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United Airlines Baggage Policy, Exceptions and Fees [2022]

May 17, 2022 by Lauren Graves

image credit: united.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

If you’re planning on flying with United Airlines this year then you’ll want to know what to expect in terms of potential fees and luggage restrictions for both your carry-on items and checked bags.

So for your convenience, whether you’re traveling with carry-ons, checked bags, or both, here’s a comprehensive list of every important United baggage policy all passengers should be aware of in 2022.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

United Airlines Carry-On Allowance

Don’t risk arriving at the airport for your flight and having your carry-on luggage turned away or unexpectedly checked. United Airlines lets most passengers travel with one carry-on bag and one personal item each, free of charge, as long as the items do not go over the airline’s size and weight restrictions.

Basic Economy tickets allow for one personal item only and do not include free carry-on luggage. If you do bring a full-sized carry-on bag when flying economy, you will be required to check the bag and pay the checked bag fee (whatever it is for your flight) and a $25 gate handling charge on top of that. All other flight classes include one free carry-on and one personal item.

image credit: united.com

Your carry-on bag technically has no weight restrictions, but it is expected to fit in the overhead bin. This means it must not exceed 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches or 22 centimeters x 35 centimeters x 56 centimeters. This includes all exterior hardware such as handles and straps. Your personal item, which is expected to fit under the seat in front of you, must not exceed 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches or 22 centimeters x 25 centimeters x 43 centimeters.

Other items that all passengers may bring in addition to their carry-ons include standard “special” items such as umbrellas, FAA-approved child restraint systems and safety seats, assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers, and pet carriers.

Carry-On Allowances for Toddlers and Children

Bring the essentials free of charge! Details below.

If you are going to be traveling with an infant or young child, there are a number of necessary items you can bring that United Airlines will not charge you for. These include: 

  • A diaper bag 🎒
  • A breast pump and milk 🍼
  • An FAA-approved child or infant restraint seat 👶
  • A compact folding stroller that meets carry-on size restrictions (9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches or 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches) 👩‍👧‍👧

All children under the age of two may travel with one car seat and one stroller. This allowance is included in all flight classes and on all flights. Strollers usually need to be checked at the gate but if they do not collapse, you’ll need to check them at the ticket counter.

Bringing Pets Onboard

Small dogs and cats are allowed on most domestic and international flights, but you will, of course, need to pay for your pet to travel with you in the cabin. A service charge of $125 is charged each way for a pet, and an additional charge of the same amount is assessed for every stopover of greater than four hours.

Service animals are not under the same restrictions as pets. See this page for information on traveling with service animals.

Pit Bull breeds are not permitted on the airplane at all.

The requirements for traveling with pets are as follows:

  • Puppies and kittens must not be younger than 16 weeks old
  • Unaccompanied minors are not permitted to fly with pets
  • Additional pets require an extra ticket and an additional $125 each way
  • Pets that don’t fit in kennels may not accompany you in the cabin and will need to travel in a separate compartment of the plane through United Airlines’ PetSafe transport program
  • You and your pet must be on the same flight
  • Oxygen services are not available for pets in the event of an emergency

Your pet will need to be up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations and you must bring a health certificate showing that they are to the airport. Some states, like Hawaii, have their own restrictions in place that you need to research.

Musical Instruments

Small instruments such as violins and guitars are permitted as long as they are in a hard case. If they are placed in the overhead bin, they’ll count as your carry-on. If they are placed beneath the seat in front of you, they’ll count as your personal item.

Prohibited Items

Certain items are strictly prohibited on United Airlines flights. These restrictions are put in place by the federal government and there are no exceptions.

Items never allowed on a flight include:

  • Self-balancing or self-riding bags
  • Camping equipment that contains fuel of any kind
  • Defense sprays such as pepper spray, tear gas, or mace
  • Explosives including but not limited to fireworks, flares, and gunpowder
  • MREs containing flameless heaters
  • Shock absorbers
  • Smart bags with batteries that cannot be removed
  • Tasers
  • Select electronic devices
  • Perishable items

Items allowed on flights with restrictions include:

  • Batteries
  • Power tools
  • Mobility devices
  • Firearms

United Airlines Checked Baggage Allowance

How many bags you can check for a United flight and how much each of those bags will cost to check depends on your loyalty status with the airline and the flight class you’ve chosen. Size and weight restrictions are also dependent on flight class and loyalty status.

Here’s a Visual Breakdown:

For United Economy flyers, checked baggage may weigh up to 50 pounds or 23 kilograms. United Business, United First, and United Polaris checked baggage may weigh up to 70 pounds. The latter is also the restriction for passengers with Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, Premier 1K, and Star Alliance Gold (First, Business, or Polaris) MileagePlus status. 

No bag may exceed a combined total of 62 inches (length + width + height) unless checked by an active-duty U.S. military member traveling for official business.

You can pay for your checked baggage, provided that it meets size and weight requirements, online before your flight or at check-in.

Cost of Checked Bags

To get the most accurate cost breakdown on how much it will cost to check your bags on your next United flight, use their baggage cost calculator.

The cost varies not only by route but also by which cabin you’re sitting in (economy, premium economy, business or first) as well as your membership and status. Your membership and status are determined by the credit cards you hold and whether or not you are active in the U.S. military.

In general, for North American economy flights you can expect to pay $30-$35 per bag depending on whether you prepay or not. If you need to carry a second bag this will cost an additional $40-$45.

For flights to Europe the first checked bag is free even for those in the economy cabin, however second bags will cost up to $100 to check.

Here’s a closer look of what you can expect to pay per bag from the US to popular international destinations:

Destination1st Bag2nd Bag
London, UK$0$100
Madrid, Spain$0$100
Berlin, Germany$0$100
Hong Kong$0$0
Beijing, China$0$0
Tokyo, Japan$0$0
Mexico City, Mexico$35 at airport, $30 prepaid$60 at airport, $55 prepaid
Cancun, Mexico$35 at airport, $30 prepaid$60 at airport, $55 prepaid
San Jose, Costa Rica$35 at airport, $30 prepaid$45 at airport, $40 prepaid
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil$0$65
Cape town, South Africa$0$0
Sydney, Australia$0$100
Perth, Australia$0$100
Queenstown, New Zealand$0$100
Flights based out of LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) United Economy Cabin

If you’re flying any level above economy both your first and second bag will be checked free of charge. Same goes for acting U.S. military members. You can read more about this in our “Exceptions and Waivers” section further below.

📍 Please Note: If you’re flying Basic Cabin to Europe your first bag will cost $75 and your second bag remains at $100. Also, when flying Basic Cabin to Asia your first bag will still be $0 but your second bag will be $100. This differs from United Economy Cabin which is the prices you see in the chart above.

Checked Baggage for Children

The same checked baggage policies apply to children with purchased tickets and infants flying internationally on 10% of adult fare as for adult passengers. Should a child’s baggage exceed their personal allowance, the fare-paying adult accompanying them will need to assume the excess baggage as part of their own allowance.

Excessive Baggage Fees

image credit: united.com

If you must bring a bag that exceeds the above size and weight restrictions or you want to bring an additional bag, you may do so for a fee. Some flights do not allow oversized or overweight bags at all, so be sure to look into this every time you fly.

Checked baggage may never exceed 115 linear inches. Most baggage may never exceed 100 pounds. Musical instruments and mobility devices, however, may weigh up to 165 pounds. Overweight bags (weighing over 70 pounds but less than 100) can cost up to $200 each. Oversized bags measuring more than 62 linear inches also incur a fee, which is dependent on the flight destination and subject to change.

