Jetstar is replacing its 7kg carry-on weight limit with a size-based system from 2 February 2027. If you fly Jetstar, the bag you have always taken on board may no longer travel free.
Here is what actually changes, taken from Jetstar's own announcement rather than the headlines.
What every fare still includes
One underseat bag, up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm. A backpack, handbag or laptop bag. No charge, on every fare.
What now costs extra
Priority Carry-on adds a second bag for the overhead locker, up to 56 x 36 x 23 cm, plus the chance to board among the first passengers.
One rule applies either way: no single bag can weigh more than 10kg. Jetstar has said it will not routinely weigh bags at the gate, but the limit exists so passengers can lift and stow their own luggage safely.
The four things worth knowing
- The 7kg limit is gone. Jetstar is moving from a weight-first model to a size-first one, in line with low-cost carriers overseas.
- The overhead locker is now a paid product. Every fare includes the underseat bag. The locker bag is the part you buy.
- It can sell out. Jetstar has confirmed Priority Carry-on is a capped product. On a full flight it may not be available, at booking or at the gate.
- Your free bag can still go overhead. If there is space, you are allowed to put your underseat bag in the locker. You are just not guaranteed the room.
What it costs
Priority Carry-on starts from AUD $25 one way, and was quoted at around $33 on Sydney to Melbourne when the change was announced. It is dynamically priced, so the figure moves with demand and route. Treat those numbers as a starting point rather than a set rate.
If you have already booked
- Travelling before 2 February 2027 — nothing changes for you.
- Travelling on or after 2 February 2027, booked before 5 August 2026 — Jetstar has said these bookings are automatically upgraded to Priority Carry-on at no extra cost.
- Checked baggage — no changes at all.
- Jetstar Japan (GK) flights — not affected.
The bag most people will get caught out by
The gap between the two sizes is where the trouble is. A typical hard-shell cabin spinner is roughly 55 x 35 x 23 cm. That fits inside the Priority Carry-on allowance, and nowhere near the free underseat allowance of 40 x 30 x 20 cm.
In other words: the small suitcase you have wheeled onto Jetstar for years becomes a paid item from February, unless you check it in.
Worth measuring before then, rather than at the gate:
- A 15-inch laptop backpack is usually around 40 x 30 x 15 cm, so generally fine.
- A weekender duffel is often 50 cm long, which is too long for underseat.
- Wheels and handles count. Measure the bag as it is, not as the label describes it.
What this means for your airport transfer
This is the part that affects how you get to and from the airport, and it is worth thinking about now rather than in February.
More people will check bags. When a cabin bag costs $25 to $33 each way, checking it in becomes the cheaper option for a lot of travellers. That means more luggage, and bigger luggage, arriving at the kerb.
Tell us your real luggage count when you book. The number of bags you enter in the AUSZ app decides which vehicle we send. Two people with two checked cases and two carry-ons is a genuinely different vehicle from two people with hand luggage. Entering the true number costs nothing, and it is the most reliable way to avoid a boot that will not close.
Allow more time on arrival. If you check a bag instead of carrying it on, your journey no longer ends at the gate, it ends at the carousel. For Jetstar arrivals from February, budget the extra time between landing and reaching the kerb.
Our fleet is European, and sized accordingly. Every AUSZ vehicle is a Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi, and our larger SUV and people-mover options exist precisely for trips where luggage is the constraint. If you are unsure what will fit, book the larger vehicle. It costs far less than a second car at the airport.
In summary
From 2 February 2027, Jetstar's cheapest fares include one underseat bag only. Anything bound for the overhead locker is a paid, limited-availability extra starting from $25. Existing bookings for travel after that date, made before 5 August 2026, are covered at no cost.
Measure your bag now. And when you book your transfer, tell us how much luggage is really coming, because the vehicle we send depends on it.
About this article. Details are drawn from Jetstar's published announcement and travel-agent guidance as at August 2026. Airline policies and prices change, so confirm the current rules with Jetstar before you travel.
Book your airport transfer in the AUSZ app and enter your luggage count at booking, so the right vehicle is waiting when you land.
