Flying isn’t cheap, but fees for checked baggage can make costs spiral out of control quickly. This is especially true if traveling with a spouse and kids in tow. And don’t forget that whatever you pay for those bags will be doubled because checked baggage fees are charged on both ends—on your way to your destination and the trip home.

How much will you pay to check a bag to your destination? Many airlines charge at least $30 for the first checked bag, totaling $120 for a family of four for each leg of the journey. This is a huge added expense that doesn’t improve your travel experience since it’s necessary, and often, these fees can catch families by surprise.

Fortunately, baggage fees are avoidable if you conduct some research and have a plan.

1. Fly With Airlines That Don’t Charge Checked Bag Fees

As you start pricing out your travel plans for the year, remember that some airlines don’t charge a fee for checked baggage up to certain limits. Southwest Airlines is the most popular domestic carrier in this niche, letting customers fly with two checked bags for free, whether they pay for their flight with cash or Southwest Rapid Rewards points. Southwest offers itineraries within the contiguous United States, to Hawaii and to various destinations within Mexico and the Caribbean.

Though policies vary, many airlines let you check one bag for free on international flights booked in the main cabin. For example, American Airlines offers a first checked bag for free on transatlantic flights not booked in basic economy. The same is true for basic economy flights with Delta from the U.S. to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as main cabin flights from the U.S. to Europe and South America. However, to get the first checked bag for free on Delta main cabin economy flights from the U.S. to Canada, the Caribbean and Central America, you must have a Delta SkyMiles® Gold, Platinum or Reserve American Express Card, Silver Medallion status or above or are on active duty for the military. You should check baggage fees with your carrier and cross-reference these for your destination before you get too hyped up about having to pay for checked bags.

Also, be aware that most airlines do not charge checked bag fees for flyers in premium cabins. If you’re flying first or business class, there’s a good chance you’re not paying a separate fee to check your first bag or potentially even your second.

2. Earn Elite Status With an Airline

Earning elite status with an airline isn’t possible for everyone. But it may not be that difficult if you fly a lot and can pool all your flights with one major airline alliance. If you do fly enough to make the cut, elite airline status often comes with perks like priority boarding, automatic upgrades and yes, free checked bags.

For example, Premier Silver status with the United MileagePlus frequent flyer program affords you one complimentary bag up to 70 pounds. Premier Gold comes with two complimentary checked bags up to 70 pounds and Premier Platinum comes with three complimentary checked bags up to 70 pounds. A similar structure exists within elite status benefits from the American AAdvantage program and Delta SkyMiles, two other major airlines with broad domestic and international networks.

The bottom line: If you fly with the same airline often, signing up for its frequent flyer program to earn elite status can help you secure benefits that make travel more comfortable and less expensive. Free upgrades and priority boarding are nice perks, as is checking bags without paying for the privilege.

3. Choose the Right Airline Credit Card

The best airline credit cards include a free checked bag as a cardholder benefit, and some even extend that benefit to other passengers on your itinerary. Some cards require that you pay for your airfare with the card to be eligible for the free checked bag benefit.

Airline credit cards that offer a free checked bag benefit include:

4. Choose a Travel Card With an Airline Fee Credit

You don’t necessarily need an airline credit card to avoid checked baggage fees. Some cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees), offer airline fee credits (enrollment required) you can apply to miscellaneous charges including checked bag fees on an eligible airline. These credits are often valid for seat selection fees and in-flight Wi-Fi or dining. Unfortunately, American Express requires you to select an airline at the beginning of the year—and the fee credit only applies to the airline you select ahead of time.

Some travel credit cards offer flexible credits that can apply to any type of travel. The Chase Sapphire Reserve®, for example, gives cardholders a $300 annual travel credit that can apply to any travel expense that hits your account, including checked baggage fees.

Finally, you can also consider picking up a card that lets you earn cash back or fixed-value travel credit, both of which can be applied to cover checked bag fees after the fact.

With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, for example, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25 and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent on other purchases, and have the opportunity to earn a bonus: 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening plus a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year. When you want to redeem your Capital One miles, you can use your rewards to cover an eligible travel purchase made to your credit card at a rate of 1 cent per mile or you can transfer miles to a handful of travel partners.

5. Avoid Basic Economy

When you shop for airfare, you’ve probably noticed the lowest advertised fares are described as basic economy. While you may indeed want a “basic” flight that gets you from place to place, it’s important to understand what is included in these fares—and what isn’t.

Generally speaking, basic economy fares do not allow you to select a seat on the plane ahead of time. Instead, you’ll be assigned a seat at check-in, and this seat may or may not be anywhere near your family members or anyone else on your itinerary.

Basic economy fares also don’t always include a carry-on bag, much less a checked bag. This means you’ll need to pay baggage fees to check a bag and maybe even carry anything larger than a backpack or purse on the plane.

With these details in mind, try to avoid basic economy if you want to pick a seat and bring a carry-on bag without additional charges. Flying basic economy is a lot like flying a discount airline: The flight may be cheaper than most, but you’ll be nickeled and dimed along the way.

6. Pack Light and Don’t Check a Bag

Provided you don’t pick a basic economy fare or book a flight with a discount carrier, you should be able to bring a carry-on bag and a personal item on your flight regardless of your chosen airline.

Still, check your airline’s requirements for carry-on luggage so you can ensure your carry-on bag is small enough to qualify. All carriers have basic requirements that dictate the maximum size of carry-on luggage, and some airlines—like budget airlines—may have smaller limits than others.

On Air France, for example, you’re allowed to bring one piece of hand baggage and one personal item on the plane. The airline considers your carry-on a piece of “hand baggage,” whereas a personal item would be a backpack or purse you have. According to the Air France website, your carry-on bag cannot exceed 21.7-by-13.8-by-9.9 inches, including wheels and handles. Your carry-on bag also cannot weigh more than 12 kilograms (26.4 pounds). If you fail to keep your carry-on bag within these limits, you’ll likely be stuck paying for a checked bag.

In addition to confirming that your carry-on luggage meets size and weight requirements, ensure you weigh any bags you hope to check on the plane. Most airlines limit the weight of checked baggage to approximately 50 pounds if you’re not flying first or business class. When luggage weighs more than that, the airline will charge a fee for overweight baggage.

We’ve all seen people at the airline check-in counter frantically moving clothes and shoes from one bag into another to meet airline weight requirements. You can avoid this stressful situation by weighing your bag before you leave for the airport.

Bottom Line

Airfare is expensive enough without having to pay extra fees for bringing luggage along. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to avoid checked baggage fees.

Airline credit cards offer one of the easiest ways to avoid checked bag fees and score other frequent flyer perks, but these cards work best for consumers who fly with the same airline more than a few times per year. Before you decide on the best strategy for you to avoid checked bag fees, take stock of your normal travel plans and consider all your options.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.