On the main airlines from the UK to the Philippines, your checked baggage is counted in kilos, not in bags. Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines each set an economy allowance between 20 kg and 35 kg depending on the fare you buy, and none of them accepts a single bag over 32 kg. So the fare with the smallest price tag and the fare that carries all your pasalubong are not always the same ticket.
Every figure in this guide comes from the airline's own baggage page, which we read on 5 November 2026, with the airline named beside it. Baggage rules change, so check your ticket and the airline's page before you pack.
How much checked baggage do the airlines allow?
| Airline | Economy checked baggage, as the airline states it | Premium economy | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates | Special 20 kg, Saver 25 kg, Flex 30 kg, Flex Plus 35 kg | 35 kg | 40 kg |
| Qatar Airways | Economy Lite 20 kg, Classic 25 kg, Convenience 30 kg, Comfort 35 kg, for destinations outside Africa and the Americas | Not listed on the page we read | 40 kg |
| Singapore Airlines | Lite 25 kg, Value 25 kg, Standard 30 kg, Flexi 30 kg | 35 kg | 40 kg |
These are totals across all your checked bags, not per bag. They are not a ranking.
Qatar Airways marks its "all other destinations" figures with a note that "Exceptions apply for certain routes" and says you can see the allowance for your trip when you book, in your confirmation email and in Manage booking. Emirates says your allowance depends on where you are travelling, your fare and your travel class, and points to Manage your booking. Singapore Airlines says that for codeshare flights the operating airline's baggage policy applies.
What does the weight concept mean?
Emirates explains it simply: "Your allowance is based on the total weight of all your baggage. You can check in as many bags as you like up to the weight allowance for your travel class." Qatar Airways says there is no limit to the number of pieces as long as you stay within the weight allowance. Singapore Airlines says you can check in several bags if their combined weight does not exceed your allowance.
This is different from the piece concept you may know from flights to Africa or North America, where each bag has its own limit. Emirates says the weight concept applies to all routes except those to and from the Americas and Africa. Qatar Airways' table also treats Africa and the Americas separately. So for the Philippines, think in total kilos.
The practical effect for a trip home:
- Several bags can go, as long as the total is within your fare's allowance and no single bag is over 32 kg.
- Moving up one fare level on Emirates or Qatar Airways adds 5 kg on each step in the tables above. On Singapore Airlines, Standard and Flexi carry 5 kg more than Lite and Value.
- Compare the whole price of each fare with the kilos it includes, not only the headline price.
How heavy and how big can one bag be?
| Airline | Heaviest single bag, as stated | Size limit, as stated |
|---|---|---|
| Emirates | 32 kg | 203 cm total (length + width + height). Larger items "must be sent as cargo or freight" |
| Qatar Airways | 32 kg | 300 cm total (length + width + height) on routes outside Africa and the Americas. Items over the limit may be sent as cargo |
| Singapore Airlines | 32 kg. Heavier bags "may have to be re-packed" | Bulky items checked in at Singapore Changi should not exceed 200 x 75 x 80 cm |
Weigh every case and box at home. A 34 kg suitcase is a problem at check-in even if your total allowance is 35 kg.
Can you take a box?
Qatar Airways is the only one of the three whose baggage page we read that states a rule. It says: "Items such as boxes that are carefully wrapped, sealed and fit within our maximum weight and dimensions will be accepted." It adds that items that are "round, irregular-shaped, tied with loose rope or string, wrapped in blankets or that have loose straps will not be accepted."
We did not find a boxes rule on the Emirates or Singapore Airlines checked baggage pages. Do not assume a box counts the same as a suitcase. Ask the airline, or ask us, before you buy tape and cardboard, and keep it under 32 kg.
A balikbayan box sent by sea freight is a separate service with its own customs rules in the Philippines. We do not arrange freight, so this guide only covers what you check in on your flight.