Please note that if a bag is more than one of these things—extra, overweight, or oversized—you’ll be charged more than one service fee. Extra bags are permitted only when there is space available on the plane.

Fragile and/or Bulky Items

If you happen to be flying with an oversized, bulky or fragile item that is too delicate to transport as checked baggage, you may choose to purchase a ticket for it and have it sit next to you or in another open seat. This item and ticket purchase must be approved by a United Airlines agent.

Some examples of cabin-seat baggage that would be approved by United may include the following:

  • large musical instruments
  • electronic devices (cameras, computer hardware, medical devices)
  • artifacts
  • garment bags

Please note the following cabin-seat baggage restrictions:

  • Item(s) must not exceed 165 pounds (75 kg).
  • Item(s) must be safely covered in a way that avoids injury to other customers.
  • Item(s) must be secured in a seat adjacent to the owner.
  • Item(s) must be properly secured by a seat belt to avoid shifting during flight.
  • Item(s) must not restrict access to, or use of, any regular or emergency exit or aisle of the cabin.
  • Item(s) must not obscure any customer’s view of “seatbelt,” “no smoking” or “exit” signage.
  • Item(s) must not contain dangerous goods.
  • Item(s) must be reserved in advance and applicable charges paid.

You can read more on United’s cabin-seat baggage restrictions here.

Exceptions and Waivers

Both active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents and MileagePlus Premier members and their travel companions can have checked baggage fees waived. For these flyers, a maximum weight of 70 pounds is enforced rather than the standard 50 pounds.

Active-duty military personnel and their dependents receive 3 complimentary checked bags for personal travel, 2 for travel orders, and 5 for official business travel. MileagePlus Premier Silver members receive 1 complimentary checked bag on most domestic and select international economy flights, Gold receive 2 complimentary checked bags on economy flights, and Platinum and 1K members receive 3 complimentary checked bags on economy flights. All premium cabin travel permits 3 complimentary checked bags for those with Silver, Gold, Platinum, or 1K status.

Some destinations such as flights to San Salvador and Havana have additional restrictions in place when it comes to complimentary checked baggage. See these here.

Credit Cards That Give You a Free Checked Bag With United Airlines

As you can see, United Airlines does not offer free checked baggage to just any customer, as some budget airlines do, but there are a couple of ways to check a bag for free when you’re a United passenger. 

Not a member of the military or a United Airlines favorite customer? A United Airlines credit card might be the way to go for you. United offers five different credit cards through Chase bank and all cardholders receive at least one checked bag for free.

Here’s how many free bags you can check when you’re a United cardholder:

  • United℠ Explorer Card: 1
  • United Club℠ Infinite Card: 2
  • United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card: 2
  • UnitedSM Business Card: 1
  • United ClubSM Business Card: 2

According to United, having the United℠ Explorer Card (first card on the list above) can save you up to $140 per round trip! The primary card holder plus one companion on the same United reservation both get their first standard checked bag for free on all United-operated flights. You’ll have to make the purchase with the United Explorer card for the deal.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Filed Under: Airlines Tagged With: United Airlines

How to get United Airlines Elite Premier Status + is it worth it in 2022?

May 14, 2022 by Lauren Graves

image credit: united.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

United Airlines is known for two things:

  • having a ton of flight routes (including ultra long haul flights)
  • and having one of the best (if not the best) frequent flyer programs.

MileagePlus is well known for having valuable miles that don’t expire and a wide variety of awards to choose from. Even basic members who don’t travel often get preferential treatment and save more when flying, but fans of the airline know that being an elite member is the way to go.

Here’s how to reach elite status with United Airlines loyalty program, MileagePlus, and what elite membership with this particular airline looks like.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

About MileagePlus Membership

If you’re not already a MileagePlus member, this is your sign to enroll.

There is no fee for becoming a MileagePlus member. Just fill out this form with your personal information to create an account. You must be over the age of 18 to join, but parents can create an account on their children’s behalf.

Miles you rack up as a MileagePlus member can be used to book award travel, pay for seat upgrades, stay at hotels, pay for rental cars, and so much more. You can also use your miles to book travel for someone else, whether that’s flight tickets or hotel reservations. But we’ll go into more detail about how to use your miles later on in this article.

MileagePlus miles don’t expire as of 2019, but you do need to keep your account in good standing in order to make sure they’re still there when you need them. Always update your personal information when it changes and respond to communication from United Airlines promptly if there is a problem to avoid having your account closed. While some people have had success in getting their miles back in these scenarios, it’s not guaranteed and may cost you.


Anyone can earn miles, but premier members earn the most. To become a premier member, you need points.

Earn Points to Reach Elite Status

From now through January 31, 2023, it’s actually easier than ever to reach premier status within the MileagePlus program. This is because United has lowered the point and flight requirements to reach elite status and allowed United credit cardholders to earn points on their spending too.

Here are some of the best ways to earn enough points to qualify for premier status through the MileagePlus program.

Fly With United Airlines

image credit: united.com

Starting with the obvious, you can earn miles by taking flights through United Airlines. 

For United flights and tickets issued by United for flights on partner airlines, points are not calculated by distance traveled but by Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) and Premier Qualifying Flights (in other words, it goes by how much you spend not how far you fly). For partner flights booked outside of United, points are calculated by distance.

You can increase your status with a combination of PQF and PQP or PQP. Here are the points and flight thresholds for each premier membership tier.

  • Premier Silver – 8 PQF and 3,000 PQP OR 3,500 PQP
  • Premier Gold – 16 PQF and 6,000 PQP OR 7,000 PQP
  • Premier Platinum – 24 PQF and 9,000 PQP OR 10,000 PQP
  • Premier 1K – 36 PQF and 13,500 PQP or 15,000 PQP

Contrary to how it seems, you can’t qualify for premier status with PQP alone. Even with the minimum number of PQP required you need to fly at least four segments on United or United Express flights to be eligible to bump up your level.

Lifetime Gold, Platinum, and 1K status are possible. If you reach one million miles, you will be a Premier Gold member for life. If you reach two million miles, you will be a Premier Platinum member for life. And if you reach three million miles, you will be a Premier 1K member for life. Unless you reach lifetime status, you need to qualify for premier each year.

In addition to earning points when you fly, members earn miles (but you already knew that).

Certain flight classes and routes are eligible to earn more miles than others. For example, business and first class tickets earn you more miles than economy tickets. In fact, Basic Economy tickets earn 50% premier qualifying miles while Premium Plus tickets earn 150% premier qualifying miles. Here’s what each fare class earns in bonus miles.

You also earn points more easily with premier status regardless of what flight classes you choose. For example, base MileagePlus members do not earn any bonus miles when they fly, but Premier Platinum members earn four miles per dollar on top of the five miles per dollar granted to everyone for a total of nine miles per dollar spent.

  • Base members: 5 miles/dollar
  • Premier Silver members: 7 miles/dollar 
  • Premier Gold members: 8 miles/dollar
  • Premier Platinum members: 9 miles/dollar
  • Premier 1K members: 11 miles/dollar

No matter what your membership status, you can only earn up to 75,000 miles on any single flight.

Please note that you only earn miles when you’re the one doing the traveling. If you, for example, book a flight for another MileagePlus member or non-member, you will not receive points in your account for that trip unless you also take it yourself.

