Information regarding checked and carry-on baggage, excess/overweight baggage, specialty/restricted items, and liability limitation.
Why is There a Free Baggage Allowance?
The standard free baggage allowance is the maximum number, size, and weight of bags that each customer is allowed with no additional charge. (Different rules apply for specific flights.) We have based this allowance on extensive studies of variables that influence the maximum capacity of baggage on an aircraft. These variables include size of aircraft cargo compartments, dimensions of the doors, fuel requirements, typical number of passengers on board, and government regulations.
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Dimensions, Weight and Number of Pieces
| Itinerary |
Number of Bags Allowed* |
Size and Weight Per Bag Allowed* |
Charges |
| Travel from/through/to Japan |
One bag carry-on:
No charge
Two bags checked:
No charge
One Personal Item:
No Charge
Maximum number of 10 checked bags allowed per passenger.
|
45 in/114 cm (carry-on)
62 in/157 cm (checked)
50 lbs/23 kgs (checked) |
Economy Class Customers
No charge up to 2 checked bags.
First and Business Class Customers
No charge up to 3 checked bags (70 lbs/32 kg each) when traveling on American or connecting with British Airways or Iberia. |
| Flights within the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico |
One bag carry-on:
No charge
Checked bags (Charges may apply).
One personal item:
No charge
|
45 in/114 cm (carry-on)
No larger than 22 in/56 cm long, 14 in/ 35 cm wide, and 9 in/ 23 cm high
62 in/157 cm (checked)*
50 lbs/23 kgs. (checked)* |
Economy Class Customers
- $25 for the first checked bag. Exceptions may apply.
- $35 for the second checked bag. Exceptions may apply.
- $100 per piece for the 3rd, 4th and 5th checked bags
- $150 per piece for the 6th checked bag and any additional pieces
First and Business Class Customers
No charge up to 3 pieces (70 lbs/32 kg each) when traveling on American or connecting with British Airways or Iberia. |
| Flights between the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada |
One bag carry-on:
No charge
Checked bags. Charges may apply.
One personal item:
No charge
|
45 in/114 cm (carry-on)
No larger than 22 in/56 cm long, 14 in/ 35 cm wide, and 9 in/ 23 cm high
62 in/157 cm (checked)*
50 lbs/23 kgs. (checked)* |
Economy Class Customers
- $25 for the first checked bag. Exceptions may apply.
- $35 for the second checked bag. Exceptions may apply.
- $100 per piece for the 3rd, 4th and 5th checked bags
- $150 per piece for the 6th checked bag and any additional pieces
First and Business Class Customers
No charge up to 3 pieces (70 lbs/32 kg each) when traveling on American or connecting with British Airways or Iberia. |
| Travel To/From Mexico, The Caribbean, Central And South America |
One bag carry-on:
No charge
Checked bags. Charges may apply.
One personal item:
No charge
|
45 in/114 cm (carry-on)
No larger than 22 in/56 cm long, 14 in/ 35 cm wide, and 9 in/ 23 cm high
62 in/157 cm (checked)*
50 lbs/23 kgs. (checked)* |
Economy Class Customers
- Free for the first checked bag.
- $40* for the second checked bag. Exceptions may apply.
- $100 per piece for weighting over 50lbs./23kgs but not more than 70lbs./32kgs.
- $200 per piece for weighting over 70lbs./32kgs but not more than 100lbs./45kgs
*$30 for tickets purchased before February 8, 2012.
First and Business Class Customers
No charge up to 3 pieces (70 lbs/32 kg each) when traveling on American or connecting with British Airways or Iberia. |
| Travel South America To/From The U.S., Puerto Rico, The U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada |
One bag carry-on:
No charge
Two bag checked (Three bag checked for Brazil):
Charges may apply.
One personal item:
No charge
|
45 in/114 cm (carry-on)
No larger than 22 in/56 cm long, 14 in/ 35 cm wide, and 9 in/ 23 cm high
62 in/157 cm (checked)*
50 lbs/23 kgs. (checked)* |
Economy Class Customers
- Free for the first checked bag.
