Do you want to avoid paying for extra luggage at the airport? Sometimes, you may not even realize it’s “extra.” We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know to avoid baggage fees in this article!
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After you’ve found that cheap flight and secured your ticket to your dream destination, you feel on top of the world!
But not so fast, baggage fees are right around the corner to humble you.
Sometimes baggage fees can cost you even more than the price of your flight ticket. Ridiculous right?
Well, my husband and I have traveled to over 40 countries and have never paid an airline baggage fee in all of our journeys together, thus far.
This can be possible for you to do, as well.
This article breaks down 10 easy ways that you can avoid paying airline baggage fees.
You deserve stress-free travel, so keep reading!
Sneak Peek Of the BEST Way to Avoid Baggage Fees >> Neck & Bag Pillow (saves us so much money every trip!)
#1 Know Your Airline: What is the Baggage Policy?
First things first, you need to assess how well you know the airline you are flying with.
There are a few key questions you need to ask yourself about the airline you are purchasing your flight ticket with:
- Do you know their baggage fee policies?
- Do you know if you get a free carry-on bag?
- Do you know how much a checked bag is?
- Do you know the size dimensions that qualify your bag as either a personal item, carry-on item, or checked item?
- Do you know what the weight limit is for your checked bag?
This is a lot to consider, and if you don’t know the answers, the baggage fees might snag you as their next victim.
So, I want to make it pretty simple for you.
The chart below breaks down carry-on bag fees and checked bag fees of some major US-based airlines when you buy their lowest tiered flight ticket.
This chart is a great starting point to get a general idea of baggage fees for the lowest-tiered flight ticket options.
There is some good news, though! Starting 9/6/2024, JetBlue’s most basic tier will include a carry-on and personal item bag!
This is why it’s always important to keep up to date with the latest details of each airline’s baggage policy – they just might surprise you in a good way.
By clicking on each of the airlines listed below, you’ll be led directly to their baggage policies. It’s 100% worth reviewing!
- American Airlines Baggage Policy
- Delta Air Lines Baggage Policy
- United Airlines Baggage Policy
- Southwest Airlines Baggage Policy
- JetBlue Baggage Policy
- Spirit Airlines Baggage Policy
- Frontier Airlines Baggage Policy
So you get the idea, a really cheap flight ticket could mean paying for carry-on or checked bags. But isn’t this article about avoiding baggage fees?? Absolutely!
The first step in avoiding baggage fees is recognizing the fees exist.
Otherwise, you could be showing up at your gate with your really affordable Spirit Airlines ticket with a carry-on bag that could end up costing more than the entire flight.
This is what we don’t want to happen. So once we know our airline baggage fee policies, we are ready for our next step….
#2 Invest in Good Luggage
“Good luggage” is such a vague statement. Let me explain what I really mean by that.
You’re going to need to invest in a bag that is comfortable to wear, durable, and weather resistant that makes travel easier.
Our go-to carry-on option is from Baboon to the Moon. (The best carry-on backpack for air travel).
Their Go Bags come in different sizes – mini, small, and large – that can be worn on your back.
Mini is the official size of a personal item. Small is the official size of a carry-on. Large is large enough to need to be checked.
When we’ve worn the Small Baboon to the Moon Go bag on our backs as a backpack, we’ve gotten away with it as our personal item.
The New York Post recently revealed that Frontier employees get a $10 bonus every time they charge an oversized baggage fee.
So don’t be surprised if a gate agent asks you to place your backpack in the bag sizer.
This has happened to us before, and we’ve even been able to fit the Small Baboon to the Moon Go Bag in the personal item sizer – really because it wasn’t packed to the brim.
Hundreds of flights later, & we have yet to pay a baggage fee using the Small Baboon to the Moon Go bag.
However, if you want to play it safe, you should invest in the Mini Baboon to the Moon Go Bag as your official personal item if you want to avoid being charged for a carry-on if a carry-on bag is not included in your ticket price.
These bags have truly earned their spot on our Travel Essentials list!
If you’re not exactly a backpack kinda traveler – you should take a look at the Black-owned TakeOff Luggage.
You can wheel it around the airport comfortably and then easily take off the wheels to transform it into a personal item.
This is an incredibly innovative way to save on baggage fees, as well.
#3 Pack Lightly & Know the Checked Bag Weight Limit
My next tip for avoiding baggage fees is to pack lightly.
This goes for the traveler who is traveling with just a personal item and/or a carry-on, and for the traveler who is checking their bag.
Keep in mind that even if you are paying for a checked bag, there’s potential for even more fees to be tacked on to that original cost.
There’s your overSIZED bag fees and your overWEIGHT bag fees.
Airlines have size limitations for personal items, carry-on bags, and even checked bags included in their baggage fee policies that should be reviewed on the airlines’ official websites.
You may be reviewing those size dimension restrictions of a personal item and carry on and are thinking, “How is it possible to fit all my stuff into that tiny space?”
Well, this is the time to assess your packing method.
The first step in packing lightly is knowing what to pack. Create an itinerary and coordinate your outfits with what you have planned.
Be sure to incorporate versatile pieces into your daily outfits.
