Quick summary
Drukair’s international checked allowance is 30 kg in Economy and 40 kg in Business, with no single piece over 32 kg, while Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian publish a 50 lb (23 kg) standard checked bag on many routes. Since 1 January 2026 a 5% GST has applied to every Drukair service, baggage fees included.
Overweight charges on the US leg vary by carrier and route, so the dependable saving is Drukair’s online excess rate — about USD 1 per kg below the airport price. This covers allowances, fees, the GST and Drukair’s check-in rules.
Since 1 January 2026 a 5% Goods and Services Tax has applied to every Drukair service, excess baggage included, under Bhutan’s Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act 2025 and Income Tax Act 2025. As of 10 October 2026 it remains in force.
The tax adds to a baggage system built differently from North America’s. Drukair sells total weight. Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian sell pieces. On a North America–Bhutan trip, the two rulebooks meet on one ticket, and the stricter rule wins on each leg.
A bag can meet the total allowance and still breach a piece limit.
Drukair’s weight-based allowance: what Economy, Business, and domestic flyers get
Drukair’s international checked allowance is 40 kg in Business and 30 kg in Economy on all scheduled international routes. The airline has published this structure since 1 August 2022. It is a total-weight allowance: the kilos are pooled across your bags rather than counted per piece. Checked baggage must not exceed 32 kg per piece, whatever the class, a limit Drukair states is for the safety of ground employees.
Domestic Bhutan flights run lighter: 30 kg in Business and 20 kg in Economy. Cabin baggage is 7 kg in Business and 5 kg in Economy. Its maximum size is 45 x 35 x 20 cm, with a total linear dimension of 100 cm. The airline sets out both tables on its Drukair baggage allowance page.
The total allowance and the piece ceiling do different jobs. A 33 kg bag breaches Drukair’s own per-piece ceiling, even when the passenger’s class allows more weight overall.
Superdeals cover departures from North America, Europe and Australia.
Flight deals most people never see
Air Traveler Club monitors thousands of routes for pricing anomalies that traditional search engines miss. With ATC Superdeals members save up to 80% on each flight vs. regular fares.
Too good to be true? Check it out yourself. It's free.
Delivered weekly. Unsubscribe anytime.
Drukair excess baggage and the 5% GST: how fees work
Excess baggage on Drukair costs USD 2–11 per kg at the airport, depending on the sector. The most expensive sector is Dubai–Paro, at USD 11 per kg at the airport and USD 10 pre-purchased.
Online pre-purchase comes with conditions.
The purchase must be completed at least 4 hours before departure. It is non-transferable and non-refundable. Each flight on a round trip carries a separate charge. The purchase earns no loyalty points.
The airline confirms the GST’s scope in its Drukair help and FAQ pages. As a percentage, the tax does not change which sector costs most, but it widens the gap between pre-purchasing and paying at the counter from USD 1 per kg to USD 1.05.
US carrier piece limits and fees: what is actually published
Not every US carrier caps every checked bag at 23 kg. Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian list a 50 lb (23 kg) standard checked bag on many routes, with a 62 linear-inch size limit. As of 10 April 2026, they charge $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second. Delta One and First Class allowances run up to 70 lb.
American and United publish a first bag at $50 at the airport or $45 online. A second costs $60 or $55 online, and a third costs $200. Southwest charges $45, $55 and $150. Its two-free-bags policy ended on 28 May 2025.
Spirit ceased operations on 2 May 2026.
