Checked baggage policy
Checked baggage allowances
If you're flying to St. Thomas (STT), St. Croix (STX) and St. Maarten (SXM) you'll be limited to 2 checked bags per person. Normal fees apply for oversize and overweight bags; active duty U.S. Military and assistive devices aren't affected.
Allowances have changed for transatlantic Premium Economy tickets issued on or after November 13, 2017.
Seasonal date changes for checked bags have been updated as of January 10, 2018.
Checked bag allowances have changed for flights to / from Brazil for tickets issued on or after February 1, 2018.
How many bags can you take?
Check up to 10 bags if your trip is:
- Domestic
- Transatlantic
- Transpacific
Check up to 5 bags if you’re traveling to / through / from:
- Mexico / Caribbean / Central America*See footnote
- South America*See footnote
- Brazil*See footnote
*There are seasonal and year-round baggage restrictions
Weight and size
We calculate the size limits of your bag by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, length + width + height.
For all regions, your checked baggage allowance is:
- Dimension: 62 in / 158 cm
- Weight: 50 lbs / 23 kgs
- For First / Business Class, weight is 70 lbs / 32 kgs
What will it cost?
Complimentary bags
In some cases, you won't have to pay the baggage fees for up to 3 bags. Find out if this applies to you.
1st checked bag is complimentary for:
- Eligible AAdvantage® Aviator® and Citi® / AAdvantage® cardmembers (on domestic American Airlines operated itineraries)
- AAdvantage® Gold
- oneworld® Ruby
- Confirmed Business Class customers*
- Confirmed Premium Economy customers
- Colombia*
- Ecuador
- El Salvador*
- Panama
- Venezuela
*1st bag fee applies for travel to San Salvador, El Salvador and Cali, Colombia to trips booked on / before January 9, 2018 for travel on June 20 - August 9, 2018 and December 8 -24, 2018 or for trips booked on / after January 10, 2018 for travel on June 15 - August 12, 2018 and December 8 -24, 2018.
1st and 2nd checked bags are complimentary for:
- AAdvantage® Platinum Pro
- AAdvantage® Platinum
- oneworld® Sapphire members
- Confirmed Business Class customers*
- Confirmed Premium Economy customers**
**Tickets issued on or after November 13, 2017. 2nd complimentary bag does not apply for travel to or from Hawaii.
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- China
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Peru
- South Korea
- Uruguay
1st, 2nd and 3rd checked bags are complimentary for:
- Confirmed First Class customers on 3-cabin aircraft
- AAdvantage® Executive Platinum
- oneworld® Emerald
- Active U.S. military and/or dependents with ID traveling on orders (1st - 5th bags free of charge)
- Active U.S. military with ID on personal travel
Cuba
For baggage fees, 'U.S.' refers to:
- Domestic U.S.
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Canada
- Mexico
- Caribbean
One-way to Cuba
Trips originating in the U.S. to Cuba pay the standard $25 1st bag fee
Round-trip to Cuba
Round-trips originating in the U.S. to Cuba get:
- 1st bag $25 and second bag $40
- 1st and 2nd bag free back to U.S.
One-way from Cuba
Standard-sized 1st and 2nd bags are free when departing Cuba
Round-trip from Cuba
Round-trips originating in Cuba to the U.S. get:
- 1st and 2nd bags free from Cuba
- 1st bag free and 2nd bag $40 from U.S. back to Cuba
Charges to / from Europe
| Region | Bag 1 | Bag 2 | Bag 3 | Bag 4+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico / Caribbean / Central America | $0 | $0 | $200 | $200 |
| Brazil | $0 | $0 | $200 | $200 |
| South America | $0 | $0 | $200 | $200 |
| Transatlantic | $0 | $100 | $200 | $200 |
Charges to / from U.S. Domestic
| Region | Bag 1 | Bag 2 | Bag 3 | Bag 4+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | $25 | $35 | $150 | $200 |
| Mexico | $25 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Caribbean | $25 | $40/$55** | $150 | $200 |
| Panama | $0 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Central America (except Panama) | $25/$25** | $40/$55** | $150 | $200 |
| Brazil | $0 | $0 | $150^ | $150^ |
| Columbia | $0/$25* | $55 | $150 | $200 |
| Ecuador | $0 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Venezuela | $0 | $55 | $150 | $200 |
| South America (except Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela) | $0 | $0 | $150 | $200 |
| Transatlantic | $0 | $100 | $200 | $200 |
| Transpacific | $0 | $0 | $200 | $200 |
Baggage fee based on travel date and destination. Seasonal pricing applies to trips booked on / before January 9, 2018 for travel on June 20 - August 9, 2018 and December 8 - 24, 2018 or for trips booked on / after January 10, 2018 for travel on June 15 - August 12, 2018 and December 8 - 24, 2018.
*$25 1st bag fee applies seasonally for travel to Cali, Colombia and El Salvador.
**$55 2nd bag charge applies seasonally for travel to Port au Prince, Haiti and Honduras.
^For tickets issued on or before January 31, 2018, 3rd and 4th checked bags are $85; $150 for tickets issued on or after Feburary 1, 2018.
If your region is not listed, we can still help:
All baggage fees are non-refundable and apply per person, each way.
What else can you travel with?
You’re also allowed to check:
Restricted items
There are some items that are only allowed in checked baggage or your carry-on. Check to see how to pack and travel with restricted items.