We have lots of multi-purpose wear featured in our Travel Essentials article.
So go ahead and bookmark that post to get all the details on the best travel shoe, best travel pants, best travel jacket, and the best travel tees (one of our t-shirt recommendations is even stain repellent, included in the demonstration video below!)
It’s fine to pack an extra outfit (or two) but really hone in on your plans and stick to packing your essentials to be able to pack less and mix and match items.
Keep in mind that many Airbnbs can be houses with laundry.
So yes, you’re mixing and matching your versatile clothing, but no, you are not dirty!
Finding an Airbnb stay with laundry included should be a top priority, especially for your longer trips.
We spent three weeks in Southeast Asia on our honeymoon, with just a backpack each.
We packed light, but also kept our items fresh with laundry included where we stayed.
It’s also important to know how to pack your bag. You’re not just tossing everything in there and struggling to zip it all up.
You’re going to be folding your clothes neatly, might even take the time to roll them so they take up even less space in your bag.
It’s easy enough to just buy packing cubes that will help you stay organized and contain your items in a way that takes up as little space as possible in your bag.
To sum it up, these are the ways to avoid an oversized bag fee by being able to use just a backpack to travel using these packing methods:
- Planning your outfits ahead of time based on your itinerary
- Packing versatile clothing, mixing and matching outfits
- Booking accommodations with laundry included
- Rolling clothes and using packing cubes to fit everything you need inside a backpack
If you’ve decided checking a bag is best for you and how you are traveling then you need to understand that you still need to pack your checked luggage lightly also.
RELATED ARTICLE: 14 Common Travel Mistakes (& How to Avoid Them At All Costs!)
More than one baggage fee can apply.
The airlines may try to hit you with a checked bag fee, overweight bag fee, and an oversized bag fee.
Don’t let that be your story!
Airlines have slightly different definitions of an overweight bag and an oversized bag, so I’ve summarized some of the details of major US based airlines in the chart below.
The fees for going over these checked bag requirements are all outlined in each airline’s baggage fee policy which you should specifically review.
They can be accessed by clicking on the airline baggage fee policies listed again below for your reference.
- American Airlines Baggage Policy
- Delta Air Lines Baggage Policy
- United Airlines Baggage Policy
- Southwest Airlines Baggage Policy
- JetBlue Baggage Policy
- Spirit Airlines Baggage Policy
- Frontier Airlines Baggage Policy
These limitations will also vary depending on what type of ticket you buy.
The most basic fare will have the most restrictions.
So how are you going to comply with the checked bag weight limit so you can avoid an overweight baggage fee?
I have two simple suggestions for you.
- Wear your heaviest items to the airport. If you’re wearing them, you’re not packing them and they’re only weighing your bag, not you.
- Leave it at home! If it’s something heavy that you can always buy at your next destination, don’t pack it. Buy it when you get there. It will most likely cost you less than an overweight baggage fee.
Bottom line: pack light + understand the bag size and weight limits of your airline.
We have an entire Youtube video on how to pack better with just a backpack full of minimalist packing tips linked right HERE for you (in case you scrolled past it earlier).
#4 Travel Credit Cards: Which Card is Right for You?
Many airlines offer credit cards that have different perks for free checked bags.
These cards have annual fees that range from no annual fee to $99 to $450.
If you’re trying to figure out what this even has to do with budget travel, keep reading!
If you consider that your checked bag is $30 (this fee varies as we went over), & you’re paying for that checked bag there & back ($30 + $30), plus if whoever else you are traveling with also has checked bags, you’ll likely save the cost of the credit card’s annual fee even on just one trip, depending on the card.
There are some credit cards that will give you free credits for flight incidentals such as the American Express Platinum, and the Hilton Aspire.
We personally use the Hilton Aspire card that gives us $250 towards the airline that we choose for baggage fees, lounges, upgrading my seat, and snacks on the plane.
There are so many options with travel credit cards, and the travel credit cards that we use are not necessarily the travel credit cards that are best for you.
It can be overwhelming trying to understand if the annual fee makes sense for you and how you travel.
If you’re interested in some more insight on what travel credit card may be right for you, consider booking a virtual travel consultation with us so we can help you out 🙂
#5 Arrive Early to the Airport to Avoid Baggage Fees
Getting to the airport early is always a good idea for obvious reasons: having enough time to get through security, and finding your gate without missing your flight.
But arriving early to the airport can also be a method to avoid baggage fees.
Look at it this way, there is always a weight limit for each airplane.
This includes a limit for how much cargo is approved to go on the plane.
If you get to the airport early, before the weight limit is reached, they may show leniency in not making you check your bag if it is slightly overweight.
If you arrive to the airport later when they are closer to reaching the weight limit, you’re more than likely not going to get away with having a slightly overweight bag.
This is of course subject to their discretion, but can potentially save you from paying a checked bag fee or being charged an overweight bag fee by getting to the airport early.
Arriving early is one of many of the top airport tips that we recommend. Check out that article to be better prepared for your next trip!
#6 Redistribute Items & Consider Buying at Your Destination
Let’s say you didn’t exactly pack light, or you didn’t wear all of your heaviest clothes to the airport.