How much hand luggage can you take?
| Airline | Economy hand baggage, as stated |
|---|---|
| Emirates | 7 kg, carry-on up to 55 x 38 x 22 cm. Premium economy 10 kg |
| Qatar Airways | 1 piece up to 7 kg, up to 50 x 37 x 25 cm, plus listed personal items such as a small purse or briefcase, a coat and an umbrella |
| Singapore Airlines | Not covered on the checked baggage page we read. Check your ticket |
Seven kilos fills quickly with a laptop and a few gifts. If you are planning to carry heavy items in the cabin to save hold allowance, the cabin limit will stop you first.
What if your trip uses more than one airline?
This matters most if your family lives outside Manila. Singapore Airlines says that when you fly on several airlines, your allowance on single tickets, conjunction tickets and separate tickets "will be different". It says that on separate tickets, the allowance printed on each ticket applies. On a single ticket, it refers to the Most Significant Marketing Carrier, the airline whose code is on the longest or most significant part of the journey.
So if you fly London to Manila on one ticket and buy a separate domestic ticket to Cebu, Davao or Iloilo, the domestic ticket has its own allowance, which can be lower. Before you pay, ask:
- Is the whole journey on one ticket?
- What is the allowance on every flight, in each direction?
- Will my bags be checked through to my final airport?
Our guide to flights to Cebu, Clark, Davao and Iloilo from the UK covers the routings.
What about Philippine Airlines and Turkish Airlines?
Philippine Airlines sells London to Manila flights on its own website, from Heathrow and Gatwick. Its Europe baggage page returned "Page Not Found" when we tried it on 5 November 2026, so we give no figure for it. Ask us for the allowance in writing with your quote.
We have not confirmed Turkish Airlines' allowance for flights to the Philippines from a page we could read. Ask for it on your quote.
Is baggage the same as customs?
No. Your airline's allowance is what it will carry. What you can bring into the Philippines without paying tax or duty is a separate rule. GOV.UK says there are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of the Philippines, and that you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. It also says you cannot take in more than 50,000 Philippine pesos, and that foreign currency over 10,000 US dollars must be declared. The eTravel form includes customs questions, so answer them honestly. Our eTravel checklist explains it.
How to check your own allowance before you pack
- Find the baggage line on your booking confirmation or e-ticket.
- Check the fare name. For Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines it decides your kilos.
- Check every ticket if your journey uses more than one airline.
- Weigh each case and box at home. Keep each under 32 kg and the total within your allowance.
- Check the hand baggage limit separately.
If anything on your ticket is unclear, send it to us before you travel.
Book with the baggage line in front of you
Tell us your airport, your dates, how many people are travelling and roughly how many kilos you plan to take, including boxes. We show you the allowance for each fare we quote, so you can compare like with like before you pay.
Use the enquiry form or email [email protected]. For airlines and UK airports, see our page on flights to Manila from the UK, and for a December trip, Christmas flights home to the Philippines.
Where to next
- Flights to Manila from the UK
- Christmas flights home to the Philippines
- eTravel for the Philippines: a checklist for flying from the UK
- Philippines destination guide
Sources
We read these pages on 5 November 2026. None shows a "last updated" date that we could see. Airlines change baggage rules without notice, so check the airline's page and your ticket before you travel.
- Emirates, checked baggage: https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/before-you-fly/baggage/checked-baggage/
- Emirates, cabin baggage rules: https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/before-you-fly/baggage/cabin-baggage-rules/
- Qatar Airways, baggage allowance: https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/baggage/allowance.html
- Singapore Airlines, checked baggage: https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/gb/travel-info/baggage/checked-baggage/
- Philippine Airlines, flights from London to Manila: https://flights.philippineairlines.com/en/flights-from-london-to-manila
- Philippine Airlines, Europe checked baggage (returned Page Not Found): https://www.philippineairlines.com/ph/en/before-you-fly/baggage/checked-baggage/international-flights/europe.html
- GOV.UK, Philippines entry requirements (customs and currency): https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/philippines/entry-requirements