Originally Posted by echyde

Where does AA list the baggage cutoff time for their flights?

All I can find is a recommendation to arrive 45 minutes before your flight.

I don't check bags very often, but I have a long trip to SFO, so I had a big to check. My wife and daughter were flying out an hour later than me to a separate destination on a separate carrier, so I helped them get checked in and helped with their bags.

I was already checked in online. I went over to the AA counter to drop off my bag. Flight was to depart at 3:40pm. I arrived at the counter at 3PM, waited for a minute while the agent looked at her computer, and then tried to check my bag. I was told the baggage cutoff for a checked bag is 45 minutes.

I cannot find this anywhere on the website. I was flying out of BHM. AA only had one other departure within about 45 minutes, no security line, and maybe 1 other flight departing at all around my departure time. The agent told me the 45 minute limit was hard coded and it could not be overriden.

She told me I could go buy a smaller bag and carry it on. I did so as literally 10ft away is a store that sells luggage. I wasn't thinking. When I get back 3 minutes later she said... Oh that won't work you can't have two carry-ons. Why that didn't dawn on me I don't know.

When did AA change from 30 minutes at small airports to 45 minutes? As stated I rarely check a bag, but I did so earlier this year at about 35 out with no issue.

There is absolutely nothing on their website mentioning any kind of cutoff for checked bags. I called the Plat desk to ask them and they couldn't find anything. Lost my upgrade from BHM-DFW and DFW-SFO. To add insult to injury, although I was rebooked, I got caught up in the CLT weather mess today. Left 5 hours late. Missed my SFO connection (upgrade amazingly cleared for it, too).

I'm not blaming AA, but I *literally* cannot find anything on their website pertaining to a cutoff. Non-AA websites all still say 30 minutes. Delta is 30 minutes. There is nothing in the contract of carriage. How is a person supposed to know the cutoff???