✓ Policy web-verified 2026-07-06
Mauritania Airlines International (MAI) is the Nouakchott-based flag carrier, flying a small 737 network across West and North Africa and to a handful of European and Middle-East points. Its baggage rules are refreshingly old-fashioned: this is a weight-and-piece system with no Light/Basic fare that strips your bag away. Book the cheapest international economy ticket and you still walk up with a full checked allowance included — something Europe’s budget carriers stopped doing years ago.
On international flights economy includes 2 checked pieces of 23 kg each, and business includes 3 pieces of 23 kg. That’s 46 kg of hold baggage on a basic economy fare — a genuinely generous piece-concept allowance. Domestic flights within Mauritania run on a weight concept instead: economy 20 kg, business 30 kg total. Cabin baggage is one bag up to 55 x 35 x 25 cm plus a personal accessory (handbag, laptop or briefcase, 40 x 30 x 15 cm), with a combined weight limit of 12 kg.
I’ll be honest about the limits of this guide, because Mauritania Airlines is honest about the limits of its own website: beyond the core allowances above, the carrier does not publish fixed figures for excess-baggage fees, infant allowances or sports-equipment charges. It tells you to contact the airline, and its excess pricing is set “according to your itinerary.” Where I don’t have a verified number below, I’ve said so rather than invented one.
Quick facts
| System | Weight/piece concept — no fare brand removes the checked bag |
| Cheapest int'l economy includes a bag? | Yes — 2 pieces, 23 kg each |
| International economy | 2 x 23 kg |
| International business | 3 x 23 kg |
| Domestic economy / business | 20 kg / 30 kg total |
| Cabin bag | 55 x 35 x 25 cm + accessory 40 x 30 x 15 cm, combined 12 kg |
| Checked dimensions | Max 158 cm (L+W+H) per piece |
| Excess baggage | Priced by itinerary — no published flat rate; contact the airline |
Cabin bag & personal item
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Personal accessory | One — handbag, briefcase or laptop bag, max 40 x 30 x 15 cm; counts toward the combined weight |
| Cabin / overhead bag | 1 piece, 55 x 35 x 25 cm; combined cabin weight max 12 kg |
Checked baggage & fees
| International, economy | 2 pieces, 23 kg each |
| International, business | 3 pieces, 23 kg each |
| Domestic (within Mauritania), economy | 20 kg total |
| Domestic, business | 30 kg total |
| Checked dimensions | Max 158 cm (length + width + height) per piece |
| Excess / overweight | Fees applied according to itinerary — Mauritania Airlines publishes no flat per-kilo rate; confirm with the airline |
| Infant / sports / oversize | Not published — contact the airline before travel |
Baggage by region & route
Checked-bag inclusion on the cheapest fare can depend on where you fly, not just the fare name. Here is what the lowest fare includes by route:
| Route / region | Cheapest fare includes |
|---|---|
| International routes (economy) | 2 x 23 kg — included on the cheapest fare |
| International routes (business) | 3 x 23 kg |
| Domestic Mauritania (economy) | 20 kg total weight |
| Domestic Mauritania (business) | 30 kg total weight |
What you actually get on a cheap fare
What you actually get on a cheap Mauritania Airlines deal fare: on any international route, a real two-bag allowance — 2 x 23 kg in the hold, included, with no Light fare to trap you. For the overwhelming majority of travellers that’s more than enough and you’ll add nothing. This makes MAI easy to travel with: the cheapest ticket and the fare with checked baggage are the same ticket.
Where to be careful is the domestic legs, which switch to a weight concept: economy is just 20 kg total, so if you connect an international two-piece allowance onto a domestic Mauritanian flight, that domestic segment is the tighter constraint. The other thing to plan around is excess baggage: because the airline prices it by itinerary and publishes no flat rate, you can’t reliably pre-cost an extra bag online the way you can on a European carrier. Pack to the included 2 x 23 kg if you can, and if you genuinely need more, contact Mauritania Airlines before you travel rather than gambling on a desk rate at Nouakchott. One interline trap: on a mixed-carrier itinerary the whole ticket can default to the strictest carrier’s allowance, not the most generous. Milan–Casablanca on Royal Air Maroc then Casablanca–onward on a 2 × 23 kg carrier may bind you to the RAM leg’s rule. Check which airline is the most significant / operating carrier on your ticket before assuming the two-bag allowance covers the full journey.
Oversize, sports & special items
Mauritania Airlines does not publish specific policies for sports equipment, musical instruments, infant baggage or oversized items on its public baggage pages — it directs passengers to contact the airline for anything beyond the standard allowance. If you’re travelling with bulky or special baggage, or with an infant, arrange it directly with MAI in advance rather than assuming a standard figure applies. One documented rule worth noting: when your journey involves a partner airline, that carrier’s baggage rules can also apply, and the more restrictive limit governs the whole itinerary — so check the through-allowance if you’re connecting onto another airline.
Frequently asked questions
Does the cheapest Mauritania Airlines economy ticket include a checked bag?
Yes. Mauritania Airlines uses a weight-and-piece system with no bag-stripping Light fare, so even the cheapest international economy ticket includes 2 checked pieces of 23 kg each. Domestic economy includes 20 kg of total checked weight.
How much checked baggage does Mauritania Airlines include on international flights?
International economy passengers get 2 checked pieces of up to 23 kg each (46 kg total), and business passengers get 3 pieces of 23 kg each. This is a piece-concept allowance included in the fare, not a paid add-on.
What is Mauritania Airlines' cabin baggage allowance?
One cabin bag up to 55 x 35 x 25 cm plus one personal accessory (handbag, briefcase or laptop bag) up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm, with a combined weight limit of 12 kg.
What's the checked allowance on domestic Mauritanian flights?
Domestic flights within Mauritania use a weight concept: 20 kg total in economy and 30 kg total in business. This is tighter than the international two-piece allowance, so watch it if you’re connecting from an international leg.
How much does excess baggage cost on Mauritania Airlines?
Mauritania Airlines does not publish a flat excess-baggage rate — fees are applied according to your itinerary. To price an extra or overweight bag you need to contact the airline directly before you travel, as there is no reliable published figure to quote.
What is the maximum size for a checked bag on Mauritania Airlines?
Each checked piece may not exceed 158 cm in total dimensions (length + width + height). The standard per-piece weight on international economy is 23 kg; the airline does not clearly publish a separate maximum overweight ceiling, so confirm heavier items with MAI in advance.
What is the baggage allowance for infants on Mauritania Airlines?
Mauritania Airlines does not publish a specific infant baggage allowance on its public pages. If you’re travelling with an infant, arrange the allowance and any stroller carriage directly with the airline before departure rather than assuming a standard figure.