Jetstar Scraps Free 7kg Carry-On For New Overhead Baggage Fees
Jetstar’s overhead lockers now come with fees up to $52
Jetstar is tearing up its carry-on rulebook. From 2 February 2027, the Australian budget airline is ditching the 7kg weight limit, and replacing it with a size-based system. Jetstar passengers who wish to store their carry-on bags in the overhead locker will soon need to pay for that privilege, with a new ‘Priority Carry-on’ add-on starting at $25 per flight.
"We know that weighing carry-on bags at the gate can be frustrating for our customers and for our crew," says Jetstar CEO, Stephanie Tully.
“By giving customers an underseat bag with the option to add Priority Carry-on, we can make better use of overhead locker space, streamline boarding and help more flights depart on time." she adds.
It's a move straight out of the European low-cost playbook, echoing services offered by Ryanair and its budget peers. Jetstar passengers will soon too get one small bag free, but everything else costs extra.
Jetstar hasn't said whether cheaper base fares will land soon to reflect its reduced inclusions. That's the obvious next question when everyone's now getting less included as standard. Tully's line is that the new model "provides more choice to customers while helping to keep our fares low."
Jetstar's New Carry-On Policy
Jetstar's new carry-on baggage policy is built entirely around dimensions, not kilograms:
- All passengers get one underseat bag in every fare, up to 40 x 30 x 20cm
- Priority Carry-on is a paid extra to use the overhead locker and priority boarding, with a larger size up to 56 × 36 × 23cm permitted
It's worth noting that Jetstar hasn't removed its weight limit entirely. Every individual bag still can't exceed 10kg, and you need to be able to lift and carry it yourself. The difference is this won't be "routinely" checked at the gate, as it's framed as a safety requirement rather than an allowance.
But there is an overlooked aspect of Jetstar's new Priority Carry-on product that is bound to sting a few passengers. Priority Carry-on isn't a flat fee, it's priced dynamically by route.
In practice, this means that the cost will change based on demand. When a lot of other passengers book Priority Carry-on on your flight, the cost will likely increase. That's Uber surge pricing logic applied to your luggage, and it makes it far easier to get ripped off.
Below are a few example starting prices for Jetstar Priority Carry-on:
- Launceston to Sydney from $25 one-way
- Adelaide to Brisbane from $26 one-way
- Sydney to Melbourne from $33 one-way
- Perth to Bali (Denpasar) from $39 one-way
- Cairns to Tokyo (Narita) from $52 one-way
Jetstar Will Launch Priority Boarding
Overhead bags used to be a first-come, first-served scramble. Now they're a paid queue jump too. Jetstar's new boarding order runs:
- Business Class customers (international Boeing 787 flights only)
- Priority Carry-on customers
- Everyone else
We expect Jetstar will set up dedicated priority boarding queues to facilitate this. The catch is that because it's a paid option, its value depends entirely on uptake. If more than half the plane ends up paying for Priority Carry-on, is boarding "early" really still a perk?
What Happens If I Already Booked A Jetstar Flight?
Flights before 2 February 2027: Nothing changes.
Flights booked before 5 August 2026 that depart from 2 February 2027: You'll have Priority Carry-on added to your booking for free, regardless of your fare or bundle type. This means you'll get to enjoy the new carry-on allowance and priority boarding at no extra cost. If you previously paid for the extra 7kg limit (for a total 14kg carry-on) Jetstar will also refund the additional baggage you purchased.
If your booking is affected, Jetstar will send you an updated itinerary and an email with more information.
Summing Up: Why Is Jetstar Doing This?
Jetstar's official line is that this is about customer experience. No more gate-side scale anxiety, smoother boarding, and happier crew.
But let's not pretend that's the whole story. This is an unbundling exercise, the same playbook European budget carriers have run for over a decade. Take something that used to be included, split it into a free tier that barely covers a laptop bag, and charge for the product most people actually need. Jetstar gets to keep advertising low headline fares while adding up a new revenue stream on top.
The tell is in what Jetstar hasn't said. There's no commitment to lower base fares to reflect the fact that everyone's now getting less. If this were purely about improving the experience, that would be the easiest goodwill gesture available.
That said, I am actually a fan of these changes. Jetstar is a budget airline, so it makes sense to pay for additional bags when you need it. With so many passengers taking lots of bags onboard, hopefully this speeds up the whole process. Plus, dropping the 7kg weight limit is an obvious win.
