How to Get Free Checked Bags on American Airlines

Are you tired of paying extra fees for your checked bags when you fly with American Airlines? Do you wish you could save some money and travel more comfortably with your luggage?

If so, you’re not alone.

Many travelers are looking for ways to avoid or reduce the cost of checking their bags on American Airlines flights.

Fortunately, there are some ways that you can get free checked bags on American Airlines.

In this post, we’ll share with you some of the best ways to get free checked bags on American Airlines.

Let’s get started!

Join the AAdvantage Loyalty Program

One of the easiest ways to get free checked bags with American Airlines is to join their loyalty program, AAdvantage.

As a member, you can earn miles for flying with American Airlines and their partners, and redeem them for flights, upgrades, hotels, car rentals, and more.

But that’s not all. Depending on your elite status level, you can also enjoy benefits such as priority boarding, seat upgrades, lounge access, and of course, free checked bags.

There are four elite status levels:

• Gold
• Platinum
• Platinum Pro
• Executive Platinum

To earn elite status, you need to fly a certain number of miles or segments with American Airlines or its partner airlines and spend a certain amount of money on eligible tickets.

The higher your elite status level, the more free checked bags you can get.

Here’s how many free checked bags you can get with each AAdvantage elite status level:

This free baggage benefit extends to your travel companions, as long as they’re traveling on the same reservation as you.

Pros

• It’s free to join AAdvantage.
• You can earn miles and enjoy other benefits as an AAdvantage member.
• You can get free checked bags for yourself and your travel companions.
• You can get more free checked bags as you climb the elite status ladder.

Cons

• You need to fly a lot or spend a lot to qualify for elite status.
• You need to requalify for elite status every year.

Get an American Airlines Credit Card

Another way to get free checked bags with American Airlines is to apply for one of their co-branded credit cards.

These cards offer various perks for flying with American Airlines, such as priority boarding, inflight discounts, companion certificates, and more.

But most importantly, some of these cards also offer a free checked bag benefit.

Here are the cards that offer this benefit and their details:

With any of these cards, you can check your first bag for free on domestic flights operated by American Airlines, as long as you book your ticket with the card and add your AAdvantage number to your reservation at least seven days before departure.

You can also get free checked bags for up to four or eight companions traveling on the same reservation, depending on the card.

This can save you up to $60 per person round-trip.

Pros:

• You can enjoy other benefits from the cards, such as bonus miles, travel credits, airport perks, etc.
• You can get a free checked bag for yourself and your travel companions on domestic flights.
• You don’t need to have elite status to get the benefit.

Cons:

• You need to pay an annual fee for the card (except for the first year for some cards), which may not be worth it if you don’t fly often or use the other benefits.
• The first checked bag free perk only applies to domestic flights, not international flights.
• Some credit cards are available only as an upgrade.
• Certain credit cards are available to business owners only.

Fly in a Premium Fare Class

A third way to get free checked bags with American Airlines is to fly in a premium fare class.

These include:

• Premium Economy
• Business Class
• First Class

Depending on your destination and fare class, you can get up to three free checked bags of up to 70 pounds (32 kg) each.

Here’s a breakdown of the free checked bag allowance for each premium fare class:

Of course, premium cabin tickets are usually much more expensive than economy tickets, so this might not be the best option if you’re looking to save money.

However, if you have enough miles or vouchers, you might be able to upgrade your ticket to a premium cabin and enjoy the free checked bag benefit.

Pros:

• You can enjoy more comfort and service in a premium fare class.
• You get more free checked bags than in economy class.
• You get free checked bags on both domestic and international flights.

Cons:

• You need to pay significantly more for a premium fare class than for economy class.

Fly to Certain Destinations

A fourth way to get free checked bags with American Airlines is to fly to certain destinations.

These include some international destinations where American Airlines offers a free checked bag allowance for all passengers, regardless of their fare class or elite status.

Here are the destinations where you can get a free checked bag with American Airlines:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Brazil
• Chile
• China
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Hong Kong
• India
• Israel
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Qatar
• South Korea
• Transatlantic
• Uruguay

Basic Economy passengers used to receive a free checked bag for travel to most of the above destinations as well. However, as of June 7, 2023, this is no longer the case (apologies for the pun). This benefit was removed for Basic Economy fares.

Pros:

• You can get a free checked bag for yourself on international flights.
• You don’t need to have elite status or an American Airlines credit card to get the benefit.
• You can broaden your horizons by exploring new destinations and cultures!

Cons:

• The cost of traveling to these destinations may be higher than traveling domestically.
• Free bag benefits are no longer available for Basic Economy passengers.
• You need a passport to travel overseas!

Earn Elite Status in Oneworld

If you have elite status with another airline that belongs to the Oneworld alliance, you can also get free checked bags with American Airlines.

Current member airlines of the Oneworld alliance are:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Finnair
• Iberia
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian
• SriLankan Airlines

The number of free checked bags depends on your Oneworld tier:

Be an Active Military Member or Dependent

Another way to get free checked bags with American Airlines is to be an active-duty U.S. military member.

Depending on the type of travel, you and your dependents can get up to 5 free checked bags on domestic and international flights.

Here’s how many free checked bags you can get with each scenario:

To get the free checked bag benefit, you need to present your military ID at the check-in counter. You can also get other benefits such as waived change fees, priority boarding, and airport lounge access.

Pros:

• Free checked bags for you and your dependents.
• Other benefits such as waived change fees, priority boarding, airport lounge access, and more.
• No need to fly frequently or spend a lot to get the benefit.

Cons:

• Only applies to active military members and their dependents.
• Some destinations may have seasonal or year-round baggage embargoes.
• Dependents don’t receive free checked bags for personal travel.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are several ways to get free checked bags on American Airlines.

Some of these methods require having a certain credit card or flying to a certain destination, which may not be feasible or suitable for everyone. However, these are great ways to get a free checked bag in the shortest timeframe possible.

Other options, such as achieving elite status, require time, planning, and loyalty to American Airlines, to receive the benefit.

Related: American Airlines Baggage Policy