Checked bag policy
Checked bag allowances
Bag fees between Europe, Israel, Morocco and U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean (including Haiti), Central America, South America or connecting via Europe to another destination have been updated as of April 21, 2020.
Changes to seasonal bag limitations for checked bags have been updated as of March 31, 2020.
Bag fees for travel to / from South America have been updated as of January 28, 2020.
All bag fees are non-refundable and apply per person, at each check-in location, each way, even if you purchase or get an upgrade that includes free checked bags. If you believe you've been incorrectly charged for bag fees, contact an American representative for help or file a refund claim within 45 days.
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
- Brazil*See footnote
*There are seasonal and year-round bag restrictions
Weight and size
We calculate the size limits of your bag by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, length + width + height.
For all regions, your checked bag allowance is:
- Dimension: 62 in / 158 cm
- Weight: 50 lbs / 23 kgs
- For First / Business, weight is 70 lbs / 32 kgs
What will it cost?
Complimentary bags
In some cases, you won't have to pay the fees for up to 3 bags. If you qualify for complimentary bags based on elite status, the benefits are based on your highest status level at time of ticketing or check-in.
If your status level is:
- Higher at ticketing than at check-in, show your ticket receipt to the airport agent
- Lower at ticketing than at check-in, current benefits will automatically apply
1st checked bag is complimentary for:
- Eligible AAdvantage® Aviator® and Citi® / AAdvantage® cardmembers (on domestic American Airlines operated itineraries)
- AAdvantage® Gold
- oneworld® Ruby
- Confirmed Business customers
- Confirmed Premium Economy customers
- Argentina*
- Brazil*
- Chile*
- Colombia*
- Ecuador*
- El Salvador^,*
- Haiti
- Panama*
- Paraguay*
- Peru*
- Transatlantic*
- Uruguay*
^1st bag fee applies for travel to San Salvador, El Salvador for tickets issued on / before August 19, 2019 for travel on June 15, 2020 - August 12, 2020 or for tickets issued on / after August 20, 2019 for travel on June 1, 2020 - August 19, 2020 and December 7, 2020 - January 12, 2021.
*Excluding Basic Economy
1st and 2nd checked bags are complimentary for:
- AAdvantage® Platinum Pro
- AAdvantage® Platinum
- oneworld® Sapphire members
- Confirmed Business customers
- Confirmed Premium Economy customers**
**$0 2nd bag fee excludes Alaska and Hawaii.
- Argentina*
- Australia
- Brazil*
- Chile*
- China
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Paraguay*
- Peru*
- South Korea
- Uruguay*
*Excluding Basic Economy. 1st and 2nd checked bags are complimentary for Main Economy tickets issued on or before January 27, 2020. 1st checked bag is complimentary and a 2nd checked bag fee applies for Main Economy tickets issued on or after January 28, 2020.
1st, 2nd and 3rd checked bags are complimentary for:
- Confirmed First customers on 3-cabin aircraft*
- AAdvantage® Executive Platinum
- oneworld® Emerald
- Active U.S. military and/or dependents with ID traveling on orders (1st - 5th bags free of charge)
- Active U.S. military with ID on personal travel
*Executive Platinum and oneworld® Emerald members traveling in First on 3-cabin aircraft may check a 4th bag at no charge.
Cuba
For bag fees, 'U.S.' refers to:
- Domestic U.S.
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Canada
- Mexico
- Caribbean
One-way to Cuba
Trips originating in the U.S. or Canada to Cuba pay the applicable 1st bag fee.
Round-trip to Cuba
Round-trips originating in the U.S. or Canada to Cuba:
- 1st bag and 2nd bag fees apply to Cuba
- 1st and 2nd bag free back to U.S.
One-way from Cuba
Standard-sized 1st and 2nd bags are free when departing Cuba
Round-trip from Cuba
Round-trips originating in Cuba to the U.S. or Canada:
- Standard-sized 1st and 2nd bags are free when departing Cuba
- Standard-sized 1st bag is free and 2nd bag fee applies when returning back to Cuba
Charges to / from Europe
| Region | Bag 1 | Bag 2 | Bag 3 | Bag 4+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico / Caribbean / Central America (except Panama) | $0/$75* | $100 | $200 | $200 |
| South America (except Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana) | $0/$75* | $100^ | $200 | $200 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Panama | $0/$75* | $0**/$100 | $200 | $200 |
| Transatlantic | $0/$75* | $100 | $200 | $200 |
*For Transatlantic Basic Economy travel, a $60 1st bag fee applies for tickets issued on / or before April 20, 2020, and $75 for tickets issued on / after April 21, 2020.
**2nd bag fee between Europe and Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, and Panama applies for tickets issued on/after November 5, 2019. There is no 2nd bag fee for tickets issued on/before November 4, 2019.
^2nd bag fee applies for Main Economy tickets issued on /after January 28, 2020. The 2nd bag is complimentary for Main Economy tickets issued on / before January 27, 2020.
Charges to / from U.S. Domestic
| Region | Bag 1 | Bag 2 | Bag 3 | Bag 4+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | $30 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Mexico | $30 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Haiti | $0 | $70 | $150 | $200 |
| Cuba | $0 / $30 | $0 / $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Caribbean (except Cuba and Haiti) | $30 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Panama | $0 / $30* | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Central America (except Panama) | $30^ | $40 / $55** | $150 | $200 |
| Colombia | $0 / $30* | $55 | $150 | $200 |
| Ecuador | $0 / $30* | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| Guyana | $30 | $40 | $150 | $200 |
| South America (except Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana) | $0 /$45* | $65** | $150 | $200^^ |
| Transatlantic | $0 / $75* | $100 | $200 | $200 |
| Transpacific | $0 | $0 | $200 | $200 |
All published bag fees are base rates according to travel dates and destination; applicable taxes are not shown. Seasonal pricing applies for tickets issued on / before August 19, 2019 for travel on June 15, 2020 - August 12, 2020 or for tickets issued on / after August 20, 2019 for travel on June 1, 2020 - August 19, 2020 and December 7, 2020 - January 12, 2021.
*Free bag excludes Basic Economy: For travel to/from Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, a $30 1st bag fee applies. For travel to / from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana) a $45 1st bag fee applies. For Transatlantic Basic Economy travel, a $60 1st bag fee applies for tickets issued on / or before April 20, 2020, and $75 for tickets issued on / after April 21, 2020.
^ For travel to / from El Salvador, the 1st bag fee of $30 applies seasonally.
**For travel to / from Honduras, a $55 2nd bag fee applies seasonally. For travel to / from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana) for all Basic Economy tickets a $65 2nd bag fee applies. For travel to / from South America (excluding Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana) for Main Economy tickets issued on / before January 27, 2020 the 2nd bag is complimentary and for Main Economy tickets issued on / after January 28, 2020 a $65 2nd bag fee applies.
^^For travel to/from Brazil, a $200 4th and 5th bag fee applies for tickets issued on / after November 5, 2019 and a $150 4th and 5th bag fee applies for tickets issued on / before November 4, 2019.
If your region is not listed, we can still help:
All bag fees are non-refundable and apply per person, each way, even if you purchase or get an upgrade that includes free checked bags. If you believe you've been incorrectly charged for bag fees, contact an American representative for help or file a refund claim within 45 days.
What else can you travel with?
Restricted items
There are some items that are only allowed in checked bags or your carry-on. Check to see how to pack and travel with restricted items.
