American baggage fees

Personal item + carry-on are free on all fares including Basic Economy (Basic boards last / Group 9 — bin risk, not a carry-on fee). Domestic Main Cabin tickets issued on/after Apr 9, 2026, each way: 1st $45 online / $50 airport; 2nd $55 / $60; 3rd+ $200. Standard bag ≤50 lb / ≤62 in. Basic Economy checked (tickets on/after May 18, 2026): 1st $50 / $55; 2nd $60 / $65. Ticket-issue date matters.

Core domestic / short-haul region: within/between U.S. (incl. HI/AK), Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean (except Cuba/Haiti), Central America (except Panama), Guyana. Online pay note exceptions: Chile/Colombia/Ecuador/India/Peru — confirm the live footnote. Airport bag fees are non-refundable. Piece fees are each way.

Main Cabin — tickets issued on/after Apr 9, 2026

Basic Economy — tickets issued on/after May 18, 2026

Always free (size-compliant): 1 personal item + 1 carry-on on all fares including Basic Economy.

Main Cabin: checked fees apply per the Apr 9, 2026 table unless a status, card, military, or premium-cabin waiver applies.

Basic Economy: same free cabin bags; checked +$5 vs Main on May 18, 2026+ tickets; no free checked except waivers (card = domestic U.S./Canada AA marketed & operated only).

Unlike United Basic Economy: AA Basic still includes a free carry-on; checked bags are still paid (and slightly higher than Main).

Military / AAdvantage status / eligible Citi® AAdvantage cards: see table notes; confirm current terms on aa.com. Codeshares / partner-operated flights are often excluded from AA free-bag marketing.

International: 1st/2nd bag amounts vary by route and ticket-issue date — confirm with the live aa.com table for that itinerary.

• Ticket-purchase / ticket-issue date controls fees. Stale blogs quoting pre–Apr 9 or pre–May 18 rates are wrong for new tickets.
• Prepaid vs airport: $5 cheaper online/app for 1st & 2nd in the core region (not a universal claim for every market).
• If a bag is both overweight and oversize, pay the higher of the two (plus the piece fee).
• Bags >100 lb or >115 linear in are not accepted on AA-operated flights.
• Basic Economy boards Group 9 — free carry-on still allowed, but bins often full (free valet / free gate-check language — do not invent a gate penalty).
• Codeshares / partner-operated often excluded from AA free-bag marketing.
• Main Plus “+1 free bag” nuance — confirm the fee-table footnotes; don’t overstate.
• International route tables change by ticket-issue date — use live aa.com.

1. Use the free carry-on + personal item when packing light (works on Basic).
2. Prepay 1st/2nd on aa.com/app (up to 2 hours before departure) to save $5 vs airport when eligible.
3. Stay ≤ 50 lb / ≤62 linear in to avoid overweight and oversize add-ons.
4. Check AAdvantage status / eligible co-brand card / military eligibility before paying.
5. Match your ticket issue date to the correct fee table on aa.com — don’t trust generic “AA bag fee” screenshots.
6. For international itineraries, open the official checked policy for that route — don’t trust blog tables.

No Amazon product cards on this page (amazon: none). For published cabin dimensions, see American carry-on size (22 × 14 × 9 in / 56 × 36 × 23 cm) and American personal item (18 × 14 × 8 in / 45 × 35 × 20 cm). Measure including wheels and handles before you fly.

How much is a checked bag on American Airlines?

For Main Cabin tickets issued on/after Apr 9, 2026 (core domestic/short-haul): 1st $45 online / $50 airport; 2nd $55 / $60; 3rd+ $200 each way. Standard bag ≤50 lb and ≤62 in. Your ticket issue date may put you on an older table — check aa.com.

Does American charge for carry-on?

No — one carry-on + one personal item free on all fares including Basic Economy.

What is American’s overweight / oversize bag fee?

Overweight: +$30 (>50–53 lb), +$100 (>53–70), +$200 (>70–100); >100 lb not accepted. Oversize: +$30 (>62–65 in), +$200 (>65–115); >115 in not accepted. If both OW and OS, pay the higher of the two (plus the piece fee).

Are Basic Economy bag fees higher on American?

Yes for checked bags on tickets issued on/after May 18, 2026: 1st $50/$55; 2nd $60/$65 (= Main + $5). Cabin bags stay free (carry-on + personal item).

Is it cheaper to pay for bags online on American?

Usually yes for 1st and 2nd in the core region — $5 less when prepaid on aa.com/app (up to 2 hours before departure) vs airport. Airport bag fees are non-refundable. Confirm market footnotes on aa.com.

Do AAdvantage status or credit cards get free checked bags?

Often yes: Gold/eligible card often 1st free; Platinum+ often 1st+2nd; Exec Plat / Plat Pro often 1st–3rd; military has separate free allowances. Basic Economy has no free checked except status/card/military (card = domestic U.S./Canada AA marketed & operated). Confirm current card terms.

Fees and rules change; confirm on aa.com before travel. BagRule is not affiliated with American Airlines.