These are per-piece prices, not per-kilo charges. A second bag at $55 costs the same whether it weighs 5 kg or 23 kg; Drukair’s excess charge grows with every kilo.
| Carrier | Standard piece weight | First bag | Second bag | Third bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | 50 lb (23 kg) | $45 | $55 | $200 |
| Alaska / Hawaiian | 50 lb (23 kg) | $45 | $55 | $200 |
| American | Not stated | $50 airport / $45 online | $60 / $55 online | $200 |
| United | Not stated | $50 airport / $45 online | $60 / $55 online | $200 |
| Southwest | Not stated | $45 | $55 | $150 |
| Source: airline published baggage fee pages, April–May 2026. | ||||
Beyond baggage: Bhutan entry and Drukair check-in rules
Baggage is not the only rule that decides whether you board. Bhutan requires all visitors to book flights as part of a licensed tour package; independent travel is not permitted. Before boarding, visitors must produce a visa clearance letter that references the confirmed package. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per person per night in 2026 for most international tourists; Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals are exempt and pay a separate royalty fee instead.
The fixed costs extend beyond the ticket. A licensed tour package has a minimum daily rate of USD 250 per person per day, covering accommodation, guide and transport. A USD 40 visa processing fee per person is paid with the package confirmation.
Paro departure tax is BTN 1,200, about USD 14. For a fuller breakdown of what a Bhutan trip costs before the airfare, see the fixed costs of flying to Bhutan from North America.
Drukair’s check-in counters open 3 hours before departure and close strictly 1 hour before it. Those rules sit in the airline’s Drukair conditions of carriage. Drukair flies to Paro from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Kathmandu, Singapore and Mumbai.
The check-in window matters when baggage needs repacking. A piece above the ceiling or a fare’s wrong bag count means moving gear at the counter; after counters close, there is no margin to do so. The buffer that protects a Drukair connection also protects that repacking time.
Packing for two rulebooks on one ticket
How you divide the weight decides what you pay. The total in your bags is only half the question; the weight of each piece matters too.
Trekker with dense gear. A 30 kg load of boots, a down sleeping bag and camera gear is legal on Drukair but sits just 2 kg below its per-piece ceiling, so one last-minute addition pushes the bag over. Split it into two 15 kg bags: that clears Drukair’s total and sits under the 23 kg piece limit Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian publish. Budget a $55 second-bag fee, or $110 for the round trip. Less suited: a traveler whose fare already includes two checked bags, who pays nothing extra.
Domestic-hop traveler. Bhutan’s internal flights cut the Economy allowance by 10 kg from the international figure. Pack the domestic bag first and treat its allowance as the trip’s real ceiling, then add the international pieces around it. Less suited: Business-class passengers, who keep their domestic allowance.
Business-class flyer. Drukair’s international allowance is the largest on the ticket, but its per-piece ceiling still applies, so the full allowance has to travel as at least two pieces. Less suited: Economy passengers on the US connection, where the first leg’s published piece limit controls; confirm it on the carrier’s baggage page before you pack.
A traveler arriving on a long-haul connection should plan around the counter opening rather than departure time. Drukair advises arriving at least 2 hours early and reconfirming the booking 72 hours before departure.
Booking 90 days ahead improves seat availability. For the festival periods around Paro Tshechhu in March and Thimphu Tshechhu in October, 120 days or more is recommended.
Reporting by
Questions? Answers.
Can I pack one 30 kg suitcase for a Bhutan trip from North America?
Only if every carrier on the ticket accepts a 30 kg piece. Drukair’s ceiling is 32 kg per piece, but Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian publish a 50 lb (23 kg) standard checked bag on many routes, so a 30 kg case breaches that piece limit even though the total is within Drukair’s allowance.
Does Drukair allow heavier bags in Business?
Yes. Drukair lists 40 kg on international routes in Business against 30 kg in Economy, but the 32 kg per-piece ceiling applies in both classes, so a full 40 kg allowance has to be split across at least two bags.
Is the baggage rule the same on Bhutan domestic flights?
No. Drukair’s domestic allowance is 30 kg in Business and 20 kg in Economy, 10 kg lower in Economy than the international figure. A bag packed to the international limit can be overweight on a domestic hop.
What if my US ticket includes two free checked bags?
Then split the weight: two 15 kg bags stay under a 23 kg piece limit and under Drukair’s 32 kg ceiling at the same time. If the second bag is not included, it costs $55 on Delta, Alaska and Hawaiian, or $55 online on American and United.
