lougord99

Since I usually travel for business, I have a large bag with my business stuff and a potentially carry on bag with my day to day stuff.

As a gold and credit card holder, I get 1 free bag - My large bag.

I attempt to check my carry on bag at the ticket counter in for no charge and have been denied. I always check my second bag at the gate for no charge. Why can't I just check the second bag at the ticket counter?

FLL88

can you clarify :
1. They would not let you check 2 bags at the check-in counter
or
2. The 2nd bag would have had a fee associated with the process

Antarius

Bad process. Technically, you are only allowed one free bag to be checked in, but since AA doesn't enforce sizes or anything, they run out of space on every flight. As a result, they allow people to gate check for free.

If AA actually enforced bag sizes to something reasonable vs letting anything and everything on, they wouldn't need to allow free gate checking.

redtop43

Is your "large" bag within the carry-on size limits? If not, I'd think they won't let you through security with it and wouldn't let you check it at the gate for free, but I don't have firsthand experience with this because I've never tried it.

Is your small bag within the size limits to fit under the seat in front of you?

I can imagine refusing to check something at the counter if it's so small that it might get lost in the press of loading/unloading luggage, but not a normally-formed piece of luggage that's not tiny.

I think you need to provide more details.

kochleffel

If I'm reading this correctly, you're definitely checking the larger bag at the ticket counter, but you also want to check the second bag, which is of a size allowed as a carry-on. Since you're entitled to only one free check bag, this is no surprise.

As already said, when they allow you to check the second bag at the gate, it's because there's likely to be insufficient space in the passenger compartment. This is at the discretion of gate agents, not ticket agents. If it's known when you're at the ticket counter that the flight will be that full, it would make sense for them to allow checking it then, but I don't think they will ever have that discretion.

BTW, it's a common complaint that passengers are forced by gate agents to check bags that are allowed as carry-ons.

For an upcoming international flight where I'm allowed to check two bags, I plan to check one that is too large to carry aboard anyway, and one that could be carried, taking a third, yet smaller, personal bag aboard with me. I'll be returning by ship and will be allowed only one checked bag on the domestic itinerary back to my departure airport, but for that I'll carry bag #2 plus the personal item.

lougord99

I did not write that post very well. I check a large bag for free, and as long as I am checking a bag I would like to check my smaller, carry on sized bag, for free also. I guess this was more of a rant than a question. It's against the rules and they are not going to allow it. However, I have never been denied the free check at the gate. It would just be nice not to fool with the smaller bag going through TSA.

hbtr

when AA allows people to check a bag for free at the gate, it’s not because it’s a passenger benefit - it’s an operational decision made by the gate agent, and they won’t make that same decision for every flight (although it does happen frequently).

ijgordon

You’re certainly able to check the second bag at the ticket counter. But they are going to charge you for the benefit of not having to schlep it through TSA, unless you’re on a fare of have a status that allows more than one checked bag.

KBMIFlyer

It is a bit of a silly game, AA will let you check your carry on size bag for free at the gate 99% of the time, but won't let you check it in during luggage check.

Honestly your best option if you are gold is to see if you can work you way up to platinum under the new rules, that will get you 2 checked bags. Otherwise, you just have to keep playing the game.

PHL

You can certainly take a larger than carry on size bag through TSA and then have it gate checked. TSA is generally not enforcing airline carry on restrictions. The reason for this is sometimes because people are missing the cutoff time for bag check in. Perhaps it varies by airport, but I've done it and I know of others who have done it in a pinch as well.

ijgordon

Well the bag has to physically fit through the screening machines, so it's not like there's unlimited flexibility. Also, there's a non-zero chance the gate agent will in fact charge for a bag that wouldn't be permitted as a carry-on, as they should IMHO. (It's fine to let someone through who misses the cut-off, but the last thing we need is a loophole for people to avoid checked bag fees that just clogs up TSA.)