Purchase Preferred Seats

You can earn more PQP per ticket when you pay for seat upgrades. Economy Plus seating and subscriptions and other types of preferred seating qualify you for more points, and you can earn even more when you pay for upgrades. Upgrade to a higher flight class such as Polaris or First Class or pay for a seat with more legroom or closer to the door.

Not all flights offer seat upgrades and some make them available after booking rather than during. Premier members, those who have booked premium seating, and Chase cardholders who spend at least $25,000 per year are prioritized for upgrades on the waitlist. You are not guaranteed an upgraded seat unless you receive confirmation from United before checking in.

Only upgrades you pay for earn you PQP. You can use your miles to purchase MileagePlus Upgrade Awards, but you won’t get any points for it. And if your loyalty status qualifies you for free upgrades, these won’t earn points either.

Use Accelerators

You also have the option to purchase additional award miles at a reduced price when you are making a booking with United’s “Accelerator” products. These are specifically designed to help you pad your account with miles (not points). 

Award Accelerator lets you add award miles to your purchase when making a flight booking. These are discounted off their base price and go right into your account within 24 hours. Premier Accelerator lets you specifically by elite qualifying miles. You need to purchase miles through Award Accelerator in order to apply Premier Accelerator boosts.

Fly With a Partner Airline

image credit: staralliance.com

United partners with a number of other airlines through the Star Alliance network. You are eligible to earn premier qualifying credit on flights you take through partner airlines when you are a MileagePlus member of any status.

Preferred partners within the Star Alliance network include (but are not limited to) Air China, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada, SWISS International Airlines, and Lufthansa. MileagePlus partners include Singapore Airlines, SAS, Aegean Airlines, EgyptAir, Olympic Air, and Air India.

See a complete list of United Airlines preferred Star Alliance partners and MileagePlus partners here. Note that Aer Lingus, Aeromar, Boutique Air, Cape Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Vistara, and Silver Airways, though currently or previously part of the Star Alliance network or MileagePlus network, do not participate in the MileagePlus program.

Preferred partner flights earn more than MileagePlus partner flights. You can earn up to 1,500 PQP when you fly first or business class with a preferred partner or 1,000 when you fly first or business with a MileagePlus partner. Economy and Premium Economy points are capped at 750 for preferred partner flights and 500 for MileagePlus partner flights.

To determine how many PQP a partner flight will earn, determine how many award miles you would be eligible for if you were booking a United Airlines flight (reference the previous section to see how many miles per dollar you’ll earn based on your loyalty status) and:

  • Divide by five for preferred partners or 
  • Divide by six for MileagePlus partners

Your award status may make you eligible for miles bonuses as well, though they may not exceed the maximums above and do not count as part of your base miles.

Certain flight classes such as Basic Economy and certain destinations such as Cuba and Venezuela are not eligible to earn PQP at this time (subject to change). 

If you book a flight on a partner airline but purchase the ticket through United, your award miles will be calculated using the price of your fare. If you book a flight on a partner airline and purchase the ticket through that airline, your award miles will be calculated using the flight distance and fare class.

Tickets purchased from United usually earn more miles than tickets purchased through a partner, but that shouldn’t stop you from capitalizing on opportunities to earn MileagePlus points when flying internationally. 

Use Your Credit Card

United MileagePlus Chase Cardmembers are now eligible to earn points on their annual spending in addition to bonus miles for their accounts. PQP earned through card spending can be applied up to 1K status as long as you still have enough PQF to level up. Only United Presidential Plus and United Presidential Plus Business cardmembers can work their way up to 1K with card PQP and other PQP without having to meet PQF requirements.

The more elite your card, the more you can earn.

All cardholders can earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 they spend, up to 1,000 points per year for the majority of cardholders but up to 3,000 points per year for MileagePlus Select, Club, Club Infinite, and Quest cardholders. Presidential Plus cardholders can earn up to 10,000 a year by earning 500 PQP for every $12,000 they spend.

All cardholders except Presidential Plus cardholders can earn up to 5,000 PQP in a year. Presidential Plus cardholders can earn up to 10,000.

You still need to have enough PQF or ther PQP to qualify for Premier 1K status because it’s not possible to get there through just credit card spending, but points you get using your card can really add up.

United Airlines offers several different branded credit cards in partnership with Chase Bank. These include the following:

  • United Gateway℠ Card
  • United℠ Explorer Card
  • United Quest℠ Card
  • United Club℠ Infinite Card

Note that the United MileagePlus Select has been discontinued and is no longer available to new customers and the Club card is now the Club Infinite card. Read more about these cards below. You may also be interested in our best credit cards for United Airlines frequent flyers guide as well.

United Gateway℠ Card

This card earns two miles for every dollar spent on United purchases, fuel purchases, and transportation and rideshare purchases and one mile for every dollar spent on everything else. Earn up to 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 or more within three months of opening your account. There is no annual fee.

United℠ Explorer Card

This card earns two miles for every dollar spent on United purchases, dining, and hotels and one miles on everything else. Earn up to 70,000 bonus miles in total. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 miles after you spend $6,000 total on purchases in the first 6 months your account is open. The annual fee for the United Explorer card is $95 after the first year.

United Quest℠ Card

This is the newest card in the lineup. Earn 70,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 or more within three months of opening your account. This card earns three miles for every dollar spent on United purchases (including airfare, cruises, hotel bookings, car rentals, transportation, etc.); two miles for every dollar spent on all other travel, dining, and streaming services; and one mile for every dollar spent on everything else.

United Club℠ Infinite Card

This is the most elite United credit card there is. Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles when you use your card to spend $5,000 or more within three months of opening your account. This card earns four miles for every dollar spent on United purchases, two miles for every dollar spent on dining, and one mile for everything else. The annual fee for the United Club Infinite card is $525.

How to Earn More Miles

What good is a loyalty account without a balance? Here are a few of the best ways to earn miles besides flying.

Shop and Dine Through MileagePlus

If you don’t have anywhere to go anytime soon, just stay where you are and use the MileagePlus shopping and dining portals to earn miles on purchases you’d be making anyway.

MileagePlus shopping is a portal that lets members earn miles shopping online or in-person at select stores. According to United, members earn an average of 3,123 miles annually just by shopping.

There are over 900 stores featured in the MileagePlus shopping portal and most of them earn you about a mile or half mile per dollar you spend. Different retailers offer different bonuses, and the deals always rotate. Shop online right through the portal or shop in-person by linking a credit or debit card to your MileagePlus account and paying with that.

Sometimes, you can earn as much as three or four miles per dollar. Often, however, extra miles are limited to certain spending categories. For example, you can earn up to four miles per dollar at Sam’s Club right now, but only on spending toward new memberships. Be sure to read the fine print and shop the places offering extra miles. There may also be miles caps.

Refer Friends

If you have a co-branded United MileagePlus credit card, one of the fastest and easiest ways to earn miles is to refer people. All cardmembers can earn 10,000 bonus miles for every friend they refer up to five friends of 50,000 miles per year. Just share your unique referral link with a friend and they can use it to sign up.

People you refer have their pick of any MileagePlus credit card available and do not have to get the same card as you.

Buy More Miles

While we don’t typically recommend purchasing miles outright, this is a pretty easy way to bulk up your account. Before buying miles through MileagePlus, calculate the cost of each mile. MileagePlus miles are estimated to be worth about 1.6 cents apiece, so you’ll want to keep this in mind. Look for discounts and BOGO offers 

You can use this option if you’re really close to reaching elite status but not quite there or if you see a great deal on miles. Otherwise, we suggest you try the above methods for getting award miles.