- $70* for the second checked bag. (Free for Third checked bag travelling to Brazil.) Exceptions may apply.
- $100 per piece for weighting over 50lbs/23kgs but not more than 70lbs./32kg
- $200 per piece for weighting over 70lbs/32kgs but not more than 100lbs./45kg
*$30 for tickets purchased between August 30, 2011, and February 7, 2012, and No Charges for tickets purchased before August 30, 2011.
First and Business Class Customers
No charge up to 3 pieces (70 lbs/32 kg each) when traveling on American or connecting with British Airways or Iberia. |
Bag/Box Embargo - Year Round
There is a year round box embargo which applies if a passenger is traveling with the following itineraries. On these routes no boxes will be accepted at any time: Check Seasonal And Permanent Checked Bag Limitations for more details.
THROUGH OR ORIGINATING IN JFK ON A NON-STOP FLIGHT TO THE FOLLOWING DESTINATIONS:
- All Caribbean destinations
- Central America
- South America
Examples of the embargo applies
New York(JFK) - Santo Domingo(SDQ)
Baltimore(BWI) - New York(JFK) - Santo Domingo(SDQ)
Examples of the embargo does not apply
Baltimore(BWI) - New York(JFK) - Miami(MIA) - Santo Domingo(SDQ)
New York(JFK) - Miami(MIA) - Santo Domingo(SDQ)
FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA TO GUAYAQUIL/MANAGUA:
This will apply when traveling from Tokyo to Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE) or Managua, Nicaragua (MGA) through the United States or Canada.
Excess, Oversize and Overweight Baggage and Fees
Additional charges apply to this type of baggage and are collected at the airport ticket counter.
For flights to/from Japan
Excess
| From |
To |
Excess Baggage Fee |
| Japan |
U.S./Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands/Canada |
JPY 15,000 |
| U.S./Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands/Canada |
Japan |
USD 150 |
If you have any connection beyond U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Canada, additional charges may apply.
Please contact American Airlines Reservations Center or check Baggage Charges/
Overweight
| From |
Weight (per piece) |
To |
Overweight Baggage Fees(per piece) |
| Japan |
51lbs (23kg) to 70lbs (31kg) |
All |
JPY 6,000 |
| 71lbs (32kg) to 100lbs(45kg)* |
All |
JPY 45,000 |
| Over 101lbs (46kg) |
All |
Will not be accepted as checked baggage. |
| USA |
51lbs (23kg) to 70lbs (31kg) |
Japan |
USD 60 |
| 71lbs (32kg) to 100lbs(45kg) |
USD 450 |
| Over 101lbs (46kg) |
Will not be accepted as checked baggage. |
Oversize
| From |
Size (per piece) |
To |
Oversize Baggage Fees(per piece) |
| Japan |
63in(160cm) to 80in(203cm) |
USA/Mexico/Canada |
JPY 15,000 |
| Caribbean/Central America/Panama |
JPY 15,000 |
| Colombia/Peru/Ecuador/Venezuela |
JPY 15,000 |
| Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Paraguay/Uruguay |
JPY 15,000 |
| Larger than 80in(203cm) |
All |
Will not be accepted as checked baggage. |
| USA |
63in(160cm) to 80in(203cm) |
Japan |
USD 150 |
| Larger than 80in(203cm) |
Will not be accepted as checked baggage. |
Oversize charges are for first and second baggage. Please contact
American Airlines Reservations Center for charges for third and more baggage.
Customers travelling within U.S., to/from Canada, Central/South America and other destinations, please check at Baggage Allowance.
* If departing from countries other than USA, please contact American Airlines Reservations Center or check at Baggage Allowance for excess, oversize and overweight charges.
