Luggage allowance on Internal U.S. Flights

[SueOverend]

Good morning,

 

We're flying into LA for a long vacation which will include a one week Mexican cruise. We'll have a lot of luggage as we're skiing the week before and have managed to get flights from London in First Class using our FF points. However, we need to get up to San Francisco after getting off the ship and are concerned as to what the luggage allowances are on internal flights. Can anybody advise. If it's too much of a problem, we'll have to rent a car and drive up, but would rather avoid this if possible. Sue

[JLC@SD]

Best idea is to go to the airline's web site you are flying or may fly...... and they will have the information there.

[AFT_LOVER]

for interntional as well as domestic. No more 70#........

[Honey's Gal]

Please check with your airlines. Most domestic is 50 lbs per bag. I believe they may charge around $25 for overweight bags. Go onto the website of the airlines you are using, you will find all the info there.

[Treven]

In addition to the weight issue, you should also check to see if the airlines has a limit on the number of pieces of luggage you can check or carry on.

 

Returning from Hawaii a couple years ago I was charged $80 to check a third bag - which was fairly small; this was in addition to the one bag & my laptop that I was going to carry onboard the plane.

[checker78]

Hello Sue:

 

I have found this website to be helpful when flying.

 

http://www.cases.tv/airlineslimitations.htm

 

Mary

[ribarfly]

On domestic flights you are allowed 2 checked bags at 50 lbs. each per person, plus two carry on that must fit in the overhead bins or under the seat, you will be charged for all extra or overweight bags that are checked. International flights allow 70 lbs per bag.

[AWOL]

No more 70 lbs on international as of September of last year and no more two carryons on domestic flights

 

Regards

Roger

[Boo Boo]

Good morning,

 

We're flying into LA for a long vacation which will include a one week Mexican cruise. We'll have a lot of luggage as we're skiing the week before and have managed to get flights from London in First Class using our FF points. However, we need to get up to San Francisco after getting off the ship and are concerned as to what the luggage allowances are on internal flights. Can anybody advise. If it's too much of a problem, we'll have to rent a car and drive up, but would rather avoid this if possible. Sue

 

We were in the US this past January. On our three United internal flights (DEN-BUR, SNA-DEN and DEN-HDN) they didn't say a word about our slightly overweight bags. On our AA flight (HDN-ORD), they did. Class of travel does not make a difference, but they were having problems through-checking our luggage (onto the BA flight home) and I was very polite, so she waived the fee...

 

I think she said up to 55lbs without charge, up to 70lbs Maximum (which they charge an excess for). Any one bag beyond 70lbs, you could have a REAL problem.

 

Since US internal flights are getting really quite tough on these excesses - and we need new suitcases anyway - we are looking and buying smaller suitcases (our current suitcases are 26"x18"x10" and, despite being "lighted packed" and not expanded, still tipped the scales at 65lbs easily!).

 

Still, how much lugagge do you need? If you each had two cuitcases at under 55lbs, that is 220lbs of checked baggage between the two fo you ;) (assuming there are two of you travelling)

 

Boo

[FitzLA]

for interntional as well as domestic. No more 70#........

 

What airline allows 70# bags for domestic flights? All the ones I have been on have been 50#. If it were 70# it would have saved me $25 each flight.

[Larryhnj]

I just checked the American Airlines web site and of last year you are allowed one carry on each no more than 40lbs and you are allowed two check bags and they can not weigh more than 50lbs each.

 

Sorry but you will have to leave some pairs of shoes at home and wear some clothes more than once.:D

 

Larry

[CarpeCerevisi]

What airline allows 70# bags for domestic flights? All the ones I have been on have been 50#. If it were 70# it would have saved me $25 each flight.

 

JetBlue allows two checked bags of up to 70 lbs. each. All others I checked allow only up to 50 lbs. although Southwest allows three checked bags.

[FitzLA]

JetBlue allows two checked bags of up to 70 lbs. each. All others I checked allow only up to 50 lbs. although Southwest allows three checked bags.

 

Nice to know. I will have to start flying Jet Blue more often. I wish they flew to more places that I travel to.

[tinkerme1]

JetBlue International flights are allowed two checked bags, each of 50 lbs. or less.

 

JetBlue for Domestic is 70 lbs. although for the life of me, have no idea why.

[PeterPan]

From American Airlines site concerning carry ons:

 

FAA security measures limit customers on all AA flights to one carry-on bag plus one personal item.

The one carry-on bag must fit in an overhead compartment or under the seat. It should not exceed 45 linear inches (length + width + height) or weigh more than 40 lbs/18 kgs.

Personal items include the following:

• Purse
  
• Briefcase
  
• Laptop
  
• Small book-bag style backpack
  
• Other similar items that do not exceed 36 linear inches (length + width + height) will be allowed such as a small tote bag or shoulder bag.
  
• Additional items that will be allowed above and beyond the restrictions listed above include:
  • Outer garments such as coats/wraps/hats
    
  • Approved safety seat for lap or ticketed child
    
  • Umbrella stroller for lap or ticketed child
    
  • Diaper bag for lap or ticketed child
    
  • Book or newspaper
    
  • Bistro sized or smaller bag of food that is consumable
    
  • Assistive devices for passengers such as wheelchairs, walkers and CPAP machines
    
  • Therapeutic oxygen provided by the airline

So, you may actually have more than 1 carry on bag, depending upon your definition.

