AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA) Carry On Size, Fees, Limits [2021]

  •  1 Hand Carry on + 1 Personal Item
  •  22 x 14 x 9 inches
  •  MAX 8 KG Weight

You can bring one small carry-on bag plus one personal item per passenger as long as the carry-on bag fits comfortably in the sizer without being forced and does not exceed overall dimensions of 45 inches (length + width + height).

The maximum dimensions cannot exceed any of the following measurements:

22″ long x 14″ wide x 9″ tall or 115cm (56 x 36 x 23 cm).

The size limitation of your luggage is calculated by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, length + width + height.

Carry-on roller board bags, duffle bags, large backpacks, or other personal items that don’t fit in the overhead bins or under the seat must be checked at the gate and placed in the cargo compartment on American Eagle planes.

All carry-on items should be stowed in an overhead bin.

AMERICAN AIRLINES Personal Bag Rules

american-airline-carry-on-size

The personal item must be smaller than your carry-on bag and must fit under the seat in front of you.

Personal items includes:

  • Purse
  • Briefcase
  • Laptop bag

Additional items that will be allowed above and beyond the restrictions listed above include:

  • Outerwear such as coats/wraps/hats
  • Book or newspaper
  • Small bag of food
  • Approved safety seat for lap or ticketed child
  • Pillow or blanket
  • Diaper bag for lap or ticketed child
  • Duty free items
  • Medical devices for passengers such as wheelchairs, walkers etc

 

American-Airlines–luggage-checker
Check Your Luggage Size at American Airlines Checker

AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA) Checked Luggage Policies

  • Paid Checked Luggage Only. Starting from $30
  •  62 in / 158 cm Total
  •  Economcy MAX 23 KG Weight. First / Business 32 KGS Max

American Airlines’ (AA) standard checked baggage luggage policy details follow:

  • 2 bags standard, up to 10 bags maximum for US domestic, Transatlantic, and Transpacific, up to 5 bags maximum if your travel includes Brazil, Caribbean Central America, Mexico, and South America.
  • Maximum dimensions: 62 inches or 157 centimeters (length + width + height).
  • Maximum weight: 50 pounds or 23 kilograms

AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA) Checked Luggage Fees

  • US domestic (including Canada, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands:
    First bag: $30.00 USD
    Second bag: $40.00 USD
  • Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico:
    First bag: $30.00 USD
    Second bag: $40.00 USD
  • Brazil:
    First bag: Free
    Second bag: Free
  • South America:
    First bag: Free
    Second bag: Free
  • Transatlantic:
    First bag: Free
    Second bag: $100.00 USD
  • Transpacific:
    First bag: Free
    Second bag: Free

American Airlines (AA) Excess Baggage Fees

American Airlines (AA) excess checked baggage / hold luggage fees follow:

  • US domestic (including Canada, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands:
    Third bag: $150.00 USD
    Fourth bag +: $200.00 USD per bag
  • Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico:
    Third bag: $150.00 USD
    Fourth bag +: $200.00 USD per bag
  • Brazil:
    Third bag: $85.00 USD
    Fourth bag +: $85.00 USD per bag
  • South America
    Third bag: $150.00 USD
    Fourth bag +: $200.00 USD per bag
  • Transatlantic:
    Third bag: $200.00 USD
    Fourth bag +: $200.00 USD per bag
  • Transpacific:
    Third bag: $200.00 USD
    Fourth bag +: $200.00 USD per bag

What is American Airlines’ (AA) fee for overweight baggage?

American Airlines (AA) will charge the following for bags that are greater than the standard 50 pounds or 23 kilograms:

  • 51 to 70 pounds or 24 to 32 kilograms: $100.00 USD extra per bag
  • 71 to 100 pounds or 33 to 46 kilograms: $200.00 USD extra per bag
  • Bags exceeding 100 pounds or 46 kilograms will not be accepted as checked baggage / hold luggage.

American Airlines (AA) fee for oversize baggage?

American Airlines (AA) will charge the following fees for any bags between 62-125 inches or 158-320 centimeters:

  • $200 – U S domestic, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, South America, and Transpacific
  • $150 – Brazil and Transatlantic.

American Airlines (AA) Sports equipment Fees

Sports equipment such as skis, golf bags, fishing equipment, hockey, and lacrosse equipment will be accepted up to American Airlines’ (AA) size and weight limits and will count as one checked bag/hold bag. Associated fees might be applied.


