Carry-On Only for Johannesburg: JNB, Safaris, and Airlink Rules

For a Johannesburg trip with onward flights, list every operating carrier before packing. A scheduled airline's cabin allowance and a lodge charter's total baggage limit are different rules.

Scheduled airline cabin limits

SAA and Airlink Business allow two main bags up to 8 kg each. FlySafair includes the listed cabin allowance in Lite; checked baggage is separate. Its Luggage page has a conflicting 25 cm depth in a lower section, but the main allowance and Packing page both specify 23 cm. Confirm with FlySafair before relying on 25 cm.

Airlink does not publish a general 7 kg cabin plus 7 kg checked allowance or a 14 kg combined cap. Check the checked-bag allowance on your ticket separately. Limited cabin space can still require a bag to travel in the hold.

Safari connections

Confirm the exact airport and operating carrier with your lodge. A scheduled Airlink flight and a private bush charter can have very different packing conditions. Ask a charter operator for the allowed bag dimensions, weight, permitted bag type and whether its limit includes cameras and other hand luggage. Do not treat a quoted per-person allowance as a limit for the whole party, or vice versa.

A soft bag can be convenient for tight storage, but it is not a universal Airlink requirement. If your lodge requires soft baggage, pack for that confirmed restriction from the start. Keep the return journey and any separate tickets in the same checklist.

Pack for an unexpected hold transfer

Keep travel documents, essential medication and valuables accessible. Remove power banks and spare batteries before handing a cabin bag over for hold carriage. Airlink's cabin page permits at most two power banks up to 100 Wh each; SAA also caps power banks at 100 Wh. Check the operating carrier's current battery rules.

Security and transfer planning

Airlink's international guidance specifies containers up to 100 ml in one transparent resealable bag of up to 1 litre. SAA's international guidance specifies a 20×20 cm bag. Medicine and baby-food exceptions have screening conditions. Do not automatically apply international liquid rules to a domestic South African flight; follow the departure and transit airports' instructions.

Follow staff instructions about taking electronics out at screening. Use your airline's check-in and boarding deadlines, and allow time for immigration, reclaiming and rechecking bags when required. Verify terminals on the actual booking; this guide does not establish a minimum connection time.

Packing checklist

• Weigh each main bag after packing chargers and toiletries.
• Measure the packed exterior rather than relying on a product's nominal size.
• Pack layers for early game drives and cooler evenings, and check the forecast.
• Keep a compact rain layer available when relevant to your dates.
• Confirm vehicle storage space if continuing by road.

Compare the SAA, Airlink and FlySafair records, then use the bag checker. The checker evaluates the selected airline and class, not a private charter contract.

Airline sources and scope

Reviewed 30 September 2026 for the SAA, Airlink and FlySafair claims above.

• SAA hand baggage: cabin class, size and weight.
• SAA restricted items: international liquids and power banks.
• Airlink hand baggage: standard cabin allowance, class and space restrictions.
• Airlink liquids: international screening guidance.
• FlySafair luggage and Packing: free cabin allowance, depth conflict and domestic liquids.