KLM hand luggage: will your bag fit?
Enter your bag's measurements and see instantly whether it flies as KLM hand luggage — free, for a fee, or not at all — against the official limits.
Your bag's measurements
The order doesn't matter — we test every orientation. Measure the widest points, including wheels, handles and packed pockets.
KLM — official cabin limits
| Allowance | Max dimensions (cm — the airline's own figure) Second line: our conversion | Max weight |
|---|---|---|
| Free personal item | 40 × 30 × 15 cm≈ 15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in | Not stated |
| Carry-on | 55 × 35 × 25 cm≈ 21.6 × 13.7 × 9.8 in | 12 kg≈ 26 lb |
How to read these numbers — KLM publishes these limits in centimetres. The inch figures are our own conversion, always rounded down, never up. Airlines that print both units often print two figures that don't agree with each other — sometimes looser, sometimes stricter. When they disagree we go by the airline's own unit and round the other one down. Packing to our number keeps you inside the real limit.
What to expect
KLM includes a small bag of 40 × 30 × 15 cm free on every fare, plus hand baggage of 55 × 35 × 25 cm whose availability depends on your Economy ticket: a Basic ticket gives the small bag only, while Light, Standard and Flex tickets include one hand baggage as well. Handles and wheels count toward the size. There is no per-bag weight limit, but in Economy the small bag and hand baggage together must stay under 12 kg (18 kg in Business). On full flights KLM may gate-check hand baggage free of charge.
Soft bag vs hard case
KLM's weight rule is combined, not per bag: in Economy the small bag and the hand baggage together cap at 12 kg, so a heavy small bag eats into the hand baggage. The 55 × 35 × 25 cm size includes handles and wheels. If your seat is near an emergency exit, the small bag must go in the overhead bin rather than under the seat, and on full flights hand baggage may be gate-checked for free.
Boarding tips
- The small bag is included on every fare; the hand baggage depends on the Economy ticket, and a Basic ticket gives the small bag only.
- On a Basic ticket you can buy one piece of hand baggage via My Trip up to 4 hours before departure.
- The 12 kg limit in Economy is the combined weight of the small bag and hand baggage, not a per-bag figure; it rises to 18 kg in Business.
- Handles and wheels count toward the 55 × 35 × 25 cm size, and an oversized or overweight bag is checked for a fee.
- If your seat is near an emergency exit, the small bag must go in the overhead bin instead of under the seat.