You’ve booked Saudia from London or Manchester to Jeddah, Riyadh or Madinah, there’s a suitcase open on the bed and the questions are piling up. Maybe it’s Umrah with your parents. Maybe it’s work in Riyadh, or a connection on to Asia. Either way the Saudia baggage allowance deserves ten minutes of your time, because it changes with the fare you bought and the flight home has rules of its own.
Most of the confusion comes from the cheaper fares. Basic tickets from the UK include one hold bag, not two, and plenty of websites still say otherwise. Then there’s Zamzam water, which has its own process at the airport and never goes anywhere near your suitcase.
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Saudia Luggage Allowance: Quick Facts
Saudia baggage allowance at a glance
Saudia uses the piece system on UK flights, so you count bags rather than adding up kilos across them. Each checked piece has its own cap, 23kg in Economy and 32kg up front, and anything over 158cm (length, width and height added together) gets charged as oversize.
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| Cabin and fare | Cabin bag | Personal item | Checked bags UK to Saudi Arabia | Max per bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Saver (where offered) | 1 x 7kg, 56 x 45 x 25cm | Coat, small handbag, camera | None | No hold bag |
| Economy Basic | 1 x 7kg, 56 x 45 x 25cm | Coat, small handbag, camera | 1 x 23kg | 23kg, 158cm |
| Economy Semi-Flex | 1 x 7kg, 56 x 45 x 25cm | Coat, small handbag, camera | 2 x 23kg | 23kg, 158cm |
| Economy Flex | 1 x 7kg, 56 x 45 x 25cm | Coat, small handbag, camera | 2 x 23kg | 23kg, 158cm |
| Business | 1 bag plus a briefcase (45 x 20 x 35cm) | Coat, small handbag, camera | 2 x 32kg | 32kg, 158cm |
| First | 1 bag plus a briefcase (45 x 20 x 35cm) | Coat, small handbag, camera | 2 x 32kg | 32kg, 158cm |
| Infant (not Saver) | No cabin bag of their own | Baby food for the flight, carrycot, collapsible pushchair | 1 x 23kg | 23kg, 158cm |
One naming quirk: Saudia calls Economy "Guest Class". That's what you'll see in the app and on the booking pages, so don't panic when the word Economy is nowhere to be found.
Saudia cabin bag size and the 7kg rule
In Economy you get one cabin bag of up to 7kg and 56 x 45 x 25cm. Wheels and handles count towards those measurements, which is where chunky spinner cases come unstuck. The size is pretty standard for a long-haul airline and most cases sold as “cabin size” will fit, so the weight is what you’ll be fighting.
Business and First get more room: one cabin bag plus a briefcase of up to 45 x 20 x 35cm. Saudia’s own pages list the main bag at up to 12kg on international flights and the briefcase at 9kg, though a few older copies floating around say 9kg for the main bag (your ticket settles it).
On top of the cabin bag, Saudia lets you bring a handful of personal bits that don’t count towards the weight limit:
- a coat or wrap
- an umbrella or walking stick
- a small camera
- a small handbag or purse for everyday use
- something to read on the flight
But gate staff decide what “small” means on the day. Honestly, I’d keep the cabin bag and handbag together close to 7kg so there’s nothing to argue about. (Flying in from the USA or Canada? Those departures have a strict one-carry-on rule, but it doesn’t touch your UK flights.)
Still torn between travelling light and checking a bag? Our cabin luggage vs checked luggage guide weighs up both.
Checked bags from the UK: Basic vs Semi-Flex vs Flex
This is where most people get caught out, because on UK routes the fare alone decides how many hold bags you get.
- Economy Saver comes with no checked bag at all, cabin bag only (if your route offers it)
- Economy Basic includes one bag of up to 23kg
- Economy Semi-Flex and Flex include two bags of up to 23kg each
- Business and First include two bags of up to 32kg each
You’ll find websites claiming every international Economy fare comes with two bags. Not on UK routes it doesn’t. Basic gets one, and the second is something you pay for. Flights to North America are a different story (every Economy fare gets two pieces there) which is probably where the mix-up started.
If you’re flying home with gifts, and after Umrah most families are, I’d lean towards Semi-Flex over Basic plus a paid extra bag. You get the second bag included and the fare is a bit more forgiving if plans change. Do the sums for your own dates though. The fare you pick is the single biggest variable in your Saudia baggage allowance and the gap between fares moves around a lot.
