Airlines

Virgin Atlantic Baggage Fees, Allowance and Policy

November 17, 2021 by Lauren Graves

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Virgin Atlantic is a popular international airline that flies out of the UK to more than 35 destinations in the United States, Africa, Asia, and Europe. This four-star airline offers a solid rewards program, called Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, that gives generous rewards and numerous redemption opportunities. Virgin Atlantic flights are consistently comfortable and clean, so you won’t find us complaining.

Have a Virgin Atlantic flight coming up? We’ve put together a review of this airline’s baggage fees, allowances, and policies to give you a good idea of what you can expect when you fly.

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

Virgin Atlantic Baggage Rules

Virgin Atlantic’s baggage allowances and policies are pretty standard all around. This airline is really transparent about its fees and offers a straightforward process for purchasing baggage and checking it in.

One thing to note is that Virgin Atlantic made several changes to its baggage policies since December 9, 2019. If you haven’t flown with this airline since then, you might find that some rules are different from what you remember. We will point out any significant changes here in case you’ve been sitting on a reservation for a while.

Checked Baggage Allowance

Most Virgin Atlantic tickets included free checked baggage. Only Economy Light passengers need to pay for all of their bags as this inexpensive flight class does not include any checked baggage in the price of a ticket. Here are the checked bags included in all other classes.

Passengers in Economy Classic and Economy Delight are permitted one piece of checked baggage, passengers in the Premium Cabin are permitted two pieces of checked baggage, and passengers in Upper Class are permitted two pieces of oversized checked baggage.

Checked bags in Economy and Premium cabins can measure up to 90 x 75 x 43 centimeters or 35.5 x 29.5 x 16 inches and weigh up to 23 kilograms or 50 pounds. Checked bags in Upper Class can measure up to 90 x 75 x 43 centimeters or 35.5. X 29.5 x 16 inches and weigh up to 32 kilograms or 70 pounds each.

Flights booked before December 9, 2019, allow for three checked bags in Upper Class. All flights booked after must follow the above allowance.

Note that you cannot combine your checked baggage allowance with other people in your party no matter what class you’re in.

You will need to follow a partner airline’s checked baggage rules if your ticket does not begin with “VS.” For example, Delta Airlines if your ticket begins with “DL.” Also, checked baggage allowances are different for Virgin flights when one of your destinations is:

Delhi
Islamabad
Johannesburg
Lagos
Lahore
Mumbai

You can read more about the exceptions for these flights here.

How to Get Free Checked Bags

Virgin Atlantic gives almost everyone free checked bags. Unless you’re flying Economy Light, your ticket includes complimentary checked baggage.

If you’re in Economy Light and you want to purchase checked luggage or another seat class and you want to pay for excess baggage fees, here are two of our favorite travel credit cards for earning rewards.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 within three months of signing up. This card earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase, 3x points on all other travel, and 10x points on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase. This card also gives you a 50% value when you redeem points for travel. You can book Virgin Atlantic flights and pay fees with Chase rewards points.

Capital One Venture Rewards

Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 within three months of signing up. This card earns 2x miles on travel purchases made through Chase and 1.25x miles on everything else. Cardholders receive a $100 credit toward Global Entry and TSA PreCheck membership fees. Use your points to pay for tickets and baggage. Be sure to understand your odds of approval and credit score required before applying.

Excess Baggage Fees

You will need to pay excess baggage fees if taking extra bags or bags weighing or measuring over the allowance for your flight class. You can add up to seven extra bags to your reservation online or up to 10 extra bags at the airport.

Checked bags measuring greater than 90 x 75 x 43 centimeters or 35.5 x 29.5 x 16 inches are considered oversized unless you are in Upper Class. Checked bags are considered overweight in Premium and Economy if they weigh greater than 23 kilograms and in Upper Class if they weigh greater than 32 kilograms.

The fee for overweight baggage is $100 per bag and the fee for oversized baggage is 300 USD per bag. You need to pay both fees for a bag that is oversized and overweight.

Small instruments and pieces of sports equipment such as tennis rackets can be carried with you as your personal item. Larger instruments and sports equipment can count as checked baggage, but you’ll need to pay excess baggage fees if it weighs or measures more than the standard allowance. You will pass these off at the departure gate to be stored in the plane’s hold and returned to you at the arrival gate.

Sports equipment weighing more than 32 kilograms cannot be checked, but you may be able to transport them with Virgin Atlantic Cargo. Contact Cargo directly to discuss cargo bookings. Select sporting equipment such as bows and arrows and sporting firearms require additional paperwork.

Alternatively, you can book a seat for your oversized musical instrument. Instruments with their own tickets can weigh up to 75 kilograms or 165 pounds and measure up to 20 centimeters or 12 inches above the seat’s top. A cello, for example, would be acceptable. These must be strapped in and secured safely with an extension, if necessary.

Carry-On Allowance

Hand luggage or carry-ons are included in the price of every ticket. Passengers in Economy Light, Classic, or Delight and those in Premium are allowed one piece of hand luggage for free. Upper Class passengers are permitted two pieces of hand luggage.

Your carry-on can measure up to 23 x 36 x 56 centimeters or 9 x 14 x 22 inches. This is the maximum size allowed in every cabin class. In Economy and Premium, carry-ons may weigh no more than 10 kilograms or 22 pounds. In Upper Class, your carry-ons can weigh up to 16 kilograms or 35 pounds total, with a maximum individual weight of 12 kilograms or 26 pounds.

Personal Items

All passengers may bring a personal item in addition to their hand baggage on every flight. These may include purses and backpacks, duty-free goods, coats, infant food or formula, umbrellas or canes, laptops and electronics, etc.

There are no strict size and weight requirements for personal items, but the expectation is that you are able to comfortably carry them with you throughout the duration of your travel.

Medical assistive devices and mobility aids such as wheelchairs and breathing apparatuses are permitted at no additional cost. These do not count toward your baggage limit.

Infants and Children

Checked baggage allowances are the same for children and infants as they are for adults. They are permitted one piece of checked bag weighing up to 23 kilograms in all cabin classes except for Economy Light.

Children and infants may bring carry-ons, but there are different allowances determined by age. Babies between the ages of 0 and 23 months may fly with one carry-on weighing up to 6 kilograms or 13 pounds and children older than two may fly with one carry-on weighing up to 10 kilograms or 22 pounds.

Infants and children in all classes can travel with a fully collapsible stroller and travel car seat at no additional cost. These are held at the gate.

You may purchase one checked bag per infant at a price of $75.

Bringing Pets Onboard

Pets are permitted on flights to and from the following Virgin Atlantic flight destinations:

Atlanta
Antigua
Barbados
Boston
Hong Kong
JFK
Johannesburg
London
Los Angeles
Manchester
Miami
Newark
Orlando
San Francisco
Seattle
St Lucia
Washington
Sydney
Brisbane
Melbourne

If you don’t see your flight listed, pets aren’t allowed. However, service animals are permitted on most flights. Call customer service with questions about service animals.

Book travel for your pet at least seven days before your plane is scheduled to depart and note that space is not guaranteed, so the earlier you add them to your reservation, the better. You will need to provide paperwork such as proof of vaccinations for your pet. Contact cargo to find out what fees you will pay.

Currently, pet bookings are unavailable. They have been paused until 2022 for new reservations.

Valuable, Fragile, and Other Items

Valuable and fragile items are not to be packed with the rest of your checked luggage. They should travel separately in a marked suitcase or carry-on of their own for maximum safety. Virgin Atlantic is not responsible for valuable items that are damaged.

If you’re traveling to an event and need to bring a large garment bag such as a suit or gown, Virgin Atlantic can accommodate. You can count a garment bag as your carry-on in Economy or Premium class as long as it does not exceed 23 x 36 x 56 centimeters or 9 x 14.2 x 22 inches. Otherwise, you’ll need to check it. In Upper Class, a garment bag can count as part of your carry-on as long as it doesn’t weigh more than 12 kilograms.

