Avoid Checked Luggage Surcharges

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NOTE: Delta is the first airline to announce luggage surcharges for INTERNATIONAL flights. See below for more details.

Major airlines have recently announced an increase in checked luggage fees. "Economy" class domestic travelers will now be charged $20+ for the first checked bag, and $30 or more for a second checked bag each way. This increased surcharge, coupled with increases in oversize/overweight luggage fees, have made lightweight, compact packing more important than ever before.

Watch Your Weight

Take a look at your suitcase. Older bags (even soft-sided luggage) can weigh 15 pounds or more empty. New, lightweight luggage can weigh as little as seven pounds, yet is built to withstand abuse with durable frames, fittings, and fabrics
Weigh your luggage before you leave for the airport to ensure your bag is under 50 lbs., the typical maximum weight allowed before airlines charge penalties. Pack our compact luggage scale to ensure that you are under the limit on your return trip too.

Don't Pay for an Extra Bag

To maximize luggage space, and avoid wrinkles and airport security delays, pack in easily inspected modules. Mesh cubes, mesh pockets, and packing folders keep everything organized, neatly folded, and compacted, and can be lifted out individually during inspection without disturbing your careful packing.
For clothes that don't wrinkle easily, evacuate the air with the Pack-It Compressor to pack the most into the least space.
Roll socks, underwear, and shorts and place them in Packing Cubes, creating compact packages for wedging around the edges of your suitcase.
Plan your travel wardrobe around a basic color, and choose lightweight, space-saving fabrics, reserving your heaviest items to wear on-board the airplane. Choose clothing that is easy to care for -- wrinkle resistant, hand washable, and quick drying. Take a compact laundry kit like our Travel Clothing Care Kit.

Know Before You Go

The chart below illustrates the new DOMESTIC luggage fees. For more details, click on an airline to visit their website. Check with your airline before your next trip to determine the exact weight, size and number of bags allowed, and whether fees are discounted with online check-in.

Airline	First Checked Bag	Second Checked Bag	Overweight Bag
Continental	$25	$35	$50+
Delta *	$23	$32	$90+
Northwest	$23	$32	$90+
US Airways	$25	$35	$50+
United	$20	$30	$125
American	$20	$30	$50+
British Airways	£0	£40+	£30+

* Delta has announced new luggage fees for international travelers.
Effective July 1, 2009, Economy class passengers will be charged $50 for a second checked bag.

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