How Air Canada baggage generally works
The rules in plain language. Your fare and route set the real allowance, so we will confirm yours on the call.
On Basic fares bought on or after January 3, 2025 for travel within Canada, to and from the US (including Hawaii and Puerto Rico) and to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, your ticket includes a personal item only, no standard carry-on. If a bag has to be gate-checked there is a pre-authorized fee, so the traveller who rolls up assuming a carry-on is the one who gets caught at the gate. Know this before you pick Basic.
From Standard upward you get a personal item plus a standard carry-on bag. The standard carry-on must fit within 23 x 40 x 55 cm and the personal item within 33 x 43 x 16 cm. Air Canada puts no weight limit on the carry-on, but it does have to fit the sizer at the gate, so a bag that is the right footprint but bulging can still be sent under the seat or below.
A standard checked bag can weigh up to 23 kg (50 lb) and measure up to 158 cm (62 in) in total, adding length, width and height. That is the same ceiling most airlines use, so a bag that flew fine on your last carrier will fit here too. Go over that and the rules change quickly, which is the next point.
Flex includes your first checked bag, Comfort and Latitude include two, and on Basic and Standard checked bags are paid extras. That is why the bag decision and the fare decision are really one decision, because sometimes a slightly higher fare with a bag built in costs less than the cheap fare plus a bag bought separately. We will run both for you.
Anything beyond 32 kg, or beyond the 203 cm and 292 cm size limits, cannot travel as normal checked baggage at all. It has to be sent through Air Canada Cargo instead. Air Canada does not publish a flat fee table for that and sends you to its baggage calculator, so a set of skis, a bike or a heavy trunk needs planning well before the airport.
Buying a checked bag online ahead of time is cheaper than paying at the counter, and it is one less thing to sort in the queue. If you are not sure how many bags your fare already includes, that is exactly the kind of thing a quick call clears up before you are standing at the desk.
What your ticket includes depends on your fare and route, and Basic is the one that surprises people. We never publish bag amounts because yours depends on your exact ticket, an agent quotes the figure, and our service fee, before anything is charged. You can always add bags yourself at aircanada.com at no markup.
Air Canada bag allowance at a glance
The size and weight limits are fine to plan around; the free-bag count is what changes with your fare.
The Basic fare is the one that catches people. On many Air Canada routes a Basic ticket is a personal item only, no carry-on, and a bag you try to bring aboard gets gate-checked for a pre-authorized fee. If you are travelling with a carry-on, add the cheap fare plus the gate charge before you celebrate the low price, because a Standard or Flex fare with the bag built in is often the better deal. Call us and we will do that math with you.
Frequently asked
Does the Air Canada Basic fare include a carry-on?+
How big and heavy can my checked bag be?+
Is there a weight limit on the carry-on bag?+
How many free checked bags do I get?+
Do you charge to add a bag for me?+
Contact options
Reach Air Canada directly, or let us handle it.
Contact Air Canada directly
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More Air Canada help
Related guides.