If you’re a member of the U.S. military or a dependent traveling on official orders, you are eligible for some special benefits from American Airlines. One of these benefits is the airline’s military baggage allowance, which allows you to check up to five bags for free on domestic and international flights.
In this blog post, we will explain how the military baggage allowance works, what are the requirements and restrictions, and how much baggage you can bring when traveling on orders or for leisure.
We’ll also explain how much you’ll have to pay if you plan to travel with additional, oversized and/or overweight baggage.
Finally, we’ll cover situations where the number of bags that you can travel with may be limited:
- The region that you’ll be traveling to
- Whether your destination could be affected by a baggage embargo
American Airlines Military Baggage Allowance Summary
Active-duty U.S. military personnel, and their dependents, traveling on orders, are entitled to the following free checked baggage allowance:
- 5 checked bags, each up to 126 linear inches in size and weighing up to 100 pounds.
Active-duty U.S. military personnel traveling on personal business are entitled to the following free checked baggage allowance:
- 3 free checked bags, each up to 62 linear inches in size and weighing up to 50 pounds.
Who Qualifies for Military Baggage Benefits on American Airlines?
To qualify for military baggage benefits, you must meet the following criteria:
- Active-duty U.S. military members of the U.S. armed forces:
- Army
- Navy
- Air Force
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
- Military cadets of the:
- U.S. Military Academy (West Point)
- U.S. Coast Guard Academy
- U.S. Naval Academy
- Military dependents with authorized travel orders
Travelers Ineligible for Military Baggage Benefits
The following categories of passengers don’t qualify for military baggage benefits:
- Passengers with a Civilian Military ID
- U.S. Public Health Service
- Military Reserves
- National Guard
Documentation Requirements
Military Personnel
Active-duty military personnel must present valid military identification (commonly known as a Uniformed Services ID card) and present it at check-in to qualify for the special baggage allowances.
For travel on official orders, military personnel must also present their official travel orders to qualify for the special baggage allowances.
Dependents of Military Personnel
Dependents must present valid dependent identification (e.g., a DD Form 1173) and be listed on the military orders authorizing travel with the active-duty military member.
Carry On Baggage Allowance
Active-duty military personnel don’t receive any extra carry-on baggage. Their hand baggage allowance is the same as for all other passengers.
You are entitled to bring one personal item and one carry-on bag.
Personal Item
Size Limit
Your personal item can be no larger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 centimeters). It must be able to fit under the seat in front of you.
Typical personal items include:
- A small backpack
- Laptop bag
Weight Limit
American Airlines doesn’t enforce a weight limit on personal items.
Carry On Bag
Size Limit
Your carry-on bag can be no larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 centimeters). It must be able to fit in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you.
Typical carry-on bags include:
- A small suitcase
- Duffel bag
- Backpack
- Garment bag
Weight Limit
American Airlines doesn’t impose a weight limit on carry-on bags. However, you should be able to lift your carry-on bag in the overhead bins unassisted.
Military Checked Baggage Allowance
| Type of Passenger | Purpose of Travel | Number of Bags | Bag Size (each) | Bag Weight (each) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military personnel | Traveling on orders | 5 | 126 in | 100 lb |
| Military personnel | Traveling on personal business | 3 | 62 in | 50 lb |
| Dependents of military personnel | Traveling on orders | 5 | 126 in | 100 lb |
| Dependents of military personnel | Traveling on personal business | 0 | – | – |
Military Personnel Traveling on Orders
Military Personnel Traveling on Orders
If traveling on orders, you’re entitled to check up to 5 free bags. Each checked bag can be up to 126 linear inches (320 centimeters) in size and weigh up to 100 pounds (45 kilograms).
For travel to/from the following regions, your checked baggage can weigh no more than 70 pounds (45 kilograms):
- Cuba
- Europe
- Israel
- Qatar
- Australia
If you’re traveling on an American Airlines flight that has a baggage embargo in effect, you will be subject to the embargo’s baggage restrictions. This could limit your checked baggage allowance to 2 pieces of checked baggage.
Military Personnel Traveling on Personal Business
If you’re traveling for leisure or personal business, you’re entitled to check up to 3 free bags. Each bag can be up to 62 linear inches (158 centimeters) in size and weigh up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms).
Dependents of Military Personnel Traveling on Orders
Dependents, spouses, and family members of military personnel traveling on orders are also eligible for additional baggage allowances. Similar to military personnel, dependents can check up to 5 bags free of charge.
Each bag can be up to 62 linear inches (158 centimeters) in size and weigh up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms).
Dependents of Military Personnel Traveling on Personal Business
Dependents, spouses, and family members of military personnel traveling for leisure or personal business aren’t entitled to a free checked baggage allowance.
If they wish to travel with checked baggage, they will have to pay the standard fees, as per American Airlines’ baggage policy.
Baggage Fees
In this section, we’ll explain how much you’ll have to pay for extra bags beyond your free checked baggage allowance.
If your checked bags are oversized and/or overweight, we’ll also advise how the fee that you’ll be charged when you check in at the airport.
Excess Baggage Fees
Active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents who wish to buy extra checked baggage beyond their free baggage allowance will be subject to American Airlines’ excess baggage fees.
All extra baggage is a standard checked bag. This applies to both travel on orders and leisure travel.
These bags have the following limits:
- Size limit: 62 linear inches (158 centimeters)
- Weight limit: 50 pounds (23 kilograms)
There are some situations which may limit how many extra bags that you can travel with:
Regional Checked Baggage Limits
If you are traveling to a destination south of the U.S. border, the maximum number of checked bags that you can travel with is 5 bags.
