American Airlines Baggage Fees and How to Avoid Them

It can be an unpleasant surprise to learn after you’ve scored airline tickets to your dream destination that you must pay baggage fees too. This is why I’m constantly on the lookout for ways to avoid these fees, and of course, pay as little as possible for airline tickets. However, even cheap airline tickets don’t mean you won’t pay baggage fees.

Here’s the good news.

American Airlines allows one personal item and one carry-on (smaller than 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches) on most flights and for all ticket holders. It’s the checked bags that increase your travel costs in the blink of an eye. I constantly look for ways to avoid these fees, so here’s how to avoid baggage fees on American Airlines flights.

What are the American Airlines checked baggage fees?

You don’t have to worry about baggage fees if you only have a carry-on and/or personal item. However, if you have checked bags, AA charges the following fees as of February 20, 2024:

• Domestic flights with Basic Economy or Main Cabin tickets: $40 for the first bag and $45 for the second bag.
• International flights with Main Cabin tickets: $0 for most flights, except between Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico ($35)
• International flights with Basic Economy tickets: $35 - $75, depending on the destination

Travelers with Premium Economy, business or first class tickets get the first two bags for free on most flights.

A third bag can cost $150 - $200, no matter your ticket type, and any bags over three, cost $200 each, no matter your ticket type or destination.

Believe it or not, you can check up to ten bags on most flights including domestic, Transatlantic and Transpacific flights.

Overweight bags

Unfortunately, the fees don’t stop there. Any travel after April 17, 2024 is subject to standard baggage fees plus the greater of the overweight or oversize fee.

American Airlines considers an overweight bag any luggage that weighs more than 50 pounds. But there are separate fees based on weight. If your luggage weighs 50 - 52.9 pounds, they are subject to an additional fee of $30. This includes certain flights with business or first class tickets; it depends on the time of year and seasonal limitations.

But, it gets worse.

If your luggage weighs more than 53 pounds, the fees increase tremendously. Most flights incur an additional $100 charge, except flights to and from Cuba, which cost an additional $200. There are also certain flights to and from Australia/New Zealand that don’t charge this fee during certain times of the year.

If your luggage weighs 70 pounds or more, there’s an additional fee of $200 for most flights. However, not all flights accept luggage over 70 pounds, and flights to or from India, Japan, China, Hong Kong, or South Korea charge a $450 additional fee.

Oversize bags

Oversize bags don’t hit your wallet as hard, but it’s still an additional charge. AA determines your bag size by adding the luggage’s length, width, and height. Any checked bags over 62 inches are oversized and subject to additional fees.

If your bag measures more than 62 but less than 65 inches, the fee is $30 across the board. If it measures more than 65 inches, the fee increases to $200, except for flights to Panama, South America, Europe, Israel, and Qatar, which cost $150.

What’s considered a carry-on?

Like I said, American Airlines passengers can bring one personal item (no larger than 18 inches x 14 inches x 8 inches) and a carry-on bag (smaller than 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches). You can use a garment bag no larger than 51 inches total (length + width + height) as your carry-on, but I think that’s a waste of free luggage, since you can bring a much larger suitcase on board for free.

They also count musical instruments as carry-on baggage so long as they fit in the overhead bin, as do pet kennels, but again, this eliminates the chance to carry on free luggage. However, you can bring strollers, car seats, diaper bags, and medical devices in addition to a personal item and carry-on.

How to avoid baggage fees on American Airlines

The baggage fees mentioned above are enough to scare anyone from flying American Airlines, especially when you can fly airlines like Southwest and get two free checked bags. Even just a $35 checked bag fee tacked onto every trip makes traveling more expensive.

Fortunately, here are a few ways I found to avoid baggage fees on American Airlines.

1. Only pack a carry-on

I’ve learned to pack light so I can fit most or all of my clothing and items in a carry-on. It takes some practice, but for short trips, it’s possible, especially when you’re traveling somewhere warm and don’t need bulky clothing.

Since you get a free personal item and carry-on, you can maximize your allowance by using a small backpack as your personal item, and a carry-on that fits in the overhead compartment.

2. Join a loyalty program

American Airlines’ frequent flyer program, AAdvantage, is free to join, and you can rack up some serious American Airlines miles if you’re a frequent traveler. AAdvantage members earn five miles per dollar spent on airfare with a basic membership. You also earn Loyalty Points for eligible flights on American or Oneworld Alliance partners.

The loyalty points help you achieve elite status, which makes you eligible for benefits like free bags. You’ll need to achieve AAdvantage Gold status (40,000 loyalty points) to get your first checked bag free. The higher your elite status in these programs, the more baggage benefits you'll receive. For instance, you'll get three checked bags free with AAdvantage Platinum Pro status, but it requires 125,000 loyalty points.

3. Buy a premium ticket

If you want to upgrade your travel experience and bring two checked bags for free, consider buying a premium ticket.

Premium Economy ticket holders get two complimentary bags, as do Business Class ticket holders. Confirmed Flagship® First and Flagship® Business Class customers get three free bags.

I suggest comparing the fare cost of a premium ticket to the cost of a main cabin or basic economy ticket with checked baggage. You may get lucky enough to score a cheap airline ticket in a premium cabin with your baggage included.

4. Bring your military documentation

If you are active U.S. military, you and your dependents will get up to five bags free when traveling on orders. In addition, you’ll get up to three complimentary bags for personal travel. Just make sure to provide your military identification card.

5. Get an American Airlines credit card

With American Airlines credit cards, you’ll earn miles not only for travel purchases but for everyday purchases too. They also often offer signup bonuses, helping you earn free flights or other perks faster.

I suggest comparing the perks and fees to find the best airline credit card for you.

6. Use a general travel rewards card

If you don’t fly American all the time but want the opportunity to earn rewards towards future flights, you can choose from among the best travel credit cards to start racking up rewards.

They may not provide free bags, but several American Express cards, such as The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, provide airline travel credits that you can use to cover the cost of baggage. Certain cards from other issuers also offer valuable credits that you could use to offset the cost of baggage fees on American Airlines. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® gives cardholders a $300 annual travel credit.

Get more details about this card in our Chase Sapphire Reserve card review.

How American Airlines baggage fees compare

As you can see, American Airlines makes the most money from baggage fees, versus any other airline. Most of your major airline carriers top the chart, but unsurprisingly, Southwest Airlines is near the bottom.

FAQs about American Airlines' baggage fees

Bottom line

American Airlines doesn’t mess around when it comes to baggage fees. If you aren’t paying premium prices for tickets, chances are you’ll pay for baggage. No matter which airline I fly, I always try to minimize my baggage and take advantage of anything free, such as a free carry-on. If you fly American, I suggest trying the same method, or applying for one of the many American Airlines travel credit cards to offset your fees.

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