* Certain aircraft types cannot accept some oversized articles due to the dimensions of the cargo doors. If you are traveling with an oversized article, please contact an American Airlines representative to ensure your destination is typically served by an aircraft that can accommodate your article.
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Aircraft Dimensional Limitations
Certain aircraft types cannot accept some oversized articles due to the dimensions of the cargo doors. If you are traveling with
an oversized article, please contact American Airlines Reservations Center to ensure your destination is typically served
by an aircraft that can accommodate your article. In the event we have to change the aircraft type the day of departure,
please let an airport agent know that you have checked an oversized article.
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Embargoes
Some destinations outside of the continental U.S. have additional limitations on checked baggage at specific times of the year.
This is called an "embargo". Details about our current summer box/bag embargo can be found at AA.com U.S. site.
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Specialty Items
There are exceptions, special rules, and/or packing instructions that apply to some specialty items.
Examples of these include duffel bags used by military personnel and certain musical instruments. To determine
if your item has special excess charges (or is free in place of a 62 in/157 cm bag within the free baggage allowance),
please contact
American Airlines Reservations Center or check at AA.com.
Audio/Visual Equipment
Camera, film, lighting, and sound equipment (up to a maximum of 115 in/290 cm and 100 lbs/45 kgs) will be
charged an excess rate of $50.00 per piece when tendered by representatives of network or local television broadcasting
companies, commercial film-making companies, the federal government, Department of Defense or the American Society of
Media Photographers, when traveling within US. For international travel, please contact American Airlines Reservations Center or check at AA.com.
Musical Instruments
Small musical instruments may be carried on-board the aircraft providing they meet existing carry-on size requirements and fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. Case dimensions may not exceed 45 linear inches (width+length+height), except for guitars which may be brought on board only if they can be safely stowed in an overhead bin or approved stowage location in the cabin. The instrument is considered the passenger's one allowed carry-on bag. A personal item is allowed in addition to the instrument.
If an instrument is too large to fit in the carry-on baggage space, an additional seat may be purchased. In this case, an instrument must travel in a window, bulkhead seat, with the customer in the adjoining seat. Due to their size Bass Fiddles are not accepted in the coach cabin and are only accepted on certain aircraft types, please contact American Airlines Reservations Center or check at AA.com.
Instruments may also be transported as checked baggage, however, due to their fragile nature AA does not accept liability for damages and has limited liability for loss. AA is also not liable for any damage to checked musical instruments not presented in a hard-sided case. If the outside of the hard-sided case does not have visible damage, AA is not liable for any damage to the musical instrument inside the case.
Military Baggage
- Active U.S. Military personnel are allowed to check five pieces of baggage free of charge when traveling on orders.
- Active U.S. Military personnel are allowed to check three pieces of baggage free of charge when traveling on personal business or pleasure.
- Each checked bag in the free allowance may be up to 62 inches and weigh up to 50 lbs. The size limitation of your luggage is calculated by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, that is, length + width + height.
- Active U.S. Military personnel traveling on orders are allowed one oversize / overweight bag in the free allowance up to 100 lbs. and 115 inches for no additional charge. Travel orders must be presented when checking the oversize / overweight bag.
- The 70 lb. maximum bag weight limit for Europe and Asia does not apply for U.S. military baggage if traveling on orders.
- Military ID must be presented. Traveling in uniform is not required.
For more details, please check Military Baggage.
Mobility Devices
Wheelchairs/scooters, braces or other assistive devices are accepted free of charge as checked baggage and are in addition to the normal checked baggage allowance. There are special handling procedures for motorized equipment. Please contact American Airlines Reservations Center or check at AA.com.
Sports Equipment
Charges may apply. For a complete guideline on sports equipment, please check at AA.com U.S. site.
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Carry-on Baggage Allowance.
For a complete guideline on carry-on baggage, please check at AA.com U.S. site.
Restricted Items
For a complete guideline on restricted items, please check at AA.com U.S. site.
Liability Limitation
For a complete guideline on restricted items, please check at AA.com U.S. site.
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