Are you flying with United Airlines? Get everything about the United Airlines baggage allowance, fees, restrictions, and charges. United Airlines work with the passenger’s needs and the travel satisfaction for several destinations. Passengers who make the reservation with them are entitled for the carry-on bags, checked bags, and oversized bags. When planning your journey, you must know the United Airlines baggage policy and pack your bags accordingly. Following is the complete information on the baggage allowance that will depend upon your travel destination.
Carry-on Baggage allowance:
Travelers can take one carry-on and one personal item for free on most domestic and international destinations. But there are some rules and size restrictions that you need to follow to board the flight.
The dimensions of the carry-on bags can be a maximum of 9 in x 14 in x 22 in (23 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm), which must fit in the overhead bin of your seat.
The dimensions will be calculated in the length, height, and weight, including the handles and wheels.
Your personal item must not cross the total dimensions of 9 in x 10 in x 17 in (22 cm x 25 cm x 43 cm).
The personal bag must fit under your seat in front of you, which can be a purse, laptop bag, backpack, etc.
Baggage allowance for the basic economy:
In the basic economy flight tickets, passengers can bring only one personal item. You cannot take carry-on bags regardless if you are flying to South Africa, the Atlantic, or the Pacific. If you still check the carry-on bags, you need to pay the fee of $25 as an additional charge.
Checked baggage allowance:
If you make a reservation with United Airlines, you can take the checked luggage according to the weight limit and the size. Let’s have a look to the size and weight limit to board the United Airlines standard checked baggage for your travel class.
Bags size:
The maximum size of your checked bags can be 30 in x 20 in x 12 in (76 cm x 52 cm x 30 cm) in total of length, height, and weight.
The baggage size will depend upon where and how you travel with United Airlines.
When you calculate the baggage size, you must include the wheels and handles.
Bags weight:
The weight limit for the bags will depend upon the cabin and the mileage plus status. If they have different limits, then United will go for the one which has the larger limit.
Cabin:
United Premium Economy can take a maximum of 23 kg of weight or 50 pounds on the travel.
If you travel in United business, first, Polaris and business class, then you can carry 70 pounds or 32 kilograms.
MileagePlus status:
As per the mileage plus premium, silver, gold, and platinum, 1k members can carry the maximum bags of 70 pounds or 32 kilograms. If you reach the Star Alliance gold, you can board 70 pounds in business and 50 pounds in economy.
Excess Baggage:
If your bags exceed the general requirements, they will be considered as overweight and oversized bags.
A maximum of 45 kg or 100 lbs per person is allowed on travel with United Airlines.
You will be denied boarding if you cross this size of 115 inches or 292 centimetres.
You are advised to reach the airport in advance to complete the oversized baggage check-in.
Musical instruments can be up to 165 lbs or 75 kg per person.
If the space is available in the aircraft, then only United Airlines accepts the bags.
United Airlines sports equipment policy:
Your sports items fit under the hand luggage and are suitably packed.
If you take them as checked baggage, your sports item must not be under the restrictions.
You need to pay the fees if you already use the same for the allowance.
Similarly, you can check 3 rebreather tanks or 1 dive tank as the special item in your checked luggage allowance for a fee. The charges can be under $150 to $200.
Although, you can’t take kayaks and canoes on the flight with United Airlines.
Different types of United Airlines baggage fees:
Your travel baggage will depend on multiple factors such as elite status, United credit card, fare type, route, number of passengers, etc. If you want to add the extra bags, you must know the following fees.
Checked baggage fees:
Economy class passengers are required to pay $35 for the first bag and $40 for the second bag on the domestic journey. According to the United Airlines domestic baggage policy, business and first class can carry two checked bags.
International fees will be calculated as per the ticket type and travel destination. If you are travelling in the Caribbean and Mexico, you can pay between $35 to $40.
For the other destination, fees can be between $35 to $60.
Carry-on baggage fees:
Most of the flights except the basic economy are allowed to take one carry-on bag on the journey. There will be no fees for the carry-on luggage under the dimensions of 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches. Apart from this, you need to pay the fees at the gate of $25 for each bag.
Overweight baggage fee:
Economy passengers and the elite members having the gold status are not required to pay any fees for the overweight bags. If you don’t come under this category, you need to pay the fees between $200 and $400 per bag.
United passengers of premium elite travelling in the premium cabins can check the extra bags of 70 pounds or 50 pounds, depending on the ticket.
Fees for sports equipment:
You can fly with the sports equipment and count as the baggage allowance. There are fees for the sports equipment according to the rules and the category type. When you add the suitable category of your sports, you will find the fees. The charges will depend on the $200 to $400, and equipment will be handled with utmost care throughout the journey.
What is the damaged baggage policy for United Airlines?
There can be situations when your bags are damaged or lost at the airport on arrival or scheduled departure. You must reach the baggage service office counters available at the airport to report about the damaged luggage. If your items are damaged at the security screening, you can file a claim with the TSA. However, you can also call on the United Airlines phone number at 1-866-289-9673 to talk to the representative for assistance.
United Airlines international baggage policy
United Airlines baggage policy for international routes like from to and from the United States can be USD 0 for the first bag and USD 100 for the second bag. The fees for the checked baggage in economy class can be USD 60 to USD 100. On some routes, airlines allow you to carry two checked baggage depending on the type of ticket.