Checked bag charges sometimes value $30 or extra — including up shortly, particularly if you journey with your loved ones. Even Southwest Airlines, lengthy famed for its two-free-checked-bags coverage, will begin charging for luggage from late May.
But by carrying the best bank card, you might be able to get these prices waived utterly — presumably even for the folks you’re touring with.
If you get an airline cobranded card that has an annual charge of $100 and examine a bag on at the least three flights with that airline annually, you’ll come out forward.
In this information, we’ll go over the credit score cards that characteristic free checked baggage as a profit.
The greatest cards for free checked luggage
*The data for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard, the JetBlue Plus Card, the JetBlue Premier Card, the JetBlue Business Card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card and the United Club Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuers.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines prices $35 for the primary checked bag on all its flights.
But if you have the Alaska Airlines Visa ($95 annual charge) or the Alaska Airlines Business ($70 for the corporate and $25 per card annual charge), you’re in luck. You can examine the primary bag for free for your self and as much as six further passengers on the identical reservation.
Note, nonetheless, that you should buy their flight together with your card to be able to obtain this profit.
Related: How to avoid wasting tons of on flights with the Alaska Airlines Companion Fare
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American Airlines
American Airlines prices $35 for a first checked bag on home itineraries and flights to neighboring nations like Canada and Mexico.
There are three Citi cobranded choices that offer a first free checked bag on home itineraries:
The Platinum Select and Business cards prolong this free checked baggage profit to you and as much as 4 touring companions in your reservation.
Meanwhile, the Executive World Elite gives the identical free checked bag profit, but it surely extends to as much as eight touring companions on the identical reservation.
Related: Best credit score cards for American Airlines flyers
Delta Air Lines
Delta prices $35 every approach for a first checked bag on flights inside the U.S.
However, many of the service’s client and enterprise credit score cards offer one free checked bag for the cardmember and eight others touring on the identical itinerary. To make the most of this profit, simply connect your Delta SkyMiles quantity to your reservation.
Here are the six Delta cards that offer this perk:
Related: Best Delta credit score cards
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines prices various costs for checked luggage relying on how and when you purchase them. It is mostly most cost-effective to prepay for checked baggage on the time of reserving.
Here is an instance of Frontier checked bag charges on a flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas in mid-June, beginning at a whopping $66 every:
Luckily, if you maintain the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard ($99 annual charge), you’ll obtain two free checked luggage. Just one journey alone can cowl the cardboard’s annual charge.
Related: Why the Frontier Airlines Mastercard turned the most recent bank card in my pockets
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian prices $40 for the primary checked bag on flights between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii and $30 for interisland journey.
Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard holders obtain two free checked luggage — nonetheless, journey companions aren’t included on this profit. The card comes with a $99 annual charge.
Note that the enterprise model of this card doesn’t include free checked luggage.
Related: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are providing reciprocal standing matches
JetBlue
Checked luggage on JetBlue begin at $35 for home flights and $65 for transatlantic flights.
Thankfully, you can keep away from these prices if you carry the JetBlue Plus or the JetBlue Business — each with a $99 annual charge — or the JetBlue Premier, which prices $499.
The free first-checked-bag profit extends to you and as much as three journey companions in your reservation.
Related: JetBlue Plus Card vs. JetBlue Business Card: Battle of the $99 cards
Southwest Airlines
Southwest, famously recognized for its bags-fly-free coverage, will begin charging for checked luggage on reservations produced from May 28 (costs have but to be introduced).
Elite standing members and people touring on enterprise fares will obtain complimentary checked luggage.
And if you maintain any of the next 5 cards, you and as much as eight touring companions on the identical reservation will obtain one free checked bag every:
Related: Southwest backtracks but once more with one other huge change — to its boarding course of
United Airlines
United prices at the least $35 for the primary checked bag on all home flights.
However, you can apply for one in every of 5 Chase cards to keep away from checked bag charges:
- United Explorer ($0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150) and Business ($150 annual charge): One bag for you and a companion in your reservation
- United Quest ($350 annual charge) and Club and Club Business (each with a $695 annual charge): Two luggage for you and a companion in your reservation
However, there’s a huge caveat right here: You should have your MileagePlus quantity in your reservation and buy your ticket with the relevant card for the perk to use. So, if you use a totally different card with a higher incomes price on airfare, you could miss out on the free checked luggage.
Related: Best United Airlines credit score cards
Other cards price contemplating
While opening any of the airline credit score cards above is a nice solution to save on checked bag charges, what occurs if you fly with a number of carriers all year long?
If you are inclined to prioritize worth or comfort over sticking with a explicit airline, it will not be price it to use for a cobranded bank card that gives perks solely on that one service.
An different is to use for a bank card that comes with extra basic journey advantages and can reimburse you for checked bag prices:
What you ought to find out about checked luggage
Free baggage advantages do not stack
There’s a fantasy that your bank card will offer an extra free checked bag somewhat than the primary free checked bag. Unfortunately, these cards’ charge waivers do not apply if you already obtain a free checked bag as a result of your elite standing, class of service or journey to an abroad vacation spot.
Therefore, you is not going to obtain an extra free checked bag past your current allowance only for holding a bank card that gives this profit. Some airways make exceptions, however examine your airline’s coverage earlier than assuming an extra bag will probably be lined.
Use the best card to buy your flight
With most of those gives, you solely have to connect your frequent flyer quantity to your reservation to be given the free-checked-bag profit.
The exceptions are Alaska and United, which require you to buy the ticket (or pay taxes and charges on an award ticket) utilizing your airline bank card.
Be cautious when reserving massive teams
It’s good that a number of of those credit score cards offer free baggage for a number of companions, however there’s a potential catch.
When looking for flights, airways will show a single fare class that applies to all tickets somewhat than offer decrease fares for some passengers.
So, if solely three seats are provided for $300 every and the subsequent greatest fare is $400, reserving 4 folks collectively in a single reservation will value $400 every. Clearly, paying the additional $300 is not going to be price it to obtain a free bag price $70 every round-trip.
So, when reserving flights for teams, evaluate pricing individually or in smaller teams versus the bigger group.
Book flights on Southwest
If you guide a flight on Southwest Airlines on or earlier than May 27, you will get two free checked luggage; if you guide from May 28 and haven’t got a Southwest card or elite standing, you’ll have to pay in your luggage.
Bottom line
Flights may be expensive by themselves, however checked bag charges can shortly add up — particularly when touring in a massive group.
Thankfully, there are a number of methods to keep away from these prices. In truth, most of the cards on this record that offer a free checked bag carry annual charges below $100.
Even if you fly with a particular airline simply a few instances a yr, it may be simple to justify paying the continued annual charge — and that’s not even factoring in any welcome bonuses or different perks the cards offer.
Related: How to decide on an airline bank card
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Gold, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Business Platinum, click on right here.
