Abstract: Fiber metal laminates (FML), which combine the advantages of composite and metallic materials, are gaining widespread application in aerospace, automotive manufacturing, defense facilities, and other fields. In these domains, enhancing the blast resistance of FMLs remains a key focus for researchers. To investigate the blast resistance of plain-woven carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP)-steel laminates, this study focuses on the effects of CFRP layup and the CFRP/steel thickness ratio on structural blast resistance. Initially, near-field blast experiments were conducted on five configurations with equal areal densities. Comparative analysis of the blast resistance across configurations was performed, and structural protection mechanisms were revealed by examining macroscopic and microscopic damage modes. Based on these findings, the ABAQUS finite element software was used to explore how the CFRP/steel thickness ratio in S+C configurations with equal areal densities affects blast performance. The results indicate that the S+C configuration exhibits the optimal blast resistance, achieving a 46.18% improvement over that of pure steel plates. Under blast impact, the primary protective mechanisms of the plain-woven CFRP-steel composite include plastic deformation of the steel plate, delamination at the CFRP-steel interface, interlayer delamination within CFRP, matrix cracking/fracturing, fiber-matrix separation, and fiber fracture. Notably, CFRP on the back blast face provides effective protection through tensile fracture and interlayer delamination. For structures with equal areal densities, there exists an optimal thickness match, with the best blast performance achieved when the CFRP/steel thickness ratio is 4:1.