Babies get an allowance of their own. An infant on their own ticket (any fare except Saver) gets one 23kg bag plus a fully collapsible pushchair, and you can bring baby food for the flight and a carrycot on board. Infants don't get a cabin bag of their own, and Saudia won't sell extra baggage on an infant ticket, so any overflow has to squeeze into the grown-ups' allowance.
Frequent flyers do better. Alfursan Silver and Gold members, plus SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus card holders, get an extra piece: 23kg in Economy and 32kg in Business and First. And if you're comparing the Gulf carriers too, check out our Emirates baggage guide, because Emirates uses a weight-based system on a lot of its routes.
Saudia excess baggage charges, and why prepaying pays off
Saudia charges per extra piece, then adds separate fees if that piece is overweight or oversized. So a heavy, chunky extra bag can get stung twice. Fees are set in US dollars and vary by route, which is why the only number I’d trust for your trip is the one in Manage Booking on Saudia’s website or in the Saudia app.
Prepaying there costs less than paying at the airport desk on the day, which is the whole reason to sort it before you fly. On the way home you’ll know exactly how much shopping you’ve done, so book the extra bag from the hotel.
Prices are a guide and vary by route, date and demand.
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| Charge | Prepaid online | At the airport | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra piece, UK to Saudi Arabia | Check Manage Booking | Check at the desk (costs more) | Must stay within 23kg and 158cm |
| Extra piece, UK to Asia via Saudi Arabia | Check Manage Booking | Check at the desk (costs more) | Priced on the whole journey, not just the UK leg |
| Overweight, 23 to 32kg | Check Manage Booking | Check at the desk | Per bag, on top of any extra piece fee |
| Oversize, 158 to 205cm | Check Manage Booking | Check at the desk | Per bag, on top of any extra piece fee |
| Sports kit, 158 to 205cm | £74 (€89 / $100) | Same fee | Plus any applicable taxes |
| Sports kit, 205 to 300cm | £124 (€149 / $167) | Same fee | The $100 fee plus a $67 surcharge, plus any applicable taxes |
| Over 32kg | Not accepted | Not accepted | Cargo only |
On UK routes nothing over 32kg is accepted as checked baggage at all. That enormous box of gifts needs splitting into two, or sending as cargo.
Zamzam water: how much you can bring home and how it travels
For a lot of people flying home after Umrah, Zamzam water is the one thing they won’t leave without, so it’s worth getting the process right. The current rule from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is one factory-sealed 5-litre bottle per pilgrim, produced by the official King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Zamzam project.
You buy it at the authorised sales points inside the terminal at Jeddah and Madinah airports, or book it through the Nusuk app. To buy and carry it you need a valid Umrah visa or your Umrah permit in Nusuk, so keep that ready on your phone.
The bottle never goes inside your checked suitcase, and it can’t go in your cabin bag either. You hand it over at check-in as its own item, it gets its own tag, and it travels on a separate conveyor belt. On Saudia it’s carried free from Jeddah and Madinah, outside your normal baggage allowance. Flying out of Riyadh or Dammam instead? Ask at check-in how they handle it before you buy.
Ignore older articles that quote a bigger allowance or talk about carrying Zamzam in hand luggage, because both rules are long gone. Bulk or commercial amounts aren’t allowed out of the country, and refilled or unofficial containers won’t be accepted, so stick to one sealed bottle from an official counter.
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| Rule | What it means | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| How much | One factory-sealed 5-litre bottle per pilgrim | Decant it into small bottles at home if you're sharing it as gifts |
| Where to buy | Authorised sales points inside Jeddah and Madinah terminals, or booked through Nusuk | Give yourself extra time at the airport |
| Who can buy it | Pilgrims with a valid Umrah visa or a Nusuk Umrah permit | Have the permit open on your phone at the counter |
| Checked bag | Not allowed | Don't pack it in your suitcase, even wrapped up |
| Cabin bag | Not allowed | The normal liquids limits apply on board anyway |
| Counts against your Saudia allowance | No, it travels free from Jeddah and Madinah | Ask at check-in if you're departing from another Saudi airport |
| Connecting flights | Depends on your ticket | Ask at check-in if it's tagged to your final stop. On separate tickets the next airline's rules take over |
Umrah baggage rules: Ihram, Nusuk and what goes in your hand luggage
Every visa type now allows Umrah, including the tourist eVisa, family visit visas, work visas and transit visas. What you can’t skip is Nusuk. You need an Umrah permit booked in the app, and praying in the Rawdah in Madinah needs a separate permit of its own.
