United has a fairly basic baggage policy, so you won’t find many surprises here. The overweight/oversize fees are a bit higher, but that being said, they are consistent with most other major US airlines.
Something to keep in mind: Economy fares are divided into Basic or Full Economy, which is important when considering the carry-on baggage allowance. Otherwise, in terms of luggage, the fees are pretty much the same in the two countries.
1 Personal Item: FREE
1 Standard Carry-on Bag:
Standard Economy: FREE
Basic Economy: Does not include baggage (excluding transatlantic/transpacific flights where standard hand luggage is included*)
All checked baggage must meet a maximum weight of 50 pounds (23 kg) for all Economy and Economy Plus fares and 70 pounds (32 kg) for business and first class fares, and must meet maximum linear dimensions of 62 inches (158 cm). .
Instead of providing a hard and fast table to assess baggage fees at a glance, United now encourages all passengers to use its official baggage fee calculator tool.
However, after doing some basic route searches, we found consistent fares, as detailed in the table below (you should, however, use the baggage calculator to verify your specific route).
For many routes, United now charges an additional $5 per bag when purchased at the airport instead of paying in advance.
Sign in to your MileagePlus account to determine checked baggage service charges for an existing reservation, or select the “Any Flight” tab to calculate service charges for any United itinerary. See “Baggage Calculator”.
It’s no secret that airline baggage can not only be complex depending on the route being traveled, but it can also be expensive. Fortunately, that’s where My Luggage comes in.
My Baggage offers a great low-cost alternative to airline luggage, with an affordable, fast and convenient baggage delivery service that allows you to travel hands-free. It means you’ll save a lot of time at the airport by not having to check your bags, not having to wait on the baggage carousels on the other side, and ultimately one less thing to worry about while traveling. To give you that extra peace of mind, My Baggage offers compensation cover of up to £1000 on each shipment.
Book online and My Baggage will collect your luggage and deliver it quickly and safely to where you need to go. In addition to providing reliable door-to-door service, My Baggage offers baggage tracking, SMS and email notifications throughout the entire process. My Baggage ships to over 200 countries worldwide. For more information, visit our baggage shipping page.
Additional service charges apply to any checked baggage that exceeds the size and/or weight limitations and to baggage that exceeds your allowance. Oversized, overweight and additional baggage are not accepted on flights to certain destinations and on certain flights during specific time periods. For a list of cities where excess weight or baggage is not accepted, see the Excess Baggage Embargo page.
Oversized baggage:
Baggage with total exterior dimensions measuring more than 115 inches (292 cm) will not be accepted as checked baggage.
Overweight baggage:
With the exception of assistive devices and musical instruments, baggage weighing more than 100 pounds. (45 kg) will not be accepted.
Musical instruments up to 165 pounds. (75 kg) will be accepted.
Extra baggage:
Assistive devices accepted free of charge.
Important Note: For travel between the US and Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, no more than three additional checked bags are accepted.
Different types of United baggage fees
Checked baggage, carry-on baggage, overweight baggage, and oversized baggage are the four different types of baggage fees United charges. Your baggage allowance depends on many factors, including your elite status, which United credit card you pay with (if applicable), your route, and the type of fare you’ve purchased.
United’s checked bag fees vary by destination and class of travel.
United Domestic Bag Fees
Barring waivers for elite-branded or co-branded credit cards, economy class passengers can expect to pay $35 (or $30 if paid in advance) for the first checked bag and $45 ($40 if paid in advance) for the second checked bag on domestic flights. Business Class and First Class passengers receive up to two checked bags free of charge.
On international routes, economy class passengers generally receive one or two free checked bags, depending on the destination.
Here’s a summary of what you can expect to pay for baggage fees, as long as your bag meets United’s size and weight requirements.
Most flights allow passengers to bring one personal item and one carry-on bag on board. The personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and the dimensions must not exceed 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches. The carry-on bag must fit in the overhead compartment and its dimensions can be a maximum of 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches.
Exception for basic economy tickets
Basic Economy domestic tickets are an exception to the free carry-on policy. Those traveling on Domestic Basic Economy Class tickets may only bring one personal item, no free carry-on bag. If you bring a carry-on bag to the gate, you will need to pay the checked bag fee and a $25 gate handling fee. If you’re traveling with more than just a personal item, consider whether a basic economy ticket really provides cost savings.
However, there are some conditions under which basic economy tickets allow carry-on baggage free of charge:
Transpacific flights to/from the US
Transatlantic flights to/from the US, Mexico, Central and South America.
Elite members and companions traveling with them.
If you pay with a qualifying United credit card.
Star Alliance Gold Elites.
The maximum weight allowance for checked baggage is shown below, along with fees for overweight bags.
Economy class passengers, non-United elites, Star Alliance Gold elites, or passengers booking with a United credit card that allows one free checked bag: If you fall into this category, your baggage allowance is 50 pounds. If your bag exceeds 50 pounds but weighs less than 70 pounds, you may have to pay up to $200 per bag. If your bag weighs more than 70 pounds but less than 100 pounds, you may have to pay up to $400 per bag (depending on your destination).
United Premier Elites or those traveling in premium cabins. Those who travel in business or first class and/or have elite status with United can check one bag up to 70 pounds for free, even with a basic economy ticket. If you’re a heavy packer and your luggage weight typically exceeds 50 pounds, you may want to consider opting for United’s elite status.
If you’re a Marriott Titanium Elite, you’ll get an automatic match with United Silver thanks to the United-Marriott partnership.
If your checked baggage measures more than 62 inches (length + width + height), you will be charged an additional checked baggage fee. The maximum size your checked baggage can be is 115 inches (length + width + height); anything larger than that exceeds United’s allowed baggage size and will not be accepted.
Items deemed exceptional by United Airlines baggage allowance rules, such as sporting equipment, may be checked in the hold, often as standard checked baggage. However, there are some exceptions.
Musical instruments can be checked in at the warehouse, as long as they are correctly packed.
Oversize charges apply to musical instruments measuring between 63 and 115 inches in overall dimensions. Overweight charges apply to musical instruments weighing more than 50 pounds, but those weighing up to 165 pounds will be accepted. If the instrument is greater than 115 inches in overall dimensions, you must contact the United Customer Care Center.
When traveling with United, you should consider the different types of baggage fees you may incur. Depending on your cabin class, your elite status (or lack thereof), your origin/destination, and other factors, you may be required to pay a fee for checked, carry-on, oversized, or overweight baggage. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce or eliminate these fees.