How to Use Miles

You can use your miles in a number of ways. You can use them to purchase award travel, bump up your seat class, or book hotels.

Buy Award Tickets

Most premier members use their miles to fly. To book award travel, use this link and sign into your account. This tool shows only available award tickets for your destination and preferences. Award travel is often limited to select flights and seats, so it helps to not be too picky.

Book Hotels, Cars, and Cruises

Flights aren’t the only kind of travel you can book with miles. You can also pay for hotel stays, rental cars, and even cruise trips using your MileagePlus balance by making reservations through United Hotel Awards, Cruise Awards, or Car Awards. 

If you have a loyalty account with a particular rental car company or cruise or hotel chain, be sure to enter your loyalty ID when checking out to earn points for that account too.

Purchase Gift Cards and Experiences

If you download the MileagePlus X app, you can use your miles to purchase physical or electronic gift cards at stores and restaurants.

MileagePlus members also have exclusive access to events and experiences through MileagePlus Exclusives. Examples include concerts, wine tastings, and private tours. Some VIP events are reserved only for members with premier status.

Transfer Miles to Someone Else

If you’re feeling generous or want a simple gift, you can always transfer some of your miles to another MileagePlus member’s account. It costs $7.50 per 500 miles to do this.

Perks of Elite Status – Is It Worth It

You’re probably wondering whether making the effort to reach elite status is worth it. To that, we say absolutely. Because MileagePlus miles never expire, this loyalty program is definitely more rewarding than others that’ll have you scrambling to keep your miles from voiding. MileagePlus miles also don’t have as significant a markup as other airlines, so you get more for your “buck.”

And although earning points more easily as a premier member is a definite plus, elite status comes with a number of perks and advantages besides miles in your account. Premier members get: 

  • Priority boarding and check in
  • Complimentary seat upgrades whenever they’re available
  • Free checked bags on every flight
  • Early access to seats for themselves and their travel companions (plus access on sold-out flights)
  • Fees waived for changes and cancellations
  • Premier status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hertz

Click here to see the full benefits chart for premier members.

Final Thoughts

All in all, we have to agree that the MileagePlus loyalty program is one of the best out there. Achieving premier status is not as difficult as it is for some other frequent flyer programs and rewards members with miles, perks, and savings. It’s definitely worth climbing the ladder to premier status for the miles that don’t expire and the freebies.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Filed Under: Airlines

American Airlines Baggage Policy, Exceptions and Fees

May 1, 2022 by Lauren Graves

image credit: aa.com
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

No traveler ever looks forward to annoying baggage and incidental fees, but airline charges are even worse when they are unexpected.

If you’re planning on flying with American Airlines in the near future make sure you know what the baggage rules are and what traveling with (additional) bags will cost you in 2022.

For all the information you’ll want to know before checking in at American Airlines, keep reading.

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

American Airlines Carry-On Allowance

Like many airlines, American Airlines allows passengers to board with one personal item and one carry-on bag, free of charge. That is, at long as luggage meets size and weight requirements.

Carry-on bags may not exceed:

  • 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches or 56 centimeters x 36 centimeters x 23 centimeters. 

If you’re not quite sure whether or not your bags are within these restrictions, you can test them in a carry-on sizer at the American Airlines check-in. This will ensure that your bag fits either in the overhead bin or under your seat. If it does not, you will need to check it and pay the associated fees (more on that below).

Exceptions to the Rule:

One exception is that soft-sided garment bags are allowed to measure up to 51 linear inches or 130 centimeters and still qualify as complimentary carry-on luggage.

As for personal items, dimensions should not exceed 18 inches x 14 inches x 8 inches or 45 centimeters x 35 centimeters x 20 centimeters. Purses, laptops, and small handbags are typical.

Child restraint devices and mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs do not count toward your personal item and carry-on limit and can be brought with you at no additional cost.

Carry-On Allowance for Toddlers and Children

Children over the age of two must have their own ticket – purchased at the adult fare.

Children under the age of two are allowed to travel on the lap of an adult and have one carry-on diaper bag with them. Strollers and safety seats count as checked luggage.

The only way to carry on a safety seat is to purchase a seat next to you or hope for one to be open when you board. Otherwise, it will not travel with you in the cabin.

Bringing Pets OnBoard

Don’t forget your furry cargo!

Small domestic cats and dogs may accompany you on your next American Airlines flight. Depending on their size, they will count toward either your carry-on or checked baggage allowance. If they don’t fit in either, they’ll be transported in Cargo.

The following destinations allow pets:

  • The 48 contiguous U.S. states and Alaska
  • Flights between the U.S. and Canada (with restrictions)
  • Central America (with restrictions)
  • Mexico (with restrictions)
  • Puerto Rico
  • St. Croix
  • St. Thomas

For a complete list of restrictions on the above destinations as well as information about locations not included, visit this American Airlines page.

If you do bring a pet with you in the cabin, their crate or kennel will count as your free carry-on. Carried-on pets and their travel containers are not to exceed the under-seat dimensions previously mentioned (unless they are soft-sided/collapsible, in which case they may slightly exceed these dimensions as long as this is safe for the pet).

There is limited space for pets on each plane (7 kennels on American flights, not counting service animals, and 5 kennels on American Eagle flights), so you’ll want to arrange for their travel as far in advance as possible.

You may travel and check up to two pets per flight. You will need to provide a health certificate for all pets and allow for extra check-in time.

Each checked pet incurs a charge of $150 within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Carry-on pets cost $125 per kennel. Service animals may accompany you on any flight route and do not cost extra.

Certain dog breeds are restricted from traveling. These include but are not limited to Boxers, Bulldogs, Chow Chows, Pit bulls, and Shih Tzus. Burmese, Persian, Himalayan, and Exotic Shorthair cats are also not allowed.

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments fall under the category of carry-ons and therefore must meet the same dimension requirements as carry-on luggage.

If an instrument does not fit in the overhead bin or beneath the seat in front of you, you will need to check it or buy an additional seat for it.

You will also need to pay extra if it exceeds size and/or weight restrictions. The maximum size for checked instruments is 150 inches or 381 centimeters.

Prohibited Items

There are many items prohibited to travel by the TSA for safety reasons. These include many types of:

  • weapons,
  • lighters,
  • high proof alcoholic beverages,
  • large sports equipment,
  • sharp objects, and
  • other potentially dangerous or overly bulky items.

This page provides a complete list of all restricted items on American Airlines flights.

American Airlines Checked Baggage Allowance

For all regions and routes, the American Airlines checked bag allowance—which pertains to not only how many bags you can check but how much each of these may measure and weigh—is determined by a combination of elite status and flight class. 

Checked bags are permitted to measure up to 62 linear inches and weigh up to 50 pounds for most passengers. But if you are flying First or Business class, this weight restriction becomes 70 pounds.

Many flights will allow you to check up to 10 bags and others only five. Every additional bag costs more than the last until you get up to four bags.

On the majority of flights, the first checked bag costs $30, the second costs $40, the third costs $150, and the fourth (and every bag in excess of this) costs $200.

Checked Baggage for Children

If you’re traveling with a child, you may check one collapsible stroller and one government-approved safety seat for free. These must be checked at the ticket counter or gate.