Saudia’s free 96-hour stopover visa allows Umrah too, but only when your journey carries on to a third country, say London to Kuala Lumpur with a stop in Jeddah. A straight London to Jeddah return doesn’t qualify. And the stopover visa can’t be used for Hajj.
Because your permits live on your phone, data matters more than usual. An Airalo eSIM for Saudi Arabia set up before you leave means Nusuk works the moment you land, without hunting for Wi-Fi in arrivals.
For the cabin bag, pack as if your hold bag might go missing for a day:
- your Ihram, so it’s within reach on the plane
- prescription medicines in their original packaging
- phone, charger and up to two power banks
- copies of your visa and Nusuk permits (screenshots help when the signal drops)
- a light layer, because aircraft cabins get chilly
Saudia announces the Miqat on board before the aircraft crosses it, which is the main reason to keep your Ihram in the cabin bag and out of the hold. When and where you change is a matter for your own scholar or group leader, and having it with you keeps every option open.
Travelling with elderly parents? Request wheelchair or mobility help from Saudia when you book, not on the day, and have a read of our senior travel guide for the small things that make a long trip easier.
On the way home, Jeddah airport turns away certain kinds of luggage. That matters most after Umrah, when gifts and dates tend to get packed in whatever's to hand. Check-in can refuse:
- bags tied with rope
- bags wrapped in cloth, and cloth luggage in general
- round or irregular-shaped bags
- bags with long, loose straps
- any bag heavier than the weight on your ticket
Power banks, liquids and batteries
Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulator, GACA, recently tightened the rules on power banks for every flight using Saudi airports. You can carry two at most. They go in your cabin bag only and never in checked luggage, you can’t recharge a power bank on board, and GACA advises against using one to charge your phone or laptop mid-flight. So top everything up at the gate.
Size limits follow the usual aviation rules: up to 100Wh is fine and 100 to 160Wh needs the airline’s approval first. Most phone power banks sit well under 100Wh, but the big laptop ones can creep over, so check the label and ask Saudia if you’re unsure. Spare lithium batteries (camera batteries, say) also go in the cabin, with the terminals covered. Our guide to power banks on planes goes deeper on watt-hours and what airlines check.
Liquids depend on where you fly from. Some UK airports with the new scanners, Heathrow and Gatwick among them, now let you carry containers of up to 2 litres, while others, Manchester included, have stuck with 100ml. It keeps changing, so check your departure airport’s security page the week you travel, and plan on 100ml for the flight home. Prescription medicines and baby food can go over the limit but will be screened. Our 100ml liquid rule guide has the full rundown.
What you can't take into Saudi Arabia
The banned list is short, and there’s no wiggle room on any of it. Alcohol and pork products are banned outright, with no personal allowance. Drones need approval before you bring one in (our drone laws by country guide covers the permit side), and some medicines are restricted, so carry the prescription and keep tablets in their original packs.
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| Item | Cabin bag | Checked bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquids over 100ml | Only if your UK airport allows it. Plan on 100ml from Saudi airports | Yes | Medicines and baby food are allowed but screened |
| Power bank | Yes, two max | No | No recharging power banks on board |
| Spare lithium batteries | Yes | No | Cover the terminals or keep them in cases |
| Zamzam water | No | No | Handed over as its own tagged item at check-in |
| Alcohol | No | No | Banned in Saudi Arabia |
| Pork products | No | No | Banned in Saudi Arabia |
| Drone | Yes, with its batteries | Body only, batteries out | Needs approval to bring into Saudi Arabia |
| Prescription medicines | Yes, in original packaging | Spares are fine | Carry the prescription, as some medicines are restricted |
| Dates and food gifts | Yes, solid foods | Yes | Date syrup and honey count as liquids at security |
| Rope-tied or cloth-wrapped bags | Not applicable | Refused at Jeddah | Use a case or a box with a flat side |
The money side catches more people out. Saudi customs (ZATCA) recently lowered the declaration threshold for cash, gold and jewellery from SAR 60,000 to SAR 40,000, and it applies arriving or leaving. You can declare through the ZATCA website or app, but for cash and gold you'll still need to finish things at the customs declaration office at the airport. Leave time for it.
