Checked baggage is expensive because of the baggage taxes imposed per piece of bag carried by a passenger. Additionally, the boarding process at different stages for bag inspection necessitates more employees and equipment, which raises costs.
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The underlying logic behind charging for checked bags, though, is sound. Though the cost of fuel has gone down in recent years, somewhere between 20 to 30 percent of the cost of your ticket still goes toward fuel costs. And the more weight you bring aboard, the more fuel gets burned during the flight.
Checked luggage also has fewer content restrictions, which provides ample space for liquids and souvenirs for loved ones on the way home. It can also be a better option for travelers with young children or disabilities that can make it harder to navigate the airport.
Southwest 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.
It's nearly always cheaper to book extra hold luggage in advance rather than paying excess baggage fees at the airport. Airlines know that keeping within weight/size limits is not always possible, so they encourage you to plan ahead by selling extra weight online.
That depends if you have several kg overweight and are asking for the price per kg or if you really just only have one single kg extra. For a singe kg above the limit you most probably will not get charged, especially not on a full service airline. There is usually a tolerance in the range of 2–3kg, sometimes up to 5.
If your bag is over 50 lbs (23 kg), or if its length, width, and height added together are over 62 inches (157 cm), you may be charged an additional fee, on top of the normal bag fee.
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.
It is sometimes cheaper to ship luggage than to travel with it. Ultimately, it depends on which carrier you are looking to ship with. LugLess, for example, is often cheaper than standard airline baggage fees, but other carriers such as ShipSticks, USPS, and parcel carriers will be more expensive.
On all flights, except to and from the United States, each passenger can purchase a checked luggage weight allowance of 20 kg, 25 kg, 30 kg, or 40 kg. It doesn't matter how many bags the total weight is split into, but no bag can be over 32 kg (70 lbs) in weight and 319 cm (126 inches) in total dimensions.
What if my luggage is 0.5 kg overweight? It's over the limit so assume you will be charged. There must be something in your hand luggage you can put in your pocket to get it under. Wear a coat with big pockets.
If your flight ticket is marked with the code “2 PC”, you may take two pieces of baggage, each weighing a maximum of 23 kg. If your flight ticket is marked with the code “3 PC”, you may take three pieces of baggage, each weighing a maximum of 23 kg.
The 23 KG luggage weight allowance includes the weight of the suitcase and the weight of the contents. A 23 KG allowance is enough weight to allow you to bring clothes, shoes and accessories for one person for a 2-3 week time period.