Or perhaps you did all of these tactics, and your bag is still overweight.
You may now need to move items from your carry on to your checked bag, or vice versa depending on which bag is overweight.
If you’re like us, and don’t check bags, you may need to look at your travel partner and redistribute some items to their bag.
If you’re flying solo, or if you still didn’t pack light enough through redistribution, this might be the point where you will have to throw away things you didn’t really need.
It’s time to let it go.
Let’s weigh your options to see what is cheaper? Buying a new body wash when you get there or paying fees for this checked bag?
It’s less costly to throw away your heavy bottle of body wash and buy a new one once you get to your destination than paying all the baggage fees if you hold on to these extra items weighing your bag down.
#7 Take a Flight in First Class or Business Class
If you’re the traveler who is checking multiple bags and there’s no way around doing that, your best bet is to avoid the low tiered flight ticket options altogether.
Flying first class not only elevates your in-flight experience with wider seats, more leg room, delicious meals, and sometimes a lay-flat bed, but it also comes with free checked luggage as described in the airlines’ baggage policies.
Flying first class is not always as expensive as you may think!
We curated a list of our top 9 apps and websites that will help you find your next cheap flight and one of the apps has a feature to find the best deals on FIRST CLASS tickets!
So if you’re already going to end up paying for a couple checked bags, and potentially overweight and oversize baggage fees, then you might as well pay for a better flight experience in first class or business class with checked bags included.
#8 Join Frequent Flyer Programs: Loyalty Matters
Every airline has their own frequent-flyer program and they all go by different names.
When you are loyal to an airline, you can achieve elite status.
One of the perks of achieving certain status can be free baggage!
Signing up for these frequent flyer programs is an easy and free way to avoid baggage fees.
Clicking the frequent flyer programs below will link you to their direct pages to sign up.
- AA Advantage Program
- SkyMiles Program
- Mileage Plus Program
- Rapid Rewards
- TrueBlue
- Free Spirit Program
- Frontier Miles
The more you fly with them, the more perks you will accrue. This can land you with free checked bags!
This method costs you nothing, and will save you a lot of money on baggage fees the more loyal you are to the airline.
We have frequent flyer numbers for every airline we fly.
The miles earned add up before you know it, and you can avoid paying for your bags as you achieve status!
#9 Maximize Your Special Items
Certain special items such as medical devices and child strollers may not count as personal items or carry on items and may be free to check.
When that is the case, it is time to maximize the use of these items!
What do I mean by that?
For instance, if you have a stroller, you can pack that stroller up with items that would make your carry-on or checked baggage too heavy.
This is taking tip #6 to a new level!
Redistributing items from your bag to your child’s stroller that is already going on board for no extra cost can save you from overweight baggage fees.
All of the details regarding which special items are allowed without charge, and the size restrictions of these special items can be found through the airlines’ baggage policy pages.
#10 Tap Into Alternate Modes of Transportation
If you ultimately can’t avoid baggage fees with an airline, it’s time to think of other ways to get to your destination affordably.
Skip flying, and consider taking a train, boat, or bus.
In Europe, my husband took a bus many many times and had no limit to the amount of bags that he could bring.
Generally speaking, you’re allowed more checked baggage when you take an alternate mode of transportation (bus or train) compared to taking budget airlines like Ryanair.
In some cases alternate modes of transportation will take much longer than just flying to your destination.
This begs the question of whether you have more time or more money, and which you are most comfortable spending.
BONUS TIP TO AVOID BAGGAGE FEES
I saved the best for last. This is actually one of my favorite ways to avoid baggage fees!
The Neck and Bag (NAB) Pillow by Cosy Collection transforms you into the traveler who “travels smarter not harder.”
The NAB pillow is a neck pillow that doubles as a secret bag.
Let’s say you have a few extra outfits you want to bring on vacation.
You’re going to roll them up, and fill your NAB pillow with these outfits.
You’re going to take that same NAB pillow, and wear it around your neck to the airport.
The NAB pillow is not a personal item. It’s also not a carry-on bag. It doesn’t count as anything at all!
There are no fees associated with bringing a neck pillow!
There you have it.
An unassuming neck pillow full of all the clothes that you wanted to bring, but somehow couldn’t fit into your carry-on or personal item bag.
The NAB pillow is more than worth it for all of the baggage fees it will save you from!
You Are Ready to Avoid Baggage Fees for Good!
We went through ten easy ways to avoid airline baggage fees.
Even if you put only one of these methods into play, you can save some money on airline baggage.
Bookmark this post as a key reference, and share this post with your favorite travel partner so they’ll be on board too!
This was really interesting and helpful! I’m in the UK so some things may be different but overall it was great info!
Thanks so much for checking it out!
I remember when I got into trouble because I wasn’t prepared and ready knowing the policy but now I pay attention.
I’m so glad you found this article! The last thing we want is baggage fees putting a damper on our vacation!
Oh, thanks for this detailed post. It’s just what I need. Airline fees are a real bummer, thanks for all the tips this will come in handy on my next trip.
Thanks so much for checking it out! Wishing you lots of great (and baggage fee-free) travel! 🙂