China Airlines Baggage Allowance, Fees & How to Add Extra Baggage

CI / CAL · Taiwan

Pre-purchase excess baggage online for a 5% discount up to 4 hours before departure; airport excess charges are per piece based on a Taiwan plus Zones 1-6 system. Use the official links below to review baggage rules, booking access, and related airline services.

Baggage PolicyOfficial website

Updated Oct 8, 2026

China Airlines Baggage Allowance

Free checked and carry-on baggage allowances by cabin class and route. Allowances vary by route, ticket type, and frequent flyer status — always confirm with the official baggage policy before you fly.

Checked baggage

Piece-based; free allowance varies by fare brand (Discount/Basic/Standard/Flex/Reward) and by route: Short-haul Within Asia, Trans-Tasman (Between Australia and New Zealand), and Long-haul (US/Canada/Europe/Australia/New Zealand). Max 158 cm total dimensions per piece; no single piece over 32 kg accepted (special items over 32 kg require 48-hour approval).

LabelAmountNotes
Short-haul Within Asia — Discount (L) / Basic (N/H/Q/R)1 × 23 kg
  • Booking classes: Discount L; Basic N / H / Q / R. Standard, Flex and Reward Ticket (X) on this route receive 2 × 23 kg.
Short-haul Within Asia — Standard (T/V/K) / Flex (M/B/Y) / Reward Ticket (X)2 × 23 kg
  • Booking classes: Standard T / V / K; Flex M / B / Y; Reward X.
Trans-Tasman Between Australia and New Zealand — Discount (L) / Basic (N/H/Q/R)No free checked baggage
  • Page shows 0 piece for Discount and Basic on this lane; all other Economy fare brands receive 1 × 23 kg.
Trans-Tasman Between Australia and New Zealand — Standard (T/V/K) / Flex (M/B/Y) / Reward Ticket (X)1 × 23 kg
  • Booking classes: Standard T / V / K; Flex M / B / Y; Reward X.
Long-haul (US/Canada/Europe/Australia/New Zealand) — Discount (L)1 × 23 kg
  • Discount L only; all other Economy fare brands on long-haul receive 2 × 23 kg.
Long-haul (US/Canada/Europe/Australia/New Zealand) — Basic (N/H/Q/R) / Standard (T/V/K) / Flex (M/B/Y) / Reward Ticket (X)2 × 23 kg
  • Booking classes: Basic N / H / Q / R; Standard T / V / K; Flex M / B / Y; Reward X. Air Canada exception: if the first carrier is AC, Economy allowance is 1 × 23 kg and AC rules apply to the entire ticket.

Carry-on baggage

Cabin baggage plus personal item. Each cabin bag max 7 kg and 56×36×23 cm including wheels/handles/side pockets; personal item max 40×30×15 cm or total linear 85 cm.

  • Economy — Cabin baggage + Personal item1 × 7 kg (56 × 36 × 23 cm) + 1 personal item (40 × 30 × 15 cm)
    • Personal item examples: small backpack/purse, laptop/briefcase, limited duty-free, camera case/binoculars, umbrella, personal clothing/food in disposable packaging.
    • Infants not occupying a seat receive 1 checked piece of adult cabin size/weight plus one free collapsible stroller or car seat (choose one); children and infants occupying a seat receive the same free allowance as an adult.

How to Add Extra Baggage & Prices on China Airlines

Buy Baggage
  1. Go to the China Airlines Prepaid Excess Baggage page and click 'Purchase Now', which opens the My Trip booking portal.
  2. Enter your reservation number or e-ticket number plus given name and family name to retrieve your booking.
  3. Select the prepaid excess baggage option and choose the number of extra pieces (maximum 5 pieces per sector per purchase).
  4. Complete payment online at least 4 hours before scheduled departure; the 5% prepaid discount is applied at purchase.

Prices

Charged per piece based on origin and destination zones: Taiwan, Zone 1 (Japan/Korea/Palau/Guam/Hong Kong/China/Philippines/Thailand/Malaysia/Singapore/Indonesia/Vietnam/Cambodia), Zone 2 (Australia/New Zealand/India and rest of Asia), Zone 3 (US West Coast/NYC/Vancouver plus Amsterdam/Frankfurt/Vienna/Rome/London/Prague/Middle East gateway cities), Zone 4 (rest of North America/Europe/Africa), Zone 5 (Central & South America), Zone 6 (Myanmar). Rates below are airport/counter rates read from the official zone calculator; actual collection is converted at the departure-date local exchange rate.

