How to combine luggage

Imagine: you’re going on vacation with your family, you’ve already managed to buy tickets, and then the most interesting part begins—packing suitcases. Your suitcase treacherously shows overweight, while your companion’s is, on the contrary, half-empty. The thought immediately comes to mind: “How can I combine luggage to avoid paying a fine?” This service, sometimes called “pooling,” indeed exists with many airlines, but its rules are full of nuances.

Not knowing these rules at the check-in counter can lead to unpleasant surprises and unnecessary expenses. To prevent this, we have prepared a detailed guide on what it means to combine luggage, how to do it, and what the conditions are for the most popular airlines.

What does “combining luggage” mean?

Let’s get to the most important point. Combining luggage is not the ability to put all your belongings into one giant suitcase. It is the right to sum up the free baggage allowance of several passengers traveling together and distribute the total weight among their suitcases.

A simple example: you are flying together, and each ticket specifies an allowance of 1 piece of luggage weighing up to 23 kg. This means that for two people, you have a total “limit” of 46 kg. By combining luggage, you can check in two suitcases: one weighing 28 kg and the second 18 kg. The total weight (46 kg) is not exceeded, and you won’t have to pay extra for the overweight first suitcase (which weighs more than 23 kg).

Two golden rules for combining luggage:

1. The weight of a single suitcase cannot exceed 32 kg under any circumstances. This is not an airline whim, but an international occupational safety requirement — heavier suitcases are prohibited for manual lifting by loaders.
2. The dimensions of a single suitcase must not exceed the established norm. This is usually 203 cm, less often 158 cm in the sum of three dimensions (length + width + height). Dimensions cannot be summed.

How to combine luggage at the airport?

The procedure for combining luggage is quite simple but requires adherence to several key steps. Here’s how to combine luggage at the airport:

1. Familiarize yourself with your airline’s rules in advance. This is the most important step.
2. Approach the check-in counter all together. This is a mandatory condition.
3. Present all documents. Prepare passports and boarding passes (or tickets) for all travelers in your group.
4. Clearly state your request. Inform the airline employee at the counter that you wish to combine your baggage allowance.

After this, the employee will weigh all your suitcases, check the total weight and dimensions, and if everything is in order, will check in the luggage without additional charges.

Rules of different airlines

Rules for carriers can differ significantly, so always check the official website before departure.

• Turkish Airlines: this airline is quite lenient. Combining luggage is allowed for members of the same family or passengers under one booking. For example, if you are flying as a family, having bought tickets to Istanbul, you can count on summing up baggage allowances. The rules are standard: weight is summed, but one piece cannot be heavier than 32 kg.
• Emirates: the total weight of combined luggage must not exceed the allowance set for your class of service, and each individual piece of luggage must not weigh more than 32 kg (with the exception of flights to America and Africa).
• Flydubai: like most low-cost carriers, Flydubai does not allow combining luggage. Each passenger has an individual, non-combinable allowance.

Ultimately, the ability to combine luggage is a great way to save money and avoid stress at the airport. The main thing is to remember three simple rules: check the airline’s website in advance, arrive at check-in with your companions, and never pack a single suitcase heavier than 32 kg.