Flydubai Baggage and Hand Luggage Rules

Low-cost carriers always have special requirements for baggage and hand luggage, and it’s best to know them in advance. Even before buying tickets to Dubai, as is the case with Flydubai. Let’s delve into the intricacies of the budget airline’s rules.

Flydubai Hand Luggage Requirements

It’s simple: if you’re flying Economy Class, you’re allowed to bring hand luggage measuring 55×38×20 cm and weighing no more than 7 kg. If your ticket is Business Class, the number of hand luggage items increases to two, and the total weight to 14 kg, but each item must not exceed 7 kg. Simply put, you can take two such bags/suitcases.

Within these same weight limits, you are allowed to include one bag no larger than 25×33×20 cm. This can be a laptop bag, a ladies’ handbag, or a men’s briefcase. Everything must fit neatly under the seat in front of you.

Found that your hand luggage exceeds the permissible limits? Flydubai suggests checking it in at the counter or transferring items to your checked baggage. We suggest using a standard traveler’s hack — wear more clothes. If you do check in your hand luggage, don’t forget to remove all valuables and documents from it.

If you’re flying with Flydubai, be careful with Duty Free purchases: at the boarding gate, your hand luggage will be measured again, including bags from duty-free shops. So, mentally add everything you plan to buy to the weight of your hand luggage when packing. Otherwise, you will be asked to pay an additional 200 UAE Dirhams or $55 (or regional equivalent) for an extra piece of hand luggage.

Carriage of Liquids in Hand Luggage

Be prepared to transfer your favorite shampoos and shower gels into special travel-sized bottles: the airline allows liquid containers of no more than 100 ml each, with a total volume of no more than 1 liter. That means 10 bottles. All must be placed in a single transparent zip-lock plastic bag with a maximum size of 20×20 cm. The bag must be completely sealed. During security checks, you may be asked to remove it for separate inspection.

Flydubai allows aerosols on board, but under two conditions. Firstly, the volume must be the same — no more than 100 ml. Secondly, it cannot be used on board. So, don’t try to refresh your scent during the flight — neither the airline staff nor other passengers will appreciate it.

There are also exceptions, but they are quite standard:

• baby food and items for child care;
• products intended for special diets or medical needs.

The first category includes baby juices, milk or formula, baby food in liquid, gel, or paste form, but in reasonable quantities. Liquids, gels, and pastes for medical or dietary purposes exceeding 100 ml must be accompanied by a doctor’s note or prescription.

Baggage Carriage on Flydubai Flights

Already packing your suitcase? Don’t forget to weigh it and check the data in your booking confirmation. The maximum dimensions for baggage will be the same for everyone — a maximum of 159 cm for the sum of three dimensions. However, the weight will vary depending on the fare:

A total of three pieces of baggage can be taken, but each piece (i.e., suitcase, bag, or other item) must weigh less than 32 kg.

Flydubai also has more detailed rules:

1. At least one surface of checked baggage must be flat.
2. All straps must be secured.
3. Separate items must not be strapped together, meaning you shouldn’t wrap a film around a bag and a suitcase.
4. If baggage has an irregular shape without flat surfaces, it must be placed in a box. Its dimensions, in turn, must fit within the 159 cm limit for the sum of three dimensions.
5. Outside and inside each piece of baggage, a tag, label, or sticker with the owner’s contact details — full name, address, phone number — must be attached.
6. Baggage must be well-packed and secured to withstand air travel conditions without damage.

Special Baggage

Flydubai also has such a category. This includes smart suitcases, electric wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices, portable oxygen concentrators, musical instruments, televisions, and animals.

Smart Suitcases

I.e., equipped with lithium batteries, from which, for example, you can charge a phone. They can be carried both in checked baggage and hand luggage.

Smart suitcases with a battery ≤ 2.7 Wh will only be accepted if they can be completely switched off. Sleep or standby mode will not be sufficient.

If a smart suitcase falls into the “no more than 160 Wh” category, its battery must be removed for the duration of the flight. You will carry it in your hand luggage, in secure packaging.

However, if your suitcase contains a lithium-ion battery, it will not be accepted on board. The same applies to small personal transportation devices (mini-Segways, hoverboards, unicycles, etc.) with similar batteries.

Musical Instruments

The carriage of musical instruments on Flydubai flights is governed by the same rules as other hand luggage or checked baggage. Smaller instruments will fly with you in the cabin if they meet weight and size requirements, but you will need to pay for an additional seat. Larger instruments will go into the baggage hold if there is sufficient space and you have paid for excess baggage.

Televisions

Here, everything depends on the airport. Flydubai allows televisions with a diagonal of no more than 55 inches in checked baggage. However, some airports only permit 32 inches. Therefore, the airline advises contacting the airport to clarify their requirements.

Animals

The airline generally does not accept animals on board — neither in the cabin nor in the baggage hold. Such transportation is handled by Flydubai Cargo. However, there is one exception, and it’s not the most obvious one — falcons. They are allowed to be carried as hand luggage, but only with special prior permission.

Carriage of Sports Equipment

There are two main criteria: availability of space in the baggage compartment and booking such space no later than 24 hours before departure. Otherwise, it’s all the same as with other hand luggage and checked baggage. If it meets the standards — it travels for free, if not — for a fee, if it exceeds:

• for the sum of three dimensions from 160 to 189 cm — 150 Dirhams per item per flight;
• for the sum of three dimensions from 190 to 350 cm — 270 Dirhams per item per flight.

If your equipment exceeds these limits, you need to obtain prior permission 48 hours before departure and pay 270 Dirhams per item per flight. This also applies to the carriage of athletic poles, javelins, and hang gliders. For sporting weapons, permission must be obtained even earlier — 96 hours in advance. The fee will increase by another 300 Dirhams — for obtaining a carriage permit from the Dubai Police.

Convenient: Flydubai has a guide for packing sports equipment.

Baggage and Hand Luggage for Passengers with Children

Parents with infants, whose fare already includes baggage, can take 10 kg of checked baggage and 5 kg of hand luggage. The dimensions of hand luggage remain the same — 55 cm x 38 cm x 20 cm.

Cost of Additional Baggage with Flydubai

How much will an extra kilogram of baggage cost with Flydubai? The answer depends on your destination. The airline has divided all its flight destinations into eight zones and charges for additional baggage accordingly. On average: the further you fly, the more you pay. The zones are: UAE, GCC countries, Saudi Arabia, Middle East, Africa, Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Europe/CIS.

Have a great trip to Dubai!