How Much Does It Cost If Your Luggage is Overweight?

Exactly how much does it cost if your luggage is overweight? It’s not something that’s universal. In fact, different airlines have distinct charges that apply for the weight crossed of luggage.

Usually, the main factor here is which airline you are talking about, plus their schemes regarding permissible weight for both hold and cabin luggage.

I’ve tried to come up with a guide that can give you somewhat idea of the cost for overweighted luggage in the case of a few pretty popular airlines. I hope it helps!

Exactly How Much Does It Cost If Your Luggage is Overweight – Table for Different Airlines.

To decide how much does it cost if your luggage is overweight refer to the table that I’ve made right beneath this para. And if your airlines are in the list, perhaps you’ll just find the exact detail.

However, if it’s not, you can at least have an idea of cost range for the matter. Also, keep in mind this section isn’t meant to clarify anything else rather than the overweight price for luggage. If you have specific queries such as Does American airlines charge for checked bags or anything like that, it’s best to call airlines support and find about it.

Another point I want to mention is that there are a few charges variation depending on the destination as well as other seasonal limitations. So, if in doubt, always talk to the reservations and let them know about your overweight bag details to get a more specific answer.

Here’s the table. These are the published fees for flights within the U.S., each way, per bag, from the airlines' own baggage pages.

Airline	Bag weight	Overweight charge
American Airlines	Over 50 to 53 lbs (23-24 kg)	$30
American Airlines	Over 53 to 70 lbs (24-32 kg)	$100
American Airlines	Over 70 to 100 lbs (32-45 kg)	$200
Delta Air Lines	51-70 lbs (23-31.75 kg)	$100
Delta Air Lines	71 to under 100 lbs (32-45 kg)	$200

Keep in mind that airlines charge these on top of the regular fee for checking the bag. Fees change often and differ by route, so for other carriers such as United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Spirit or Frontier, check that airline's own overweight bag page before you fly.

With many airlines, a standard checked bag is limited to 50 pounds (23 kg), but limits vary by airline and fare, so check yours. If there are specific items such as golf bags or skis, special item rules may apply.

International fees can be different. On American, for example, bags over 70 lbs aren't accepted to or from Europe, and the 71-100 lb fee to Asia is $450. Delta also doesn't accept bags over 70 lbs on flights to or from Europe.

International flights charge higher than domestic ones. You should go through the airline-provided policies and restrictions on baggage. For example, check the thomas cook luggage allowance to get an idea of what and how much is allowed to bring with this airline.

What Happens if Your Luggage is Overweight?

It’s true that there are rules regarding the weight of baggage that passengers must follow for flying with an airline. If you cross the weight limit, you'll usually just pay the overweight fee.

There is a hard ceiling, though. American and Delta don't accept checked bags of 100 pounds (45 kg) or more within the U.S., so a bag that heavy has to be repacked or shipped another way. So, there’s not much to worry about, only the idea on how much do airlines charge for overweight baggage should be enough.

What If My Checked Bag is Over 50 lbs?

If you know that your checked bag will weigh more than 50 lbs. then it’s best to find out exactly how much extra you are bringing. Because it’s true that you’ll pay a fee for the bag crossing the 50-pound limit (with most airlines), but if it goes over 70 pounds, the fee roughly doubles. On American and Delta domestic flights, for example, it jumps from $100 to $200.

Also, some routes don't accept bags over 70 pounds at all.

How Do I Avoid Paying Overweight Baggage Fees?

• Always keep track of the restrictions and rules regarding weight allowed. Try your best to follow that.
• The case you’ll carry things in must be as lightweight as possible. So that a few kgs can be excused with each. However, don’t buy a flimsy carrier for this purpose.
• Airlines offer a loyalty program that allows a lot of offers and baggage weight flexibilities. Sign up for those or get the status if possible.
• Lifting the carry-on and making it obvious that the bag is heavy through your stressed facial expression, try to resolve that. If you can pass with a heavy bag lifting it with a chill resting face, the authorities hardly would call you for checking.
• “No frills” airlines are a pain with their too ruthless behavior towards checking weight as that gets them additional revenue. Try to book a better airline, and do some research prior to your flight.
• Suppose you have tried your best to pack less but it’s still crossing the limit. In that case, look for purchasing excess baggage at a discount price by checking online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do they weigh carry-on bags?

That’s pretty rare actually. However, there are certain airlines that behave quite strictly regarding weight. And if that’s the case, you might go through the checking. But usually, airlines only weigh the checked luggage, and carry-on gets excused from you.

How can I cheat my luggage weight?

That’s not something you should consider. But I’m guessing you are very desperate. I think you can include all heavy and dense stuff inside your carry-on luggage. And also take benefit of duty-free bags. Also, while checking, you can ask your friend (if not flying alone) to hold the heavy stuff. Once they have it weighted, simply put the things back.

Wrap Up

I hope you now know how much it costs if your luggage is overweight and a few handy tips to handle the crisis. Having the expenses trailed will save you from embarrassment and disappointment. So yes, make sure you take notes on it. And there are also other rules that are necessary for one to know and follow. Take your time to go through those as well.

Sources

• Oversize and Overweight Bags, American Airlines
• Excess & Overweight Baggage, Delta Air Lines