Prohibited Items

Some items are strictly prohibited in hand baggage on every flight. These include:

Smart bags
Flame lighters and matches without safety
Toy and replica weapons
Sharp items
Sporting bats
Power tools
Flammables

If you need to travel with one of these items, you may be able to pack it safely in your checked luggage. Read the full terms and conditions for dangerous items on the Virgin Atlantic website.

Duty-free liquids such as alcohol are also prohibited on some flights. They are permitted on flights departing from the UK and United States, for example, but prohibited or restricted on select connecting flights. Some destinations require proof of purchase, plastic bags, etc. Read the rules for duty-free liquids by destination before flying.

When to Pay for Baggage

If you have an Economy Light ticket and would like to add baggage to your reservation or you need to pay for excess baggage, you can pay for these when booking your ticket. You can also add bags to your reservation from your account at any time before you fly, even at the airport on the day of your flight (though not recommended).

Don’t wait until the last minute because you need to check your bags at least two hours before your flight. You can check in online as early as 24 hours before your flight.

Exclusions and Waivers

Flying Club Gold tier members get an extra piece of free checked baggage weighing up to 23 kilograms on all flights operated by Virgin Atlantic.

Virgin Atlantic offers flight discounts to active members of the UK Armed Forces when they register for the Defence Discount Service. These discounts apply to most flights and other types of travel, but do not include free baggage.

Wheelchairs and other assistive devices are exempt from size and weight restrictions.

Final Thoughts

Virgin Atlantic gives most passengers free checked bags and carry-ons, and its allowances for size and weight are pretty standard across the industry. This airline stands out for its crystal clear policies. It makes it easy to add bags to your reservation and lets you know exactly what you’ll pay for additional bags, excess baggage, and add-ons such as pets.

Also worth pointing out is that passengers can add 10 additional checked bags to their reservation and the price does not increase for every extra bag. This is an all-around great airline with more than fair baggage conditions.

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

Turkish Airlines Baggage Fees & Allowance + how to avoid paying them

November 17, 2021 by Lauren Graves

Turkish Airlines is the largest mainline carrier in the world with passenger flights to over 315 locations across four continents and over 20 countries. This three-star airline is known for safety and flight availability, and you may find yourself on a Turkish Airlines flight or partner flight if you have international travel plans.

To prepare for your next flight on this carrier, make sure you’re familiar with their baggage terms and conditions. Find out everything you need to know about Turkish Airlines baggage allowances and policies in this complete guide.

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

Turkish Airlines Baggage Rules

As is often the case, the baggage rules for Turkish Airlines are not the same for every flight. Because some routes enforce additional restrictions and some flights are operated through partner airlines, you need to calculate baggage for every trip. Use the site’s baggage calculator to find the policies and fees for your flight.

If you find that you will need excess baggage or other paid luggage, it’s always a good idea to pay these fees ahead of time. Here, we’ll go over this airline’s standard rules for baggage and how to pay for checked bags.

Checked Baggage Allowance

The way that registered or checked baggage allowances are calculated varies by flight class and route. This airline uses two concepts to determine baggage rules called the piece concept and the kilogram concept.

Flights under the piece concept of baggage restrict each of a passenger’s individual bags to a certain weight, and flights under the kilogram concept of baggage restrict all of a passenger’s luggage together to a certain weight. Under the kilogram concept, it doesn’t matter how many bags you bring as long as you’re under the total weight restriction. Under the piece concept, you get two registered or checked bags included in the price of your ticket.

Not all policies and fees are the same even for flights that use the same concept. With that said, here are a few rules found to be true for most flights.

On international flights, under the piece concept, in Economy class each individual piece of baggage can weigh up to 23 kilograms and passengers are permitted to register up to two bags for free.

In Business class, each piece of baggage can weigh up to 32 kilograms or about 70.5 pounds. Infant passengers are permitted one bag and one stroller at no cost. Each bag is not to exceed 158 linear centimeters or 62 linear inches.

On domestic flights that use the piece concept, Economy passengers in EcoFly are permitted to bring two bags weighing up to 15 kilograms or 33 pounds each, Economy passengers in ExtraFly are permitted to bring two bags weighing up to 20 kilograms or 44 pounds each, and Economy passengers in PrimeFly are permitted to bring two bags weighing up to 25 kilograms or 55 pounds each.

Business class passengers on domestic flights can carry bags weighing 30 kilograms or about 66 pounds each.

Generally, flights that use the kilogram concept permit passengers in Economy class to carry a total of 20 kilograms or 44 pounds and passengers in Business class to carry a total of 30 kilograms or 66 pounds. Still, check the exact weight allowance for kilogram concept flights as it varies by route.

Most destinations in the U.S. and several in South America and parts of Africa use the piece baggage concept, but the majority of flights use the kilogram concept. Kilogram concept destinations are separated into five zones. You can see all destinations by zone here.

Certain international routes may have lower weight allowances or impose additional baggage restrictions. If you are taking a flight with multiple legs and Turkish Airlines is not determined to be the Most Important Carrier by IATA methods, then you will follow another airline’s baggage policies.

How to Get Free Checked Bags

For most flights, passengers can check two bags for free. But if you are traveling with excess baggage, you can get your fees reimbursed with a travel credit card. Here are two of our favorites.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 within three months of signing up. This card earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase, 3x points on all other travel, and 10x points on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase. This card also gives you 50% value when you redeem points for travel. You can book Turkish Airlines flights and pay fees with Chase rewards points.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Earn 75,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 within three months of signing up. This card earns 2x miles on travel purchases and 1.25x miles on everything else. Cardholders receive a $100 credit toward Global Entry and TSA PreCheck membership fees. Use your points to pay for tickets and baggage.

Excess Baggage Fees

Sports equipment including golf bags and skis, musical instruments, and other common forms of baggage that exceed weight restrictions are permitted, but you will need to pay excess baggage fees.

Turkish Airlines gives you a free pass for sports equipment on your first international flight.

On piece concept flights, you are permitted to carry bags weighing no more than 32 kg each. Any bag weighing more than the standard allowance of 23 kg and less than the excess baggage allowance of 32 kg incurs a fee of 80 USD each. On kilogram concept flights, the price for excess baggage is determined by the route you’re taking.

Most domestic flights charge an excess baggage fee of $2 per kilogram or a little over a dollar a pound. The price of excess baggage for international flights may be anywhere from $7 per kilogram to $30.50 per kilogram. Generally, flight zones 3, 4, and 5 are the most expensive when it comes to traveling with extra weight.

If you need to travel with more than your two checked bags, excess baggage fees also apply. The cost for an additional bag on a piece concept flight may be anywhere from about $160 to about $290.

You can purchase excess baggage online at the time of booking or before checking in for your flight using your ticket number.

Carry-On Allowance

On most flights, each Economy Class passenger is permitted one carry-on. Passengers in Business class are permitted two cabin or carry-on bags of standard size.

In general, each carry-on item may not exceed 55 x 40 x 23 centimeters or 21.7 x 15.7 x 9 inches. This is a total of 118 linear centimeters or about 46.5 inches. Each bag may weigh up to 8 kilograms or about 17.6 pounds.

Carry-ons must fit in the overhead bins and remain closed completely when flying.

Personal Items

All passengers may bring a personal item at no additional cost regardless of their flight class. This item is not to exceed 40 x 30 x 15 centimeters or 15.7 x 11.8 x 5.9 inches.

You are free to take non-prohibited liquids, toiletries such as shaving cream and toothpaste, respiratory devices, medication, beauty items, and small forms of sporting equipment such as tennis racquets with you in the cabin as your personal item.

Infants and Children

Infant passengers may travel with a piece of baggage weighing up to 10 kg. Strollers measuring less than 115 centimeters or 45.3 inches that fold up are permitted on every flight at no additional cost.

Children and adults must follow the same baggage allowances. If you are traveling with an infant, you can carry baby food with you for in-flight feeding.

Bringing Pets Onboard

There is a pet transportation fee for bringing your pet with you on a flight, either in the cabin or with the plane’s cargo.

