Buzz
In the future, we’ll reminisce with our grandchildren about a time when bringing luggage on a flight didn’t require paying extra. For now, let’s focus on minimizing the costs of traveling with our bags.
Unfortunately, things aren't looking great. The cost of checking bags keeps rising.
Gary Leff, from View From the Wing, mentions that airlines are beginning to offer “discounts” for baggage check fees if you pay online in advance instead of at the ticket counter.
First, JetBlue raised its fee for the first checked bag from $30 to $35. However, there's an exception: if you pay online before the check-in window, you can still pay $30. This discount only applies to the first two bags, so your second bag might cost $40 instead of the newer $45 fee.
United is following suit, increasing the fees for checked bags on domestic and certain Latin American and Caribbean routes. Currently, United’s website still lists $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second. However, if you book after February 21 for travel on March 6 or later, you’ll face higher fees if you check a bag at the counter. To save money, you’ll need to pay online before checking in.
According to Leff, airlines are implementing these changes to reduce congestion at the ticket counter and to encourage customers to plan ahead. So, if you want to avoid paying full price for your bags, think about your luggage needs when booking your ticket rather than waiting until the night before your trip when you start packing.
Heading home to visit family for a week? Just pay to check a bag. Going on a business trip where you’ll need a suit every day? Go ahead and check a bag. Planning a short weekend getaway but unsure? You might want to wait until it's closer to travel time, though you could end up paying $5 extra.
As always, there's a catch with this savings strategy: If you change your mind at the last minute and don’t check a bag, you won’t get a refund for the bag fee you prepaid. The only way to get a refund is if you cancel the entire ticket.
To completely avoid baggage fees, you’ll need to have loyalty status or book your flight using that airline’s rewards credit card. Don’t feel like signing up for a credit card with every airline you might fly? Tough luck!
This is just the new, frustrating reality of air travel. Sure, we've shifted from grumbling about baggage fees to complaining about seat selection charges. But if airlines simply lowered the cost of checking bags, we could all move faster through the aisles and get this flight going, right?