For these destinations, you won’t be able to buy more bags beyond your free checked baggage allowance.
| Route | Maximum Number of Checked Bags |
|---|---|
| Domestic | 10 |
| Mexico | 5 |
| Caribbean | 5 |
| Central America | 5 |
| South America | 5 |
| Transatlantic | 10 |
| Transpacific | 10 |
Baggage Embargoes
As mentioned earlier, your ability to purchase additional bags could be impacted if there is a baggage embargo in effect on your American Airlines flight. Most baggage embargoes enforce a 2 checked bag limit for each passenger.
You will be notified during your flight reservation process whether a baggage restriction will be in effect for your itinerary. This information will also be included in your flight booking email from American Airlines.
Excess Baggage Fees for Military Personnel and Dependents Traveling on Orders
For active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents traveling on orders that wish to travel with more than 5 checked bags, they will be required to pay a $200 fee for each extra bag.
Excess Baggage Fees for Military Personnel Traveling on Personal Business
If you’re traveling for leisure and want to buy extra baggage beyond your free 2-bag allowance, you’ll be subject to American Airlines’ standard baggage fees:
| Route | 3rd Bag | 4th+ Bags |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | $150 | $200 each |
| All other routes | $200 | $200 each |
Oversized Baggage Fees
Be sure to check if your flight will be impacted by a baggage embargo, as American Airlines won’t accept oversized bags when baggage limitations are in effect.
Oversized Baggage Fees for Military Personnel and Dependents Traveling on Orders
Oversized Baggage Fees for Your Free Checked Baggage
Your free checked baggage allowance has a size limit of 126 linear inches (320 centimeters) for each of your 5 bags. This corresponds to American Airlines’ size limit for checked baggage. Hence, oversized baggage isn’t allowed in this circumstance.
Oversized Baggage Fees for Extra Checked Baggage
If you buy extra baggage, each of these bags include a 62 linear inches (158 centimeters) size limit.
If your checked baggage is larger than 62 linear inches but no greater than 126 linear inches (320 centimeters) your bag will be subject to the following oversized baggage fee, based on your itinerary:
| Route | Oversized Bag Fee (62 in to 126 in) |
|---|---|
| Domestic | $200 |
| Panama | $150 |
| South America (except Guyana and Suriname) | $150 |
| Europe | $150 |
| Israel | $150 |
| Qatar | $150 |
| All other flights | $200 |
Oversized Baggage Fees for Military Personnel Traveling on Personal Business
If your checked baggage is larger than 62 linear inches (158 centimeters) but no more than 126 linear inches (320 centimeters), your bag will be subject to an oversized baggage fee, based on your itinerary.
You can reference the above table to determine how much you’ll have to pay at the airport when you check in.
American Airlines won’t accept checked baggage larger than 126 linear inches.
Overweight Baggage Fees for Military Personnel and Dependents Traveling on Orders
Overweight Baggage Fees for Military Personnel and Dependents Traveling on Orders
Overweight Baggage Fees for Your Free Checked Baggage
Your free checked baggage allowance has a weight limit of 100 pounds (320 kilograms) for each of your 5 bags. This corresponds to American Airlines’ weight limit for checked baggage. Hence, overweight baggage isn’t allowed in this circumstance.
Overweight Baggage Fees for Extra Checked Baggage
If you buy extra baggage, each of these bags include a 50 pounds (23 kilogram) size limit.
If your checked baggage weighs more than 50 pounds but is no heavier than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) your bag will be subject to an overweight baggage fee upon airport check-in.
It’s important to note that some routes have a 70-pound (32-kilogram) weight limit.
| Route | Overweight Bag Fee (51 lb to 70 lb) | Overweight Bag Fee (71 lb to 100 lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada | $100 | $200 |
| Mexico | $100 | $200 |
| Cuba | $200 | n/a |
| Caribbean (except Cuba) | $100 | $200 |
| Central America | $100 | $200 |
| South America | $100 | $200 |
| Europe | $100 | n/a |
| Israel | $100 | n/a |
| Qatar | $100 | n/a |
| China | $100 | $450 |
| Hong Kong | $100 | $450 |
| Japan | $100 | $450 |
| South Korea | $100 | $450 |
| India | $100 | $450 |
| Australia | $100 | n/a |
| New Zealand | $100 | $450 |
Overweight Baggage Fees for Military Personnel Traveling on Personal Business
If your checked baggage weighs more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms) but is no heavier than 100 pounds (45 kilograms), your bag will be subject to an oversized baggage fee, based on your itinerary.
You can reference the above table to determine how much you’ll have to pay at the airport when you check in.
American Airlines won’t accept checked baggage heavier than 100 pounds.
Final Thoughts
American Airlines offers generous baggage allowances for military personnel and their dependents.
Depending on the destination and the type of travel, active U.S. military members can check up to five bags for free, with a weight limit of 100 lbs and a size limit of 126 linear inches each. For personal or leisure travel, they can check up to three bags for free, with a weight limit of 50 lbs and a size limit of 62 linear inches each. These benefits are available by presenting a valid military ID and orders at the check-in counter.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind before you head to the airport:
- If you plan to travel with extra luggage, be aware that some regions limit your checked baggage allowance to 5 bags only.
- If you are traveling south of the U.S. border, check whether your flight will be affected by a baggage embargo, limiting the number of checked bags with which you can travel.
- Allow yourself extra time when checking in at the airport for your documentation to be verified and baggage checked.
- Don’t forget to bring your military ID and orders with you to the airport!
Remember to always check American Airlines’ website or contact their customer service for the latest information on baggage allowances and fees.
We thank you for your service.
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