Airlines separate passengers from money through multiple baggage fee categories. Most travellers know about checked bag fees. Fewer know about carry-on fees, oversize fees, overweight fees and the difference between fees charged at booking versus at the gate.
Understanding each category tells you where you are overpaying and where you are not.
Full-service airlines (British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Delta, United, American) include one carry-on bag in every ticket class except Basic Economy.
Budget airlines charge for carry-on bags on different schedules:
| Airline | Free Carry-On | Carry-On Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | Small personal bag only (40x20x25cm) | €10 to €25 per flight |
| easyJet | One underseat bag free; cabin bag extra on FLEXI only | £7 to £30 |
| Wizz Air | Small underseat bag free | €10 to €30 |
| Spirit (USA) | Personal item only | $55 to $85 at gate |
| Frontier (USA) | Personal item only | $49 to $79 at gate |
The gate fee is always the most expensive option. Spirit and Frontier charge $55 to $85 for a carry-on added at the gate versus $35 to $55 if added during online check-in.
Add any carry-on fees before you compare total ticket prices between airlines. A Spirit base fare of $79 with a $65 gate carry-on fee totals $144. An equivalent Delta basic economy fare with carry-on included at $130 is cheaper.
Enter your route, airline and bags you plan to bring. The fare calculator adds the correct baggage fee structure for your specific airline and booking class so you see the true all-in price before comparing options.
Calculate Total FareCompare AirlinesChecked bag fees depend on the airline, the route and how early you add the bag.
US domestic routes:
| Airline | First Bag | Second Bag | Added at Gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| American, United, Delta (Basic Economy) | $35 | $45 | $65 |
| Southwest | Free | Free | Free |
| Spirit | $49 to $79 | $79 to $99 | $65 to $99 |
| Alaska | $35 | $45 | $55 |
Transatlantic routes:
| Airline | First Bag (Economy) | Second Bag |
|---|---|---|
| British Airways | Included | £65 to £85 |
| Ryanair (transatlantic does not apply) | N/A | N/A |
| Norwegian | Not included (from £25) | £25 to £50 |
| Delta | Included | $100 |
| United (Basic Economy transatlantic) | Not included | N/A |
Co-branded airline credit cards include free checked bags as a standard benefit. The saving often exceeds the card's annual fee on a single round trip.
For each of these cards, the annual fee is recovered in bag savings on the first round-trip family flight. Frequent flyers recover it in the first one or two solo trips.
Most airlines allow bags up to 23kg (50 lbs) in standard economy. Bags over this weight face steep overweight fees.
| Weight Band | Typical Fee |
|---|---|
| 23 to 32kg (50 to 70 lbs) | $100 to $200 per bag |
| Over 32kg (70 lbs) | $200 to $400 per bag |
Oversize fees apply to bags exceeding 158cm (62 inches) in combined length, width and height, typically $100 to $200 per bag.
These fees dwarf the base checked bag fee. A 25kg bag on American Airlines costs $35 for the base checked bag fee plus $100 for the overweight fee, totalling $135 for one bag.
Weigh your bag before you leave for the airport. Postal and luggage scales cost £10 to $15 and save the overweight fee on the first use.
Frequent flyer status eliminates or reduces baggage fees across all three US legacy airlines and most global carriers.
| Status Level | Bag Benefit (Typical) |
|---|---|
| Gold / Silver (entry status) | First bag free |
| Platinum / Gold Plus | First and second bags free |
| Top tier (Executive Platinum, Global Services) | Three bags free, higher weight limits |
Status is earned through miles flown or segments completed within a 12-month status year. For frequent business travellers, achieving even entry-level status through regular business travel typically eliminates $200 to $500 in annual bag fees.
Every airline that charges for carry-ons allows one free personal item under the seat in front of you. The size limit varies:
A standard laptop backpack fits within these limits on most carriers. A small daypack does. A 40-litre hiking pack does not.
If you travel with carry-on luggage only and select the right personal item bag, you pay no bag fees on any carrier. The trade-off is packing into a small bag and potentially checking a bag at the gate for free on full flights (airlines often gate-check bags on full flights at no charge to speed boarding).