I Added A Bag

These rolling carry-on bags will not be going with us!

With many flier miles under our belts, we’re used to taking the following luggage:

--one checked piece of luggage for each of us

--one rolling carry-on bag for each of us

--and one person item—tote, backpack, etc.

When we booked our flights in December for our July trip on a discount carrier, in addition to paying extra for seat selection, it was beneficial at the time to also pay for luggage.  And, while most airlines charge guests for checked luggage, this airline charges for both checked luggage and carry-on luggage other than the one personal item/bag per guest.

Paying $25 for checked luggage is considered a reasonable amount—similar to most other airlines (except Southwest which does not charge for luggage), but to pay $18 one-way for a rolling carry-on bag blew my mind!  And, there was a weight limit of 25 pound for the bag along with dimension limitations.  No thank you.  I reframed this as not having to tote luggage around the airport as all of our luggage would be checked!

At the time we booked our flights, I opted out of the carry-on bag and pre-paid the $25 per bag per leg of trip luggage fee for checked bags for a total of $150.  The website indicated that there was a discount for paying the luggage fees prior to arriving at the airport AND there was an additional discount for paying with a debit card.  This particular airline also has a 40 pound limit on checked bags while other airlines have a 50 pound limit.  The lower weight limit made me nervous.

The other day, I logged into our flight reservation and added an additional checked bag.  My choice was $36 round trip for a 25 pound carry-on rolling bag or $50 round trip for a 40 pound checked bag.  Knowing that we would most likely be bringing home some Legos, I opted for the bigger bag.  We’ll pack food and snacks and then have room for the trip home.

 I was also surprised that what was considered a “2^nd bag” was still the same price as the first checked bag as typically airlines charge more for the “2^nd bag.”

I still like the idea of not having to keep track of the rolling bags while at the airports!