Packing for a trip is stressful enough without the added worry of how much it will cost you to bring your suitcase on the plane. But with many airlines raising checked baggage fees amid the ongoing war with Iran, it is becoming a cost that is worth taking into account in your travel budget.
In recent months, “most major airlines have hiked the price to check a bag by about $10” in an effort to “address the added costs” of operation and of jet fuel, both of which have increased since the start of the war, said The New York Times, citing airline executives. That means for most airlines, “you’ll pay at least $90 to check a bag on your next round-trip domestic flight,” said CNBC Select. And if you are traveling with your full family or with more than one suitcase, that bill can quickly increase.
Here are some smart ways to scale back (and not necessarily on what you pack) so you can save your funds for the actual fun of vacation.
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1. Understand each airline’s policies
The specifics of baggage fees — when they apply, how much they run and what you can do to waive them — may vary a lot from airline to airline. If you know you will be checking bags, take a look at those fees when you are booking, rather than just considering the cost of the flight itself.
With United, for instance, you will pay $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second, said the Times. Meanwhile, for Jet Blue, the cost will vary depending on whether or not you are flying during peak travel times: The first checked bag is “$39 off-peak, $49 peak,” while the second checked bag is “$59 off-peak, $69 peak.”
2. Check your credit card’s perks
If you carry an airline credit card, “chances are you don’t have to worry about baggage fees,” given that “several top airline credit cards offer a free first checked bag for the cardholder — and sometimes for companions traveling on the same itinerary as well,” said NerdWallet.
For example, the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard “grants cardholders and up to four companions traveling on the same reservation a first checked bag for free on American Airlines flights,” said CNBC Select. Another option, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card, allows “you and up to eight people traveling on the same reservation to get your first checked bag free.” Just note that you may have to make your reservation using the card to get this perk.
3. Take advantage of frequent flyer status
If you are in the air often, it can make sense to take advantage of airlines’ frequent flyer programs. Many of these “allow members with elite status to fly with checked bags for free,” and sometimes even multiple bags at no cost, said NerdWallet.
Flying frequently is not the only way to get this status, either. For instance, “if you have elite status with a hotel chain, you might be able to get elite benefits on a partner airline,” plus some credit cards offer automatic status as well, said NerdWallet.
