Carry-on size and weight limits on Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar

The size: measure it with the wheels on

Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar set the same size limit for the main bag, 56 × 36 × 23 cm (on Jetstar from 2 February 2027, only with Priority Carry-on). Qantas’s carry-on page sets them out as 56 cm high, 36 cm wide and 23 cm deep, and it measures “including any wheels and packed away handles”. The size limit isn’t the whole story, though: on QantasLink Dash 8 flights small wheelie bags are collected at boarding (more on that below), and Jetstar’s overhead bag changes in 2027.

So before you buy, find the bag’s size measured with its wheels and handle and check all three numbers against the limit: height, width and depth. If you’re still choosing a bag, our guide to light carry-on suitcases lists each pick’s size and empty weight against these limits.

The weight: where the airlines differ

Virgin Australia’s carry-on page gives Economy one standard bag of up to 8 kg, plus a personal item, and no single item can be over 8 kg. On Qantas the domestic and international limits are different. On domestic flights other than the Dash 8, Economy gets 14 kg with a max of 10 kg per item, while international Economy is 7 kg maximum.

Your case is part of that weight, so its empty weight matters as much as what you pack. If it weighs 2 kg on its own, a 7 kg limit gives you 5 kg for clothes, chargers and the rest. Pop the packed bag on the bathroom scales the night before and you’ll know where you stand before you leave home.

A few Qantas flights have their own rules:

• QantasLink Dash 8 (Q400) flights allow 1 overhead bag and 1 personal item, 7 kg maximum. Small wheelie bags don’t fit overhead on these planes, so they’re collected at boarding and handed back when you land.
• Flights departing India allow 1 overhead bag, 7 kg maximum in Economy and 10 kg in Business, and no extra personal items.
• A trip with connecting flights on different routes or airlines should be packed for the lowest allowance on the trip. Qantas says this matters most when one of your flights is on a Dash 8.

Business, and Virgin’s Velocity status

Business gets a bigger allowance on Virgin Australia, on Qantas international flights and on Jetstar flights before 2 February 2027. Qantas Business, First and Premium Economy on international flights get an underseat bag as well as the overhead bag, with 14 kg across them and a max of 10 kg per item. On domestic Qantas flights, Economy and Business share the same allowance.

On Virgin Australia, the bigger allowance goes to Business, Economy X and Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members. You choose one standard bag, two small bags, or a standard bag and a suit pack, plus a personal item. The two-bag options allow up to 14 kg combined, and no single bag can be over 8 kg. Velocity Red and Silver members get the standard Economy allowance. Flights run by Alliance Airlines or Link Airways for Virgin Australia get the Economy allowance whatever your cabin or status.

Jetstar, and its change from 2 February 2027

From 2 February 2027, Jetstar drops its 7 kg weight limit and sets your allowance by the size of your bags instead, and its own FAQ on the change sets out the new rules. Bookings for travel before that date don’t change.

Until then, the Jetstar section of Qantas’s carry-on page gives the detail for Jetstar flights booked with Qantas. You can take a main bag of 56 × 36 × 23 cm and a small item such as a purse or laptop. Economy gets 7 kg across both of them, and Business gets 14 kg across both, with a max of 10 kg per item. If you booked with Jetstar itself, check the allowance on your booking.

From 2 February 2027, most Jetstar fares include one underseat bag of 40 × 30 × 20 cm. Our underseat bags guide has three bags built to that size. The 56 × 36 × 23 cm overhead bag only comes with Priority Carry-on, an upgrade you add to your booking (some bundles include it). If you book a Jetstar flight through Qantas, Qantas’s page lists Priority Carry-on as your allowance from that date. Jetstar’s FAQ also says some travel agent bookings include Priority Carry-on, so ask your agent. With Priority Carry-on, no single bag can weigh more than 10 kg. If you booked before 5 August 2026 for a flight on or after 2 February 2027, Jetstar’s FAQ says you’ll be upgraded to Priority Carry-on at no extra cost.

So if you’re booking now for a trip next year, check whether you fly before or after 2 February 2027. From that date, a wheelie case that’s within Jetstar’s size limit today needs Priority Carry-on on most fares.

What counts as a personal item

A personal item is the small bag that goes under the seat in front of you. Qantas gives a cross-body bag, a small handbag or a laptop in a slim bag as examples. A laptop in a large laptop bag counts as part of your carry-on allowance, not as your personal item. Virgin Australia’s personal item can be up to 45 × 33 × 20 cm, such as a handbag, a laptop or camera bag, or a small backpack.

If your bag is over the limit

Qantas and Virgin Australia both say a bag over the limit can’t come into the cabin. Qantas says you’ll need to check it in. Virgin Australia says it will need to be checked in, and baggage fees may apply. On Virgin, if the overhead lockers are full, staff may also ask you to check your bag at the gate.

Flying with another airline

Other airlines set their own carry-on limits, so if you’re flying Emirates, Singapore Airlines or anyone else, check that airline’s own carry-on page before you pack. Qantas says the same for its oneworld and partner flights. A 56 × 36 × 23 cm case is inside the main-bag size limit on Qantas and Virgin Australia, and on Jetstar until February 2027, but the weight limits differ, so check the weight on yours too.