TAMPA, Fla. — The holiday travel season is right around the corner.
And passengers are always looking for ways to save when traveling, especially with airline baggage fees.
The cost of checking a bag when you fly is now $5 more each way on several major airlines, including American, Delta, United and Jet Blue.
Fees can add up quickly if you check more than one bag:
$30 for the 1st bag
$40 for the 2nd
$150 for the 3rd
$200 for the 4th
The consequences are that more people are trying to carry on bags without paying.
"Nothing worse than getting halfway down the aisle and there’s no place to put your bag," said passenger Holly Wallace. "Because someone brought a backpack as big as a 3-year-old and a carry-on bag."
One tip to avoid that frustration and get a free checked bag is to take advantage of checking at the gate, where it is offered.
When you’re at the gate, listen closely for an announcement shortly before boarding.
If the flight is full, the agent often will ask for volunteers to check their bags for free to expedite the boarding process. Sometimes they even upgrade you to priority boarding for helping them out.
It especially makes sense if you already checked a bag and have to go to baggage claim anyway.
Southwest is one of the few airlines still offering passengers free checked luggage: not one, but two bags, at no charge.
"One of the reasons I stick with Southwest is you don’t have to pay that.," said Southwest Airlines passenger John Fry on a recent flight at Tampa International Airport.
Other ways to escape baggage fees include:
Signing up for an airline's credit card, being a frequent flier with elite status and flying first class or business class.
If you’re traveling with several bags—you might want to look into a luggage shipping service like Luggage Forward. Run the numbers on that 3rd or 4th bag and it might be cheaper to just ship it.
Also, many airlines wave baggage fees for active duty military members and their dependents if they're traveling on business and sometimes, even on leisure travel.