✓ Policy web-verified 2026-06-23
Malaysia Airlines (MH) sets your checked allowance by fare family, on a weight concept (your allowance is pooled across bags, with no single piece over 32 kg). Every economy ticket includes the same hand baggage — one piece up to 7 kg, max 56 × 36 × 23 cm — plus a personal item. Following the 10 April 2025 Horizontal Fare Family refresh, the cheapest fare (formerly “Lite”) was renamed Economy Value and the three economy tiers are now Value 20 kg, Basic 25 kg and Flex 35 kg. There is no longer a 10 kg economy tier.
Good news for deal-hunters: even the cheapest Economy Value fare now includes a real 20 kg checked bag on standard routes — so a headline MH fare is usually more useful than the old Lite fares. The figures below reflect Malaysia Airlines’ published 2026 policy.
Quick facts
| Cabin (hand) baggage | 1 piece, 7 kg, 56 × 36 × 23 cm (115 cm total) |
| Personal item | 1 small item (handbag/laptop/camera bag) under the seat |
| Economy Value checked | 20 kg (cheapest fare — formerly “Lite”) |
| Economy Basic checked | 25 kg (+ free standard seat selection) |
| Economy Flex checked | 35 kg (+ priority services, full flexibility) |
| Business Class checked | 40 kg |
| Business Suite checked | 50 kg |
| Max single bag | 32 kg / 70 lb, up to 158 cm linear |
| Excess baggage | Per-kg or prepaid blocks, zonal pricing; ~20% cheaper online |
Cabin bag & personal item
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Personal / under-seat item | No published size; must fit under the seat in front. One item: handbag, laptop bag, camera bag, briefcase or overcoat. In addition to the 7 kg cabin bag. |
| Cabin / carry-on bag | 56 × 36 × 23 cm (115 cm total linear) · 7 kg · included on all fares |
Checked baggage & fees
| Checked allowance | 20 kg (Value) / 25 kg (Basic) / 35 kg (Flex); Business 40 kg, Business Suite 50 kg |
| Weight limit | Max 32 kg per piece, up to 158 cm linear (weight pooled across bags) |
| Typical fee | Extra allowance sold per-kg or in prepaid blocks; priced by route zone |
What each fare includes
| Fare | Personal | Cabin | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Value (cheapest) | 1 item | 7 kg | 20 kg |
| Economy Basic | 1 item | 7 kg | 25 kg |
| Economy Flex | 1 item | 7 kg | 35 kg |
| Business Class | 1 item | 2 pieces, 14 kg total | 40 kg |
| Business Suite | 1 item | 2 pieces, 14 kg total | 50 kg |
Baggage by region & route
Malaysia Airlines runs its baggage on a weight concept, and the fare-family weights above apply across most of the network — but it is not uniform everywhere:
| Route group | Economy checked allowance |
|---|---|
| Korea, Australia & New Zealand, UK, Greater China, South Asia, ASEAN, Domestic Malaysia | Horizontal Fare Family — Value 20 kg / Basic 25 kg / Flex 35 kg |
| Malaysia–Japan routes | Excluded from the HFF refresh — these keep the older Vertical Fare Family with different conditions; check at booking |
| KUL–Singapore (Shuttle) | Value 20 kg / Basic 25 kg / Shuttle 35 kg |
| Codeshare / AMAL-operated flights | May follow the operating carrier’s policy — verify on your ticket |
Elite top-ups: Enrich and oneworld elite members get extra free weight on top of the fare allowance — e.g. on Economy Value, oneworld Sapphire adds 15 kg (35 kg total) and Emerald adds 20 kg (40 kg total); Basic and Flex add even more. Excess-baggage pricing is also zonal: cheapest within Asia, most expensive to Europe, the UK and Australia.