As of October 2021, cats and dogs with respiratory problems are only permitted to travel in the cabin and may weigh no more than 8 kilograms or 17.6 pounds together with their crate. These breeds include Pugs, Shih Tzus, and Boston Terriers.

Small birds such as parakeets may travel in the cabin as long as their carrier fits underneath the seat in front of you and your seat is not in a row with emergency doors or reserved for strollers.

Puppies and kittens less than 10 weeks old are not permitted. Trained service dogs used for medical, not emotional, support are permitted to fly. You may be required to fill out additional forms for select flights that adhere to U.S. DoT regulations for service animals.

A pet’s crate can measure up to 23 x 30 x 40 centimeters or 9 x 11.8 x 15.7 inches if they are traveling in the cabin. Crates over these dimensions will be placed in cargo. All pet crates must be of hard material.

The United States CDC prohibits dogs considered to be at high risk of carrying rabies from entering. See a complete list of these countries – which includes Kenya, Peru, India, and Vietnam –via the link.

For more information about prohibited pets and fees, visit this page.

Valuable, Fragile, and Other Items

You can fly with fragile items in your checked or carry-on bags as long as they are secured. Fragile items such as glass may not be permitted if they are likely to break or leak.

If any of your baggage is damaged in the airport or airplane, Turkish Airlines will reimburse you for the full costs of the damages.

Prohibited Items

Under no circumstances can you take unsecured liquid or semi-solid substances with you on a Turkish Airlines flight. You must vacuum seal or otherwise securely contain such substances to avoid the risk of leaks or spills. You may travel with up to five liters of said substances with no more than one liter per container or package.

Accessibility and mobility items such as foldable wheelchairs and walkers and medical items such as portable electronic breathing equipment may be taken with you on a flight.

Smart baggage that uses lithium batteries is also permitted in the cabin, but batteries must be separated from their devices when traveling and placed in their original packaging.

Items prohibited in the cabin include:

Sharp objects such as knives and weapons (toy or real)
Oversized sports equipment such as golf clubs and baseball bats
Flammable items such as camp stoves and weaponized lighters

When to Pay for Baggage

If you are traveling with the two checked bags, carry-on, and personal item included with every ticket and all of your bags meet size and weight restrictions, then you will not need to pay for baggage. If you are traveling with extra bags or overweight luggage, you will need to pay fees.

You can pay most fees when booking your ticket online or before flying by logging into your account and adding it to your flight. It is not recommended to wait until checking in. If you qualify for baggage discounts, check with the airport Sales Office to make sure your discounts are applied.

Exclusions and Waivers

Soldiers of the Turkish Peace Force in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus qualify for discounts on excess baggage. If you qualify for a discount,

Students also qualify for baggage discounts if they are enrolled in the Miles & Smiles program as a resident of Turkey or a student from another country studying abroad in Turkey.

The fee for qualifying students and soldiers is $0.40 for every 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds.

Final Thoughts

Turkish Airlines flies to “most countries,” so it’s no wonder that their baggage policies are so varied. Your best bet when choosing this airline is to check the fees and conditions for every flight so that there are no surprises. Use this guide to familiarize yourself with the general allowances and policies, then double-check the rules for your route and pay for your baggage (if applicable) in advance of your flight.

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

Getting Bumped From Your Flight? Here’s How to Get Paid

November 10, 2021 by Adam Luehrs

Bad news turns into good news once you realize you can get paid to get bumped from a flight.

Yes, some people are making serious bank by getting bumped with payouts totaling thousands. How are they doing it?

First, you need flexibility and freedom. Trying to make money by getting bumped on your way to an important conference, work event or family wedding can quickly turn into a case of “be careful what you wish for” if you end up stranded while the festivities go off without you. Let’s talk exclusively about perfecting the skill of getting paid to chill when you have time to kill.

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

The Criteria for Getting Paid for Getting Bumped

It’s important to know the difference between “paying” bumps and “non-paying” bumps. Getting paid means qualifying for something called involuntary denied boarding compensation after an airline has asked you to give up your seat on an oversold flight. Here’s what’s needed:

You have a confirmed reservation.
You checked in for your flight on time.
You showed up for your departure gate on time.
The airline is incapable of getting you to your destination within an hour of your flight’s scheduled arrival time.

It’s equally as important to know when you’ll be barking up the wrong tree when you ask for compensation after getting bumped. Not every flight hiccup means a payout is coming. Here are the scenarios where you won’t quality for payment:

Your airline had to substitute an aircraft due to some type of operational or safety reason.
You were bumped due to weight or balance restrictions.
You were downgraded to a lower seating class. While you won’t get special compensation, you will at least get a refund for the price difference.
You were traveling on a charter flight that isn’t part of an airline’s regular schedule.
You were traveling on an aircraft that maxes out at 30 passengers.

Next, take a look at the tips for increasing your odds of getting paid to get bumped. While these tips don’t offer any guarantee that a payday is coming your way, they will help to boost your chances of getting cash in exchange for a little inconvenience. Let’s power through some bump-worthy tips.

Tip #1: Fly With the Airlines That Are Notorious for Bumping Passengers

The Bureau of Transportation really does most of the hard work for you on this one.

You can look up data on “denied confirmed space” for all major carriers for the most recent year reported to see exactly where airlines stand with miscalculating room to sit.

Here’s a look at how involuntary denied boardings looked in 2020 for the five worst “offenders:

1. Frontier Airlines: 6.28 bumps per 10,000 passengers.
2. Spirit Airlines: 5.57 bumps per 10,000 passengers.
3. Alaska: 2.30 bumps per 10,000 passengers.
4. PSA Airlines: 2.29 bumps per 10,000 passengers.
5. American Airlines 1.95 bumps per 10,000 passengers.

It also helps to know about the “winners” for keeping passengers in their seats to avoid if you’re trying to cash in on getting bumped out.

Delta airlines actually does the best for getting you where you’re going without getting bumped by bumping just 0.02 per 10,000 passengers. Endeavor, United, and JetBlue also barely bump.

Tip #2: Make It Easier to Say “Yes” to the Bump by Clinging to Your Luggage

Checking your luggage removes some of that flexibility that’s needed for jumping at the chance for a payout by getting out.

Get in the habit of living with a carry-on bag if you’re flying with a cashing-out perspective. Of course, it’s easier to stick with this one if you’re flying on an airline that doesn’t provide a free checked bag.

Tip #3: Ask for Cash Because Cash Is Your Right

Very few airline passengers know this.

Let a woman named Allison Preiss be your inspiration for never settling for anything less than cash when you’re offered compensation from an airline.

Allison Preiss made headlines in 2018 when she was given a $10,000 voucher from United Airlines after turning down a $2,000 voucher that was offered to her after getting bumped from her flight. However, Preiss only got the $10,000 voucher because she asked for cash when she turned down the $2,000 flight voucher.

Preiss was the rare passenger who actually knew that she was entitled to ask for cash under federal law. The amount she was entitled to for this flight was around $650. Uneager to part with the cash value, United came back to her with an offer for a $10,000 travel voucher that represented the maximum payable amount under United’s compensation policy. The bottom line is that you can’t lose by asking for cash. There’s a good chance you’ll end up with a bigger voucher even if you aren’t wowed by the cash amount.

Tip #4: Relax by the Gate

Fortune favors the alert when it comes to getting bumped for money. Gate agents often make announcements for passengers willing to be voluntarily bumped once it’s determined that a flight is overbooked. You’ll only hear the offer if you’re located close enough to the gate to pay attention. Get in the habit of hanging out close enough to be seen if you want to throw your hand up to volunteer.

Tip #5: Remember That You Don’t Have to Be Sneaky About Your Intentions

There’s actually nothing stopping you from simply walking up to gate agents to let them know that you’re happy to be bumped if the need arises.

This may actually prevent the need for them to get on the microphone to open up the offer to others. While volunteering doesn’t mean your flight will actually be oversold, you can relax a bit knowing that you don’t have to be on high alert to be first in line if an announcement is made.

