American Airlines has strict guidelines for carry-on luggage and what you can bring on board. While most restrictions are obvious, some aspects of American Airlines’ carry-on policy are not widely known and may force you to check your carry-on at the airport. We’ll go over the specifics of carry-on luggage size, dimensions, and weight, as well as what you can and cannot bring on board for American Airlines.
The Carry-On Luggage Size Policy of American Airlines
The size of your carry-on bag on American Airlines is determined by the type of bag you bring on board. All passengers are permitted one carry-on bag or a soft-sided garment bag. In addition, each passenger may bring one personal item on board.
Size of American Airlines Carry-on Luggage
American Airlines carry-on dimensions, including handles and wheels, should be no more than 22 inches X 14 inches X 9 inches (56 cm X 36 cm X 23 cm). All carry-on items must fit through the sizer at the departure gate. If the bag does not fit through the sizer, it must be checked. For oversized carry-ons, American Airlines will charge a checked bag fee ranging from $30 to $200, depending on your destination and how many bags you have already checked.
If you prefer, you can use a soft-sided garment bag instead of a standard carry-on bag. Garment bags up to 51 inches (130 cm) in length are permitted on board. Carry-on bags include musical instruments that can fit under the seat or in an overhead compartment. You can also use your carry-on allowance to transport a pet carrier instead of a dog or cat. When traveling with pets as carry-on, there is an additional fee of $125.00.
All carry-on bags should be labeled as checked bags in case they do not meet American Airlines’ carry-on bag size restrictions. If overhead compartment space is limited, American Airlines may request volunteers to check carry-on bags for free.
Carry-on Weight Limit on American Airlines
Unlike some airlines, American Airlines tracks both carry-on weight and size. The carry-on weight limit for American Airlines is forty pounds (18 kg).
Personal Items and US Airlines
American Airlines allows passengers to bring one personal item in addition to a carry-on bag, such as a small backpack, laptop bag, camera bag, briefcase, or purse. Whatever type of personal item you choose, it must fit securely beneath the seat in front of you. To ensure proper fit, your personal item should be no larger than 18 inches X 14 inches X 8 inches (45 cm X 35 cm X 20 cm).
Carry-on Policy for Infants and American Airlines
Adults traveling with infants may bring the following items on board American Airlines flights in addition to their carry-on bag and personal item:
- Bags for diapers
- Breast milk and soft-sided cooler bags
- Child restraints
- Strollers
Service Animals and Medical Assistive Devices
Wheelchairs and other assistive devices, such as walkers and canes, are permitted on American Airlines flights at no additional cost and in addition to carry-on allowances. Service animals, such as guide dogs, fly free in the cabin as long as the dog travels with its owner and the owner is completely reliant on the dog.
What Can I Bring to American Airlines?
American Airlines follows the TSA’s guidelines for the amount of liquids, gels, creams, pastes, and aerosols you can bring in your carry-on. These items must be in travel-sized containers weighing 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less, and all containers must fit inside a one-quart sealable, clear plastic bag.
American Airlines allows you to board with any of the following items in addition to your carry-on allowance:
- A coat, jacket, or other outerwear
- A diaper bag for a lap or ticketed child
- A pillow or blanket
- Books or newspapers
- Drinks purchased after passing through security
- Lithium batteries for laptops, phones, or cameras with terminals covered or insulated
- Duty-free purchases
- Medically necessary devices
- Safety seats for a lap or ticketed children
- Small bags of food for consumption during flights
Carry-On Prohibited by American Airlines
Any item listed as prohibited on the TSA website will not be permitted in American Airlines carry-on luggage. Examples of prohibited items include, but are not limited to:
- Alcohol in excess of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters)
- Camping equipment that uses flammable fuel
- Caustic or corrosive items such as drain cleaner and solvents
- Firearms and ammunition
- Fireworks, sparklers, gunpowder, and explosives
- Insect sprays
- Internal combustion engines
- Lighter refills
- Liquids, gels, and aerosols in larger amounts than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters)
- Paints and thinners
- Personal air purifiers
- Poisons
- Pool chemicals
- Printer and toner cartridges
- Propane heaters
- Radioactive or infectious materials
- Self-defense sprays, including pepper spray, mace, and bear deterrent
- Self-heating meals (MREs)
- Sharp objects, including box cutters and carpet knives
- Signal flares
- Sterno
- Strike-anywhere matches
- Styrofoam containers
- Wet-cell batteries
Personal Item Weight Restrictions on American Airlines
American Airlines technically does not have a weight limit for personal items. The total dimensions are more important to them because the item must fit under the seat in front of you. While most budget airlines are strict about personal items, American Airlines is usually very relaxed…especially on international flights.