[SueOverend]

Thanks guys for all your advice. We normally travel with 3 suitcases and a garment bag for our two week holidays / cruises to the U.S. The problem is this time, we will also have two ski boot bags, ski jackets, trousers, gloves etc! We're going to look into whether we could send the ski boots home before we board the cruise, by sea somehow. Have not idea how to go about this though, so if anybody in the U.S. know how we could go about this, please let me know. We would then have only the four bags, which if packed carefully should be ok for United or AA. If not, I wonder whether we would be the first passengers to take ski boots etc on a cruise!! Sue

[critterchick]

Thanks guys for all your advice. We normally travel with 3 suitcases and a garment bag for our two week holidays / cruises to the U.S. The problem is this time, we will also have two ski boot bags, ski jackets, trousers, gloves etc! We're going to look into whether we could send the ski boots home before we board the cruise, by sea somehow. Have not idea how to go about this though, so if anybody in the U.S. know how we could go about this, please let me know. We would then have only the four bags, which if packed carefully should be ok for United or AA. If not, I wonder whether we would be the first passengers to take ski boots etc on a cruise!! Sue

 

Check DHL or FedEX for their freight charges. Your hotel may have some ideas, too.

[Treven]

Yes, if at all possible I'd look into sending all your ski & apre-ski stuff back across the pond, not just your boots. I realize the boots would be the heavyist (sp) but the rest would take up a lot of room in your luggage as well.

[Boo Boo]

Blimey... I thought I was a heavy packer ;)

 

I KNOW that I saw some service that will freight your skis/kit from your home in the UK direct to the resort (and back again, if you desire). I just can't seem to find a trace of it at the moment :(

 

This US site is similar - http://www.luggagefree.com/pricing.asp BUT it looks as though it will cost you an arm and a leg...

 

Any airline is likely to bulk if you turn up with 3 descent sized cases, a double ski bag, a couple of pairs of ski boots and a garment carrier... you have no chance of getting that all on a US domestic flight! I would also be concerned taking all of that stuff on a cruise - you still have to store it somewhere and I would just be paranoid about the skis going missing or something.

 

General tip about packing for skiing: if you get one of theos holdalls with wheels on from Snow & Rock (or similar), you can fit two boot bags, a couple of helmets and all your ski outer clothes in it. Works for us - keeps everything together and reduces the number of bags you have to carry/remember. With have a double hard-sided ski case from Snow & Rock: it has wheels on the bottom, is quite heavy, but easy to drag along...

 

We have never combined a cruise with skiing - too much organisation and clothes. We combine visiting the relatives in LA with skiing in Colorado and that works fine, but we don't have to pack too much (since the in-laws don't tend to have many "formal nights").

 

I think that you best bet is one of two choices:

- Either learn to back very efficiently: two suitcases (50 or 55lbs each) with all your cruise clothes and ski casual wear in, a double ski bag and a ski kit holdall (as above, with boots, helmets, skiwear in). You can utilise a descent sized carry-on or two each and maybe wear you ski jackets.

- Or find that service in the UK which couriers your skis and ski kit to (and from) the resort to you.

 

I would probably fo the former - think that most people tend to pack way too much anyway AND the cost of the latter is likely to be fairly scarey!

 

Let us know how you get on - this is interesting...

Boo

[Boo Boo]

Ah, this is a company that does it from the UK - https://www.firstluggage.com/index.aspx

 

The rates look frightening - assuming that they are "one way" and you have two pairs of skis and two sets of boots. However, they do say that "discounts may apply" - so you might be able to negotiate a slightly better package deal for a double ski bag and a holdall (with your boots and ski wear in). I don't know, I would guess that you would still be looking at about £500???

 

Boo

[SueOverend]

Interesting advice everybody. You'll be glad to hear that we won't be bringing skis - just the boots. This has all come about by getting enough BA Miles to travel long haul in First Class (for the first time ever) and California is about as far as we could travel from London using these tickets. Unfortunately, availability was really poor, so as soon as we saw some flights we jumped on them and have then made our plans from there. We only had to pay the tax and service, so we thought we'd combine a skiing holiday with a bit of relaxation on a cruise afterwards. Madness - probably - but should be fun! As there is no rush to get the boots home, we were hoping there was some way of sending them by sea, so we didn't have the embarassment of checking in with them when we board the Vision - although it should break the ice!! I guess if we can't find a solution, we'll leave the boots at home and rent some, but there's nothing like your own!

[Boo Boo]

If I was you, I would NOT leave my boots at home - assuming your ski boots are good (especially if they have custom orthotics and/or liners), you will REALLY feel the difference if you go back to rental boots.

 

If you are not taking skis, then you should still have an allowance of four bags of about 50/55lbs (depending on what airline you take) and (depending which airline you take) you may be able to get away with up to 70lbs (by paying the excess). You can get your two pairs of boots and ski wear into one holdall, that leaves you three reasonable sized suitcases for all your cruise and casual ski clothes - that really isn't bad :)

 

Boo

[erisajd]

check your luggage using the skycaps - keep each piece under 50 lbs and they'll pretty much take anything - with 2 people you can check 6 pieces total - thats ALOT of luggage. . .

 

Have you thought of simply renting your ski equiptment in the US? your clothing you will need to pack or wear obviously.