Does American Airlines allow 2 bags?
Depending on the route being followed, certain American Airlines flights allow one checked bag, while others might allow two checked bags or more.
Before boarding a flight, one of the most frequently asked questions by passengers is, "How many checked bags am I allowed to take?" The luggage allowance varies depending on the airline; hence, it is important to investigate the specific policies of the given airline. This is the post where we will address a question: Can I check two bags with American Airlines and discuss their checked baggage policy?
I will write about American Airlines' Standard Checked Baggage Allowance.
Most of American Airlines' domestic route offerings include a baggage allowance, wherein travelers may check one bag. This bag may weigh up to 50 pounds; the maximum measurements in length, breadth, and height combined cannot be more than 62 inches. Extra goods over the free limit in terms of check-in luggage will draw extra baggage fees.
About luggage allowance and costs, American Airlines lets one checked bag with a $30 price within the United States and the second checked bag with a $40 charge. Stated differently, the technicality allows travelers to check two bags each time they fly, yet the second bag generates a cost. If you are an active-duty military person, an elite member of the American frequent flyer club, or if you are traveling internationally, the only situations in which Americans would leave the second checked bag for free are those.
For American Airlines international travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, passengers can check 2 bags for free. Check out this information: flights to Europe and other international destinations: free allowance: 1 checked bag. Over the free baggage allowance, other bags cost $100 for the second piece, $200 for the third, and so on.
Thus, in sum, on domestic routes, America technically allows 2 checked pieces of luggage, but the second costs extra. For international flights, the number of free checked bags of luggage will vary depending on the length of the flight.
The maximum weight and size that are allowed per piece of luggage should also be defined.
In addition, America has conditions that a passenger cannot take more than the allowed number of checked baggage; the weight per bag and sizes A, B, and C are also restricted. But as it was pointed out, a checked bag could weigh as much as 50 lbs. Domestic as well as international flights are included in this weight restriction.
Each bag is allowed to have a maximal dimension of 62 inches when calculated as length + width + height. Thus, let’s say we have a bag with dimensions of 2 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft., which equals 12 inches + 12 inches + 12 inches = 36 Linear inches. This would fall under the size restrictions The former can be in the form of size restrictions, while the latter can be in the form of quantity restrictions. Items ranging from 63 to 80 linear inches are allowed but at an extra charge, they are considered as oversize.
Are There Ways to Avoid Getting Charged Fees with Status or Credit?
Second bag checked fees are avoided in the following ways by checking for free with American: Through elite status, military status, and checking for free with co-branded credit cards.
For more information on this, it is important to check with your AAdvantage Gold, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum status, as you are allowed free check-in of your first 2 bags on domestic flights. This is one of the perks that enables loyalty members to disregard the fees charged for carrying bags.
For military members on official duties, those who present active U. S. military identification cards are allowed two free checked bags on domestic routes.
Moreover, being an American Airlines AAdvantage® program member and having the AAdvantage MileUpSM Card or the AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard® also entitles the cardholder to 1 free checked bag on domestic AA flights. Even though this offer does not extend as far as offering a second free checked bag, it does include the elimination of the fee for checking the first bag.
Guide on How to Check Your Baggage with American Airlines
Here are some additional tips and recommendations when checking bags with American Airlines: Here are some additional tips and recommendations when checking bags with American Airlines:
- Arrive early! Ensure that you are also allowed sufficient time for your luggage to be checked before your flight to the airport.
- Make sure that the bags you are carrying are properly tagged with your name, address, and phone number in the unlikely event that the bags get lost.
- Ideally, avoid checking in any expensive or fragile items, such as laptops or cameras, and put them in your carry-on instead.
- Here, restrictions apply depending on the country of destination in case one is traveling by air with banned items such as liquid or some fruits and vegetables.
- Next, measure costs if you are traveling with other people. At times, it is financially more beneficial to purchase 1 bag to check rather than 2 people checking 1 bag each.
- It is also important to check the credit card offered and the flight route to get free checked bags.
The Bottom Line
However, it is important to note that although American Airlines does permit the check-in of 2 bags for domestic flights, the second bag attracts a fee of $40. If you want to avoid the extra fees, try to aim for the status of the elite, take international flights with a free baggage allowance, or think about the offers from American Airlines credit cards. Oh, and as always, don’t check any bags at the airport; get there shortly before your flight time! It becomes easy to plan the trip when we consider the type of baggage allowance that each of these airlines offers.
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