 cm personal item. Included even on Basic Economy on this route | 23 kg (Standard Economy) 1 free bag. Premium Plus/Polaris: 2 bags at 32 kg on standard/flexible fares, 1 bag on the new 2026 base fare Included on Standard Economy | Basic Economy: fee applies Keeps the carry-on on this Pacific route, unlike domestic US Basic Economy | ⚠ 2026 Polaris/Premium Plus base fare cuts 2 bags down to 1 - check the baggage line, not just the cabin name. | United guide |
|
American Airlines oneworld - AA
|
1 bag + 1 personal item 56 x 36 x 23 cm carry-on. 45 x 35 x 20 cm personal item. Included on every fare, including Basic Economy | 32 kg (Main Cabin and Basic Economy) 1 free bag on both fares. Higher than American's usual 23 kg cap elsewhere in its network Included on every fare | Basic Economy: 1 free bag included Australia/NZ is the exception to American's usual Basic Economy bag fee | ⚠ Overweight bags are refused outright on this route, not charged a fee - repacking is the only option over 32 kg. | American guide |
|
Delta Air Lines SkyTeam - DL
|
1 bag + 1 personal item 56 x 35 x 23 cm carry-on. No fixed personal item size, must fit under the seat. Included on every fare | 23 kg (Main Basic and Main Classic) 1 free bag on both fares. Premium Select: 2 bags at 23 kg. Delta One: 2 bags at 32 kg Included on every fare | Main Basic: 1 free bag included Delta's cheapest fare still includes a bag on Asia/Australia transpacific routes | ⚠ Delta retired the "Basic Economy" name in 2025 - it is now Main Basic, so older guides may use outdated terms. | Delta guide |
|
Air Canada Star Alliance - AC
|
1 bag + 1 personal item 55 x 40 x 23 cm carry-on. 43 x 33 x 16 cm personal item. Included even on Economy Basic on this route | 23 kg (Economy Standard) 1 free bag. Economy Basic: 0 free bags, fee applies. Economy Latitude: 2 free bags Economy Basic = no free bag | Economy Basic: fee applies Never includes a free checked bag, on any Air Canada route | ⚠ Economy Basic keeps the carry-on on this international route, but still never includes a checked bag - compare the total cost against Standard. | Air Canada guide |
|
LATAM Airlines oneworld - LA
|
1 bag + 1 personal item 55 x 35 x 25 cm carry-on, capped at 10 kg in Economy. 45 x 35 x 20 cm personal item. Basic may drop to personal item only on some routes | 23 kg (Plus fare and above) 1 to 2 bags depending on route. Basic and Light: 0 free bags. Premium Business Full: 2 bags, up to 32 kg Basic/Light = no free bag | Basic/Light: fee applies May also drop the carry-on entirely on some routes - check fare rules carefully | ⚠ The only nonstop option to South America from Australia. Carry-on has a 10 kg weight cap, unlike most other airlines here. | LATAM guide |
All allowances are for Economy Class, standard passengers, no loyalty status, flying from Australia. Allowances vary by route, fare type, aircraft type, and loyalty tier. Always verify your exact allowance in Manage Booking before you fly. Sources: official airline websites, verified July 2026.
Best Airline for Your Specific Trip
Not all itineraries are equal. Here is a scenario-by-scenario breakdown of which airline comes out ahead for each travel situation based on luggage allowance, for flights between Australia and the Americas.