American Airlines technically does not have a weight limit for personal items.
They anticipate a laptop bag, small backpack, or small purse, but this is not required. If you decide to bring a larger-than-allowed personal item on your American Airlines flight, keep in mind that while there is a good chance you will be able to board without incident, there is also a chance you will be required to pay to check it. You will most likely go unnoticed if you remain discrete near the check-in counter and the gate.
How Strict is American Airlines When It Comes to Carry-On Baggage?
In my experience, American Airlines is less concerned with carry-on baggage than it is with personal items. Every passenger is entitled to one free carry-on item, which must be stored in the overhead bin space during the flight. While the bag should not exceed the maximum dimensions of 45 linear inches, there may be some wiggle room depending on the aircraft.
The size of the overhead compartment varies depending on the type of aircraft. If you fly on a plane with small overhead compartments, you will almost certainly be stopped for having an oversized carry-on. On the other hand, if you fly on a plane with larger overhead compartments, your slightly larger bag may go unnoticed.
If it fits, it ships, as the USPS commercials used to say. This is a significant benefit of using a soft-sided bag as your carry-on, as it can be bent and smooshed to fit in the overhead cabin.
American Airlines Carry-On Bag Weight Restrictions
American Airlines, like other airlines, does not specify a maximum weight for carry-on bags. They strictly regulate the maximum size but not the weight of the bag. If your bag fits within the size mentioned above restrictions, gate agents will always let it fly.
This system is a step backward because it allows you to pack a lot of weight into a small bag. However, if you’re like us and fly with a camera bag, laptop, and other technology, this is a huge benefit. We are confident that as long as the overall dimensions of the bag fit in the compartment and all of its contents are legal in the eyes of TSA, we will have no problems every time we fly.
Basic Economy Baggage Allowance on American Airlines
When you buy a Basic Economy ticket on American Airlines, you get a carry-on bag as well as a personal item. The carry-on allowance is the same for all American Airlines fare classes, whether you fly basic economy, business class, or first class. Almost all American Airlines flights offer basic economy tickets, with no change in baggage allowance.
If you fly in basic economy, you will almost certainly be charged extra for any checked baggage. Bag fees on domestic flights are typically $30 for the first bag, with additional bags costing more. If you have one of American Airlines credit cards, you may be entitled to a free checked bag regardless of your fare class’s baggage allowance.
Bag fees also vary depending on where you fly. Baggage fees for flights to South America, Central America, and Puerto Rico may differ from those for regional flights within the United States.
Does the baggage policy of American Airlines apply to partner airlines?
The OneWorld Alliance includes American Airlines. This is one of the world’s most powerful airline alliances. The alliance connects American Airlines passengers to destinations worldwide via Marquis international carriers such as British Airways, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and Iberia.
At least one flight leg on an international flight with American Airlines will almost certainly be operated by a partner airline. While you book with American, a codeshare agreement allows you to fly on the plane of another airline. In such cases, your baggage allowance will be specified on the American Airlines app prior to your departure.
Size restrictions are usually very consistent across airlines. American Airlines baggage fees are usually in line with those of its partners. Most international airlines specify size requirements in centimeters rather than inches, but the actual measurements are often the same or very close.
Is there a baggage fee on economy flights?
Customers seated in economy on American Airlines pay $30 for their first checked bag on all domestic flights and most flights to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America. If you’re flying somewhere else in the world, such as Hong Kong or Paris, your first bag is free. A second bag will cost you $40 on all domestic flights, but it will cost you $65 if you are traveling to Haiti, select Central American or South American countries (there are exceptions, so check). The second bag fee increases to $100 if you are flying to Europe or Asia.