Tip #6: Fly at Bump-Friendly Times

When you fly can actually determine your chances of being bumped from your flight. The big bump days are holiday travel days. You can use this to your advantage if you’re flying for a casual getaway around Thanksgiving or Christmas instead of making the rush to family gatherings like 90 percent of the travelers around you.

Mondays and Fridays are also big days for getting bumped because those are big days for business travel. Travelers getting places on Mondays and Fridays may also be trying to squeeze in weekend getaways that leave no wiggle room for getting to their destinations late. That makes you a prime candidate for being the only bump-worthy passenger on a flight if you’re not eager to get back to the grind.

Lastly, once-daily and once-weekly flights without good alternatives are treasure troves for passengers wanting to get bumped.

Tip #7: Always Check Seat Availability Before Booking

If you’re flying to get bumped, this last tip is major. You can look up how full a flight is online before you book your seat. If it looks like a flight is filling up quickly, this could be a hot one to grab. You might even want to get in the habit of booking at the last minute for this reason. A flight that’s practically empty just before departure day doesn’t offer great chances for being bumped.

Final Thoughts on Getting Bumped From a Flight to Make Money

It’s important to go in with the mindset that there’s no sure thing when it comes to being asked to give up your seat. You should also remember that speaking with a gate agent once is enough. There’s no need to hover by the gate to try to get the inside scoop on overbooked flights. Gate agents have enough to worry about without managing expectations for payouts. The bottom line is that you should have fun with it. Just make sure you’re familiar with things like blackout dates and expiration dates before you agree to a new flight because there’s no “undoing the offer” once you give up your seat.

Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages: How much can you really save?

November 3, 2021 by Lauren Graves

Are you the type of traveler who books all of your travel separately? If you do this every time you travel, you might be spending more money than you need to.

Fans of Southwest Airlines — keep reading — because we’re going to be talking about Southwest Vacation packages.

These travel packages allow passengers to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and even activities at one time. Here, we’ll talk about what a Southwest Vacation package includes, whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and how to book.

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

What Is a Southwest Vacation Package?

A Southwest Vacation package is a travel product that includes:

✈️ air and
🚐 ground transportation as well as
🏨 hotel or resort bookings.

You can build and customize a vacation package to meet your needs and fit your budget. All flights in packages are through Southwest Airlines, but other travel accommodations are booked by Southwest on your behalf through third parties. These packages give members savings and additional perks for their trips.

You do not need to be a Southwest rewards member to book a vacation, and there is no additional fee for using this platform. However, rewards members benefit most when booking these packages. Previously, you could only earn rewards points on the flight portion of a vacation package, but now you can earn points on air travel, hotel bookings, car rentals, and even experiences. More on earning points soon.

What Does a Vacation Package Include?

Vacation packages may include flights, hotel bookings, car rentals, activities, and extras such as amusement park tickets, experiences, and travel insurance/purchase protection. You can create a package yourself or choose from all-inclusive resort packages with pre-selected flights, resort bookings, and accommodations. There are two vacation types: single destination trips and multiple destination trips.

Each package comes with exclusive perks unique to each property as well as two Southwest guarantees: no change fees and two free checked bags on flights. These Southwest benefits are included in the price of a package, but all other offers are determined by the hotel or resort.

Benefits may include:

Rate discounts
Complimentary amenities
Complimentary room upgrades
Food and beverage or experience credits
Kids stay free
And more

How Much Do Vacation Packages Cost?

After comparing many vacations through Southwest and other travel booking sites, we found that Southwest Vacations can often save you money. Sometimes the difference in price is significant and sometimes slight, but you’ll usually save when you book a vacation through Southwest even if the savings are in the form of complimentary extras.

Southwest Vacation Package – Riu Palace Costa Mujeres all-inclusive resort. Image credit: riu.com

Here’s an example where the price difference is significant. You and a partner are traveling to the Riu Palace Costa Mujeres all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico, for a seven-night trip.

When you book this vacation through Southwest Vacations, you pay $1,568.75 per person or $3,137.50 total. This price includes a Junior Suite Partial Ocean View room and resort fees and a round-trip flight in Wanna Get Away class. Members earn 3,273 each. You can pay for this package in full when booking or in monthly installments of about $73 per person. Changes and cancellations are not permitted.

Booking these items separately would be quite a bit more expensive. For just the resort booking, the price would be $2,786 at the current non-refundable promotional rate. The flights would cost $869.02 total. This comes out to a total of $3,655 or $1,827.50 per person. With the exclusive discounts through Southwest, you could save up to $517.50 for the very same vacation even with the resort offering its own discount.

Southwest Vacation Package – Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. Image credit: hiltonwaikoloavillage.com

But the savings are not always this good. Here’s another example where the price difference is negligible. Let’s say you’re flying out of Chicago to Hawaii and staying at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, a beachfront resort property on Big Island. For a booking of seven consecutive nights, the price per person for the Southwest Vacations package is $3,443.79 or $6,887.58 total.

This price, which is discounted by $150, includes the hotel rate for a Palace Resort View room with one king bed and a round-trip flight. The departure trip is a Wanna Get Away flight out of Chicago with one layover in San Diego and the return flight is a Wanna Get Away flight out of KOA airport with one layover in Phoenix. Also included in the price are a $45 daily resort fee and a $30 per room, per vehicle daily valet parking fee. Members earn 7,096 points each for this vacation.

When you book through Southwest Vacations, you get a non–refundable room rate and are not permitted to change or cancel your reservation. You may pay for the trip upfront or pay over time in monthly installments of $384 at a 15% interest rate.

Now let’s say you’re booking each part of this same trip separately. Starting with the resort, you’d pay $5,866.51 total for the same room at a non-refundable (the lowest) rate including taxes and fees. You must pay for this trip in full at the time of booking. The round-trip Wanna Get Away flight would cost $515.60 per person or $1,031.20 total. The grand total for this trip would then be $6,897.71.

As you can see, this difference in price is not significant at only about $10. However, what we found is that Southwest Vacations packages tend to offer a bit more flexibility at roughly the same or a slightly better rate. In this instance, you do not need to pay for the entire Southwest vacation in total when booking and you get free Southwest perks like free checked bags.

About the monthly payments. Though both of these packages qualify, this option is not available for every trip. Only purchases over $1,200 are eligible and some destinations do not allow monthly payments. These loans are offered through Uplift and initiated through Southwest. A credit check is required.

How to Save

If saving money is your bottom line, there are a few ways to find Southwest Vacations at the best prices. First, start your search in the deals section.

Always browse promotions before booking a trip, especially if you’re not picky about which hotel or resort you stay at. This is often where you can save the most money and score freebies such as complimentary nights and food and beverage credits.

Usually, popular destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean and Disney Parks are discounted pretty much year-round. Southwest may also choose to provide discounts for certain hotel or resort brands like MGM or destination hotels like the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Here are all the Deals categories:

Las Vegas deals
Mexico and Caribbean deals
Hawaii deals
Disney Parks deals
Ski and outdoor adventure deals
Promo code deals
Last minute deals

If you select “View all deals” at the bottom of the deals tab, you can browse all discounted trips. Then, try filtering by location and sorting by recommended, hotel rating, or hotel name.

To give you an idea of the kinds of discounts you might find, here are a few deals that stood out to us:

Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya by AMR Collection – Up to 40% off room rates + $200 in resort coupons and kids stay free
Walt Disney World Swan – Up to 45% off room rates
Doubletree by Hilton Alana Waikiki Resort – Complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability) and 50% off resort and parking fees
Riu Santa Fe – Up to $200 in instant credits + complimentary shared roundtrip airport transfers, $35 spa credit, and kids stay free
Secrets St. James Montego Bay by AMR Collection – Up to 40% off room rates + $20 spa treatment and $200 in resort coupons

Prices for flights and bookings are always changing, so if you are able to take a bit of time hunting for the best rates, we recommend doing that. You might even get a better price in the same day if you just check back later.

