How to reduce — or avoid — airline fees for checked bags

Checking a bag on the airport has gotten pricier for vacationers — and more durable to keep away from.

A checked bag is one saved in a aircraft’s cargo maintain throughout a flight. Whereas that service was free in years previous, it is now normal for main airways to cost for checked baggage, specialists stated.

Main U.S. airways began doing so in 2008, levying round $15 a bag, stated Katy Nastro, journey knowledgeable at low-cost flight alert platform Going.

Right this moment, it is about double: $30 to $35 for one checked bag, Nastro stated. Meaning vacationers who verify a bag on every leg of a round-trip itinerary can add an additional $60 to $70 to the whole value of their primary fare. And charges typically enhance for every further checked bag.

Passengers paid about $6.8 billion in whole baggage charges in 2022, the final full yr for which knowledge can be found, in keeping with the Bureau of Transportation. That is up 17% from roughly $5.8 billion in 2019, despite the fact that fewer passengers flew on U.S. carriers in 2022, Bureau knowledge present.

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“Until baggage is included in a higher-class (premium economic system, first, enterprise class, and so on.) ticket, passengers ought to count on to pay a payment,” Eric Napoli, vp of authorized technique at AirHelp, which helps passengers file claims for airline compensation, defined in an e-mail.

Here is some recommendation from journey specialists on the right way to scale back these charges, and maybe keep away from them altogether.

There are a couple of airways that also do not cost for a checked bag.

Southwest, for instance, is the one outlier within the U.S., specialists stated. The provider allows two free checked baggage.

The “Huge Three” Gulf Airways — Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates — nonetheless provide free baggage, as does Air India, in keeping with Aiden Higgins, senior editor of The Broke Backpacker web site.

These carriers might have sure restrictions, together with for baggage dimension and weight.

In fact, simply because they might not cost for luggage does not imply their fares are cheaper than others when assessing general value. They usually might not fly routes that work for vacationers’ itineraries.

Journey companions might also contemplate combining suitcases.

A household of 4 might be able to condense 4 baggage into two, doubtlessly reducing checked-bag charges in half, specialists stated.

One caveat: Passengers want to contemplate airways’ weight necessities for luggage and whether or not consolidating suitcases may set off further charges.

Touring gentle — solely with a private merchandise and/or carry-on bag, relying on what your airline and fare class allow at no cost — is “the one fool-proof method” to keep away from paying a checked-bag payment, Napoli stated.

In fact, this would possibly not be potential for everybody.

However passengers “can sneak fairly a bit into the cabin” inside airline limits, particularly with a well-packed backpack (aided by packing cubes) mixed with a sling bag and/or a tote bag, Higgins stated.

Passengers with softer, duffel-bag-type baggage that is extra pliable might have a neater time assembly carry-on dimension necessities versus these with a tough case, Nastro stated.

Even the main carriers typically cost for carry-ons on basic-economy fares, specialists stated.

A better-tier ticket for the next value would possibly embrace a baggage allowance — wherein case passengers might wind up paying the identical whole value in comparison with a lower-cost fare whereas additionally getting some further advantages like the flexibility to decide on a seat or make flight adjustments, specialists stated.

“In case you are utilizing an aggregator like Skyscanner, it might typically work out cheaper to go along with the 2nd or third most costly flight if the airline is [also] providing baggage,” Higgins stated.

Vacationers ought to learn the fantastic print to discern what baggage is included of their ticket, which varies from airline to airline and ticket class, Napoli stated.

Whether or not you are checking a bag or carrying one on for a payment, declaring that early can prevent cash.

For instance, a regular passenger flying Spirit Airways from New York to Los Angeles this week would pay $39 for a carry-on, in keeping with the provider’s price chart. (A checked bag is cheaper: $34.)

However these costs assume passengers add their baggage throughout the preliminary on-line reserving course of. Those that wait to pay till arriving on the gate, for instance, would pay $99 for a checked bag or carry-on, the chart signifies.

For many who know they will want so as to add a bag, “9 instances out of 10 it is at all times cheaper to do it upon reserving” as an alternative of deferring till later, Nastro stated.

Comparatively excessive charges for “add ons” like baggage imply a finances provider is probably not the most cost effective choice when assessing whole value and worth, she stated.

Shopping for and utilizing a baggage scale earlier than touring can assist vacationers keep away from shock charges on the airport because of exceeding a weight restrict on checked baggage.

“Not less than weigh your suitcase earlier than you even guide the flight,” Higgins stated. “As soon as upon a time airways might need turned a blind eye” to further weight, however not any extra, he stated.

Vacationers may also put money into ultralight baggage, Higgins stated.

“You’ll be able to simply save 1 or 2 [kilograms] by shopping for specifically designed ultralight journey gear,” he stated. Nonetheless, such baggage could be expensive and is probably not as sturdy as sturdier packs, he stated.

“Many bank cards, particularly airline-branded playing cards, provide free checked baggage as a perk,” stated Napoli.

In fact, vacationers should not essentially open a bank card account only for this perk, specialists stated. Some playing cards may also carry an annual payment, although vacationers would possibly come out forward if their annual advantages (e.g., financial savings on bag charges) eclipse that expense.

“It varies bank card to bank card and airline to airline,” Nastro stated.

Becoming a member of an airline’s frequent flier program might also include perks for vacationers like free or further baggage, Higgins stated.