Ever since the airlines got addicted to baggage fees—and ones like Spirit Air made it their primary revenue source—most of the rest have piled on in tandem. Still, some are worse than others, both for domestic flights and international ones.
If you’re headed to Europe, EuroCheapo put out a very handy baggage fees chart for 21 Airlines heading that direction. It gives you all the details on the good (free second bag on IcelandAir); the bad (€80 for a second bag on Finnair); and the downright ugly (€75 for a second bag, €200 for a third on KLM—what are they smoking?). With fuel charges and two extra bags, you could triple the price of your flight.
For domestic travel and a few other routes, there’s a good baggage fees chart over at AirfareWatchdog. Obviously Southwest is your best choice by far in the U.S., provided your bags don’t fly out of a hole in the fuselage that is. JetBlue will let you check one free. Others that used to have joined the customer vacation penalization scheme, going to at least $20.
The worst by far in the U.S. is Spirit, who would charge you for standing up to stretch your legs if they could find a way to do it. They hit you whether you bring a carry-on bag or checked bag and have a lower weight limit to add another gotcha. (Here are a few tips for getting around Spirit baggage fees .)
Fortunately, it gets better when you leave the countries. Even the legacy U.S. airlines will let you check one bag for free. If you have their credit card or have hit elite status, maybe more.
For all that info, see this more comprehensive collection of charts from SmarterTravel.com . When you look at that, it becomes even more clear that most Latin American airlines want your business more than the U.S. ones headed that direction. You get a free first and second bag from Aerolineas Argentina, Avianca, Lan, TACA, and Tam. All bets are off for domestic travel on some of them, especially Aerobus in Mexico. (Besides crazy baggage fees, they actually charge you an escalating fee based on how soon you get to board the plane! If you’re with a family, you pay it or sit apart.)
I haven’t found a good Asian airlines chart, so if you know of one, post a link in the comments. But as with the Latin American ones, you’ll have a better flight, better food, and fewer charges if you go book on one of their carriers.
Of course the obvious answer, except for Spirit, is to be smart and travel light . Clothes are washable and you really don’t need seven pairs of shoes for anywhere. Pack some good double-duty travel shoes instead.