What you actually get on a cheap fare
What you actually get at deal prices: the cheap Malaysia Airlines fares you see advertised are almost always Economy Value — and since April 2025 that includes a genuine 20 kg checked bag plus a 7 kg cabin bag and a personal item. That is a real improvement over the old “Lite” fares, which is why an MH headline fare is usually worth more than a no-bag low-cost ticket at a similar price.
aifly tip: if you pack heavier or want a seat assignment, Economy Basic (25 kg + free standard seat) is often only a little more than Value — price it before assuming you need to buy extra weight. Any extra allowance is about 20% cheaper pre-purchased online via Manage My Booking than at the airport. Note: this is the standard network policy — Malaysia–Japan routes differ, so check the allowance shown at booking for those.
Oversize, sports & special items
Excess and prepaid baggage: extra allowance is sold in per-kg or block amounts and is priced by route zone, so an extra bag from Kuala Lumpur to London costs far more than within Southeast Asia. Buying through Manage My Booking up to 24 hours before departure is roughly 20% cheaper than paying at the airport.
Oversize and special items: a single checked piece may not exceed 32 kg (70 lb) or 158 cm linear. Items 158–204 cm are accepted as oversize with a surcharge; anything over 204 cm must travel as cargo/freight. Sports equipment (golf clubs, surfboards, diving and ski gear, bicycles) and musical instruments count toward your allowance, with oversize surcharges higher on long-haul. Mobility aids and infant equipment travel free; infants on a 10% fare get a 10 kg allowance.
Frequently asked questions
Does Malaysia Airlines Economy Value include a checked bag?
Yes. Since the 10 April 2025 fare-family refresh, Economy Value (the cheapest economy fare, formerly called Lite) includes a 20 kg checked allowance plus a 7 kg cabin bag and a personal item. There is no longer a 10 kg economy tier. Economy Basic includes 25 kg and Economy Flex includes 35 kg.
What is the Malaysia Airlines checked baggage allowance by fare?
On all MH routes except Malaysia-Japan, the Horizontal Fare Family applies: Economy Value 20 kg, Economy Basic 25 kg and Economy Flex 35 kg. Business Class is 40 kg and Business Suite 50 kg. Allowance is by weight (pooled across bags), with no single piece over 32 kg.
How much cabin baggage can I bring on Malaysia Airlines?
One cabin bag up to 7 kg and a maximum of 56 x 36 x 23 cm (115 cm total), plus one small personal item such as a handbag, laptop bag or camera bag that fits under the seat. The 7 kg cabin allowance is the same on every economy fare. Business Class passengers may bring two cabin pieces totalling 14 kg.
Does the allowance differ by region or route?
Yes. The 20/25/35 kg Horizontal Fare Family weights apply across MH routes to Korea, Australia & New Zealand, the UK, Greater China, South Asia, ASEAN and domestic Malaysia. Malaysia-Japan routes are the exception – they keep the older Vertical Fare Family with different conditions. Codeshare or AMAL-operated flights can also differ, and excess-baggage pricing is zonal (cheapest within Asia, most expensive to Europe, the UK and Australia).
What is the maximum weight for a single checked bag?
No single checked piece may exceed 32 kg (70 lb) or 158 cm in total linear dimensions. Pieces between 158 cm and 204 cm are accepted as oversize for a surcharge; anything over 204 cm must be shipped as cargo.
How much does extra baggage cost on Malaysia Airlines?
Extra allowance is priced by route zone (in MYR or local currency) and rises sharply for long-haul flights to Europe, the UK and Australia versus short-haul Asian routes. Pre-purchasing through Manage My Booking up to 24 hours before departure is about 20% cheaper than paying at the airport.
Should I book Economy Value or Economy Basic if I have a suitcase?
Economy Value already includes 20 kg, which covers most travellers. Economy Basic adds 5 kg (25 kg total) plus free standard seat selection and is often only a little more, so if you pack heavier or want a seat assignment, price Basic before defaulting to Value. Adding paid weight to Value online is still cheaper than at the airport.
Verified against: source · official HFF FAQ (10 Apr 2025)