Those traveling with both a car seat and stroller may check only one at the gate—most likely the car seat—and will need to check the other—most likely the stroller—at the ticket counter (strollers weighing more than 20 pounds or 9 kilograms need to be checked at the ticket counter). All other items are included as regular checked baggage.

Excessive Baggage Fees

Checked bags over the size of 62 linear inches will incur an additional fee of either $150 or $200, depending on where you’re flying to. No checked bags may exceed 126 linear inches or 320 centimeters.

First and Business flyers as well as Executive Platinum and oneworld Emerald elite members can check bags weighing up to 70 pounds without being charged extra. All others must pay $100 for every checked bag between 51 and 70 pounds and $200+ for every bag weighing in excess of 71 pounds.

No bags weighing over 100 pounds will be permitted on any flights. Overweight checked luggage is not accepted on European (transatlantic) flights, flights to/from Cuba, or flights to/from Australia. Bags on flights to/from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Australia (transpacific) weighing more than 71 pounds cost $450 each.

Here’s a full breakdown of checked baggage fees for American Airlines customers flying in the main cabin:

Country/Region1st Bag2nd Bag3rd Bag4th Bag +
U.S.$30$40$150$200
Mexico$30$40$150$200
Haiti$0$70$150$200
Cuba$0/$30$0 / $40$150$200
Caribbean (except Cuba and Haiti)$30$40$150$200
Panama$0/$30*$40$150$200
Central America (except Panama)$30^$40 / $55**$150$200
Colombia$0/$30*$55$150$200
Ecuador$0/$30*$40$150$200
Guyana$30$40$150$200
South America (except Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana)$0/$30*$65**$150$200
Transatlantic$0/$75*$100$200$200
Transpacific$0$0$200$200

All published bag fees are base rates according to travel dates and destinations. The applicable taxes are not shown and will add to the overall cost.

Seasonal pricing applies for travel on June 1, 2022 – August 19, 2022.

*Free bag excludes Basic Economy which is their lowest priced cabin. For travel to and from Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, a $30 bag fee applies to your first bag. For travel to and from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana) a $45 bag fee applies to your first bag. For Transatlantic Basic Economy travel, a $60 bag fee applies for tickets issued on or before April 20, 2020, and $75 for tickets issued on or after April 21, 2020.

^ For travel to / from El Salvador, a $30 baggage fee applies to your first bag seasonally only.

**For travel to and from Honduras, you will pay $55 for your second bag seasonally only.

For travel to and from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana) for all Basic Economy tickets a $65 bag fee applies to your second bag.

For travel to and from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana) for Main Economy tickets issued on or before January 27, 2020 your second bag is free and for Main Economy tickets issued on or after January 28, 2020 a $65 bag fee applies to second bags.

Exceptions and Waivers

American Airlines waives checked baggage fees for many of its passengers. Active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents can check between one and five bags free of charge. Those traveling on orders can check up to five bags for free and those on personal travel can check up to three. 

Confirmed first-class flyers on 3-cabin aircraft receive three complimentary checked bags as well and so can certain credit cardholders (more on this below).

Finally, those with elite status at this airline can take advantage of complimentary checked baggage. AAdvantage is the American Airlines frequent flyer program and oneworld is an airline alliance that links 13 global airlines to help flyers access international flights and benefits more easily. Those with the highest status in either of these programs are favored by American Airlines and rewarded with free bags.

AAdvantage Gold members and oneworld Ruby members, for example, get one checked bag for free. Platinum and Platinum Pro members get two and AAdvantage Executive Platinum and oneworld Emerald members get three. Basically, every AAdvantage or oneworld premier tier will get you at least one checked bag for free.

Credit Cards That Give You a Free Checked Bag

Being an active-duty military member or American Airlines elite passenger is not the only way to score free checked baggage. There are several American Airlines affiliate credit cards to choose from, and many of them offer anywhere from 1 to 3 free checked bags.

These include:

  • Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and
  • AAdvantage Aviator cards

✈️ Looking for a new travel credit card this year? See today’s top offers below:

  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
  • Best Airlines Credit Cards
  • Best Hotel Credit Cards
  • Best Business Credit Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Overall in 2022

Filed Under: Airlines Tagged With: American Airlines

Ryanair Baggage Fees, Allowances & Loopholes

February 13, 2022 by Lauren Graves

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Ryanair, the Irish budget airline, has highly specific baggage policies and allowances. Are you up to date on their current policies?

If not, here’s all of the information you’ll need regarding baggage for Ryanair flights in 2022.

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Carry-On Rules for Ryanair

Ryanair passengers have ​one small bag​—such as a laptop, purse, or small backpack—included in their fare as a carry-on. This carry-on must be no larger than ​15.7” x 7.9” x 9.8” ​(40 x 20 x 25cm) and must fit underneath the seat in front of you. This is the policy for ​non-priority​ passengers.

Ryanair airports have bag sizers stationed around various terminals that you can use to make sure that your carry-on bag meets size restrictions and will fit under a seat (these sizers will also show whether your checked baggage is the right size). If a small bag does not fit in the sizer, non-priority passengers must pay a fee of about $28 (€/£25) to check their bag as cargo and will not be able to take it as a carry-on.

Priority t​ravelers are allowed to take ​two bags ​on board: ​one wheelie bag ​(a rolling suitcase) and o​ne small bag. ​The wheelie bag has a weight limit of about ​22 pounds ​(10kg) and a size limit of ​21.7” x 7.9” x 15.7” ​(55 x 20 x 40cm).

This 22-pound carry-on is available for purchase by non-priority passengers for a price of between $11 and $28 (€/£10 – 25), depending on the flight. This can be done during check-in, at the time of booking, or up to 40 minutes before take-off through the ​Ryanair app​. If added to your flight at the gate, expect to pay $28. These carry-ons must be checked-in at the airport bag drop desk. Alternatively, passengers can pay between $7 and $16 (€/£6 – 14) to add priority to their trip and bump up their cabin bag allowance.

Checked Baggage Rules for Ryanair

Every passenger may purchase up to ​three checked bags​ ​per flight and these are each restricted to a maximum weight of ​44 pounds ​(20kg). Baggage is charged per person, per one-way flight. Checked baggage may not exceed ​70.5 pounds ​(32kg) and/or ​31.9” x 46.9” x 46.9” ​(81 x 119 x 119cm), for safety reasons. Weight restrictions do not apply to medical and mobility assistive devices.

If you add checked baggage to your flight at the initial time of ​booking​, you will pay $28 (€/£25) per bag. If you add checked baggage to your flight online, through a call center, or in-person after booking, you will pay about $45 (€/£40) per bag. These prices are subject to change during peak travel times.

For those traveling in groups, know that you are allowed to pool per-person baggage allowances as long as everyone checks in at the same time. Otherwise, if you exceed your personal bag limit of three, you will be charged additional fees by weight.

Items allowed to all passengers free of charge include:

  • One child stroller
  • One child restraint seat or carrier
  • Medical/mobility assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and canes

2020 Ryanair Excess Baggage Fees

Ryanair offers an in-depth ​guide to all additional fees ​(from extra legroom to flight-change fees) on its site, but the table below gives a complete list of charges for oversize and overweight sports and musical equipment. Prices vary based on whether you add an excess baggage item at the time of booking or after booking.

