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Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue and United are among a handful of airlines that have increased checked bag fees this year. But if you plan ahead, such expenses can be easily reduced or avoided entirely.
On Friday, United Airlines raised the fee for a first checked bag at the airport to $40 and to $35 for passengers who prepay online at least 24 hours before a flight, both a $5 increase.
American Airlines also raised fees earlier last week.JetBlue Airways also Recently added Its checked bag fee is $45 and Alaska is $35.
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Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going, a platform that helps travelers find airfare deals, said such fee changes “may affect families the most, since they often travel with checked luggage.”
Checked baggage fees represent huge revenue
Checked baggage is baggage that is stored in the cargo hold of the aircraft during the flight. While the service was free in years past, it’s now standard for major airlines to charge for checked bags.
Major U.S. airlines began doing this in 2008, charging about $15 per bag, Nastro said.
By the end of 2023, Nastro said, many carriers’ charges will roughly double: a checked bag will cost $30 to $35. This means passengers checking in a bag on each leg of a round-trip trip could be adding an additional $60 to $70 to the total base fare cost.
Recent changes at American Airlines and United Airlines mean travelers may now pay an additional $80 to check a bag at the airport.
The fee usually increases for each additional piece of checked baggage.
passenger salaried According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, baggage fees will total about $6.8 billion by 2022, the last full year for which data are available. Although this figure represents a 17% increase from approximately $5.8 billion in 2019 Fewer passengers The aircraft will fly on American Airlines in 2022, according to U.S. Transportation Agency data.
“Unless the bag is included in a higher class ticket (premium economy, first class, business class, etc.), the passenger should pay a fee,” said Eric Napoli, vice president of legal strategy at AirHelp Airline Compensation, in an email. explain.
Here are some ways cost-conscious consumers can reduce these fees, or maybe even avoid them entirely, travel experts say.
1. Fly with certain airlines
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There are some airlines that still don’t charge for checked luggage.
Southwest Airlines, for example, is an exception in the United States, experts say.carrier allow Two free checked bags.
Gulf Air “Big Three”—— Qatar AirwaysEtihad Airways and Emirates Airlines — Free luggage is still available, as always indian waterAccording to Aiden Higgins, senior editor of The Broke Backpacker website.
These carriers may have certain restrictions, including baggage size and weight.
Of course, just because they may not charge baggage fees doesn’t mean their fares are cheaper than others when evaluating overall costs. They also may not fly routes that suit travelers’ itineraries.
2. Combination bag
Travel companions may also consider combining suitcases.
Experts say a family of four might be able to squeeze four bags into two, potentially cutting the cost of checked luggage in half.
Unless baggage is included in a higher class ticket (premium economy, first class, business class, etc.), the passenger will pay a fee.
Eric Napoli
AirHelp Vice President of Legal Strategy
Families with young children may be able to use the space inside the car seat trays “because airlines won’t charge for a car seat per child,” Nastro said. “You can usually fit a small, soft duffel bag in that space to store items,” she adds.
Passengers need to consider the airline’s baggage weight requirements and whether there will be additional charges for combining suitcases.
3. Skip baggage check
Naples says traveling light—carrying only personal belongings and/or carry-on luggage, depending on what your airline and fare class allows for free—is “the only foolproof way” to avoid paying checked bag fees.
Of course, this is not possible for everyone.
But Higgins said that within airline restrictions, passengers “can sneak into the cabin,” especially with a well-packed backpack (with the help of a packing cube) combined with a shoulder bag and/or handbag.
Passengers traveling with softer duffel-style luggage may have an easier time meeting carry-on size requirements than those traveling with hard cases, Nastro said.
4. Consider upgrading fares
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Even major airlines often charge for carry-on bags on basic economy fares, experts say.
Higher-priced premium tickets may include a baggage allowance, in which case the passenger may end up paying the same total price as a low-cost fare while getting some added benefits, such as being able to choose a seat or flight. Experts say flights have changed.
“If you use an aggregator like Skyscanner, sometimes it’s cheaper to choose the second or third most expensive flight If the airlines (also) provide luggage,” Higgins said.
Naples said travelers should read the fine print to find out what baggage is included on their ticket, which varies by airline and ticket class.
5. Add luggage early
Whether you check your bag or pay to carry it, you can save money by declaring it early.
For example, a standard passenger flying from New York to Los Angeles on Spirit Airlines over the weekend (March 1-3) will pay $49 for a carry-on bag, according to the airline. price chart. Checked luggage is $44 cheaper.
But these prices assume passengers add luggage during the initial online booking process. For example, people who wait until they arrive at the gate to pay will pay $99 for a checked or carry-on bag, the chart shows.
For those who know they need to add luggage, “nine times out of ten it’s always cheaper to add it at the time of booking,” rather than putting it off until later, Nastro said.
She said the relatively high cost of “add-on services” such as luggage meant budget airlines may not be the cheapest option when assessing total cost and value.
6. Buy a luggage scale and pack your bags lightly
Purchasing and using a luggage scale before traveling can help travelers avoid unexpected fees at the airport if their checked luggage exceeds the weight limit.
“At least weigh your suitcase before booking a flight,” Higgins said. “There was a time when airlines might have turned a blind eye to the extra weight,” but not anymore, he said.
Travelers can also purchase ultra-lightweight luggage, Higgins said.
“You can easily save a kilogram or two by purchasing specially designed ultra-lightweight travel gear,” he said. However, he said such bags can be expensive and may not be as durable as sturdier bags.
7. Apply for a credit card or join a frequent flyer program
“Many credit cards, especially airline-branded ones, offer the benefit of free checked bags,” Naples said.
Of course, experts say travelers don’t necessarily open credit card accounts just for this benefit. Some cards may also charge an annual fee, but if the annual benefits (such as savings on baggage fees) outweigh that fee, travelers may come out ahead.
“It varies from card to card, from airline to airline,” Nastro said.
Joining an airline’s frequent flyer program may also offer benefits to travelers, such as free or extra baggage, Higgins said.