If you are viewing a promotional package, be sure that the promotion code auto-populates on the search page. If it doesn’t, you should be able to find the code in the package description. Contact customer support if you have trouble applying a discount.

Another great way to save more is using a Southwest co-branded credit card. There are six types of Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards^® Visa Credit Cards offered through Chase Bank.

If you use one of these cards to pay for your vacation, you can earn points on the entire purchase. This includes tier qualifying points that can help you qualify for elite. Plus, each card gives you travel savings. The Priority card, for example, pays you back 3x points on all Southwest purchases, 2x points on hotels bookings and car rentals, 25% back on inflight purchases, and 7,500 bonus points per year.

How to Book a Vacation Package

To book a Southwest Vacation package, start by signing into your Southwest account. Then, use the search tool to input your dates and destinations and search for Flight + Hotel packages or Flight + Care packages. Alternatively, you can select “Deals” or “Destinations” from the top of the page to browse current promotions and popular destinations such as Hawaii, Cancun, Jamaica, New Orleans, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and more.

If you start your search in the Deals or Destinations sections, select a hotel, resort, or experience to get started customizing your package.

Starting with the search tool will take you to the hotel page where search customizations are shown on the left side of the page. You can filter your search by selecting for different amenities and experiences, sorting by hotel class and price range, or showing only results within a certain distance from points of interest. You can even enter a hotel name and select “Find.” If you don’t customize the search at all, Southwest will just show you their top picks first. This will default to the lowest-priced hotel reservations, flight tickets, and car rentals.

Select a hotel to read more about the property such as included amenities, room types, and cancellation/change policies. Make note of resort fees, valet fees, and other charges in addition to the starting room rate. Select the “Rooms” tab or click “Select Rooms” in the yellow box at the top to view available rooms. To the right, the “Price Per Person” will show you the additional charge for every room type on top of the starting rate for the hotel as well as the change in points for each traveler.

After you’ve chosen your room, you will be taken to the flight page. Here, you can choose a flight with ideal departure times and stopovers and change your flight class as needed. The running total for your package will change depending on how you customize your package and which items you select. The only way to guarantee the lowest rate or base rate is to keep everything as is, meaning economy class (Wanna Get Away) and the cheapest rooms. Once you’ve picked a flight, select “Continue.”

The next page is the Cars page. You can add a car to almost any vacation package, but it is not required. To the right, you can see the overall total and per day total for each car. Select a car or navigate to the “Add Extras” page to skip. Extras are also optional, but it’s not a bad idea to check them out because some offer great deals. On the left side of the screen, you can filter for different categories such as Sightseeing and Tours or Water Activities and narrow your desired price range.

Extras might include:

vouchers for local excursions or tours
hotel ground transportation
boat trips and fishing
snorkeling or diving
unique immersive experiences such as swimming with dolphins

To book an extra, just select “View options” and choose how many people in your party will be participating. Then, add to cart. The price of your vacation will automatically adjust for the price of extras at this time.

On the checkout page, confirm your selections and make any final changes. The total package price might be a little different now if something you selected is no longer available or has increased in price since you started booking. If you don’t want to book the vacation now, you can print or email your itinerary or save your search to your Southwest Vacations account.

How to Earn Points

If you’re a Rapid Rewards member, you can earn rewards from any vacation package. Flights, hotel bookings, and car rentals are all eligible to earn points. You can see how many points a package qualifies to earn when booking, below the rates. If you are traveling with a group, each Rapid Rewards member qualifies to earn rewards.

Note that points earned via vacations do NOT count as elite tier qualifying points toward A-List or A-List Preferred status.

You can either enter everyone’s account numbers when booking the trip, online before the trip begins, or at the airport checkout counter or gate. You must request Rapid Rewards points when checking in for your flight, hotel, or car rental and provide account information to guarantee.

Just make sure that every member is checked in because you can’t always apply points retroactively to a trip. If you find that points you should have earned for a vacation are missing 30 days after the trip has concluded, you have up to twelve months to request them.

Select packages qualify to earn bonus points or higher earning rates than most. For example, travelers who book a vacation at a participating MGM Resort location in Las Vegas are eligible to earn 600 bonus Rapid Rewards points per room on stays of more than one night.

Advantages and Disadvantages

One of the primary advantages of booking a vacation through Southwest are the exclusive perks. These include private transfers from plane or car to hotel, VIP excursions such as tours and events, and complimentary room upgrades at select destinations. These are only available to Southwest travelers and vary in value, but they can definitely help you save money and travel more comfortably. And don’t forget about the free checked bags. When you book a custom vacation package, your first and second checked bag–including golf bags, fly for free and there are no change fees for modifying eligible transportation or hotel bookings.

Southwest Vacations also include 24-hour traveler assistance. While you’re traveling, you can call a dedicated customer service line to get in touch with a representative about booking issues and concerns. In some big cities and popular tourist destinations, there are even local customer service representatives you can go talk to.

You can save serious cash booking through Southwest as well. Although not every vacation is heavily discounted, you can usually save at least a little bit of money on your flight or hotel reservation or, at the very least, make things easier on yourself when traveling. Plus, Southwest offers a lowest price promise on all packages. This means that if you find an identical package elsewhere that is priced lower than theirs, Southwest will pay you the difference in future travel credit if you book with them. So always, always shop around. And don’t knock the discounts in the extras and experiences sections.

The Rapid Rewards program is a generally solid rewards program, so this is another advantage in and of itself. Not only is each point valued at 1.3 cents, which is decent, but Southwest offers flexible and rewarding redemption opportunities. This airline offers unlimited reward seats on every flight and no blackout dates on standard fare tickets booked with points. Travelers who book a Southwest Vacation package can score major savings on future flights, especially if they’re strategic about earning as many points as possible.

But even though we like that Southwest Vacations earn points, this program doesn’t let you redeem points for vacations, and this is one of the biggest disadvantages. Southwest Vacations packages are not eligible to be booked with points, and that could be disappointing especially if you’re traveling with a group of Rapid Rewards members with points to spend. You can, however, use travel funds from canceled flights to pay for part of your Vacations package by providing your confirmation number at checkout.

Likewise, you can’t use hotel rewards to book a Southwest vacation. You might be able to earn hotel points from your trip, but there is no way to easily do this and no guarantee that you’ll get those points.

Also disappointing is the fact that vacation points are not tier qualifying points, so they don’t help you qualify for elite status. Although you can earn plenty of points booking vacations, you can’t reach elite this way no matter how many trips you take.

Southwest offers a fairly expansive range of options, but this program is still somewhat limited in terms of availability. You may not find a hotel brand you’re looking for or packages available in certain destinations

Another potential disadvantage to note is that Southwest Vacations packages don’t always offer as much booking flexibility as you might be looking for. Because most hotels and resorts are at promotional rates, they are sometimes non-refundable and cannot be changed or canceled. Some properties may let you select for rooms that do qualify for refunds and changes, but you won’t be getting the low prices that make Southwest Vacations packages so attractive.

Final Thoughts

Overall, booking travel through Southwest Vacations isn’t a bad way to go. From savings to exclusive perks, these packages are often more rewarding than booking separate travel and there are more than enough destinations and experiences to choose from. We recommend checking out Southwest Vacations the next time you’re planning a trip and following the tips in this article to score the best deals.

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

Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight: How it compares + is it worth the upgrade?

October 25, 2021 by Lauren Graves

Virgin Atlantic is known for being stylish from its aircraft to its flight attendant uniforms, but if you’re like us, you’re more concerned with the comfort (and cost) of a flight than you are the looks.

This popular British airline carrier offers three different economy flight classes and two premium ones. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the highest economy option: Economy Delight.

This review will help you decide if the perks of this flight class are worth the higher price tag compared to the next lowest and highest classes. We’ll compare different economy classes and tell you exactly what is included in an Economy Delight ticket.

