Bring all your travel necessities with you on your next trip in a suitcase, duffel bag or similar piece of luggage. Like all airlines, American Airlines imposes various regulations, rules and guidelines regarding the use of luggage to ensure both your safety and the proper transit of your bags. Failure to follow the airline's luggage regulations can cost you extra money in fees or the inability to bring your bags with you.
American Airlines charges for all checked luggage, as of April 2010. Checked baggage costs $25 for the first piece of luggage, $35 for the second piece, $100 for the third through fifth bag, and $200 for the sixth bag and all additional bags. Carry-on baggage is free but passengers are limited to bringing one luggage carrier and a personal item (e.g., a purse or a laptop bag).
The carry-on bag and personal item must have a combined weight of 40 lbs. or less. Each checked bag must weigh 50 lbs. or less. American Airlines assesses an extra fee of $50 for checked bags weighing 70 lbs. or less, as of April 2010. This fee jumps to $100 if the bag weighs over 70 lbs. but less than 100 lbs. Luggage over 100 lbs. is not accepted.
American Airlines' regulations limit the size of all baggage according to their total outside measurements, measured by adding the bag's height, width and length. For example, a bag that's 10 inches long, 10 inches wide and 12 inches high has a total measurement of 32 inches. Carry-on luggage must measure 45 inches or less, and checked baggage must measure 62 inches or less. A fee of $150 per oversized bag is assessed, as of April 2010, but luggage measuring bigger than 115 inches is not accepted by the airline.
The contents of all carry-on and checked baggage must adhere with the content restrictions set by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Consult the TSA's published list of restricted items (see Resources) before packing, as content restrictions may change often. Differences exist between carry-on and checked baggage restrictions. For example, golf clubs are not accepted in carry-on luggage but can be packed in checked luggage.
All baggage must be checked on the day of the owner's departure on American Airlines, and the airline will only send baggage to your final destination. In most cases, baggage cannot be checked later than 30 minutes before the time of your flight's departure. This ranges widely by your destination. Consult an American Airlines ticket agent for specific details.
All luggage must have your contact information clearly labeled on each bag. American Airlines asks that you include your name and mailing address. If you don't have your own luggage tags, tags are made available at all American Airlines check-in counters.
