Baggage Allowance Guide: Flying to Africa from Canada

There is no non-stop flight from Canada to most African destinations, so most itineraries connect through a hub airline — commonly Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, Kenya Airways via Nairobi, EgyptAir via Cairo, RwandAir via Kigali, or a Gulf carrier such as Emirates or Qatar Airways. Baggage rules vary meaningfully between them.

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines, operating through its Addis Ababa hub, generally allows 2 free checked bags at 23 kg each in Economy on flights to and from the USA, Canada and Europe; Business class allows 2 bags at 32 kg each, or 3 bags at 23 kg each. Carry-on is 1 piece up to 7 kg in Economy, or 2 pieces at 7 kg each in Business.

Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways’ international checked baggage allowance is generally 2 pieces of 23 kg each in Economy, and 2 pieces of 32 kg each in Business, on most long-haul and intra-Africa routes. Cabin baggage is typically 1 piece up to 12 kg in Economy on long-haul sectors.

RwandAir

RwandAir, routing through Kigali, generally allows 2 pieces at 23 kg each in Economy, and 2 pieces at 32 kg each in Premium Economy. Carry-on is limited to 1 bag, up to roughly 55 x 38 x 20 cm and 10 kg.

EgyptAir

EgyptAir connects Canada to Cairo and onward across Africa, though specific baggage figures vary by fare and route — check the allowance shown on your ticket directly, since EgyptAir’s policy differs by origin and destination pairing more than some competitors.

General tips for Canada-Africa baggage

• Most Canada-Africa itineraries use the piece concept (2 bags of 23 kg) rather than a single weight allowance — this generally works in your favour if you are travelling with two evenly packed bags rather than one heavy one.
• If your trip includes a safari add-on with a small charter aircraft (common in Kenya and Tanzania), note that light aircraft often cap baggage far lower, sometimes 15 kg total in a soft-sided bag — check this separately from your international allowance.
• Confirm whether your Canada-Africa ticket is on a single airline or an interline/codeshare itinerary, since baggage rules can follow the more restrictive of the two carriers on mixed tickets.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the standard checked baggage allowance for Canada-Africa flights?
Most major connecting carriers — Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, RwandAir and Gulf carriers on African routes — allow 2 checked bags of 23 kg each in Economy, though always confirm on your specific ticket.

2. Does a safari add-on have different baggage rules?
Yes. Small charter or bush flights used for safari connections often cap baggage much lower than international allowances, sometimes to around 15 kg in a soft-sided bag — check with your safari operator separately.

3. Which airline connects Canada to Africa with the most generous baggage allowance?
Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and RwandAir all generally offer 2 x 23 kg in Economy on international routes, putting them roughly on par with each other.

4. Are there non-stop flights from Canada to Africa?
No major African destination currently has a non-stop flight from Canada; all routings connect through a hub such as Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Cairo, Kigali, Dubai or Doha.