Just about all of us have someone in our family who likes to pack on the heavier side when it comes to a trip (better to bring it and not need it, right?).
Whether that’s you or one of your regular traveling companions, things just got a lot trickier with the recent news that Southwest Airlines is ditching its “bags fly free” policy in favor of the fees you’ll find at, well, just about every other airline.
Frontier Airlines is trying out free bags, and we’ll see where that goes in the long term.
Beyond that, I’d suggest a few things:
Skip the checked bag altogether, and go carry-on only. Just remember: You’ll have to follow the Transportation Security Administration’s 3-1-1 rules, and some airlines (like United Airlines and budget carriers) don’t allow free overhead bin space on basic fares.
Consider a credit card that gets you a free checked bag on your most-flown carrier … perhaps the airline with the biggest presence in your city. The annual fee will likely start at just under $100, but with most airlines charging $70 round-trip for checked bags, it can quickly pay for itself.
Still, you’ll want a travel card in your wallet that earns a flexible award currency you can transfer to a wide range of airline and hotel partners so your eggs points aren’t all in one basket program. An added bonus: Some cards can offset bag (and other) fees. I carry The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers up to $200 annually in statement credits for incidental airline fees (enrollment is required). The Chase Sapphire Reserve® boasts a highly flexible $300 annual travel credit.
I’ve included a few additional stories to check out below:
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