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

Virgin Atlantic Flight Classes

Economy class options and details. Photo credit: flywith.virginatlantic.com

Virgin Atlantic offers five flight classes: Economy Light, Economy Classic, Economy Delight, Premium, and Upper Class. Premium can be thought of as Business class and Upper Class can be thought of as First class. Economy Delight seats are denoted with a “V.”

Economy Delight is available on most Virgin Atlantic flights. Virgin Atlantic flies both Boeing and Airbus planes, and the size and location of these seats depend on the type of plane (with minimal variability between planes of the same model). Here are the details of Economy Delight seats on each type of plane:

	Airbus A330-300	Airbus A350-1000	Boeing 787-9
Width of seat	Up to 17 inches	17.4 inches	Up to 17 inches
Seat recline	6 inches	5 inches	5 inches
Seat pitch	Up to 34 inches	Up to 34 inches	Up to 34 inches

Virgin Atlantic has 36 aircraft in its fleet. The majority of planes are Boeing 787’s.

Each type of plane has a different number of Economy Delight seats and organizes seats differently. The Airbus A350 has the largest Economy Delight section. These seats are located behind the Preferred seat section (which is behind Premium) and in front of all other economy seats. The Economy Delight section features two outer sections that are three seats wide and a middle section that is also three seats wide. On these planes, there will be between 36 and 45 Economy Delight seats. Note that Airbus A350 planes with The Booth (a new leisure flight cabin and social space just rolled out in September 2021) include more Economy Delight seats than planes with The Loft (an onboard lounge).

On the Boeing 787, Economy Delight seats are right behind Premium class seats. Economy Delight shares this space with preferred seating. The outer sections are Economy Delight and these are three seats wide and the middle section is Preferred seats and this section is also three seats wide. There are 36 Economy Delight seats on these planes.

Airbus A330 planes have up to 28 Economy Delight seats. These are found behind the preferred seating section in the middle of the economy part of the plane. Economy Delight seats are located in the outer two sections in groups two seats wide as well as a single row of four at the front of this section.

Perks of Economy Delight

The on-plane perks of Economy Delight include upgrades to seat type, seat selection, and seat pitch. This translates to extra legroom, the ability to select preferred seating at any time (from the time you book to the time you board), and a seat pitch of up to 34 inches. Economy Delight seats are not larger than Economy Classic seats.

In addition to increased space and comfort, an Economy Delight ticket lets you check in for your flight at the Premium desk instead of the standard desk. This usually means shorter wait times, but there are no guarantees. After checking in, you will enjoy priority boarding on all flights.

Another perk to note if you’re a Virgin Red loyalty member is that you can earn up to 100% Virgin Points on each flight. This is just the base value calculated from your flight class. You can earn even more points on top of that depending on your loyalty status. Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty program has three membership levels: Red, Silver, and Gold. With elite status, you’ll earn up to 60% more on flights and get check-in and luggage benefits on every trip.

There are no baggage perks, in-flight food and drink perks, or other included extras when you fly in this class that are not included in Economy Classic. But let’s get into what makes these two classes different and how Delight compares to premium.

Economy Delight vs. Classic and Premium

Economy Delight shares things in common with Economy Classic as well as Premium class, but it has more in common with Economy Classic.

Take a look at how these three cabin types compare from seating to Virgin Flying Club benefits.

Seating

	Economy Classic	Economy Delight	Premium
Seat type	Standard	Extra legroom	Extra legroom, larger seat, seat to bed conversion, leather
Seat selection	Select standard seat	Select preferred seat	Select Premium seat
Seat width	17 – 17.4 inches	17 – 17.4 inches	18 – 21 inches
Seat recline	4 – 6 inches	4 – 6 inches	7 – 8 inches
Seat pitch	Up to 31 inches	Up to 34 inches	Up to 38 inches
Entertainment screen	13.3 inches	13.3 inches	13.3 inches
A/C power available?	No	No	Yes

All three classes include headphones, an entertainment screen, and USB power in the price of a ticket. For flights long enough to offer food and drink, Classic and Delight passengers receive standard dining options and Premium passengers receive Premium options. All passengers can make special meal requests for dietary restrictions.

Baggage

In terms of baggage allowances, Economy Classic and Economy Delight are exactly the same. You’re allowed one 10-kilogram carry-on bag and one 23-kilogram checked bag and you get standard baggage delivery. Premium, on the other hand, allows for two 23-kilogram checked bags and priority baggage delivery.

Extras

The included extras are mostly the same for Classic, Delight, and Premium:

standard security,
refundable tickets, and
no access to airport clubhouses or lounges.

The only difference here is that Economy Delight and Premium passengers get to check in at the Premium desk and Economy Classic passengers have to use the standard desk. Economy Classic, Economy Delight, and Premium tickets qualify for refunds and changes (the only fare class that does not permit refunds is Economy Light).

Flying Club Benefits

Finally, let’s compare points benefits. Economy Classic, Economy Delight, and Premium tickets are upgradeable using Virgin Points. Economy Classic tickets qualify to earn 50% points, Economy Delight tickets qualify to earn 100% points, and Premium tickets qualify to earn 150% points. Economy Classic and Delight passengers earn 25 Flying Club tier points per flight while Premium passengers earn 50.

Price Comparison

You’re probably wondering: how much more does Delight cost than Classic? Upgrading to Economy Delight from Economy Classic costs about $100 on average for round-trip flights but may cost as little as $50 or as much as $200. As a rule, only international flights include Economy Delight seats.

We searched for a round-trip flight from New York City to London in February to compare the price of Economy Delight to Economy Classic.

For the same direct flight at the lowest fare price, an Economy Classic ticket will cost you $1,086.27 and an Economy Delight ticket will cost you $1,186.67. On the same Virgin Atlantic flight, Premium tickets start at $1,733.97.

Note that Economy Delight reward seats are not available. You can only purchase reward flights in Economy Classic, Premium, and Upper Class.

You also cannot upgrade from Classic to Delight using points or cash at this time. You need to purchase an Economy Delight ticket at the time of booking. If the option to upgrade to Delight becomes available, we’ll let you know.

You can, however, upgrade from Economy Delight to Premium or Upper Class. If you’re upgrading to premium class with points, upgrades from economy bookings cost about the same whether you’re in Economy Classic and Economy Delight. During the standard season, you’ll pay between 17,400 and 27,400 points to upgrade from economy to Premium depending on where you’re going and what airport you’re flying out of. During peak season, you can expect to pay an additional 10,000 points on top of these prices.

During the standard season, upgrading from economy to Upper Class costs between 56,200 and 101,200 points. In the peak season, these prices tend to run 15,000 points or so higher.

Is Economy Delight Worth It?

Overall, we think the benefits of Economy Delight are worth the small upcharge from the next lowest economy class. These seats feel a little more premium and a little roomier than standard economy, plus you’ll enjoy preferred check-in and preferred boarding.

Economy Delight also qualifies you to choose your seat at any time and puts you closer to the front of the plane than most economy passengers. But to us, one of the best perks is that extra 50% points-earning bonus for every flight. Even if you don’t fly Virgin Atlantic a lot, that additional earning potential and the savings that come with that make the higher price worth it.

With that said, if you’re looking for luxury, Economy Delight probably won’t cut it. You’re still flying in economy class and eating the same food as economy passengers. In this case, you’re better off using your points to upgrade to Premium or Upper Class, purchasing a reward ticket, or paying for a higher class when booking.

How to Get Free Upgrades

Even though you can’t upgrade to Economy Delight from a lower economy class using Virgin Red loyalty points, you are eligible to upgrade from this ticket to a higher one. So if you’re a loyalty member, you can use your points to get into Premium or Upper Class. Award seats are limited, especially in premium cabins, but it’s always worth it to see if they’re available.

