How To Get Around Baggage Fees

Paying for checked baggage when you fly is a total bummer. This week, Jet Blue announced it is raising the price to check a bag. American Airlines and United followed the lead and raised their baggage fees by $5. 

But there's hope. You can work around the baggage fees with a bit of planning. 

1. First, the easiest workaround is to pack light. You really don't need more than a week's worth of clothes for any trip. When we were in Peru for 3 weeks, we stayed at an Airbnb halfway through the trip that had a washing machine.  In Prague, we found a laundromat which was an adventure in itself.  Plus take travel sizes of your toiletries and you are all set. 

2.  Sometimes, you have to check a bag like when we went to Cuba. We needed lots of sunscreens and weren't sure we could buy it there. So check one bag for the family and carry the rest of the suitcases on. Now at least you are only paying for one. 

3. If you have a Citi American Advantage Platinum Select, Platinum Select World Elite, and Executive World Elite credit card or the United Explorer credit card, you get a FREE checked bag. So take advantage of the perks of the credit card. Some cards offer credits for incidentals like baggage fees. So be sure you know which card you have offers that and pay for your incidentals with it so you can get credit back. 

4. If you have a Capital One credit card or Barclays Arrival Plus, you may be able to "erase" the baggage fee if it is coded as travel. 

Paying for checked bags is a drag and definitely not the way we do it at almostfreefamilytravel!