LabelAmountNotes
Taiwan ↔ Zone 1USD 140 / CAD 196
Taiwan ↔ Zone 2USD 170 / CAD 238
Taiwan ↔ Zone 3USD 200 / CAD 280
Taiwan ↔ Zone 4USD 230 / CAD 322
Taiwan ↔ Zone 5USD 260 / CAD 364
Taiwan ↔ Zone 6USD 300 / CAD 420
Zone 1 ↔ Zone 1USD 170 / CAD 238
Zone 1 ↔ Zone 2USD 200 / CAD 280
Zone 1 ↔ Zone 3USD 230 / CAD 322
Zone 1 ↔ Zone 4USD 250 / CAD 350
Zone 1 ↔ Zone 5USD 260 / CAD 364
Zone 2 ↔ Zone 2USD 230 / CAD 322
  • Travel between Australia and New Zealand is charged a special rate of USD 50 / CAD 68 per piece instead.
Zone 2 ↔ Zone 3USD 250 / CAD 350
Zone 2 ↔ Zone 4USD 260 / CAD 364
Zone 2 ↔ Zone 5USD 270 / CAD 378
Zone 3 ↔ Zone 3USD 260 / CAD 364
Zone 3 ↔ Zone 4USD 270 / CAD 378
Zone 3 ↔ Zone 5USD 280 / CAD 392
Zone 4 ↔ Zone 4USD 280 / CAD 392
Zone 4 ↔ Zone 5USD 290 / CAD 406
Zone 5 ↔ Zone 5USD 300 / CAD 420
Australia ↔ New ZealandUSD 50 / CAD 68
  • Special Trans-Tasman rate per piece, shown as a footnote on the official zone calculator.

FAQ

Can I buy extra baggage online after booking?

Yes. After ticketing you can pre-purchase excess baggage through the China Airlines website (Purchase Now opens the My Trip booking portal) and receive a 5% discount off the airport rate.

Where do I buy extra baggage?

Online via the Prepaid Excess Baggage page, which routes into the My Trip booking portal (reservation or e-ticket number plus name required), or at the airport check-in counter at the full rate. No app purchase channel is published on the official baggage pages.

When is the deadline to buy extra baggage online?

Prepaid excess baggage is available from after ticket purchase until 4 hours before scheduled departure.

How does China Airlines calculate excess baggage charges?

It uses a piece concept with Taiwan plus 6 zones. Each extra piece is charged a flat one-way rate for the origin-destination zone pair (e.g. Taiwan to Zone 3 is USD 200 at the airport, USD 190 prepaid). Use the Departure/Arrival calculator on the official excess baggage page for your exact pair.

Is it cheaper to buy extra baggage online vs at the airport?

Yes. Prepaid online purchases are 5% cheaper (verified: Taiwan-Zone 3 USD 200 airport vs USD 190 prepaid; Taiwan-Zone 1 USD 140 vs USD 133).

How many extra bags can I buy, and what are the bag limits?

Each passenger (except infants without a seat) may make one prepaid purchase per sector of up to 5 pieces; the per-piece weight limit follows the boarding class of that sector. No single checked piece over 45 kg is accepted, 32-45 kg needs approval, and pieces over 292 cm are accepted only if cargo space allows.

What are the overweight and oversized baggage rules?

Overweight: over 23 kg (Economy) or over 28 kg (Premium Economy) up to 32 kg costs 0.5 piece; 32-45 kg costs 3 pieces plus approval; over 45 kg goes as cargo. Oversized: 158-203 cm costs 1 piece, over 203 cm costs 2 pieces. Oversized/overweight items cannot be prepaid online.

Do partner-operated or codeshare flights have different baggage rules?

Prepaid excess baggage works only on tickets issued by China Airlines (297) or Mandarin Airlines (803) for CI/AE operated or CI/AE bilateral codeshare international flights; if another airline operates any sector of the trip, prepaid does not apply to the whole trip, and sectors operated by other airlines follow that airline's baggage rules.

Can I get a refund on prepaid excess baggage?

Yes. Fully unused prepaid excess baggage is refundable without charge through the original purchase channel within 2 years of purchase; travel date and flight may be changed on the same origin and destination. Any unused remainder after check-in is neither refunded nor transferable, and allowances cannot be pooled between passengers.

Are there any important exceptions or restrictions I should know?

Online pre-purchase is unavailable for group tickets (booking class G) and mileage cabin-upgrade tickets (contact customer service instead), excludes infants, and does not cover special baggage such as sporting equipment, pets, or cabin baggage. For tickets issued in Canada, prepaid charges convert from CAD if paid in another currency.

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