Carry-On Rules for Middle East & Africa Airlines

The Middle East and Africa together represent two of the most dynamic regions in global aviation. The Gulf carriers — Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad — rank consistently among the world's best airlines and offer some of the most generous carry-on allowances available anywhere. African carriers present a much wider range, from the pan-continental giant Ethiopian Airlines to regional carriers with considerably more limited cabin allowances. Here is what you need to know about carry-on rules at the ten most significant airlines in both regions.

Carry-On Allowances at a Glance

Limits current as of June 2026. Always verify with your airline before travel.

Gulf Carriers: The Premium Standard

Emirates

Emirates Economy includes one 55×38×22 cm bag up to 7 kg, without a universal additional personal bag. Premium Economy allows one up to 10 kg. Business/First normally pair a 55×38×22 cm bag with a 45×35×20 cm briefcase, each up to 7 kg. Brazil/India and garment-bag exceptions need ticket-specific confirmation.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Economy normally permits one bag up to 50×37×25 cm and 7 kg. A laptop must fit inside it; a separate laptop bag counts as cabin baggage. Business/First allow two pieces sharing 15 kg, except that US departures allow one cabin bag plus one personal item. Do not assume that a 53–55 cm bag will be accepted against a 50 cm limit.

Business Class passengers receive two bags totalling 15 kg. First Class passengers also have two pieces sharing 15 kg.

Qatar recently updated its website to make the Economy cabin bag dimensions more prominent, which has led to renewed attention from travellers with borderline bags. The safer approach is to stay within the 50 cm published limit.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Economy includes one 56×36×23 cm bag up to 7 kg, with personal belongings inside. Business/First/Residence allow two main bags sharing 12 kg, or one main bag up to 12 kg to/from the US, plus a 23×39×19 cm personal bag up to 5 kg. Confirm the operating airline and ticket; the checker cannot add two bags’ weights. Official FAQ.

Check the published limits before travel; no measured airport enforcement rate is established here. Excess size or weight can require hold carriage and charges.

Smaller Gulf Carriers

Saudia

Saudia Guest permits one 56×45×25 cm bag up to 7 kg; First/Business permits one 12 kg main bag plus a separate 45×20×35 cm briefcase up to 9 kg. For USA/Canada departures to Saudi Arabia, only one item up to 16 lb and 45 in is published for all classes. Confirm that route exception; the checker does not resolve departure airports. No airport-specific enforcement frequency or universal fixed cabin penalty is established here.

Gulf Air

Gulf Air’s current calculator showed one 45×40×30 cm bag or briefcase:6 kg in Economy and 9 kg in Falcon Gold. These results were checked for Bahrain–London and Bahrain–Dubai on 30 September 2026; confirm the actual route and fare in the official calculator. Listed personal articles may be additional, without verified numeric limits. No enforcement-frequency ranking or extra-weight tolerance is established.

Oman Air

Oman Air publishes one main bag up to 7 kg in Economy and two up to 7 kg each in Business/Business Studio. The size rule is a total of three dimensions up to 115 cm, rather than a verified 25 cm depth allowance. Personal articles are listed separately, without numeric size/weight caps. No measured enforcement ranking is established.

African Carriers

EgyptAir

EgyptAir’s standard Economy allowance is one 8 kg bag measuring 55×40×23 cm. Business lists two 8 kg pieces. The published notes separately mention personal items; they do not establish universal dimensions for an additional full backpack.

For US routes, one cabin bag plus one personal item is permitted. South Africa departures use 56×36×23 cm and 7 kg per piece; smaller aircraft may require the second Business piece to travel in the hold. This guide has no measured Cairo enforcement frequency.

Ethiopian Airlines

The dedicated carry-on table and FAQ agree on these limits. Listed personal accessories are additional, but official pages conflict on their weight (3 kg versus 5 kg, with a 7 kg heading); confirm the applicable limit. No exact personal-item dimensions are established. Present cabin baggage at check-in. See the reviewed Ethiopian guide for scope and official links.

Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways Economy permits one main bag up to 55×35×25 cm plus one accessory up to 40×30×15 cm. They share 12 kg on flights to/from the EU, US or UK, and 10 kg on other routes, including domestic Kenya. Business permits two main bags plus the accessory within 18 kg combined. Confirm each operating segment; a 12 kg international allowance does not raise a 10 kg onward limit.

Check the packed bag and confirm the linked official policy.

South African Airways

SAA Economy permits one 56×36×23 cm bag up to 8 kg plus a small handbag or slimline laptop bag up to 40×30×10 cm. Business permits two main bags up to 8 kg each. The published policy does not introduce a separate 7 kg domestic cap.

Check the SAA guide for international liquids and the power-bank maximum of 100 Wh. Enforcement frequency is not measured here; comply with the stated limits.

Regional Trends

Compare each complete allowance. Main-bag weights, personal items and fare conditions differ; a Gulf connection does not establish a common entitlement.

Weight is only one constraint. Compare the exact dimensions, number of pieces and personal-item conditions for every operating carrier.

Before every departure: Recheck the operating carrier and ticket. A previous acceptance at an outstation does not change the published allowance at a hub or on the next flight.

Premium cabins have specific piece rules. Emirates normally allows a main bag and a smaller briefcase at 7 kg each; Qatar Business/First has two pieces sharing 15 kg. Do not pool weight or assume identical pieces across carriers.

The Hajj and Umrah effect. For routes serving Saudi Arabia during peak pilgrimage seasons, carry-on enforcement becomes materially stricter due to full flights and overloaded bins. Travellers on routes through Jeddah or Medina during these periods should expect a higher probability of gate checks.

Summary: Strictest vs Most Generous

Prepare for checks: Measure and weigh the packed bag. This guide does not establish an airport ranking or measured enforcement frequency.

Compare the complete allowance: Ethiopian Economy uses 55×40×23 cm and 7 kg. Compare dimensions, piece count, any combined weight and the booked fare; a single large number does not establish the most useful allowance.

Compare the booked itinerary. Use the operating carrier, fare and route limits rather than ranking a universal 12 kg Kenya Airways allowance.

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.

Sources for these corrections

Reviewed 30 September 2026 by Codex (AI source review). The review covers the corrected baggage claims; unrelated destination claims are not recertified.

• Official policy — Class/route table; personal-accessory column; approved label; NOTE
• Official policy — Restricted Items; local-authority/gate note
• Official policy — Family services; lap-infant guidance