American Airlines Baggage Fees 2026: Costs, Limits and Waivers
Last checked Nov 7, 2026
American Airlines baggage fees on domestic flights are $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second when you pay online, or $50 and $60 at the airport, for Main Cabin tickets bought on or after April 9, 2026. Basic Economy pays $5 more per bag, and a third bag costs $200. Below are the current fees by region, the size and weight limits, and every way to get your bags included.
American Airlines baggage fees at a glance
These are the standard fees for the most common routes from the U.S. East Coast, taken from American's checked bag policy page. Fees apply per person, each way.
| Route | 1st bag (online / airport) | 2nd bag (online / airport) | 3rd bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S., Puerto Rico, USVI, Canada - Main Cabin | $45 / $50 | $55 / $60 | $200 |
| U.S., Puerto Rico, USVI, Canada - Basic Economy | $50 / $55 | $60 / $65 | $200 |
| Mexico, Caribbean (not Cuba or Haiti), Central America (not Panama) - Main Cabin | $45 / $50 | $55 / $60 | $200 |
| Same region - Basic Economy | $50 / $55 | $60 / $65 | $200 |
| Trans-Atlantic (Europe) - Main Cabin | Included | $100 | $200 |
| Trans-Atlantic (Europe) - Basic Economy | $85 | $100 | $200 |
| South America (not Guyana or Venezuela) - Main Cabin | Included | $100 | $200 |
| South America - Basic Economy | $70 | $100 | $200 |
A few routes have their own rules. Panama, Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, India, Qatar, Asia and Australia/New Zealand each have different first- and second-bag fees, so check American's fee table for those. Tickets bought before the April 9 and May 18, 2026 changes keep the fees in place when they were issued.
What changed in 2026
American announced two rounds of changes in spring 2026:
- April 9, 2026: Domestic, Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands bag fees rose to $45/$50 for the first bag and $55/$60 for the second (online/airport). The third bag rose to $200.
- May 18, 2026: Basic Economy got its own, higher bag fees ($5 more than Main Cabin on most short-haul routes, and a paid first bag on many long-haul routes). From the same date, Basic Economy customers, including AAdvantage status members, must pay to choose a seat and are no longer eligible for upgrades.
American also said that later in 2026, AAdvantage members on Basic Economy who have no status or co-branded card would board in Group 7.
How to pay $5 less per bag
On domestic and nearby international routes, paying for bags on aa.com or in the American app is $5 cheaper than paying at the airport, for both the first and second bag. American says online payment is available until 2 hours before departure. For Colombia, Ecuador and Peru Basic Economy fares, prepaying is not offered.
Two more things to know: bag fees paid at the airport are non-refundable, and if you later get upgraded into a cabin with included bags, American does not refund the fee you already paid. If you think you were charged by mistake, American says to file a refund claim within 45 days.
Who gets checked bags included
You may not need to pay at all. According to American, these travelers get bags included on American-marketed and American-operated flights (not codeshares):
First bag included
- Eligible AAdvantage credit cardmembers on domestic American itineraries, as long as the AAdvantage number is on the reservation
- AAdvantage Gold and oneworld Ruby members
First two bags included
- AAdvantage Platinum and oneworld Sapphire members
- Confirmed Domestic First, Business and Premium Economy customers
First three bags included
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro and oneworld Emerald members
- Confirmed Flagship First and Flagship Business Plus customers
- Active U.S. military with ID on personal travel (military and dependents traveling on orders get up to five bags)
Main Cabin passengers on trans-Atlantic and most South America routes also get the first bag included, as shown in the table above.
Size and weight limits
A standard checked bag on American can be up to 62 inches total (length + width + height) and 50 pounds. First and Business customers can check their included bags up to 70 pounds.
If your bag is bigger or heavier, you pay an extra fee on top of the regular bag fee. When a bag is both oversize and overweight, American charges the higher of the two fees, not both.
| Domestic, Canada, PR, USVI | Extra fee |
|---|---|
| 50 to 53 lb | $30 |
| 53 to 70 lb | $100 |
| 70 to 100 lb | $200 |
| 62 to 65 in | $30 |
| 65 to 115 in | $200 |
Bags over 100 pounds or over 115 inches are not accepted on American-operated flights. On flights to Europe, Israel and Qatar, bags over 70 pounds are not accepted.
A quick math check: a 55-pound second bag on a domestic Basic Economy ticket paid at the airport costs $65 plus a $100 overweight fee. Moving a few pounds into your carry-on to get under 53 pounds would cut the extra fee to $30, and getting under 50 pounds removes it.
Carry-on and personal item rules
All American fares, including Basic Economy, include one personal item and one carry-on bag at no charge, according to American's 2026 announcement.
- Carry-on: up to 22 x 14 x 9 inches, including wheels and handles
- Personal item: up to 18 x 14 x 8 inches, must fit under the seat in front of you
Some items don't count toward your limit, including a diaper bag (one per child), a breast pump, strollers, child safety seats and medical or mobility devices. On American Eagle regional jets, carry-ons larger than a personal item are tagged at the gate (American calls this valet) and returned on the jet bridge at no charge.
This is one place American differs from some competitors. If you're comparing airlines, see our guides to Delta baggage fees and Frontier baggage fees.
Tips to pay less for bags on American
- Price the whole trip, not just the fare. A Basic Economy ticket with two checked bags each way can cost $20 more in bag fees per round trip than Main Cabin on domestic routes, before seat selection. Compare the totals. Check current fares in the search box above.
- Pay online, not at the counter. It's $5 less per bag on most short-haul routes.
- Add your AAdvantage number to the booking if you hold an eligible AAdvantage credit card. Without it, the first-bag benefit won't apply.
- Weigh your bag at home. The jump from 53 to 54 pounds adds $70 to the overweight fee on domestic routes.
- Watch codeshares. Included-bag benefits apply only on American-marketed and American-operated flights. On a partner-operated flight, check the operating airline's rules.
- Long-haul Basic Economy: On Europe and most South America routes, Main Cabin includes the first bag but Basic Economy does not. Factor that into the fare difference.
If security lines are your next worry, our Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck guide breaks down which program is worth it.
Prices and rules change. Always confirm with American Airlines at aa.com before you travel.