During BookingAfter Booking
Bikes$67 | €/£60$84 | €/£75
Large Sports Items$61 | €/£55$72 | €/£65
Sports Equipment$39 | €/£35$45 | €/£40
Ski Equipment$50 | €/£45$56 | €/£50
Golf Clubs$33 | €/£30$45 | €/£40
Musical Instruments$56 | €/£50$72 | €/£65

If a piece of sports or musical equipment weighs more than the 44-pound (20kg) allowance, extra baggage fees apply on top of the above fees. The current rate for extra baggage is $5.70 per pound (€/£11 per kilogram) for every bag you check outside of your three-bag limit. In addition, extra child/baby equipment may be purchased for about $17 (€/£15) a piece.

Get Baggage Fees Reimbursed With These Cards

If you’re on the hunt for top-rated travel credit cards that will reimburse you for baggage fees, keep these five in mind:

  • The Platinum Card® from American Express​: $200 annual reimbursement
  • American Express® Gold Card​: $100
  • Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card:​ $200
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®​: $300
  • Citi Prestige​: $250

How to Get Free Checked Bags Through Ryanair

At this time, Ryanair does not have its own airline credit cards that will get you free checked baggage, so you’ll have to try to save money on flights in other ways. Other than the small personal bag that’s free for everyone and the free 22-pound bag for priority flyers, there is no way to get checked bags for no cost or to have fees waived.

Ryanair is already a discount airline, so tracking down additional discounts is nearly impossible. With that said, follow these tips to save the most money:

  1. Add baggage to your reservation at the time of booking.
  2. Travel priority if your baggage weighs 10kg or less.
  3. Pool your bag limit with other passengers in your reservation.

Ryanair Fee Waivers and Loopholes

Ryanair Choice​ is an annual frequent-flyer membership, launched in 2019, that offers free priority boarding, flight discounts, and exclusive access to members. It costs about $222 (€199) annually, so be sure that joining is something that makes sense for you before committing. Consider joining the Ryanair Choice frequent flyers program only if you plan to do a lot of flying through Ryanair in a year.

Ryanair does ​not ​offer a miles-earning program. However, booking stays with ​Ryanair Rooms​ ​earns flight credit that can be used on any Ryanair purchases.

Ryanair does not offer military discounts to U.S. active-duty military members and/or their dependents.

Special Declaration of Value for Checked Bags

If you plan on flying with something of value in your checked bag(s), then you may want to look into Ryan Air’s Special Declaration of Value coverage. By default and per the Montreal Convention 1999, liability coverage only extends up to ~ €1,600.00 per bag.

You may pay a Special Checked Baggage Declaration of Value fee prior to your trip to have the liability coverage increased to ~ €2600.00 per bag.

Customers may purchase this at the Airport Ticket Desk and must do so for each airport of departure.

Final Thoughts

If you plan to fly Ryanair, you can already be sure that you’re getting some of the best flight prices out there. But if you travel light and book smart by taking advantage of ways to save on baggage fees, you can score low fares on any number of international flights.

Filed Under: Airlines Tagged With: Ryanair

Frontier Airlines Baggage Fees, Policy & Exceptions

February 7, 2022 by Lauren Graves

Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Frontier Airlines is a Denver-based budget airline that’s been around since 1994. Known for low fares and a family-friendly bundling program called Discount Den, this airline is a good one to consider when saving money is your top priority. Familiarize yourself with Frontier’s baggage fees and policies for 2022, including relevant COVID-19 updates, here.

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Carry on + Checked Bag Allowance for 2022

Frontier Airlines includes one free personal item per ticket but unfortunately does not offer free carry-on bags as many airlines do. You may bring a carry-on, but it will cost extra. See the next section for details on baggage pricing.

Your complimentary personal item must not exceed 8 inches by 18 inches by 14 inches in size. You should be able to place this under the seat in front of you without issue.

Carry-on bags may measure up to 10 inches deep, 16 inches wide, and 24 inches tall (handles included). Carry-ons may weigh no more than 35 pounds and they must fit in the overhead bin. If they don’t, you’ll need to check them.

Each bag you check must measure less than 62 linear inches and weigh less than 50 pounds. These restrictions are about average in the industry as of 2022. 

Free to carry on with you are car seats, mobility assistive devices like walkers and crutches, and other medical- or child-related necessities. Special items that may have their own size and weight rules and/or exceptions include sporting equipment such as bicycles and surfboards, child restraint systems like strollers and playpens, and musical instruments. Most of these are still subject to excess baggage fees.

Passengers that fly with an infant less than two years old may bring a diaper bag at no additional charge. A fee of $99 is charged both ways per pet that flies with you in the cabin.

For more information, take a look at the complete list of baggage restrictions and exceptions at Frontier Airlines here.

How to Pay for Baggage

The earlier you buy, the more you save!

You may choose to add baggage to your flight during booking, at the ticket counter, or at the gate. Adding bags while making your booking is the cheapest option while purchasing them at the gate before boarding is, not surprisingly, the most expensive. 

Frontier Airlines determines checked baggage fees by route and therefore does not have set prices. However, you can probably expect your first checked bag to cost anywhere from $37 to $55, your second checked bag to cost anywhere from $49 to $55, and your third checked bag to cost anywhere from $84 to $95. These prices vary depending on when you add bags to your booking. Take a look at the example flight below for an idea of how the pricing may look.

ATL (Atlanta) > CLE (Cleveland)

Bags added to booking…1st Checked Bag
During Booking Online/App$37
Before Check-In Online/App$39
At Check-In Online/App$41
At Airport Kiosk or Ticket Counter$55
At Airport Boarding Gate$60
Call Customer Service$55

As you can see, adding a bag as you book a flight is the way to go, and you can always remove these from your booking later if you find that you don’t need it after all.

Note that you will not be permitted to add more than one checked bag to your flight at the airport boarding gate.

Use this handy tool on the Frontier Airlines website to find out exactly how much the baggage in your existing reservation or a reservation you have yet to make will cost. If you book with Volaris, you’ll need to check prices through the Volaris website.

Carry-on baggage costs about the same as the first checked bag, in some cases a tad more. If you do end up purchasing carry-on baggage, you’ll automatically be bumped into Zone 1 Boarding, making you one of the first passengers on the plane (which may come in handy because seats are assigned randomly from whatever is left unless you opt to pay extra to pick your own).

You can add bags to your booking by going online, logging in to the Frontier Airlines website to see your trip, and selecting “Manage Trip.” Then you can review or change any aspect of your flight. Alternatively, you can use the Frontier Airlines mobile app for iPhones or Androids.

Be sure to check your bags at least 45 minutes before your plane’s scheduled departure. You may check them up to two hours before your plane’s scheduled departure if this is more convenient. If you’re checking in online, you may do so up to 24 hours and as little as 60 minutes before your flight is scheduled to depart.

Please be aware that mandatory temperature screenings, social distancing measures, and enhanced cleaning protocols in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 may slow your check-in process. Frontier Airlines is encouraging all passengers to download their passes on their phones, check in virtually, and avoid counters as much as possible when flying during this time. Be on the lookout for updates as this situation unfolds.

You may decide to purchase a bundle when booking if you want to save money on baggage and fly with additional benefits such as priority boarding and refundability. Check out the WORKS bundle if you want extra bags added to your flight, preferred seating, and added flexibility and the PERKS bundle for extra bags and preferred seating. Bundles may only be applied to round-trip bookings.

Additional Baggage Charges and Maximum Limits

image credit: flyfrontier.com

When you fly Frontier, you really want to make sure that your baggage adheres to size and weight restrictions. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with oversized and overweight baggage fees.

