- 1PC
- One checked bag allowed
- 2PC
- Two checked bags, each within its own limit
- Per-piece cap
- Usually up to 23 kg in economy on Air India piece routes
- Hard ceiling
- No single piece over 32 kg on Air India
- Weight concept
- Total kilos, e.g. IndiGo domestic 15 kg
PC means piece. On your ticket or booking, 1PC means you can check in one bag, and 2PC means you can check in two bags, with each bag carrying its own weight limit, usually 23 kg per piece in economy on piece-concept routes. It is a counting system, not a weight allowance: 2PC of 23 kg each is not the same as one bag of 46 kg. The alternative system, common on Indian domestic flights, is a weight allowance where only the total kilos matter.
Airlines run two different maths on checked baggage, and the confusion starts when travellers mix them. Here is how to read which one your ticket is using.
The piece concept: counting bags
Under the piece concept, your allowance is a number of bags, and every bag has its own maximum weight and size. Air India uses this on several international routes. Per Air India's checked baggage allowance page, on routes such as the United States, Canada and Europe, an economy Value fare lists one piece of up to 23 kg, while Classic and Flex fares list two pieces of up to 23 kg each; business and first class list two pieces of up to 32 kg each. Each piece must also stay within 158 cm of total dimensions (length plus width plus height).
Two more piece-concept rules from the same Air India page worth knowing:
- 32 kg is the absolute ceiling: no single piece may weigh more than 32 kg anywhere on Air India's network, whatever your allowance says.
- Piece count follows the allowance: Air India notes that passengers with a free baggage allowance under 25 kg get one check-in piece, and those with 25 kg or more get two.
IndiGo uses the piece idea on its codeshare sectors too: for Australia, Europe, Africa and US codeshare sectors its page lists allowances like 30 kg or 46 kg per person, marked as two pieces only, with a maximum of 23 kg per piece.
The weight concept: counting kilos
Under the weight concept, the airline cares about total weight, not bag count. IndiGo's domestic allowance works this way: 15 kg per person, and you are not told how many bags to split it into. Air India also uses weight-based allowances on many routes, such as 25 to 35 kg depending on sector and fare brand for places like the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and Australia. On IndiGo's domestic allowance, splitting 15 kg into two bags is fine as far as weight goes. Air India is stricter on count: it allows only one check-in piece when the free allowance is under 25 kg, and charges may apply beyond that.
How to read what your ticket says
Your e-ticket or booking summary shows the allowance either as a number with PC, like 1PC or 2PC, or as a weight, like 15 kg or 30 kg. PC means the piece concept: that many bags, each within the per-piece weight the airline states for your route and cabin. A plain weight means the weight concept: only the total matters. If your ticket shows neither clearly, the airline's baggage page for your exact route is the authority, because the same airline runs different systems on different routes.
The mistakes this distinction prevents
- Thinking 2PC means double weight in one bag. It means two bags, each within its own limit. One 30 kg bag on a 2PC economy allowance is an overweight bag, not a clever hack.
- Assuming a weight allowance never limits bag count. On IndiGo's 15 kg domestic ticket, splitting into two bags is fine; on Air India, a free allowance under 25 kg means only one check-in piece.
- Forgetting the 32 kg hard stop. Even where 2PC applies, no single piece crosses 32 kg on Air India.
- Assuming domestic and international rules match. The same airline can be weight concept on one sector and piece concept on another, so check per route, per ticket.
Common questions
Does 1PC mean I can carry any weight in one bag?
No. On Air India's piece-concept routes, one piece in economy comes with a per-piece limit of up to 23 kg, and no single piece may ever exceed 32 kg on its network.
My ticket says 2PC. Can I check one heavier bag instead?
No. 2PC means two pieces, each within its per-piece weight. A single bag over the per-piece limit is charged as overweight even if the two pieces together would have fit your total.
My ticket says 15 kg. How many bags is that?
That is the weight concept: the total matters, not the count. IndiGo's domestic allowance of 15 kg per person works this way. Keep each bag within the airline's size limits.
Do both pieces in 2PC have to be the same weight?
No. Each piece has its own maximum, such as up to 23 kg in economy on Air India's piece routes. How you split below those caps is your packing decision.
Where do I confirm my allowance?
On your e-ticket's baggage line and the airline's baggage page for your exact route and cabin. Allowances differ by route, fare brand and codeshare, so check the specific sector rather than a generic number.
Sources checked on 24 October 2026: Air India checked baggage allowance, IndiGo baggage allowance. Allowances vary by route, fare and date, so confirm on your ticket and the airline page before packing.
A Miranda House graduate and lawyer who traded courtrooms for slow travel. Cheshta travels with the batches we host ourselves, with a soft spot for travelling alongside elders.
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