Back in January, when Alaska Airlines raised its check bag fees from $30 to $35, you knew it was only a matter of time for the other airlines to follow suit. Sure enough, JetBlue, American, and United soon followed by raising their checked bag fees, and then, like clockwork, Delta did, too. And lest you think it’s just a US problem, the CBC reports that Air Canada and WestJet both hiked their checked baggage fees by $5 as well.
Each airline has its own “play” on the new fees. Some just raised them by $5 across the board, while others raised them by $5 if you pre-pay the checked bag fee, but it would bump up to $10 if you waited to pay at the airport.
However in the midst of all these reports of increased prices, there was one silver lining.
American Airlines raised their fees for their first and second checked bags:
Travel within / between the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands – 1st checked bag fee is $40 ($35 if you pay online) and the 2nd checked bag fee is $45.
Travel to / from Canada, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and Guyana – 1st checked bag fee is $35 and the 2nd checked bag fee is $45.
However their fees for overweight bags has changed:
For flights on/before April 16, 2024, the fees are:
| Region | Over 50 lbs / 23 kgs – 70 lbs / 32 kgs |
Over 70 lbs / 32 kgs – 100 lbs / 45 kgs |
|---|---|---|
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | $100 | $200 |
| Cuba | $200 | Not accepted |
| Mexico / Caribbean (excluding Cuba) / Central and South America* | $100 | $200 |
| Europe, Israel, Qatar | $100 | Not accepted |
| China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand^ and Australia^ | $100 | $450 (Not accepted to / from Australia) |
But for flights on/after April 17th, 2024, it’s different:
| Region | Over 50 lbs / 23 kgs – 53 lbs / 24 kgs |
Over 53 lbs / 24 kgs – 70 lbs / 32 kgs |
Over 70 lbs / 32 kgs – 100 lbs / 45 kgs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | $30 | $100 | $200 |
| Cuba | $30 | $200 | Not accepted |
| Mexico / Caribbean (excluding Cuba) / Central and South America* | $30 | $100 | $200 |
| Europe, Israel, Qatar | $30 | $100 | Not accepted |
| China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand^ and Australia^ | $30 | $100 | $450 (Not accepted to / from Australia) |
So effective April 17th, they made another category, between 50# and 53#. If your bag is over 50 pounds but up to 53 pounds, you only have to pay a $30 fee for the overage (and really…if you play your cards right, you may be able to switch 3 pounds of stuff from that bag to one that can still afford an extra 3 pounds).
They also changed the rules for oversized bags, both in the fees, and how large your oversized bag can be:
For travel on / before April 16, 2024, we only accept checked bags up to 126 in / 320 cm (length + width +height). For travel on or after April 17, 2024, checked bags over 115 in / 292 cm in total dimensions (length + width + height) are not accepted.
For travel on / after April 17, 2024, a $30 fee applies for checked bags over 62 in / 158 cm up to 65 in / 165 cm. There is no change to oversize fees for travel on / before April 16, 2024.
For flights on/before April 16, 2024, the fees are:
| Region | 62 in / 158 cm – 126 in / 320 cm |
|---|---|
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | $200 |
| Mexico* / Caribbean* / Central America (except Panama)* / Guyana* / Suriname* | $200 |
| Panama / South America (except Guyana / Suriname)* | $150 |
| Europe^, Israel, Qatar | $150 |
| China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Australia and New Zealand | $200 |
But for flights on/after April 17th, 2024, it’s different:
| Region | Over 62 in / 158 cm – 65 in / 165 cm |
Over 65 in / 165 cm – 115 in / 292 cm |
|---|---|---|
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | $30 | $200 |
| Mexico* / Caribbean* / Central America (except Panama)* / Guyana* / Suriname* | $30 | $200 |
| Panama / South America (except Guyana / Suriname)* | $30 | $150 |
| Europe^, Israel, Qatar | $30 | $150 |
| China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Australia and New Zealand | $30 | $200 |
To be fair, the news doesn’t help most flyers – just those who check overweight or oversized bags. But if your bag is just a LITTLE bit heavier or larger, at least you won’t have to pay quite as much (and, effective April 17th, if your check bag is over 115 square inches instead of the old 126 square inches, you’re screwed).
Of course, if you have certain airline or other rewards credit cards, are traveling in a top-tier class or have elite frequent flyer status, you should be able to check at least one bag for free on domestic or short international flights. But that might not help you with overweight or oversized bags.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
