✓ Policy web-verified 2026-07-06
Here is what nobody warns you about a cheap Winair island hop: on the lowest fares you get no free checked bag and no free carry-on at all — the only thing guaranteed on every ticket is one personal item up to 3 kg / 7 lb that has to slide under the seat in front of you. A checked bag is added by fare family, and on a basic fare you pay for it from about $15 / EUR 14 online. Everything above that 3 kg is priced by the ticket you booked and, on the little Twin Otters, by whether the aircraft physically has room that day.
Winair is a real government-owned Sint Maarten flag carrier flying 19-seat DHC-6 Twin Otters and ATR 42 turboprops between St Maarten (SXM), Saba (SAB), St Eustatius (EUX), St Barthélemy and Anguilla. Weight and balance matter here in a way they never do on a jet, so a second or third checked bag rides standby and may follow you on the next flight. The other number to burn in: no single bag over 32 kg / 70 lb is loaded, full stop. Buy your allowance online before the counter — it is always cheaper than paying at the airport.
Quick facts
| Free personal item | One item up to 3 kg / 7 lb, must fit under the seat |
| Carry-on bag | Only on carry-on-included fares: 6 kg / 13 lb, plus the personal item |
| Cheapest fare checked bag | Not included – basic fares carry no free hold bag |
| First checked bag fee | From $15 / EUR 14 online, $25 / EUR 23 at the airport |
| Checked bag weight | Max 23 kg / 50 lb per bag at standard rate |
| Hard per-bag cap | Nothing over 32 kg / 70 lb is carried |
| Size limit | 62 in / 157 cm total (L+W+H) |
| Bags per person | Generally two; extra bags travel standby |
Cabin bag & personal item
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Personal item | One per passenger, up to <strong>3 kg / 7 lb</strong>, must fit under the seat in front of you. A handbag or purse is additionally free. |
| Carry-on bag | Included <em>only</em> on carry-on fares: one bag up to <strong>6 kg / 13 lb</strong> in addition to the personal item. On no-carry-on fares it must be checked at the airport and fees apply (excess carry-on is $50 / EUR 46). |
| Twin Otter note | The 19-seat DHC-6 Twin Otter has no overhead bins – anything you bring aboard is stowed under the seat, and larger cabin bags are gate-checked on sight. |
Checked baggage & fees
| Cheapest / basic fares | No free checked bag – pay per bag online or at the airport |
| Higher fares | Free checked allowance depends on the fare family you booked |
| First checked bag | From $15 / EUR 14 (online), $25 / EUR 23 (airport) |
| Second checked bag | From $45 / EUR 41 (online), $55 / EUR 51 (airport), standby |
| Third checked bag | From $95 / EUR 87 (online), $105 / EUR 97 (airport), standby |
| Per-bag weight | Up to 23 kg / 50 lb at the standard rate |
| Overweight 23-32 kg | Accepted for a surcharge, from about $60 / EUR 55 for the first bag, space permitting |
| Hard weight cap | Nothing over 32 kg / 70 lb is carried – repack, no exceptions on the turboprops |
| Infant | One piece up to 10 kg |
| Max size | 62 in / 157 cm total (L+W+H) |
What you actually get on a cheap fare
The number that catches people out isn’t a fee – it’s the hard ceiling on a single bag. Winair will accept a bag between 23 and 32 kg for an overweight charge (from about $60 / EUR 55), but a bag over 32 kg / 70 lb simply won’t be loaded. On a Twin Otter that limit is about safety and weight-and-balance, not revenue, so there’s no talking past it – split a heavy bag into two before you leave home. The second trap is the word standby: your first checked bag travels with you, but a second or third is loaded only if the aircraft’s weight and cargo space allow it that day. On a same-day island connection that can mean landing in Saba while your dive gear is still in St Maarten, so keep essentials in the bag you know is coming. Special items follow the same logic – a bicycle must be boxed (pedals and handlebars foam-wrapped, tyres deflated) and costs a flat $50 / EUR 46; surfboards ride only on the ATR, never the Twin Otter; sporting gear and instruments count toward your allowance at the same 23 kg / 157 cm limit.
Connecting from a long-haul carrier at SXM? Don’t assume your 23 kg or 30 kg transatlantic allowance flows onto Winair. Winair is usually a separate ticket, so your bag is not interlined – you collect it at St Maarten, clear it, and re-check under Winair’s own rules, which means paying for the hold bag on a basic fare and respecting the 23 kg / 157 cm per-piece cap. Even where an interline agreement exists, the operating carrier’s policy (Winair’s) governs the Winair leg, and the small-aircraft weight limits still bite. Treat the deal fare as the seat price only, weigh everything before the counter, and buy the checked bag online – it’s the cheaper, queue-skipping move.
Frequently asked questions
Does the cheapest Winair fare include a checked bag?
No. Winair’s lower fare families include no free checked bag and no free carry-on – only one personal item up to 3 kg. If you need to check a bag on a basic fare, add it online before you fly, from about $15 / EUR 14 instead of $25 / EUR 23 at the counter.
How heavy can my checked bag be on Winair?
The standard limit is 23 kg / 50 lb. A bag between 23 and 32 kg is accepted for an overweight fee (from about $60 / EUR 55), but Winair will not carry any single bag over 32 kg / 70 lb. Above that you must repack – there is no exception on the turboprops.
What can I bring into the cabin on the Twin Otter?
Every passenger gets one personal item up to 3 kg / 7 lb that fits under the seat. A full carry-on bag (up to 6 kg / 13 lb) is included only on carry-on fares. The Twin Otter has no overhead bins, so anything larger is gate-checked.
Will my second bag travel on the same flight?
Not guaranteed. Your first checked bag travels with you, but second and third bags are accepted on a standby basis and loaded only if the aircraft’s weight and space allow. If not, they follow on the next available flight – keep essentials in your first bag.
Can I take a surfboard or bicycle on Winair?
Surfboards travel only on the ATR aircraft, subject to space – never on the Twin Otter. Bicycles must be disassembled and boxed (pedals and handlebars foam-wrapped, tyres deflated) and are charged a flat $50 / EUR 46 on top of your allowance.
Will my long-haul checked bag transfer to Winair at St Maarten?
Usually no. Winair is typically a separate ticket, so your bag is not interlined: you collect it at SXM, clear customs, and re-check under Winair’s own rules – paying for the hold bag on a basic fare and staying within 23 kg / 157 cm per piece. Even under an interline agreement, Winair’s policy and small-aircraft weight caps apply on the Winair leg.
Is it cheaper to pay for Winair bags online?
Yes. Adding a checked bag through Manage Booking online is consistently cheaper than at the airport – roughly $15 / EUR 14 versus $25 / EUR 23 for a first bag – and it lets you skip the queue at automated bag drop.
Is Winair still operating in 2026?
Yes. Winair (Windward Islands Airways International) is the government-owned flag carrier of Sint Maarten and is actively operating in 2026, flying ATR 42 and DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops to around ten Leeward Islands destinations including St Barth, Saba, St Eustatius, Anguilla, St Kitts and Antigua.