Domestic airline baggage comparison

Enter how many checked bags you take and what they weigh to see the extra baggage cost on each fare, from figures read on each airline’s own page.

Baggage cost

3 of 11 fares cost nothing extra

Total weight of your bags: 34 kg
Fares with nothing extra to pay: 3
Fares with no price shown: 0

The table shows baggage cost only. It does not include the ticket price, which is usually higher on fares that include more baggage. Figures were read on 2026-11-10.

Airlink, CemAir and South African Airways show baggage by cabin class or one allowance, not by fare type, so we show what the page states and nothing more.

Estimates only. Not financial advice.

Extra cost for 2 bags of 17 kg, lowest first

Carry-on, included checked baggage and the extra cost of your bags, in order of extra cost only. The ticket price is not included.
Airline	Fare	Carry-on	Checked baggage included	Extra cost for your bags	How it is charged	Read on
FlySafair	Business	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	2 x 23 kg	None (inside the allowance)	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
LIFT	Premium	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	2 x 23 kg	None (inside the allowance)	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
South African Airways	Business	8 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	2 x 32 kg	None (inside the allowance)	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
Airlink	Business	8 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	30 kg	R 174.80	Per extra kilogram	2026-11-10
FlySafair	Standard	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	1 x 20 kg	R 250.00	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
LIFT	Economy Bag	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	1 x 23 kg	R 250.00	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
FlySafair	Lite	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	None	R 435.00	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
South African Airways	Economy	8 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	1 x 23 kg	R 450.00	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
LIFT	Economy No-Bag	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	None	R 500.00	Per extra bag	2026-11-10
Airlink	Economy	8 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	20 kg	R 611.80	Per extra kilogram	2026-11-10
CemAir	Standard allowance	7 kg, 56 x 36 x 23 cm	21 kg	R 780.00	Per extra kilogram	2026-11-10

How the baggage comparison works

Last updated 10 November 2026

A low fare can turn into a dearer trip once you add a checked bag. Domestic airlines in South Africa charge for bags in different ways: some include a bag in the fare, some sell each bag, and some charge for every kilogram over an allowance. This page puts the published figures side by side for your bags.

How it works

Enter the number of checked bags and the weight of each one.
Read the table. It lists each fare with its carry-on limit, the checked baggage included and the extra cost of your bags.
Open each airline’s page, through the links at the foot of this page, to confirm the figure before you book.

Worked example

With the starting choices, 2 bags of 17 kg each (34 kg in total):

FlySafair Lite includes no checked bag, so the first extra bag costs R 185.00 and the second R 250.00, which is R 435.00. FlySafair Standard includes one bag, so the second costs R 250.00.
LIFT Economy No-Bag costs R 500.00 for the two bags added at booking, and LIFT Economy Bag costs R 250.00 for the second one.
Airlink Economy includes 20 kg, so 14 kg is charged at the excess rate: R 611.80 with VAT. CemAir includes 21 kg, so 13 kg is charged: R 780.00.
South African Airways Economy includes one bag, and the second costs R 450.00 when bought more than 24 hours ahead.

Three ways airlines charge

Some fares include a number of bags, and extra bags are sold one by one. FlySafair, LIFT and South African Airways work like this. The price of each extra bag can rise with the second and third bag, and it can be higher at the airport than online. Other airlines include a pool of kilograms and charge for each kilogram above it. Airlink charges R 38.00 a kilogram plus 15% VAT and CemAir charges R 60.00 a kilogram. With a per-kilogram rate, lighter bags cost less: two bags of 12 kg each are 24 kg in total, which is R 180.00 extra at CemAir and R 174.80 extra at Airlink.

Heavy bags

Per-bag airlines also set a weight limit for each bag. FlySafair counts a bag as heavy over 20 kg on the Lite and Standard fares and adds a flat fee of R 250.00 at the airport. LIFT adds R 200.00 for a bag over 23 kg and up to 32 kg. South African Airways Economy includes one piece of up to 23 kg, and its page shows no fee amount for a heavier bag, so the tool shows no price in that case. A bag over 32 kg is not accepted as checked baggage on FlySafair, LIFT or South African Airways and must go as cargo.

Carry-on

The carry-on limit is 7 kg on FlySafair, LIFT and CemAir and 8 kg on Airlink and South African Airways. All five show a personal item as well. FlySafair charges at the airport for a Lite carry-on over 7 kg, so weigh it at home.

What the table leaves out

The table shows baggage cost only. It does not include the ticket price, which is usually higher on fares that include more baggage.

Airlink, CemAir and South African Airways show baggage by cabin class or one allowance, not by fare type, so we show what the page states and nothing more.

Sports equipment, musical instruments, pets, firearms and bag wrapping have separate rules and prices and are not included.

Source links

Figures were read on 2026-11-10 from these pages:

About the figures

Allowances and prices were read on each airline’s own page on 2026-11-10. Airlines change them without notice, and the price in your booking is the one that counts. Air Express and other scheduled carriers are not listed because we did not read an official baggage page for them. This is a way to compare published numbers, not advice on which airline to fly. Read the full disclaimer.

Things to watch

Bags are usually cheaper when added online than at the airport.
Weigh your bags at home. A kilogram over can cost more than a whole extra bag on some fares.
Check the page of the airline before you pay, because prices and limits change.

Questions people ask

Where do the figures come from?

Each figure was read on the airline’s own page on 2026-11-10. We did not use travel blogs, booking sites or other comparison sites. The source links are at the foot of the page.

Why does the table not include the ticket price?

The table shows baggage cost only. It does not include the ticket price, which is usually higher on fares that include more baggage. Compare the full price of the fare you are offered, with the baggage you need, before you book.

Why does it say “not shown on the airline page we read”?

Fare-level detail for Airlink, CemAir and South African Airways, and a price for adding a bag in advance with Airlink and CemAir, were not shown on the pages we read, so they are not included. We left a figure out instead of guessing it.

Why does LIFT have two sets of timing?

LIFT’s own pages differ on timing. The baggage policy page says extra bags can be bought online up to 24 hours before departure and shows no price. The support article gives the prices used here and says Manage Booking and the airport work up to one hour before departure.

Are Air Express and other carriers listed?

Air Express and other scheduled carriers are not listed because we did not read an official baggage page for them.

Do the prices include VAT?

Airlink adds 15% VAT to its R 38.00 a kilogram rate. SAA states that its prices include VAT. FlySafair, LIFT and CemAir do not say whether their prices include VAT, so each is shown as advertised.

What is not included?