If you’re strapped for points but you want to upgrade, you can earn more in the following ways:

Taking Virgin Atlantic flights
Taking flights with a Virgin Atlantic partner airline
Traveling through a Virgin Atlantic hotel, car rental, or other travel partner (e.g. Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Enterprise, Heathrow Rewards, etc.)
Traveling through any brand within the Virgin Group (e.g. Virgin Holidays, Virgin Hotels, Virgin Games, etc.)
Using Points Booster to apply extra rewards to an upcoming or past flight
Shopping through Shops Away partners
Purchasing or exchanging points with another Virgin Red member
Using a Virgin Atlantic co-branded travel credit card

Virgin Atlantic’s travel partners are:

Delta Air Lines
Airfrance
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Air New Zealand
Virgin Australia
South African Airways
Hawaiian Airlines
ANA Inspiration of Japan

Virgin Atlantic Travel Credit Card

You can earn loyalty points by using a Virgin Atlantic credit card. The Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard, available through Bank of America, allows you to earn 3 points per dollar on Virgin Atlantic bookings and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else. There is a $90 annual fee for this product.

Right now, this card is offering a 60,000 point sign-up bonus when you spend $2,000 or more within 90 days of signing up. Plus, earn up to 15,000 annually and 5,000 points for every additional cardholder you add to your account. You can also earn tier points.

Final Thoughts

For members of Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty program, Virgin Red, we think Economy Delight is worth the price. Loyalty members will get the most benefit out of this flight class because of the higher points-earning potential, but these flights are also more comfortable and convenient than Economy Classic (the class below Delight).

From extra legroom to priority check-in and boarding, this is a good middle ground between economy and premium that gives you some of the benefits of premium at an economy price point.

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

Delta Air Lines Baggage Policy & Fees + how to avoid paying them

July 22, 2021 by Rosemarie Clancy

You may have gotten a great deal on your airline ticket, but if you don’t know what you can or can’t take on board your flight you may be in for a surprise or even a shock at the check-in counter.

Since every airline has its own unique baggage policy, it’s important to check what is or isn’t allowed so you don’t overpack or have to leave something behind at the airport. Being aware of the baggage policy for the airline you are flying on can also help you avoid unnecessary fees.

You should know the size and weight restrictions for each piece of luggage or equipment you plan to bring, how many bags you are allowed, and what items are prohibited in the cabin and in checked bags.

We’re going to take a look at Delta Air Lines baggage policy to help guide you through the packing process and let you know what you can or can’t take with you on your Delta flight. We’ll also give you some tips on how you can avoid paying baggage fees on the carrier.

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

Delta Air Lines Baggage Rules

Like many airlines, Delta’s baggage allowance varies based on route, fare class, and whether you have elite status with the airline or if you carry one of it’s co-branded credit cards.

You can check in online or in the Delta app 24 hours before your flight and let the airline know how many bags you are taking with you. If you check in online, you drop your bags at the baggage drop. Let’s go over the rules for carry-on and checked bags.

You can check the baggage calculator on this page for a planned trip, or you can estimate the cost of checking bags for a particular route by entering your departure and destination as well as the type of fare you plan to purchase on Delta including Basic Economy, Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, First Class, Delta Premium Select or Delta One.

You can also enter the dates of travel, your status with Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flyer program including whether you are a general member, Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, Platinum Medallion or Diamond Medallion, and the type of Delta credit card you have including:

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card,
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, and
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Or the business versions of these cards.

Checked Baggage Allowance

If you’re seated in the main cabin for a flight within the US for example, you don’t get any free checked bags if you don’t have a Delta credit card or elite status. A passenger flying on a domestic flight with no status or co-branded credit card will pay $30 for their first checked bag and $40 for a second checked bag.

You generally get one free checked bag on International flights, but be sure to check Delta’s baggage calculator because that can vary by destination and fare class.

Whether you get a free bag because of your route, loyalty program elite status or Delta credit card, luggage must still be within limits or there will be an extra fee. Bags must weigh under 50 pounds, and the bag should not be more than 62 inches when you add up the length, width and height of the suitcase.

SkyMiles Elite Status

If you have Silver, Gold or Platinum Medallion status in the Delta SkyMiles loyalty program, your first checked bag is free. Medallion members traveling in basic economy, main cabin or Comfort+ seats between the US or Canada and any international destination can also check a second bag up to 50 pounds for free.

Medallion members traveling in Premium Select can check up to three free bags up to 50 pounds each, and Delta One or First Class passengers can check three free bags up to 70 pounds.

SkyMiles Credit Cards

If you carry one of six Delta SkyMiles credit cards by American Express including the Gold, Platinum or Reserve cards or business versions of those cards and you book your flight using the card, your first checked bag and a checked bag for up to eight more people traveling on your reservation is also free.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold card costs $95 a year, but the annual fee for the first year is waived. The SkyMiles Platinum card costs $250 a year, and the premium Reserve credit card costs $550 a year. Each card comes with additional benefits. For more details on sign-up bonuses and perks of holding the card, check here for details.

Include your SkyMiles number in your reservation, and the fee for the first bag for each passenger in the reservation will be waived. The free bag benefit does not apply to overweight or oversized bags.

Excess Baggage Fees

Each passenger can check up to 10 bags on Delta or Delta Shuttle flights and up to four bags on Delta Connection flights, but they have to pay a fee for each bag beyond their allowance. Overweight and oversized bags, and items with a unique size, shape or weight are subject to extra fees. And if your bag exceeds both weight and size limits you could be charged fees for both.

If you are traveling within the US, USVI or Puerto Rico, a third bag will cost $150 to check each way, and each bag beyond that up to the maximum of 10 will cost $200 each to check.

Bags from 51-70 pounds in weight will cost an extra $100 one-way, and bags weighing from 71-100 pounds will cost $200 extra. Bags over 100 pounds are not allowed.

If the bag is bigger than the total 62 linear inches allowed, it is considered oversized. If the bag is 63-80 inches (length + height + width) it will cost $200. Bags that are over 80 inches are not allowed.

Those rates can go up for international travel based on the route. This chart has full details by destination or you can view them below:

Excess Baggage Fees for International Travel

Traveling From:	Traveling To:	Bag #3	Bags 4-10
US / Canada + USVI, PR	US / Canada + USVI, PR	$150	$200 ea
US / Canada + USVI, PR	Caribbean	$150	$200 ea
US / Canada + USVI, PR	Central America	$150	$200 ea
US / Canada	Mexico	$180	$200 ea
Mexico / Caribbean / Central America	Mexico / Caribbean / Central America	$125	$200 ea
US / Canada	Honduras / El Salvador	$200	$200 ea
US / Canada	Guatemala City	$200	$285
South America	US / Canada / Mexico / Caribbean / Central America	$200	$200 ea
North / Central/ South America	Europe / North Africa	$285	$285 ea
Asia	Everywhere	$200	$200 ea
US / Canada / Mexico	Tahiti	$285	$285 ea
Brazil	Everywhere else	$200	$200 ea
All other international destinations		$200	$200 ea

Carry-On Allowance

If you don’t qualify for a free checked bag and you’re trying to avoid paying a fee to check your luggage, you might want to bring your bag on board. Delta allows one carry-on and one personal item per passenger.

The carry-on suitcase can go in the overhead bin and must be no more than 45 inches in size when you add up the length, height and width of the bag. In addition to meeting that overall size requirement, the carry-on cannot be more than 22 inches in length, 14 inches in width and 9 inches in height including handles and wheels, with the exception of small musical instruments that can fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

There is no weight restriction for carry-on bags on most flights, but if you’re flying to Singapore (SIN) your carry-on should be under 15 pounds, and if your destination is Beijing (PEK) or Shanghai (PVG) your carry-on luggage should not be more than 22 pounds.

If the bag is too big or if the flight is very full and overhead space is limited, you will need to check your bag at the gate. There is no charge for the checked bag if it is because the plane is full. Also, if you are on a Delta Connection flight with less than 50 seats you can only bring a personal item on board.

Personal Items

In addition to a carry-on, each passenger is allowed to bring a personal item that they can store below the seat in front of theirs. Personal items include a purse, small backpack, laptop, camera bag, diaper bag or another item of a similar size.

