LIFT carry-on size and personal item rules

LIFT carry-on allowance by fare

LIFT checked baggage by fare

Checked baggage verified 11 October 2026. Your booking confirmation shows the exact allowance for your trip.

Checked bag fees (we never show prices, they change by route and date): see the official page

What to know about LIFT carry-on rules

• Among the 24 verified airlines from sub-Saharan Africa, LIFT has the 6th largest cabin bag allowance; the strictest is Proflight Zambia (30×25×15 cm).
• In volume terms the LIFT cabin bag reaches about 46.4 L; 79 of the 170 airlines with published sides allow a bigger box.
• With a total size of 115 cm (45.3 in), the LIFT cabin bag is larger than 19% of the 189 verified airlines that include a measured cabin bag in their standard fare (rank 50 of 189, largest first).
• The average cabin bag of the 24 verified carriers from sub-Saharan Africa adds up to 113.8 cm (44.8 in); LIFT's limit is 1.2 cm (0.5 in) more than that.
• A standard US carry-on of 22 × 14 × 9 in (55.9 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm) fits, but with only 0.1 cm (0 in) to spare on the length when measured against LIFT's 56×36×23 cm.
• Tested against LIFT's 56×36×23 cm limit, a typical European cabin case of 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in) is 4 cm (1.6 in) too big on the width.
• LIFT's 7 kg (15.4 lb) limit for the cabin bag is stricter than 93 of the 177 airlines that publish a cabin weight limit, and looser than 11 of them.
• Exceptions noted on the official LIFT page: “Premium 2 x cabin bags up to 7 kg”

LIFT personal item: what fits under the seat

• LIFT's fare also includes a cabin bag, so the personal item comes on top of it.
• Filled as a box, LIFT's 40×15×20 cm personal item holds about 12 litres, below the median of 18 L across the 105 airlines that publish three personal item sides.
• Against the 6 airlines from sub-Saharan Africa that publish a personal item size (average 85 cm in total), LIFT allows 75 cm, more than 0% of them.
• By volume, the 40×15×20 cm personal item on LIFT is 26% of the 56×36×23 cm cabin bag: about 12 L against 46.4 L.
• A soft 40 × 30 × 20 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 7.9 in) under-seat bag is 10 cm (3.9 in) too big on the width (and 1 other limit) against LIFT's 40×15×20 cm personal item limit.
• With 75 cm in total, the LIFT personal item is bigger than 0 and smaller than 102 of the 108 verified airlines that publish a personal item size.
• Other personal item limits at the same airport: South African Airways at JNB (30×40×10 cm), against 40×15×20 cm on LIFT.

LIFT carry-on questions

Does LIFT have a weight limit for carry-on bags?

Yes. On its Economy No-Bag and Economy Bag fare, LIFT sets 7 kg (15.4 lb) for the cabin bag. LIFT publishes no weight limit for its personal item, only a size.

Will a 55 × 40 × 20 cm carry-on fit LIFT's limit?

No: against LIFT's 56×36×23 cm limit, a hard 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in) case is 4 cm (1.6 in) too big on the width.

How big can a personal item be on LIFT?

LIFT allows a personal item of 40 × 15 × 20 cm (15.7 × 5.9 × 7.9 in) on the standard fare, stowed under the seat in front.

Airlines related to LIFT

• FlySafair carry-on size — also flies from JNB
• Airlink carry-on size — also flies from JNB
• CemAir carry-on size — also flies from JNB
• South African Airways carry-on size — also flies from JNB

Strictest carry-on airlines · All airlines

Official sources

• https://www.lift.co.za/travel-info/baggage-policy — checked on 8 October 2026

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