Excess baggage is any luggage that exceeds the weight or dimension limits set by an airline for a specific flight. The excess baggage limit will vary depending on the airline you're flying with, your destination and the type of fare you have bought. Excess baggage refers to:
This is when your checked bag weighs more than the maximum weight allowed per bag. For example, if the limit for one checked bag is 23kg (50 lbs) and your bag weighs 25kg, the extra 2kg will be considered excess baggage.
This is when your bag is larger than the maximum dimensions set by the airline. It could be that your bag is too long, too wide or too tall.
If you bring more checked bags than the allowed number stated on your ticket, the additional bags will be considered excess baggage.
If your baggage falls under any of these categories, you will have to pay airline baggage fees. These will vary depending on the airline, route and type of fare you have purchased.
Excess baggage fees are extra charges airlines impose for luggage that exceeds the weight or dimension limits for a particular flight. The fees are designed to compensate airlines for the extra cost of handling and transporting heavier, larger or extra bags.
Airline baggage fees will vary depending on the airline, destinations, weight and size of your bag, and the type of ticket you have purchased.
Airlines calculate excess baggage fees using one of the following:
Make your journey as hassle-free as possible by following these tips on how to avoid being charged with excess baggage fees:
Other ways to avoid excess luggage fees include shipping your luggage directly to your destination, especially if your trip is long-term, and renting special oversized items at your destination, such as rental skis and snowboards.
You could also consider flying with an airline that offers generous amounts of free checked baggage allowance - read our guide on airlines with free checked bag allowances for more information.
At Alternative Airlines, you can easily add additional bags to your booking. You can do this during the booking process or in the Manage My Booking portal. Read our guide linked below to see our step-by-step guide on adding bags to your booking.
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The cost for extra baggage on international flights will vary depending on the airline you're flying with and the route. Here's a summary of additional baggage charges for some of the most popular global airlines:
If you want to make the most of free airline baggage allowances, check out our guide on airlines with free checked baggage allowance.
This all depends on the airline you're flying with and the route you're flying on. As an example, Emirates tends to charge between $15-50 per kg, while Singapore Airlines might charge around $30 per kg.
Extra baggage fees will be lower for short-haul/domestic flights than long-haul/international flights, ranging from $10-30 per kg.
When you book through Alternative Airlines, you can easily add additional baggage during or after the booking process, as well as see how much extra it will cost you. Check out our guide on how to add baggage to your booking for more information.
If you've arrived at the airport and realise you've exceeded the baggage allowance stated on your ticket, a few things can happen:
Please ensure you double-check your baggage allowance before you pack for your trip in order to avoid having to pay any excess or oversized baggage fees.
As most airlines have a limit of 50 lbs (23kg) per checked bag, you will most likely have to pay excess baggage fees if you exceed this limit.
Delta, United and American Airlines will charge $100 for bags that weigh between 51-70 lbs (23-32kg) on domestic flights, and $200 for even heavier bags weighing 71-100 lbs (32-45kg). And if your bags weigh even more than 100 lbs (45kg), Delta and many other airlines won't accept it.
Oversized baggage is baggage that exceeds the airline's standard size limits. This limit will vary by airline, however, the common threshold is a total linear dimension (length + width + height) of 158 cm (62 inches).
As an example, British Airways has a standard checked baggage dimension limit of 90 x 75 x 43 cm (35 x 30 x 17 inches). If your checked bag is larger than this but within 190 x 75 x 65 cm (75 x 29.5 x 25.5 inches), it will be accepted as oversized baggage and you'll need to pay an oversized baggage fee.
Don't forget that your oversized baggage will also be subject to weight restrictions, so even if your bag fits within the airline's dimension restrictions, you need to make sure it also doesn't exceed the maximum weight limit (usually 32kg/70lbs).
