Baggage Without Extra Fees: Carry-on Rules and Life Hacks for Travellers from Kazakhstan

Flying from Almaty, Astana or Shymkent and don’t want to pay 8–15 thousand tenge for an “extra” suitcase? This article contains the latest 2026 rules for the main airlines of Kazakhstan, how to read the tariff when buying a ticket and real ways to fit everything you need into hand luggage. Save this so you don’t pay extra already today.

Every third passenger at Kazakhstani airports pays extra for baggage right at the check-in counter. Amounts range from 7 to 20 thousand tenge per piece. At the same time, it was almost always possible to fly cheaper or even for free — if you know the rules and prepare in advance.

This article contains only up-to-date data as of May 2026 from the official sources of the airlines. No fluff and no “folk” advice that later turns into fines.

When buying a ticket, look not only at the price but at the tariff name:

• No-baggage / Light / Promo / Basic — only hand luggage. Checked baggage is always paid.
• With baggage / Classic / Optimum / Comfort — includes 1–2 pieces of 23 kg (or less — depends on the carrier).

Life hack: after buying the ticket, go to “My Booking” on the airline’s website — it clearly states “Baggage included: 0 kg / 23 kg / 2×23 kg”. If you see “0 kg” — this is not a mistake, it is a no-baggage tariff.

FlyArystan
- Hand luggage: 56×23×36 cm, 7 kg (from March 2026).
- Checked baggage: only on Comfort tariffs (20/32 kg) or purchased separately.
- Maximum per piece: 32 kg, 158 cm total dimensions.
- Note: strict one-piece rule — everything must fit in one bag.

Air Astana
- Hand luggage: 56×45×25 cm, 8 kg (economy).
- Checked baggage: Basic — 0 kg, Classic — 23 kg, Plus — 2×23 kg.
- Maximum per piece: 32 kg, 158 cm total dimensions.
- Note: business class — 2 pieces of hand luggage.

SCAT
- Hand luggage: 55×40×25 cm, 10 kg.
- Checked baggage: Light — 0 kg, Optimum — 23 kg, Flex — 2×23 kg.
- Maximum per piece: 32 kg, 158 cm total dimensions.
- Note: on subsidised flights often 20 kg + 5 kg hand luggage.

Qazaq Air
- Hand luggage: 40×25×20 cm, 5 kg.
- Checked baggage: Light — 0 kg, Optimal/Comfort — 10–23 kg.
- Maximum per piece: 32 kg, 158 cm total dimensions.
- Note: the strictest hand luggage dimensions.

Important: the rules are the same for domestic and most international flights. But on popular routes (Istanbul, Seoul, Dubai) there are sometimes promotions with increased allowances — check when booking.

On low-cost carriers (FlyArystan, Qazaq Air) the one-piece concept applies — everything you carry into the cabin must fit into one piece of hand luggage. There is no separate “personal item”.

On Air Astana and SCAT you can usually take:
- outer clothing (jacket, coat) on your arm;
- a small backpack/lady’s bag/briefcase (if it is clearly “personal” and small);
- laptop/tablet (if not in the main bag);
- baby food for the duration of the flight;
- a folding umbrella or cane.

Practical tip: if you are flying FlyArystan — wear the heaviest and bulkiest items on yourself (jacket, trainers, jeans). Put only light items in the bag.

1. Compression bags + vacuum bags — save up to 50 % of volume.
2. Multi-functional clothing — one 3-in-1 jacket, merino socks, quick-dry items.
3. Roll + bundle method — roll clothes into rolls instead of stacking them.
4. Mini versions — travel-size cosmetics, foldable shoes, thin 5000 mAh power bank.
5. Wear on yourself — heavy items (boots, jacket, jeans) put on at the airport.

Real example: a family of 4 from Almaty to Turkey flew with only 4 pieces of hand luggage (7 kg each) — they saved about 80,000 tenge.

• Online in advance — almost always 30–50 % cheaper.
• At the airport — 1.5–3 times more expensive.
• At the check-in counter for 1 kg overweight — from 1,500–5,000 tenge depending on the carrier.

Rule: if you need 15–20 kg — buy in advance. If only 2–3 kg over — sometimes it is cheaper to pay at the airport, but only if you are sure there will be no queue.

• Baby stroller — almost always free (gate check or checked baggage). For a child up to 2–5 years (depending on the airline) — does not count toward the allowance.
• Sports equipment (skis, bicycle, snowboard) — usually paid, but sometimes included in Flex/Plus tariffs. Book in advance.
• Medicines and special food — in hand luggage in reasonable quantities. Liquid medicines — in a clear bag, with a prescription (especially psychotropic and potent drugs). Baby food — for the duration of the flight without the 100 ml limit.
• Musical instruments — if they fit in hand luggage — free. Otherwise — as an additional piece (CBBG).

• Overweight even 0.5 kg at the counter = paid.
• Oversized (over 158–215 cm total) — separate fee + possible refusal.
• Suitcase over 32 kg — will not be accepted as regular baggage (requires special handling and extra payment).

Tip: weigh your suitcase at home on regular scales and measure with a tape measure. Airport scales and frames are often “stricter”.

1. When buying a ticket — choose a tariff with the required baggage or calculate how much you will save with hand luggage only.
2. 24–48 hours before — check the allowances in “My Booking”.
3. Pack using the life hacks above.
4. At the airport — arrive early, weigh hand luggage on free scales (if available).
5. At security — liquids in a separate 1-litre bag.
6. On exit — collect the stroller at the aircraft door (gate check).

1. Immediately at the arrival airport — do not leave the baggage claim area. Go to the Lost & Found counter and fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
2. Keep your boarding pass, baggage tag and report.
3. Then — track by PIR number on the airline’s website or call the tracing service (contacts are on the official websites).
4. Compensation — under the Montreal Convention (approximately up to 1,500–2,000 SDR per piece). Air Astana and FlyArystan usually pay within 30–60 days after the claim.

1. Official FlyArystan website — “Baggage” and “Hand Luggage/Checked Baggage” sections (flyarystan.com/baggage and support/hand-baggage-checked-in-baggage), data as of May 2026, including the hand luggage update to 7 kg from March 2026.
2. Official Air Astana website — “Baggage Allowance” (airastana.com/kaz-ru/information/baggage-allowance), current Basic/Classic/Plus tariffs.
3. Official SCAT website — “Baggage and Hand Luggage” section (scat.kz/ru/luggage-and-hand-luggage/), norms by Light/Optimum/Flex tariffs.
4. Data for Qazaq Air — official PDF rules and current reviews on booking.flyqazaq.com (2025–2026).
5. Recommendations on lost baggage — Help centre of Air Astana and FlyArystan (PIR procedure).

All figures and rules are taken directly from official resources at the time of writing. Before every flight, always check the allowances for your specific ticket — airlines sometimes make minor changes.