Iberia Introduces New Baggage Charges for Irregularly Shaped Bags on Long-Haul Flights: What New Updates You Need to Know

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Starting in 2026, Iberia Airlines is charging fees for irregularly shaped baggage for the first time in airline history concerning both domestic and international flights. This has caused concerns that passengers will have to pay more for travel because they have irregularly shaped bags.

Iberia’s Irregular Baggage Policy: What You Need to Know

Iberia’s definition of irregular baggage is baggage that is soft, rounded, or non-rigid in composition, and is likely to interfere with the airport’s automated handling systems. Examples of items that would be considered irregular include oval-shaped baggage, plastic-wrapped packages, bags that will be pushed toward the conveyor belt, bags with flexible sections, and bags that bring about concerns of obstruction or issues in the automated baggage handling systems. Baggage deemed irregular will be assessed at designated check-in counters, with passengers facing the possibility of being refused to check the baggage, or being charged for the irregularly shaped item.

For domestic flights, direct services will incur fees of €35/$45/£35 while connecting flights will incur fees of €40/$50/£35. For services to and from the Canary Islands, Europe, and Africa, direct flights will incur fees of €60/$75/£55 while connecting flights will incur fees of €70/$80/£65. Routes to the Americas and Asia are the most expensive and will incur fees of €125/$150/£110 for direct flights and €140/$165/£125 for connecting flights.

Cost Implications for Customers

These fees are in addition to the standard baggage fees. These standard fees are either built into the fare and are not visible to the traveller or are visible and optional to the traveller based on the fare class. This will mean an overall increase in costs for travellers, particularly for long-haul flights as the irregular baggage fees can be high.

Passengers are advised to ensure that their luggage meets the Iberia requirements in terms of size and rigidity. If they do not, they will either not be able to travel with the item or they will incur additional costs to accommodate the oversized item.

The Game-Changing Impact Of Increased Fees By Iberia Airlines

Iberia is following the trend of airlines imposing fees on oversized bags. Iberia is one of the first companies that is charging for soft-sided bags. Iberia has to do the trend of charging for more bags if they want to be “industry standard” aligned, stretching customers to their limits.

Travellers are siding with Iberia on their charges of irregular bag fees. This is a standard reason for the charge. Other travellers argue that this charge reinforces stereotypes against larger people and people with families because the people who are “larger” and the people with families are the people who are more likely to travel with irregularly shaped bags.

What Is Iberia’s Regular Baggage Allowance Policy?

Iberia’s regular baggage allowances are fairly standard; for those who wish to avoid extra baggage fees, this is one way to do so. In economy class, there is an allowance for one piece of cabin baggage that is 56 x 40 x 25 cm and weighs 10 kg, and in business class, this limit increases to 14 kg. Passengers are also allowed one personal item that is 30 x 40 x 15 cm. Iberia’s checked baggage limit is one piece of baggage that weighs 23 kg, and is capped at 32 kg. For international and domestic flights, there is an excess baggage fee of €12 to €15 for each kg. Business class travellers and loyalty program members receive special considerations, including an allowance for extra pieces of baggage.

Baggage Fees: Debate in Spain and Europe

Spain has spearheaded regulating airline baggage fees. They have imposed fines against low-cost carriers that charge passengers for cabin bags. Ryanair, Norwegian, and Vueling, have collectively been fined €179 million due to Spain’s consumer protection laws.

These fines have made their way to the European Commission. Spain’s consumer protection laws may bypass the European Union’s permission to charge for additional services, including baggage. The Commission has made no end ruling to this situation, leaving the European Union and Spain’s regulations in limbo.

What Does This Mean Currently for Passengers Traveling with Iberia?

For passengers who travel with Iberia in 2026, some additional preparation may be needed to account for the imposition of new fees for irregular shaped bags. This applies, for example, to customers traveling short-haul domestic flights, or on long-haul flights to the US, or to Asia. Customers wanting to avoid additional fees on the flights should review the airline’s baggage policy and make a plan on what to pack before the travel date. This, checking the airline’s pre-flight guidelines to avoid fees, and wrapping bags according to the guidelines can save passengers from incurring additional out-of-pocket costs and save time during, and reduce stress during, the check-in and boarding process.

Among some of the first clear policies regarding restrictions on size and shape of baggage in Europe, Iberia’s new policies, in addition to the additional charges for baggage, point to increasing focus of the airline includes adding additional fees for checked baggage on budget carriers. This makes the short to medium haul point to medium to long haul international travel to/from Europe a definite market for airline travel.

However, the clear focus on irregularly shaped baggage shows that the evolutionary focus of airline customer service upgrades will be expanding in the years to come. It remains to be seen what will be the practice with Iberia’s policies and what will be the customer response. However, Europe seems to be an evolving area of airline travel for customers. Iberia’s policies and the focus on irregular baggage highlight a shift in how airlines handle baggage management.