Internal USA flights - cabin baggage

sjg666

Hi

I'm looking at booking internal flights for a USA trip is November (Mexico to New Orleans and then New Orleans to New York if it's relevant).

It seems that when you book your flights (looking at United Airlines and JetBlue who are cheapest at the moment) you just initially book your seat which includes hand luggage. If you want a hold/checked bag also (which we do) you add that either when you web check-in or just turn up to the airport with it and as long as it's not over the weight limit of 23kg you just pay the standard fee there and then of around $25 .

Obviously I don't want to turn up at the airport and get hit with gigantic charges Ryanair/Easyjet style.

Any advice on whether I have understood it correctly would be great as the websites' FAQs aren't particularly clear.

Thanks for reading :beer:

callum9999

sjg666 wrote: »

Hi

I'm looking at booking internal flights for a USA trip is November (Mexico to New Orleans and then New Orleans to New York if it's relevant).

It seems that when you book your flights (looking at United Airlines and JetBlue who are cheapest at the moment) you just initially book your seat which includes hand luggage. If you want a hold/checked bag also (which we do) you add that either when you web check-in or just turn up to the airport with it and as long as it's not over the weight limit of 23kg you just pay the standard fee there and then of around $25 .

Obviously I don't want to turn up at the airport and get hit with gigantic charges Ryanair/Easyjet style.

Any advice on whether I have understood it correctly would be great as the websites' FAQs aren't particularly clear.

Thanks for reading :beer:

I'm pretty sure that's the case with United, but with JetBlue it's $5 cheaper if you pay during online check-in.

John259

I don't know whether it affects the baggage allowance rules, but Mexico to New Orleans would be an international flight, not a domestic flight.

(Unless perhaps you meant a city in New Mexico, which is a US state.)

sjg666

John259 wrote: »

I don't know whether it affects the baggage allowance rules, but Mexico to New Orleans would be an international flight, not a domestic flight.

(Unless perhaps you meant a city in New Mexico, which is a US state.)

Sorry, you're right, Mexico to New Orleans is international. But my query is about the booking process for hold/cabin baggage while using american airlines not the baggage allowance.

richardw

JetBlue is a great airline, I'd pay more to fly them instead of United.

malkie76

John259 wrote: »

I don't know whether it affects the baggage allowance rules, but Mexico to New Orleans would be an international flight, not a domestic flight.

(Unless perhaps you meant a city in New Mexico, which is a US state.)

Commonly Mexico and Canada are given the same conditions as domestic flights, but I agree you should check.

Alternative consider (if available) instant upgrade fares on some airlines into domestic first class. There's nothing desperately fancy about it, but normally comes with free checked luggage and seat selection (if that bothers you).

Indout96

richardw wrote: »

JetBlue is a great airline, I'd pay more to fly them instead of United.

Second that - we love them - except the weird purple crisps LOL

travellerboy

If you use the same carrier or code share partner for your internal flights as the international flight you will not be required to pay baggage fees on the internal flight.

callum9999

travellerboy wrote: »

If you use the same carrier or code share partner for your internal flights as the international flight you will not be required to pay baggage fees on the internal flight.

Well no, but they'd probably have to pay for baggage on the international flight (depending on which airport in Mexico they fly from).

John259

^ and presumably the flights would have to be on the same ticket?

callum9999

John259 wrote: »

^ and presumably the flights would have to be on the same ticket?

I've been told before that seperate tickets for the same airline work (though it wasn't for either of those airlines and I have no idea if it was agent discretion or an actual rule). Probably best to assume it needs to be the same ticket.