nature tours & travel, wildlife tours, adventure travel and general travel to Australia, Southeast Asia, South America and Alaska

Baggage Fees for United States Airlines

These are checked bag fees for economy passengers traveling on domestic flights. Premium fares (First, Business), special fares (eg military fares), frequent flyer classes and other specific factors may affect your allowances. Domestic usually includes Canada, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. We have noted (†) those airlines who charge fees for some or all international destinations (other than the above). We try to keep this page as up to date as possible, but we cannot be responsible for changes by the airlines prior to your flight or errors. We also post these when we become aware of them, usually the day they are announced or very soon after. It may be that the fees are not being charged for another few weeks or more from when you see this; however, seeing the charge here means you can check with the airline for applicability. Once ticketed bag fees announced after the ticketing date usually do not apply, even if the travel itself is within the new charge time period. However, do check with the airline, and make sure you have your receipt with ticketing date to show the airport clerk.

Most major US airlines, including American, Delta, Continental, Northwest, United and Alaska allow international travelers flying on a different airline to take their international allowance on the domestic flight without charges. So if you are traveling on a separately ticketed Continental flight to LAX, and then Qantas from LAX to Australia, Continental will allow you to take two 50lb checked bags at no cost, provided you show the check-in clerk your international ticket. Generally this will mean you will not check in online domestically, but at the airport. This is the situation as of May 30, 2009; with the volatile nature of airline baggage rules you should reconfirm this with the domestic airline prior to ticket purchase, as baggage fees can substantially add to a ticket's cost.

                 ¥  bag 3 = third bag checked             * length + height +width

Destinations:
                  Continental: applies to U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands
                  †† Continental has a complex fee system non-US flights; please check their site Continental Airlines Checked Baggage
                  Airtran: applies to all flights
                  jetBlue: applies to all flights
                  Frontier: applies to all flights
                  Northwest: applies to US, Caribbean, Canada, Mexico
                  US Airways: applies to all flights
                  Delta/Northwest: applies to domestic, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico & Canada flights
                  † flights to Canada, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Central & South America (except brazil)                  
                  †† flights to Europe
                  ^± first three bag fees do not apply if flight wholly within Alaska or for military personnel