You can also bring a few things that don’t count as your personal item like a jacket, umbrella, food and beverages purchased after you get through security, duty-free purchases, and special items like a stroller, wheelchair, child safety seat or assistive devices like a cane or crutches.

If you are planning to carry your luggage on board, keep in mind that there are restrictions on liquids, gels, aerosols and pastes. This includes beverages, hair products, toothpaste and suntan lotions. These items should not contain more than 100 milliliters (3.4 ounces) of product even if the container is only partially full.

Liquids need to be in a clear, quart-sized plastic bag that you can seal, and you will need to put it in a bin when you go through security. If you need to bring liquids that are bigger than that, they need to go in your checked luggage. There are some exceptions to this rule for necessary items like medication, breast milk, infant formula or juice which can get a special screening.

Infants and Children

All children traveling on Delta must be ticketed, but if they are under two years of age they can sit on your lap and their ticket is usually 10% of the cost of the adult ticket. Other children’s fares are discounted based on route.

Baggage rules for kids vary depending on the fare purchased. If they are traveling for free, they don’t get any baggage allowance. When traveling on an international ticket that costs 10% of the adult fare, children are allowed one checked bag up to 20 pounds with a maximum size of 34 inches (length + height + width).

You can check strollers and car seats for free, and you can bring an FAA-approved safety seat on board the plane for use during takeoff and landing if there is an empty seat in your row or if you have purchased a seat for the child.

In addition to a carry-on bag, parents can bring an infant or booster seat, bassinet, and a breast pump and cooler bag for an infant traveling with them. Seats and bassinets must be secured by a seatbelt and must meet carry-on size restrictions.

If the child’s ticket costs at least 50% of the adult’s fare, then the child gets the same baggage allowance as an adult.

Bringing Pets Onboard

You can bring a small dog, cat or bird on board the plane if they fit in a small, ventilated carrier that fits under the seat. The pet counts as your one carry-on item, but you can still bring a personal item on board.

You pay a fee each way at check-in. Fees are $125 for flights within the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. It’s $200 for international routes or flights going to/from the USVI, and $75 for flights to/from Brazil.

If your pet is too big to fit in a carrier under the seat, they would normally have to be shipped aa cargo, but that is under embargo currently because of the pandemic. Check here for updates.

There are also some exceptions for small animals. Birds are only allowed on US flights excluding Hawaii, USVI, Puerto Rico and Guam. There are also currently some temporary suspensions on bringing dogs on board that were imported from countries that have a high risk for rabies, so check this link for more information on which countries are excluded and if the suspension is still in place when you plan to travel.

Valuable, Fragile and Other Items

In addition to items for infants and children, you can also bring medical supplies and equipment on your trip but rules vary. A wheelchair can be brought on board for example, but there are some rules governing battery operated ones. Let the airline know 48 hours in advance if you plan to bring one. You can also bring syringes on board as long as you have the corresponding labeled medication.

You can’t check valuable items like cash, jewelry, electronics, photography equipment, works of art and other high-value items in your luggage. You should bring those on board with you in your personal item or carry-on. If the item being checked is fragile, you will need to sign a limited liability waiver.

If the item is too large or too fragile to put in an overhead bin, you can purchase a seat with a bulkhead or divider in front of it for the item as long as the item doesn’t block emergency exits or the aisle. It cannot weigh more than 100 pounds and must be able to be secured with a seatbelt.

You can check sports equipment like a bicycle, but it will count as a checked bag and if it is overweight it will incur those extra fees. Bikes over 100 pounds or bigger than 115 linear inches are not allowed. For more details on restrictions on particular items like golf clubs, surfboards, ski equipment and other items, check the sports equipment page link above.

You can also bring musical instruments on board the airplane or check them. Small instruments can be carried on board as your free carry-on. Bigger instruments can be checked, but cannot exceed 150 linear inches and it can’t weigh more than 165 pounds including the case. You can also choose to purchase a seat for the instrument, but it has the same size and weight restrictions as instruments checked as baggage.

Prohibited Items

The Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) sets the rules for what you can bring on the plane or check in your luggage, so those rules are the same for all US carriers. The main things to avoid in checked bags are flammable items, and avoid bringing anything that can be used as a weapon on board.

Some things like dynamite, gunpowder, flammable liquids and other hazardous materials are obvious items to avoid packing. But there are also other prohibited things that are less obvious like cooking spray, chlorine for pools and smart luggage with non-removable lithium batteries.

You might think that alcohol is prohibited, but you can bring up to five liters of alcohol in your checked luggage if it is under 70% alcohol (140 proof). Wine is not included in this limit. And if you want to bring mini-bottles of liquor on the plane, they must fit in the quart-sized bag that has your other liquids in it.

If you’re unsure about whether an item is allowed, you can check the TSA site or reach out to the agency on Facebook or Twitter at AskTSA.

When to Pay for Baggage

Many people avoid checking bags and just pack what they can fit in their carry-on in order to avoid paying fees, waiting for luggage at their destination, and to avoid possible delayed or lost luggage. But that’s not always practical.

If you are staying a week or more, especially at a colder destination that requires bulkier clothing, you may not be able to fit everything in a carry-on. When you’re traveling with children, especially infants, you often have to bring extra gear. And if you’re planning to surf or play golf and bring your own equipment, you’ll need to check those items. These are just a few examples of times when you will need to check baggage.

Credit Cards That Reimburse You For Checked Baggage Fees

These premium cards reimburse you for baggage fees.

If you do have to check bags and pay a fee, be sure to check your wallet to see if you have an airline credit on a premium credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Or you can erase the charges by using points on a travel credit card issued by Capital One or Barclays. With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card for example, you can use 3,000 points to erase a $30 baggage fee.

Exclusions & Waivers

There are some exceptions to the rules. For example, active members of the military including United States Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard that are traveling on military orders are allowed to bring up to five free bags that are up to 80 linear inches and up to 100 pounds each regardless of fare class.

Military members traveling for personal reasons get two free bags up to 50 pounds each if they are booked in basic economy, main cabin or Comfort+. And if they are ticketed in first class, Premium Select or Delta One, they can bring three free bags up to 70 pounds each.

You also need to be careful about what airline you are on even if you booked through Delta as that carrier may have different rules. If your flight is on a Delta SkyTeam alliance or codeshare partner airline, then be sure to check on that carrier’s baggage rules.

If you have purchased duty-free items at the airport, they will not count as part of your baggage allowance or personal item. They will be delivered to your plane and you can pick them up before you board.

Final Thoughts

The best way to avoid baggage fees is to limit what you are bringing with you to a carry-on suitcase and a personal item. That’s not always possible though, so if you want to avoid baggage fees on Delta and you don’t have elite status, the easiest way to get a free checked bag is by having one of the carrier’s co-branded Amex cards.

Be sure to measure and weigh your luggage to avoid overweight and oversized baggage charges, and check the baggage calculator on the airline’s website so you are clear about how many checked bags you can bring on your flight so there are no surprises at check in.

If you do have to check bags and they are not free, be sure to check if you have any credit cards that will reimburse you for airline incidentals or allow you to erase travel charges on your card and be sure to use that card to pay for your checked bags so you can get a refund from the card issuer.
Once your bags are checked, you can track your luggage using the bag tag, confirmation or file reference number. And Delta has a 20-minute guarantee. If the bags don’t arrive at the carousel within 20 minutes of landing, you can fill out this form and get 2,500 Delta SkyMiles as compensation.

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Checked Baggage Allowance

How to Get Free Checked Bags

Excess Baggage Fees

Carry-On Allowance

Personal Items

Infants and Children

Bringing Pets Onboard

Valuable, Fragile, and Other Items

Prohibited Items

When to Pay for Baggage

Exclusions and Waivers

Final Thoughts

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Tip #5: Remember That You Don’t Have to Be Sneaky About Your Intentions

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Bringing Pets Onboard

Valuable, Fragile and Other Items

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When to Pay for Baggage

Credit Cards That Reimburse You For Checked Baggage Fees

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Final Thoughts

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