What are the American Airline Restricted Items?

guide-to-airport-carry-on-liquids
Guide to carry on liquid. 1 Bag with 100ml Liquid Limits

Restricted Items – See the list of items that may not be carried on board including European Union rules for transporting animal products.

Battery Tips – Carry spare lithium batteries for laptops, phones and cameras in your carry-on bag with the terminals covered/insulated.

Items marked with a green “OK to Pack” are OK to pack as noted.

Items marked with a red “Do Not Pack” are prohibited from your carry-on and/or checked baggage.

CARRY-ON BAG CHECKED BAGS
Pottery, Glass, or Wood OK to Pack
Printer and Toner Cartridges
(16 oz or greater, to/from Canada)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Internal Combustion Engines (Outboard motors, chainsaws, generators, gas powered weed eaters) Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Liquids, Gels, or Aerosols (Purchased Beyond the Security Checkpoints) OK to Pack OK to Pack
Liquids, Gels, or Aerosols (3.4 oz. (100ml) or Less packed per TSA regulations) OK to Pack OK to Pack
Liquids, Gels, or Aerosols (More than 3.4 oz. (100ml) and/or not packed per TSA regulations) Do Not Pack OK to Pack
Alcohol (More than 3.4 oz.) Do Not Pack Restrictions
Breast Milk OK to Pack OK to Pack
Camping/Outdoor Equipment
(containing camp stoves with the residue of flammable liquid, camp fuel cylinders, strike-anywhere matches, insect sprays, propane heaters, etc.)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Explosives
(Fireworks, gunpowder, signal flares, sparklers, or other explosives)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Flammable Liquids or Solids
(Fuel, paints, lighter refills, strike anywhere matches, Sterno, self-heating meals such as MREs)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Household Items
(Drain cleaners, solvents, other caustic or corrosive solids or liquids)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Lithium Batteries (Checked bags may only contain batteries installed in electronic devices) OK to Pack Do Not Pack
Matches/Lighters (One book of safety matches or one common lighter) OK to Pack Do Not Pack
Other Hazardous Materials
(Gasoline-powered tools, wet-cell batteries, radioactive materials, poisons, infectious substances)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Personal Air Purifiers Do Not Pack OK to Pack
Pool Chemicals
(containing hazardous, oxidizing or reactive materials.)
Do Not Pack Do Not Pack
Sharp Objects
(Knives, cutting instruments – including carpet knives, box cutters, folding or retractable blades, with a cutting edge of more than four inches, pliers larger than seven inches)
Do Not Pack OK to Pack
Styrofoam Containers OK to Pack Do Not Pack
Weapons
(Firearms, ammunition, mace, tear-gas, or pepper spray)
Do Not Pack OK to Pack

TSA’s recently announced changes to its Prohibited Items list, including allowing small pocket knives on aircraft, has been temporarily delayed. For more information visit tsa.gov

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guide to airport carry on restrictions

Extra AA Baggage Travel Information

AA-American-world

Strollers that are large, non-collapsible or over 20 lbs. must be checked at the ticket counter.

Customers with pets travelling as checked baggage are required to present a valid health certificate.

If you’re checking a bag, be sure you are familiar with baggage cutoff times and check-in recommendations as well as security checkpoints, options for obtaining a boarding pass, premium security checkpoints and more.

Please note that more than one baggage charge may apply to a particular bag. For example a second checked bag that is overweight would incur both a second checked bag charge and an overweight bag charge. If that bag was also oversize, it would incur an oversize charge as well.

Attention First and Business Class Customers

First and Business Class the ability to check three bags at no charge when traveling on American or connecting with British Airways or Iberia.


American Airlines Baggage Tips

  • Be familiar with American Airlines’ baggage fees and rules before you take off.
  • Limit the number of bags you take and reduce the potential for additional baggage fees by sharing luggage.
  • Pack light and consider using a compression device to fit all of your items into a smaller space.
  • Joining the AA rewards program or frequent flier program may allow you to check bags for free.
  • Consider Compression Packing to remove all the excess air.

AA Carry on Summary

AA-carry-on-size-guide
AA carry on size summary

More Baggage Allowance info from AA

4 thoughts on “AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA) Carry On Size, Fees, Limits [2021]”

  1. The carry-on weight is wrong. There is no carry on weight for American Airlines as long as the bag meets size regulations.

    Reply

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