💼
Carry-on only - business or short trip
1
American Airlines / United Airlines
Both include a full carry-on plus personal item even on Basic Economy, with no gate-check risk from fare type
2
Delta Air Lines
Main Basic never strips the carry-on, on any Delta route worldwide
3
LATAM Airlines
Carry-on capped at 10 kg in Economy, and Basic may drop to personal item only on some routes - check first
🌎
Long-haul with maximum checked baggage
1
American Airlines
32 kg per bag on Australia routes, the highest standard Economy weight limit in this comparison
2
United / Delta / Air Canada
All three cap standard Economy at 23 kg per bag, tied for second
3
LATAM Airlines
23 kg on Plus fares, but allowance and inclusions vary the most by exact route in this comparison
💰
Budget booking - watch for hidden baggage costs
1
American Airlines
Basic Economy still includes a free checked bag on Australia routes - no bag-fee surprise on the cheapest fare
2
Delta Air Lines
Main Basic also keeps a free bag on this route, matching American's approach
3
Avoid United Basic Economy, Air Canada Economy Basic, or LATAM Basic/Light without adding a bag fee
All three charge extra for the first checked bag on the cheapest fare - always add the true total cost before comparing fares
🛫
Business or premium cabin travel
1
Delta One / United Polaris (standard-flexible) / Air Canada Signature
All three include 2 free bags at 32 kg each on their standard business fares
2
American Business/Flagship
2 free bags at 32 kg each, consistent across fare tiers with no base-fare downgrade
3
United Polaris base fare (2026)
The new cheaper business tier only includes 1 bag - check before assuming 2
🌏
Flying to South America specifically
1
LATAM Airlines
The only airline flying nonstop from Australia to South America, via Santiago
2
United / American / Delta via a US gateway
Connect through Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston with a separate onward flight to South America
3
Air Canada via Toronto or Vancouver
Connects onward to South America through Air Canada's Latin American network
👨👩👧
Family holiday - maximising total bag allowance
1
American Airlines
32 kg per person on the standard fare, the highest total weight per traveller in this comparison
2
Air Canada Economy Latitude
2 free bags per person at 23 kg each on the flexible fare tier
3
United / Delta Standard Economy
23 kg per person, consistent and predictable across both carriers
Key Terms Explained
Piece concept
Your allowance is a fixed number of bags, each with its own weight limit. All five airlines in this comparison use the piece concept on Australia-Americas routes, since it is the standard system for flights to and from North and South America.
Basic Economy / Main Basic / Economy Basic
Each airline's cheapest fare tier, named differently by carrier. Whether it includes a free checked bag on the Australia-Americas route varies significantly: American and Delta include one, United, Air Canada and LATAM generally do not.
Personal item
A smaller bag permitted in addition to your main carry-on, usually a handbag, slim laptop bag, or camera bag. Each airline sets its own size limit, and Delta does not publish a fixed size at all.
Joint business / codeshare
An agreement where two airlines share a route and coordinate schedules and benefits, such as American and Qantas across the Pacific. On these flights, the baggage policy of the airline actually operating the aircraft applies, not necessarily the one that sold the ticket.
Total linear dimensions
The sum of length plus width plus height. The standard checked bag limit across all five airlines in this comparison is 158 cm, though maximum accepted sizes before a bag is refused entirely vary by carrier.
Most Significant Carrier (MSC)
On multi-carrier itineraries, the airline responsible for the baggage rules that apply to your whole journey. Relevant on any Australia-Americas booking that connects onward through a codeshare or interline partner.
Individual Airline Baggage Guides
Every guide covers carry-on rules, checked baggage by fare and cabin, excess baggage fees, packing weights, and suitcase size recommendations. All data sourced from official airline websites and cross-checked against current industry reporting, verified July 2026.
United Airlines Baggage Allowance Guide: Economy, Basic Economy and the 2026 Polaris Changes
23 kgStandard Economy checked
56 x 35 x 23 cmCarry-on
4Australian gateways
Read full guide →
American Airlines Baggage Allowance Guide: The Australia and New Zealand 32 kg Exception
32 kgEconomy checked
56 x 36 x 23 cmCarry-on
1 bagIncluded even on Basic
Read full guide →
Delta Air Lines Baggage Allowance Guide: Main Basic, Delta One and the LAX Gateway
23 kgMain Basic checked
56 x 35 x 23 cmCarry-on
32 kgDelta One, x2 bags
Read full guide →
Air Canada Baggage Allowance Guide: Economy Basic and the Vancouver Gateway
23 kgEconomy Standard checked
55 x 40 x 23 cmCarry-on
0 bagsEconomy Basic
Read full guide →
LATAM Airlines Baggage Allowance Guide: The Only Nonstop Route to South America
23 kgPlus fare checked
55 x 35 x 25 cmCarry-on, 10 kg cap
0 bagsBasic/Light fares
Read full guide →
Flying to Asia, the Middle East, or elsewhere in the Pacific instead? See the full Tosca Airline Baggage Comparison Hub for every airline flying from Australia, or the Tosca luggage and suitcase size guide for common suitcase sizes.