It's rare to find U.S. airlines with free checked baggage. Southwest Airlines is the only airline without any bag fees. For other airlines, you'll need to earn elite status or book your tickets with an airline credit card.
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Winner: Southwest AirlinesSouthwest charges absolutely no bag fees. American, Alaska, Delta and Hawaiian charge $30 for a checked bag, while JetBlue and United charge $35 for the same. Low-cost airlines Spirit and Frontier separate from the pack here, as they charge customers for all overhead carry-on items.
Southwest Checked Baggage AllowanceAll checked bags must adhere to a max weight of 50 pounds (23 kg) and must adhere to max linear dimensions of 62 inches (158 cm). Southwest is the only airline that provides 2 FREE CHECKED BAGS for all fares.
For decades, it was free on major airlines to check at least one bag (some discount airlines got a head start on charging). But in 2008, amid rising fuel prices and economic turmoil, that started to charge. Airlines such as American and United began tacking on a $15 charge to get your bag checked to your destination.
Basic economy is United's least-expensive economy fare class. Unlike some of the other perks (i.e. free checked bag, seat selection) included on a regular economy ticket, basic economy offers nothing extra. In addition, you'll board last and may not be able to bring a carry-on.
Snyder said there were a couple of financial factors that played into the decision by airlines to begin charging for first and second checked bags in 2008. One, he said, is that the carriers were facing the Great Recession. Another was a spike in fuel prices.
In fact, they're a fairly recent development as airlines have turned to ancillary fees as a way to generate more revenue from flyers. While checked baggage fees have largely been deemed a success for the airlines' bottom line, of course, they come at the expense of the passenger's wallet.
But it's not just about unbundling and charging customers more. A key driver in domestic checked baggage fees is tax arbitrage. Airlines want to get a portion of the transportation cost out from under the base airfare so that it is not subject to the government's 7.5% excise tax on tickets.
But it's not just about unbundling and charging customers more. A key driver in domestic checked baggage fees is tax arbitrage. Airlines want to get a portion of the transportation cost out from under the base airfare so that it is not subject to the government's 7.5% excise tax on tickets.
International flights allow one, and often two, pieces of checked luggage per passenger. International luggage allowance is often influenced by whether the flight is intracontinental (within the same continent) or intercontinental (across the ocean or spanning different continents).
Standard and Flex tickets: 1 piece of hand baggage and 1 piece of check-in baggage. On top of this, Flying Blue Platinum, Gold and Silver members can bring 1 extra piece of check-in baggage L + W + H mac 158 cm (62 inch), in, total max. 23 kg (50 lbs.).
Economy Baggage Allowance: 2 pieces. Economy Maximum Dimensions: 62 linear inches/158 cm (length + width + height) Maximum Weight for Economy Class Passengers: 50 lb/23 kg. Business/First Baggage Allowance: 2 pieces.
For hold luggage, most airlines set a weight limit for single items of luggage. Usually, this is 23kg. If your hold luggage is over and you haven't paid for extra, you might be charged.