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| Item | Rule | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Personal goods and gifts | Declare if worth more than SAR 3,000 | SAR 3,000 = about £595 (€712 / $800) |
| Cash, gold and jewellery | Declare at SAR 40,000 or more, worn jewellery included | SAR 40,000 = about £7,930 (€9,490 / $10,670) |
| Tobacco | Declare anything over 200 cigarettes or 500g | Quantity limit, not a value |
| Alcohol | Banned | No allowance |
Coming home to the UK: dates, gifts and duty-free
Dates are the classic gift to bring back, and the good news is they’re on GOV.UK’s list of fruit you can bring into Great Britain from outside the EU without a plant health certificate. Chocolate and sweets are fine too, as long as they’re not made with a lot of unprocessed dairy. Meat and dairy products are a no from Saudi Arabia, so leave anything meaty or milky behind.
Your allowance for other goods (perfume, jewellery, electronics, gifts) is £390 per person, about €467 or $524. Go over it and you pay tax and duty on the whole lot, not just the part above £390, and you can’t pool allowances with the rest of the family. Gold bought in Saudi Arabia counts towards it, which catches plenty of people out.
Lost, delayed or damaged bags
If your bag doesn’t turn up, or turns up broken, report it at the baggage desk before you leave the arrivals hall. You’ll get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with a reference number, and every claim after that hangs off it.
The time limits are short. Damage needs a written claim within 7 days of getting the bag back. For a delayed bag, claim for the essentials you had to buy within 21 days of the bag being delivered. Send it through Saudia’s complaints form with your PIR, boarding pass, bag tags and receipts.
If Saudia hasn’t replied within 7 days, or you’re unhappy with the answer, you can escalate to GACA. You need to do that within 60 days of the incident.
Airline claims move slowly, which is why I’d never fly without travel insurance that covers delayed bags. Saudia pays out on its own terms, and a decent policy fills the gap when you’re in Makkah without a change of clothes.
Delays to the flight itself are a separate matter. UK261 covers Saudia flights departing the UK, but not Saudia flights from Saudi Arabia into the UK, because it only protects inbound flights on UK and EU airlines. If your outbound flight was badly delayed you can claim flight compensation for a delay without chasing the airline yourself.
Gear we actually travel with
Passport holders, packing cubes, travel wallets. Stuff that earns its place in the bag.
Browse the shopSources Checked
- Saudia's baggage allowance page, cabin, checked and extra baggage rules by fare
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Umrah guide, Nusuk services including Umrah and Rawdah permits
- Nusuk, the official platform for Umrah permits and bookings
- GACA passenger FAQs, complaints and escalation time limits
- ZATCA traveller declarations, cash, gold, jewellery and gift thresholds
- GOV.UK: Bringing food into Great Britain, dates, sweets, meat and dairy
- GOV.UK: Bringing goods into the UK for personal use, the £390 allowance and declaring
Before you head to the airport
None of this is hard once you know which fare you’re on. Check the 1PC or 2PC on your ticket, weigh both bags at home (the cabin bag too), and sort your Nusuk permits before you fly, not in the hotel lobby. On the way back, buy the Zamzam at the airport, hand it over on its own, and keep the gold and receipts where you can reach them.
Your next step: open Manage Booking, check your Saudia baggage allowance against your plans, and buy any extra bag there instead of at the desk. And if you’re travelling for Umrah, I hope it’s a smooth and peaceful trip.
FAQs
What size cabin bag can I take on Saudia?
In Economy it’s one bag up to 56 x 45 x 25cm and 7kg, measured with the wheels and handles. Business and First passengers also get a briefcase up to 45 x 20 x 35cm. A coat, a small handbag and a few other personal bits can come on board too.
How many bags can I take on Saudia from London?
That comes down to your fare. Economy Basic includes one 23kg checked bag, Semi-Flex and Flex include two, and Business and First include two at 32kg each. The “1PC” or “2PC” on your e-ticket confirms it.
How much Zamzam water can I bring back on Saudia?
One factory-sealed 5-litre bottle per pilgrim, bought at the official airport sales points or booked through Nusuk. You’ll need an Umrah visa or a Nusuk permit to buy it. Saudia carries it free of charge from Jeddah and Madinah.
Can I pack Zamzam water in my suitcase?
No. Saudi rules keep Zamzam out of checked suitcases and out of cabin bags. Hand the sealed bottle over at check-in and it gets tagged and sent on its own conveyor.
Can I take a power bank on a Saudia flight?
Yes, up to two, and only in your cabin bag. Recharging a power bank during the flight isn’t allowed, and using one to top up your devices on board is discouraged. Anything between 100 and 160Wh needs Saudia’s approval first.
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