Which airline has the strictest cabin baggage size?

Qatar Airways has the strictest cabin height on the India-Gulf corridor at 50 cm, while every other airline allows 55 or 56 cm. Gulf Air has the lowest cabin weight at 6 kg, 1 kg less than the 7 kg standard used by the rest.

What is the most common cabin baggage size?

55 x 35 x 25 cm and 7 kg is the most common cabin standard, used by IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa Air. Gulf and full-service carriers vary between 50 and 56 cm, but almost all cap weight at 7 kg.

How do I compare baggage across airlines for one trip?

Use the SafarCheck bag checker: enter your bag's measurements once and it tests them against all 14 airlines at the same time, which is especially useful when your outbound and return legs are on different carriers.

Airline Cabin Baggage Size Comparison: All 14 India-Gulf Airlines

Q: Do all airlines allow 7 kg cabin baggage?

Almost all India-Gulf airlines allow 7 kg cabin baggage. The exception is Gulf Air at 6 kg. Because the size limits differ by airline, a bag that fits one may not fit another, so check your specific airline.

✓ Checked: July 2026 · Cabin size and weight side by side · Tap any airline for its full rules

Every India-Gulf airline sets its own cabin baggage size, so a bag that fits one can be stopped at another's gate. The most common standard is 55 × 35 × 25 cm and 7 kg. The two you must watch: Qatar Airways is strictest on height at 50 cm, and Gulf Air is lowest on weight at 6 kg. Compare all 14 below, or check your bag against every airline at once.

Cabin baggage comparison table

Airline	Cabin size (cm)	Cabin kg	Full rules
IndiGo	55 × 35 × 25	7	IndiGo →
Air India	55 × 40 × 20	7	Air India →
Air India Express	55 × 35 × 25	7	AI Express →
SpiceJet	55 × 35 × 25	7	SpiceJet →
Akasa Air	55 × 35 × 25	7	Akasa →
Emirates	55 × 38 × 22	7	Emirates →
Etihad	56 × 36 × 23	7	Etihad →
Qatar Airways	50 × 37 × 25	7	Qatar →
Saudia	56 × 45 × 25	7	Saudia →
flynas	56 × 36 × 23	7	flynas →
flydubai	55 × 38 × 20	7	flydubai →
Oman Air	51 × 41 × 23	7	Oman Air →
Kuwait Airways	56 × 46 × 25	7	Kuwait →
Gulf Air	45 × 40 × 30	6	Gulf Air →

As checked by SafarCheck in July 2026 against airline sources. Economy cabin figures; premium cabins allow more. Your ticket is the final word. Checked allowance, excess fees, student and Zamzam rules are on each airline's own page.

The two airlines that break the pattern

Twelve of the fourteen airlines allow a cabin bag around 55 to 56 cm long and 7 kg. Two are different, and they are the two that catch travellers.

Qatar Airways caps cabin height at 50 cm. A standard Indian cabin trolley sold at 55 cm is 5 cm too tall for Qatar Airways, even though it passes every other airline. If you fly Qatar Airways, measure carefully or carry a 50 cm bag. Full detail on the Qatar Airways page.

Gulf Air allows only 6 kg in the cabin. That is 1 kg less than everyone else. A bag packed to 7 kg for other airlines is over on Gulf Air before you leave home. See the Gulf Air page for how to plan around it.

Indian carriers vs Gulf carriers

The Indian low-cost carriers, IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa, all share the same 55 × 35 × 25 cm and 7 kg cabin standard, so a bag that clears one clears them all. Air India, the full-service national carrier, uses a different shape at 55 × 40 × 20 cm, wider but shallower. The Gulf carriers vary between 50 and 56 cm and generally offer a genuine second cabin item (a laptop bag or handbag) in economy alongside the main bag. The practical takeaway: never assume your bag fits a new airline just because it fit your last one. Check it.

Checked baggage: weight vs piece

Cabin rules are only half the story. On checked baggage, the airlines split into two systems. Indian domestic flights and most Gulf carriers ex-India use the weight concept: a total number of kilos you split across bags. Routes to the US and Canada, and airlines like Saudia and Kuwait Airways on many routes, use the piece concept: a number of bags each capped at 23 kg. The difference matters because on the piece concept, one 30 kg bag pays overweight even if your second bag is nearly empty. Each airline's page explains which system it uses and how to pack for it.

For pilgrims: the Zamzam quick guide

If you are travelling for Umrah, the Zamzam rule varies sharply by airline. Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Air India and Air India Express generally carry one sealed 5-litre container free and on top of your allowance from Saudi airports (visa conditions apply on some). IndiGo, Kuwait Airways and Saudia count it inside your allowance. flynas accepts it from Jeddah, Madinah and Taif with Nusuk app Umrah proof, a rule it changed in May 2026. The full airline-by-airline breakdown, with where to buy and the connecting-flight rule, is in our Zamzam rules table.

All 14 airline baggage guides

IndiGo 55×35×25, 7kg Air India 55×40×20, 7kg Air India Express 55×35×25, 7kg SpiceJet 55×35×25, 7kg Akasa Air 55×35×25, 7kg Emirates 55×38×20, 7kg Etihad 56×36×23, 7kg Qatar Airways 50×37×25, 7kg Saudia 56×45×25, 7kg flynas 56×36×23, 7kg flydubai 55×38×20, 7kg Oman Air 55×38×20, 7kg Kuwait Airways 55×38×20, 7kg Gulf Air 45×40×30, 6kg

Check your bag against all 14 at once

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FAQs: comparing airline baggage

Which airline has the strictest cabin size?

Qatar Airways on height (50 cm) and Gulf Air on weight (6 kg). Everyone else is 55 to 56 cm and 7 kg.

What is the most common cabin size?

55 × 35 × 25 cm and 7 kg, used by IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa.

Do all airlines allow 7 kg cabin baggage?

Almost all do; Gulf Air is the exception at 6 kg. Size limits still differ, so check your specific airline.

How do I compare across airlines for one trip?

Use the bag checker: it tests your measurements against all 14 airlines at once, ideal when your legs are on different carriers.

Other guides

Student baggage allowances Extra kilos, compared Excess fee calculator Airport vs prebooked Zamzam rules By airline Umrah packing list Men, ladies, kids

Compiled by SafarCheck, checked July 2026 against airline sources. Cabin figures are economy; premium cabins allow more, and your ticket overrides any table. SafarCheck is not affiliated with any airline.