Jetstar Drops 7kg Carry-On Cap, Charges From $25 for Overhead Bags

Q: What happens to your luggage when Jetstar's limited overhead locker spaces completely sell out?

If Jetstar’s paid overhead locker allocation sells out, you cannot count on taking a larger cabin bag into the locker. The airline says Priority Carry-on is limited by flight and aircraft type, and once those spots are gone, it is no longer available to buy. In that case, if you turn up with more than the free underseat personal item, Jetstar says you may need to have the bag checked in and extra fees can apply. Its website advises passengers to add checked baggage instead if Priority Carry-on is unavailable. The airline also says bags can still be required to be checked for operational, safety, security or disruption reasons. Even if you have bought Priority Carry-on, Jetstar’s terms say it allows you to bring an overhead bag onboard but does not guarantee a specific overhead locker space. In practice, if bins fill up despite the paid system, staff may still gate-check bags. For passengers changing flights or affected by disruptions, Jetstar says if Priority Carry-on is not available on the replacement flight, it will offer alternative baggage options. That can include 20kg of checked baggage, or a credit equivalent if the product was bought separately, depending on the circumstances. So the practical answer is: once overhead spaces are sold out, your larger cabin bag will usually have to go into the hold, likely for a fee unless Jetstar is rebooking you after a disruption and provides checked baggage as the substitute.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Lifestyle Australia · Aug 5

From Feb. 2, 2027, Jetstar tickets will include only one underseat bag, while passengers wanting a second bag in overhead lockers must buy priority carry-on.
The airline said scrapping the 7kg limit will shift checks from weight to size, reduce gate weighing, use locker space better and help flights depart on time.
Priority carry-on starts at $25, while 15kg of checked baggage starts at $34, a pricing gap that a travel insurance expert said may push some travelers to check bags instead.
Warren Duke of Compare The Market warned that valuables such as jewellery, cash and cameras are often excluded from insurance when packed in checked luggage but covered in cabin bags.
Jetstar said delayed or missing bags affected 0.4% of bookings with checked luggage over the past year, though one in five Australians say they have lost luggage while travelling.