Is there a baggage fee for basic economy passengers?
The fees listed above apply to passengers traveling in economy class. It’s a different story if you’re flying in basic economy. On transatlantic flights, expect to pay $75 for your first checked bag and $45 for most of South America. In some cases, the reduced fare of the basic economy ticket may be greater than the baggage fee, so use caution when deciding how many bags to bring.
The Checked Baggage Policy of American Airlines
American Airlines, like most other airlines, charges baggage fees only for checked bags. According to American Airlines checked baggage policy, you can bring up to ten checked bags on domestic, transatlantic, and transpacific flights, and up to five checked bags on flights to and from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central, and South America (seasonal and year-round baggage restrictions vary, so check first). However, bringing that many bags can quickly add up, especially since the prices increase with each additional checked bag.
Keep an eye on the weight of your bag, as the golden rule for American Airlines is to keep it under 50 pounds (23 kilograms) and within 62 inches (158 centimeters). For transpacific flights to or from Australia and New Zealand, as well as passengers traveling in business or first class anywhere in the world, those restrictions increase to 70 pounds (32 kilograms) for free checked bags and revert to 50 pounds for additional checked bags.
The Carry-On Luggage Size Policy of American Airlines
According to AA’s carry-on policy, each passenger in every class is allowed one carry-on that measures 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 centimeters) and one personal item that measures 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 centimeters). As long as it fits under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin, a musical instrument is considered a carry-on item. Soft garment bags up to 51 inches (130 centimeters) in length can also be considered carry-on items. Pet carriers are considered carry-ons, and they must be placed under your seat — never in the overhead compartment.
Diaper bags (one per child), strollers, car seats, breast pumps, medical and mobility devices, and small soft-sided coolers holding breast milk are all permitted and do not count against your carry-on limit.
If you’re traveling by carry-on only, follow the TSA’s liquids rules, which limit what you pack to small containers weighing 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and fitting into a single 1-quart-sized resealable bag. That 1-quart bag of gels, aerosols, pastes, creams, or other TSA-approved liquids must then be separated from the rest of your carry-on luggage. Keep in mind that medications, baby formula, and other child-nurturing liquids, such as breast milk, are handled differently — simply notify the TSA officer that you are carrying them and allow time for additional screening.
Excess and Overweight Baggage Fees
Do you intend to bring a third or fourth bag? Checking those will cost you $200 each unless you’re flying domestically, in which case your third bag will cost $150 (your fourth bag will still cost $200 on domestic flights). Additional bags will cost you $200 each, regardless of where you fly.
In terms of overweight baggage, American Airlines will not accept anything weighing more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) on any of its flights. However, passengers with elite airline status are permitted to check up to three bags weighing up to 70 pounds (32 kilograms) each for free, while those traveling in business or first class on domestic flights are permitted to bring two bags of the same dimensions.
As previously stated, the goal for everyone else flying economy or basic economy is to keep any checked bags under 50 pounds. Once they reach 51 pounds, fees range from $100 to $200 for bags weighing 51 to 70 pounds and $200 for bags weighing 71 to 100 pounds. If your bag weighs more than 70 pounds, flights to Asia (Hong Kong, China, South Korea, and Japan), India, and New Zealand will cost you $450. Furthermore, it will not be accepted on flights to Cuba, Europe, Israel, Qatar, or Australia.
Methods to Avoid Baggage Fees
When flying with American Airlines, you can usually avoid paying baggage fees by booking in business or first class, achieving elite status in its loyalty program, or using American Airlines co-branded credit cards, which waive the fee for your first checked bag.
Of course, the best way to avoid paying baggage fees is to master the art of packing light and traveling with only one carry-on (plus your personal item). Pack your outfits by folding them professionally, then rolling and placing them in compression packing cubes to maximize space while minimizing wrinkles. Socks should be kept in your shoes. Wear your heaviest items, such as jeans and sneakers, to allow you to carry all of your lighter items in your bag.
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Carry-On Luggage Size American Airlines: References