If the dimensions of your checked bag exceed 62 linear inches, you will be charged $75. If your bag weighs more than the permitted 50 pounds, you’ll be charged $75. If any of your bags are both too large and too heavy, you’ll be charged $150 each. These are the prices across all ticket fares and regardless of route.

Bags weighing more than 100 pounds and measuring greater than 110 linear inches will not be allowed to fly unless expressly stated otherwise in the complete Special Items List. If you’re not sure about something you want to bring, call (801) 401-9000 or your nearest Frontier Airlines airport. On routes to or from Canada, bags weighing more than 70 pounds will not be permitted.

DOT-approved car seats and harnesses, wheelchairs, and medical equipment are all exempt from oversize and overweight fees.

Cards That Offer Free Bags

If you travel a lot, you already know that credit cards are the name of the game when it comes to reducing baggage fees.

The following travel credit cards make it possible to fly with checked bags for free with Frontier Airlines using points, built-in benefits, and travel vouchers.

  • Frontier Airlines World Mastercard – qualify for one mile per dollar you spend on Frontier Airlines purchases and receive a $100 flight voucher annually to be used on tickets, baggage fees, seat upgrades, etc. (plus 40,000 bonus miles when you sign up and spend at least $500 within the first three months)
  • Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – earn two points for every dollar you spend on any type of purchase (plus 60,000 bonus miles when you open an account and spend $3,000 within the first three months)
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – earn two points or miles for every dollar you spend on travel, dining, and grocery purchases and one point on everything else (plus 80,000 bonus points just for signing up if you apply now and spend $4,000 in the first three months)
  • Bank of America Travel Rewards – earn 1.5 points for every dollar you spend on any type of purchase, with no limit on how many you can earn (plus 25,000 bonus points when you sign up and spend at least $1,000 in the first three months)
  • Citi Premier® Card – earn three points per dollar at restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations and on travel including airfare, car rentals, and hotel stays (plus 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening)

Using credit card points for travel is a good habit to get into anyway and it’s one of the easiest ways to get checked bags for free at Frontier Airlines.

Loopholes and Exclusions

Active-duty U.S. military personnel receive one free carry-on bag and two free checked bags in addition to the one free personal item afforded all passengers upon presentation of a valid ID at the time of booking. These two free checked bags are exempt from oversize and overweight fees.

One loophole, if it can be considered that, a lot of Frontier fans use is to travel with only a personal item on short trips. This may mean purchasing toiletries and other necessities after arriving at your destination, but it’s a good way to cut costs. Otherwise, an easy way to reduce baggage fees when flying Frontier is to add bags to your booking right away and check them as soon as possible.

Another way to avoid baggage fees is to reach elite status with Frontier Miles or bundle your ticket add-ons. Both Frontier Miles Elite members and passengers who add the WORKS bundle to their booking are entitled to one free carry-on bag per flight.

To become a Frontier Miles Elite member you just need to sign up for free here. At the Elite 20K tier, you are entitled to priority boarding, fee waivers, and a free carry-on bag. At the Elite 50K tier, you are entitled to these things as well as priority seating and a 1.25x mileage multiplier. At the very top, the Elite 100K tier, you get a 1.5x mileage multiplier as well as a free checked bag on every flight as well as the other perks mentioned.

You can earn miles on every Frontier trip you take, whenever you use a Frontier World Mastercard, and/or by making purchases at Frontier’s mileage partners (e.g. Budget, Marriott Bonvoy, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, etc.).

How to These Baggage Fees Compare to Similar Airlines

Compared to other airlines like it, Frontier Airlines is only slightly above average in terms of baggage prices, but it doesn’t give passengers as many freebies. For starters, many popular budget airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines give every passenger a free carry-on bag, even those flying Basic Economy or Economy. Some even give you your first checked bag for free.

Additionally, Frontier’s checked baggage prices are a bit high for a budget airline. It’s fairly typical for your first checked bag to cost as little as $30 with other airlines, so the prices at Frontier are not as low as they could be.

With that said, Frontier’s fees for oversized and overweight luggage are slightly below average. Many airlines charge well over $100 per oversize or overweight checked bag, sometimes reaching $200 a piece.

If you want to travel with extra perks and allowances but don’t want to pay the premium this would cost if you were to add everything to your booking individually, you might consider adding a bundle to your booking. These are popular with passengers making longer trips who need to take more bags with them and with larger parties who benefit from increased seating and booking flexibility.

Final Thoughts

Frontier Airlines does in fact have low prices on a number of domestic flights, but this budget airline can quickly get expensive when you add baggage to your bookings. But if you travel pretty light and are good at planning in advance, Frontier is definitely one of the cheapest airlines of 2022. Make good use of your travel credit cards and work toward elite status with Frontier Miles to stretch your budget even further.

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Filed Under: Airlines Tagged With: Frontier

United Economy Plus – Is it worth it? See how it compares

January 2, 2022 by Rosemarie Clancy

image credit: Unsplash, Tim Gouw
Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on FlyerGeek are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

Many airlines have classes of service that bridge the gap between coach fares and the much more expensive business and first class seats. In some cases there are a few types of fares that usually come with names like comfort and premium attached to them.

These fares are different from the basic fares that sprung up to compete with low-cost carriers. With those fares, which are generally the lowest offered on any route, you can’t pick a seat in advance and you need to pay extra for checked bags. You will also lose your money if you miss or cancel the flight.

But not everyone is looking for bargain basement fares. Some people just need a little extra legroom over what traditional economy seats offer, and they are willing to pay extra to avoid being cramped during their flight.

There are also some other fares that add extras. But it’s not always clear what you are getting for the extra price paid because many airlines use similar sounding names. There are also bundles that add extras to your flight experience which can make it all very confusing, and even subscriptions that allow you to book an Economy Plus fare class on all of your flights.

In this article we’ll take a look at United’s Economy Plus fares and outline what they include compared to other fare types offered by the carrier. We’ll also go over how much extra it might cost and whether it is worth it.

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What is United Economy Plus?

Economy Plus was first introduced in 1999, so it has been around for over 20 years. The main thing you get with an Economy Plus fare on United is some extra space to stretch your legs. These seats come with up to six inches of extra legroom, and they may be wider or have extra recline though that varies by aircraft. You can check for specifics on a site like seatguru.com. They are also closer to the front of the economy cabin, which allows you to deplane sooner.

This type of fare is available on all United and most United Express flights, but not on Star Alliance partner flights. Don’t get it confused with Preferred Seating on the carrier. Those seats are actually located just behind the Economy Plus seats, but the preferred seat itself is the same as the one you get with a regular economy fare and even a basic economy fare. ​​Preferred seats cost from $9 per flight to upgrade from Economy tickets and from $16 per flight for Basic Economy ticket holders.

Economy Plus vs Premium Plus

United also has a new class of service called Premium Plus. It is considered a premium economy experience, but is only available on select domestic flights including premium transcontinental routes and select long-haul international flights, as well as flights to Hawaii.

This level of service includes a better seat than Economy Plus. Premium Plus seats are made of plush materials and include adjustable foot and leg rests, and include a dedicated power outlet and USB charger in the arm rest. 

You also get a larger entertainment screen and an upgraded dining experience complete with custom dinnerware, flatware and a cloth napkin. Complimentary alcoholic beverages are also included with this fare where it is available.

What is the Cost to Upgrade to Economy Plus?

