Avoiding Checked Bag Fees

In the era of super cheap airfares, airlines have been looking for other ways to squeeze more dollars out of their customers. Last week Continental and US Airways both upped the already much hated checked bag fees, making the fees as much as $50 for a second checked bag on some trans-Atlantic flights.

The rising fees angered many fliers and some analysts are now saying that the checked bag fees are becoming unfair and the government may just be asked to step in and regulate the airlines. However, not all airlines are charging customers to check bags—and JetBlue is still offering the first checked bag for free on all of their flights (including some really great fare sale prices too).




For those who are as irritated as I am about the new checked bag fees airlines keep raising and gouging their customers with, you may want to read a recent column by Christopher Elliott about how to avoid checked bag fees. However, with new a new bill being proposed that would limit the number of bags you could bring through security, it seems the main way of avoiding checked bag fees (not checking a bag) almost might get a lot tougher in the near future. That’s what Elliott is also encouraging folks to tell the folks over at the Department of Transportation about how they feel about these fees and what should be done.

For those who are looking for the easiest way to avoid paying an extra $15-$50 to check your bag, you may want to read up on Carry-on luggage restrictions and rules to make sure everything in your bag will make it through security and onto the plane (without having to toss anything or pay that checked bag fee). There are also some ways to bring along everything you want without having to hand over your favorite shampoo to the folks from TSA. Jessica Speigel wrote a great article, TSA Rules: Outsmart Security with Non-Liquid Alternatives to Ordinary Toiletries, which has some great tips on alternatives to liquid items that you are allowed to carry-on with you.

Another easy way to avoid checked bag fees? Flying on an airlines that doesn’t have them—like JetBlue and Southwest. Plus, with so many JetBlue Flight Deals there isn’t a whole lot of reason not to look into using these airlines. Who knows, maybe if enough people opt to fly airlines that don’t have checked bag fees, some of the other bigger guys will also stop charging so much to check that bag.

Bag fees or not lately, it still has been plenty easy to score cheap airline tickets to a huge number of destinations this year. With the economy still suffering, airfares are still way down, making it a great time to take advantage of the buyer’s market in the travel field and head out on some of those trips you’ve long been waiting to take—whether that’s finally going on a cheap Mexican vacation or simply scoring a deal on a cheap flight to New York City.

Other News/Tips on Checked Bag Fees: