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AA reducing some checked baggage allowance tickets pchs on / after 29 Mar 2016

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Old Jun 8, 2016, 8:24 pm
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AA reducing some checked baggage allowance tickets pchs on / after 29 Mar 2016

Link to revised baggage allowance on aa.com (effective tickets purchased 29 March or after), as well as full checked baggage policy and information (including size, weight, overweight charges, etc.)

Checked baggage policy

Baggage allowance changes

Travelers with tickets purchased on or after March 29, 2016 will be subject to fees for 3rd bags in Business and select (two class) First Class flights.
  • Executive Platinum - three checked bags First or Business service - but see following (traveling companions must be on same PNR as EP to benefit from three checked bags).


Extra baggage allowance
As an Emerald frequent flyer you can check in one additional bag for free in addition to your ticketed baggage allowance when you fly on oneworld airlines. If your ticket mentions a weight allowance, you can check in an extra 20kgs (44lbs). (This benefit is not available on British Airways 'Hand Baggage Only' fares on select short-haul routes.) (link)
  • Two checked bags for free in two-cabin aircraft for non-EP, including domestic First and international Business Class

  • Two checked bags allowance for Platinum

  • Three class First checked bag allowance remains the same (3 bags)

How many bags can you take?

Check up to 10 bags if your trip is:
  • Domestic
  • Transatlantic
  • Transpacific
Check up to 5 bags if you’re traveling to / through / from:
  • Mexico / Caribbean / Central America*See footnote
  • South America*See footnote
*There are seasonal and year-round baggage restrictions
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AA reducing some checked baggage allowance tickets pchs on / after 29 Mar 2016

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Old Mar 16, 2016, 8:00 pm
  #1  
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AA reducing some checked baggage allowance tickets pchs on / after 29 Mar 2016

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....age-allowance/

Continuing the trend of taking away from premium passengers, American shared with me today that they’re eliminating the 3rd free checked bag from domestic first class and international business class.

Gary,

Wanted to give you a heads-up that we’re posting a change shortly to the bag allowance for some premium cabins. Starting with tickets bought March 29, we’ll allow two checked bags for free in two-cabin aircraft, including domestic First and international Business Class. That’s down from the current allowance of three checked bags. (This is in line with our US competitors). EPs continue to get three bags in those cabins per the table on aa.com.
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Old Mar 16, 2016, 8:40 pm
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AA needs to do better in order to be "in line with our US competitors" in the area of baggage!

Even in Economy on UA a Premier Platinum is granted 3 bags up to 70 pounds each while on AA a Platinum is only granted 2 bags up to 50 pounds each. Even a UA Premier Gold, which has the same mileage requirement as AA Platinum, is allowed additional weight with 2 bags at 70 pounds each.

Last edited by controller1; Mar 16, 2016 at 10:11 pm
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Old Mar 16, 2016, 10:00 pm
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Additionally:

Link to revised baggage allowance on aa.com (effective tickets purchased 29 March or after), as well as other checked baggage policy and information (including size, weight, overweight charges, etc.)

Checked baggage policy

Baggage allowance changes

Travelers with tickets purchased on or after March 29, 2016 will be subject to fees for 3rd bags in Business and select First Class flights.
  • Executive Platinum - three checked bags regardless of class of service - but see following (traveling companions must be on same PNR as EP to benefit from three checked bags)

  • Executive Platinum apparently retains oneworld "+1" bag allowance, so 3+1 on oneworld flights

    Extra baggage allowance
    As an Emerald frequent flyer you can check in one additional bag for free in addition to your ticketed baggage allowance when you fly on oneworld airlines. If your ticket mentions a weight allowance, you can check in an extra 20kgs (44lbs). (This benefit is not available on British Airways 'Hand Baggage Only' fares on select short-haul routes.) (link)
  • Two checked bags for free in two-cabin aircraft for non-EP, including domestic First and international Business Class

  • Two checked bags allowance for Platinum

  • Three class First checked bag allowance remains the same (3 bags)

How many bags can you take?

Check up to 10 bags if your trip is:
  • Domestic
  • Transatlantic
  • Transpacific
Check up to 5 bags if you’re traveling to / through / from:
  • Mexico / Caribbean / Central America*See footnote
  • South America*See footnote
*There are seasonal and year-round baggage restrictions

Last edited by JDiver; Mar 16, 2016 at 10:54 pm
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 12:08 am
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We travel a bit between 2 residences in the U.S. in paid First Class.

To move items between the two residences, we typically would max out have 3 bags each– with the weights varying. In 2014, we shifted almost all of our travel from AA to DL in response to AA eliminating OW Explorer Awards, and free stopovers at the gateway on awards— with AA literally giving no notice overnight of these being eliminated.

It’s sad that effective March 29th, I’ll be allowed 3 Free Bags on DL when flying paid F for being Silver Medallion [lowest elite level on DL], versus mid-tier AA Platinum not getting any extra allowance on paid F in AA.

Di$count Dougie just keeps the cuts coming.

Kudos to AA’s [legacy] pilots for being frustrated with how the airline is treating its customers-- they're absolutely correct.

With sAAver awards disappearing— rapidly— and AA’s award devaluation coming up in less than a week, the differentiation between AAdvantage and SkyMiles is becoming even slimmer.

AA: I’ve gotta hand it to you— with this change you’ve sealed my switch in 2016 to continue flying Delta. [and never in a million years did I ever think I’d utter this]

The 3rd bag benefit was how I could justify in my mind paying AA more for their F product— it certainly isn’t for the slop that AA continues to pass off as acceptable F food domestically– it’s still not back to the level of where it was prior to the F class meal cuts in September 2013.

With this change, now there is 0 incentive for me to pay more for domestic F on AA, versus flying DL in domestic F. *sigh*
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 1:34 am
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I guess the bright side is that if AA keeps making First Class less valuable to purchase, my upgrade percentage should go up.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 8:17 am
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Red face

Originally Posted by ThreeJulietTango
I guess the bright side is that if AA keeps making First Class less valuable to purchase, my upgrade percentage should go up.
I never expected this kinda' thing from you!
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 9:17 am
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Well, I'm disappointed by this, but at least it will save me a lot of money. The only reason I shelled out money for first or paid to upgrade was the third bag. Frankly, I was bringing stuff back to Colombia that I really didn't need or can buy here at a small premium vs. the USA, so I'll save some money by not buying unneeded stuff too.

This also frees me up to be a price shopper. I'm not going to say that this change will make me switch airlines, since AA has generally been the price leader or pretty close to it on my routes. But, if that changes I'll have no reason to try to hang on.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 9:27 am
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Originally Posted by Max M
It’s sad that effective March 29th, I’ll be allowed 3 Free Bags on DL when flying paid F for being Silver Medallion [lowest elite level on DL]
Doesn't DL only offer 2 free bags for F/J? I believe even on international Delta One itineraries, only 2 free bags are allowed.

With that said, kind of sad but not exactly surprising. AA was the only one that offered 3 free bags on F/J. UA and DL both only offer 2, but UA does 3 for GF flights.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 9:46 am
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Do all that many people really use the 3rd free bag though? Obviously we have some examples here, but in general, I can't imagine it making all that much of a difference to most flyers...I am not privy to airline data so I may be wrong. I for one have never even needed it, and I typically travel with professional equipment in addition to my personal items such as clothing etc.. What I find more valuable as an elite is the extra weight allowance. It allows me to consolidate my stuff into one bag, and on the rare occasion or extended trip, two.

Seems like those taking advantage of a third bag may be bringing everything plus the kitchen sink...in which case, might as well pay for it or learn how to pack more efficiently.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 9:51 am
  #10  
 
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Originally Posted by ACA321
Do all that many people really use the 3rd free bag though? Obviously we have some examples here, in general, I can't imagine it making all that much of a difference to most flyers...I am not privy to airline data so I may be wrong. I for one have never even needed it, and I typically travel with professional equipment in addition to my personal items such as clothing etc.. What I find more valuable as an elite is the extra weight allowance. It allows me to consolidate my stuff into one bag, and on the rare occasion or extended trip, two.

Seems like those taking advantage of a third bag may be bringing everything plus the kitchen sink...in which case, might as well pay for it.
My thoughts exactly, some posters have mentioned that they strictly book for the 3rd baggage benefit, I can not imagine that is cheaper than coach fare and paying for the extra baggage. I might be wrong, but I have travelled to SA and Caribbean extensively and witness how much luggage people bring. SJU flights are what I call in Spanish, "tomateros" when they use boxes as luggage.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 10:07 am
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Extra baggage allowance
As an Emerald frequent flyer you can check in one additional bag for free in addition to your ticketed baggage allowance when you fly on oneworld airlines. If your ticket mentions a weight allowance, you can check in an extra 20kgs (44lbs). (This benefit is not available on British Airways 'Hand Baggage Only' fares on select short-haul routes.) (link)
Since the Brazil allowance is 70lbs (32kgs), an Emerald can check a 114lbs(52kgs) luggage without a fee?
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 11:06 am
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Sant
Since the Brazil allowance is 70lbs (32kgs), an Emerald can check a 114lbs(52kgs) luggage without a fee?
The extra weight is only for tickets that go by total weight instead of pieces. If you're allowed X pieces, Emerald gets you one extra piece, full stop. If your allowance is X kilograms (total, not per piece), EXP gets you X+20 kilograms. To answer your question directly, no you cannot take a 52 kilogram bag to Brazil for free.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 12:02 pm
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I'm headed to central America at the end of the year and decided to wait a few days to book my ticket, since that's one of the few awards that's come out ahead in the March 22 deval. Now I have a very narrow window to book my award, it seems - after 3/22 since the required miles have gone down, but before 3/29 so I can get a third free bag!
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 12:11 pm
  #14  
 
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There goes using a third bag for snorkeling equipment...Will have to remind wife to pack more selectively. OTOH, no separate bag for wife's shoes to carry for cruises.
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Old Mar 17, 2016, 12:12 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by ehallison
I'm headed to central America at the end of the year and decided to wait a few days to book my ticket, since that's one of the few awards that's come out ahead in the March 22 deval. Now I have a very narrow window to book my award, it seems - after 3/22 since the required miles have gone down, but before 3/29 so I can get a third free bag!
I believe you have found the holy grail of these two devaluations. Buy a lotto ticket!
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