Which has the bigger carry-on allowance, Icelandair or Turkish?

Icelandair: 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in), up to 10 kg (22 lb). Turkish: 55 × 40 × 23 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 9.1 in), up to 8 kg (17.6 lb). Turkish allows the larger bag.

Where do Icelandair and Turkish fly from?

Icelandair's main hubs are Reykjavík (KEF). Turkish's are Istanbul (IST). The better pick is often whichever flies nonstop from your airport.

Are Icelandair and Turkish partners?

They aren't in the same alliance (Icelandair: none; Turkish: Star Alliance), so miles and status generally don't transfer between them.

FI vs TK · 2026 comparison

Icelandair vs Turkish

Q: Do Icelandair and Turkish include a carry-on on basic economy?

Icelandair: Economy Light includes a carry-on and a personal item, but no checked bag. Turkish: EcoFly fares include the 8 kg carry-on and a personal item.

Icelandair wins on a more generous carry-on weight limit; Turkish wins on a bigger carry-on and cheaper checked bags. Here's how they compare on bags, fees, comfort, reliability and loyalty.

Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction

Icelandair

Wins 1 category

A more generous carry-on weight limit

Turkish

Wins 2 categories

A bigger carry-on
Cheaper checked bags

Quick verdict

Icelandair wins on a more generous carry-on weight limit; Turkish wins on a bigger carry-on and cheaper checked bags. Both include a carry-on on every fare.

Carry-on size: Icelandair: 55 × 40 × 20 cm · Turkish: 55 × 40 × 23 cm
Carry-on on the cheapest fare: Icelandair: Included on every fare · Turkish: Included on every fare
First checked bag (regular economy): Icelandair: 1 free bag · Turkish: 2 free bags

Side by side

	Icelandair	Turkish
Bags
Carry-on size	55 × 40 × 20 cm	55 × 40 × 23 cm
Carry-on on the cheapest fare	Included on every fare	Included on every fare
Carry-on weight limit	10 kg (22 lb)	8 kg (17.6 lb)
Personal item	40 × 30 × 15 cm	40 × 30 × 15 cm
First checked bag (regular economy)	1 free bag	2 free bags
Network
Alliance	None	Star Alliance
Loyalty program	Saga Club	Miles&Smiles
Main hubs	KEF	IST

Highlighted values are better for travelers. Fees are for U.S. domestic economy flights; on-time data is 2025 U.S. DOT figures for each airline's own flights.

Bags and fees

Icelandair allows a carry-on up to 55 × 40 × 20 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 7.9 in), and Turkish up to 55 × 40 × 23 cm (21.7 × 15.7 × 9.1 in), so Turkish's is roomier.

Both include it on their cheapest fares.

Carry-on weight limits: 10 kg (22 lb) on Icelandair, 8 kg (17.6 lb) on Turkish.

Personal items: 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) on Icelandair, and 40 × 30 × 15 cm (15.7 × 11.8 × 5.9 in) on Turkish.

Icelandair includes one bag with Economy Standard on flights between the U.S. and Iceland, and Turkish includes two bags with ExtraFly on flights between the U.S. and Türkiye.

Basic economy

Icelandair (Economy Light): Economy Light includes a carry-on and a personal item, but no checked bag.

Turkish (EcoFly): EcoFly fares include the 8 kg carry-on and a personal item.

Loyalty and where they fly

Icelandair is not in an alliance and Turkish is in Star Alliance.

Loyalty programs: Saga Club (Icelandair) and Miles&Smiles (Turkish).

Icelandair's main hubs are Reykjavík (KEF). Turkish's are Istanbul (IST). The best choice often comes down to which airline flies nonstop from your airport.

Which should you book?

Choose Icelandair if you want…

a more generous carry-on weight limit
nonstops from KEF

Choose Turkish if you want…

a bigger carry-on
cheaper checked bags
to earn and use Star Alliance miles and status
nonstops from IST

On a route both fly, the cheaper ticket isn't always the cheaper trip: add the bags you'll actually bring, and check the fare rules before you book.