You can book an Economy Plus fare when you book your flight, or you can choose to upgrade before your flight through the website, in the app or by calling customer service before your flight or at check-in online or at the airport if available. 

There are two basic ways to purchase United Economy Plus. You can buy it for a single flight, or you can get a subscription for the year and upgrade every time you fly on United as long as the fare  purchased is not Basic Economy. The cost to upgrade to Economy Plus from Economy ranges for a single flight ranges from $9 to $299 per person. 

An annual Economy Plus subscription costs from $499 to $1,099. It can be purchased by region, and it can be bought for multiple passengers if they are traveling on the same itinerary. You can also upgrade to a different region or add passengers to an annual subscription in your account, but that will automatically extend the subscription for another year and any value on your existing subscription will be applied to the new price.

Another way to get Economy Plus seating is by bundling your trip.  Bundles include a custom combination of Economy Plus seating, checked bags, Premier Access, a United Club trip pass, extra award miles, a seat assignment if you booked a Basic Economy fare and/or a Wi-Fi pass for the day. You can buy a bundle when you book your flight.

You can also switch from one Economy Plus seat to another prior to flying if the cost is the same as your original seat, but if it costs more than the original price will be refunded and the new seat must be purchased in full.

For United MileageClub members 

If you are a MileagePlus Premier Platinum member, you can request access to Economy Plus seats for yourself and up to eight passengers traveling with you. Premier Gold members get advance access for themselves and one companion, and Premier Silver members can request the upgrade at check-in. If the fare you booked is a Basic Economy ticket, you have to wait until check-in to upgrade and pay the appropriate fee.

If you purchased the upgrade and the airline is unable to accommodate you in Economy Plus, the extra charge will be refunded. You can also purchase a subscription for someone else. If you are the recipient of a Comfort Plus subscription you can activate it here.

If you get upgraded because of your status and no longer need Economy Plus seating, it will be automatically refunded unless the upgrade is a complimentary Premier upgrade or if you are given a seat that is of similar or greater value because of an aircraft change.

Premium Cabins

You can purchase a Basic Economy, Economy and Economy Plus on just about any United flight, but the choice of premium cabins has a lot to do with the destination you are flying to. Depending on where you are headed, there are different upgraded options beyond Economy Plus including Business Class, Polaris Business Class and First Class.

If you’re flying on a transcon flight between Boston or New York/Newark and Los Angeles or San Francisco, you have two upgraded options. You can choose to fly in Economy Plus or Business Class.

Economy Plus vs Business Class

You can book business class on United for flights between the US and select cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Business class tickets come with Premier Access, which will get you through airport security and check-in quicker, and you’ll board earlier.

Flying business class on United will cost a lot more than upgrading to Comfort Plus. Ticket prices for business class on international flights vary based on a number of factors, but generally cost between $3,000 and $5,000. A flight from New York to London in United Business Class runs around $4,000 for example.

Polaris Business Class

Premium cabins vary by aircraft, but you can book the United Polaris business class product on select long-haul international routes. This is the airline’s most premium product which includes a suite-like space with ergonomically designed seats that lie flat and privacy dividers.

You can customize the recline on these seats, and for entertainment you have a 16-inch HD monitor and a full library of movies and shows to watch. You also get noise-reducing headphones and elevated service.

You also get access to the United Polaris lounge before you board if it is available in the airport. Polaris lounges can be found at Chicago O’Hare, Houston Intercontinental, Washington Dulles, New York/Newark, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Most were closed during the pandemic, but have reopened. The two California are expected to reopen in 2022. At the lounge you can take a shower and get a multi-course meal to eat before you board so you can sleep while flying.

On board the flight you get restaurant-quality meals created in partnership with the Trotter Project and complimentary alcoholic beverages. Or you can slip into 100% cotton pajamas and enjoy Saks Fifth Avenue bedding including a mattress cushion, cooling gel pillow, duvet and throw.

Economy Plus vs First Class 

United First will also get you extra space in its first class seats. These fares are available on flights throughout North America and Alaska and Hawaii. In addition to the added comfort of a first class seat in the front of the plane, you also get Premier Access. First class tickets on United also come with two free checked bags and priority handling of those bags.

These spacious leather seats have a six-way adjustable headrest and a padded seat cushion. They also have an in-arm slot for your tablet or laptop as well as a personal water bottle console and double pockets on the back of the seat.

The seats also come with a flip-up mobile device holder and charger, and a granite-topped table in the center of the console, which frees up the tray table for working or eating. You also get United Private Screening, which includes on-demand entertainment from DirectTV, and you can stream entertainment to your personal device. Youdo have to pay extra for United Wi-Fi though where available.

You’ll also get upgraded food and dining choices which vary depending on the length of the flight. They include a full meal with two entree choices, premium snacks, fresh fruit and Illy coffee. Alcoholic beverages are also included in the fare including On the Rocks Cocktails and craft beer selections.

Food and Beverages on United Comfort Plus

The meals and drinks served to Economy Plus passengers are the same as you would get in the rest of the main cabin. Flights that are less than two hours and 20 minutes don’t have any meal service or snacks, so bring your own or eat before you board. 

If the flight is longer than that or you are flying on a premium transcontinental flight in United Economy, you’ll receive a pack with two snacks and an 8.5 ounce bottle of water. Passengers on international flights receive a salad, entree, snack and a cup of ice cream if available, and complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and tea/coffee.

Snacks include chookies, pretzels or snack mix. You can also choose to purchase Choice Menu Bistro meals on select flights or Choice Menu Snack boxes.

Non-alcoholic beverages are complimentary for all passengers, but if the flight is less than an hour you will need to request them. Wine and beer are only complimentary for United Economy passengers on premium transcontinental flights and long-haul international flights, but alcoholic beverages including beer, wine and spirits are available for purchase on other flights.

Baggage Allowances 

With Economy Plus you also get the same allowance for bags as coach passengers. You are allowed to bring a carry-on bag and a personal item for no charge. The maximum size for the bag is 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches including the handles and wheels. Personal items like a shoulder bag, backpack or laptop must be smaller than 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches.

If you have to check an item at the gate, the first checked bag costs $35, a second one is $45 and a third one is $150. If you purchased a basic economy fare, there is also a $25 charge to check the bag at the gate.

There is a fee of $200 if the bag is oversized, which is more than 62 linear inches. Bags that weigh more than 50 pounds (but under 70 pounds) will cost from $100 to $200 each depending on the cabin, status level and itinerary. If the bag weighs between 70 and 100 pounds, it can cost up to $400 per bag.

If you have Gold elite status with the carrier, you are allowed two complimentary checked bags at 70 pounds each for domestic destinations and up to three checked bags to select international markets. 

Is Economy Plus Worth it? 

That depends on how much the upgrade costs and how much you need the extra legroom. United Economy Plus will definitely give you more room, especially on transcontinental or international flights. But it may not be worth it to upgrade on shorter domestic flights unless you need the extra space.

Also, if boarding or getting off the plane sooner is important to you, an Economy Plus ticket will get you in an earlier boarding group ahead of Economy and Basic Economy passengers. And you’ll be closer to the front of the plane when it’s time to deplane.

You also earn extra Premier qualifying points in the United MileagePlus frequent flyer program for the purchase of a one-time or annual subscription to Economy Plus, which will help you achieve elite status faster. So if you’re chasing a higher status tier, this will help you attain that goal and the cost may be worth it to you.

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