# US Air Baggage Fees



## Kauai Kid (Jan 21, 2010)

I have an American Airlines gold credit card that costs $50/yr.  One of the "benefits" is that there are no baggage fees with the card.

Does anyone know if US Air has a similar program??

Thanks,

Sterling


----------



## Ken555 (Jan 21, 2010)

Kauai Kid said:


> I have an American Airlines gold credit card that costs $50/yr.  One of the "benefits" is that there are no baggage fees with the card.



Really? I can't find any mention of this online. My Platinum AA credit card ($85/year) doesn't have this feature. I just checked Citibank's site for the cards, and can't find any that include no baggage fees with membership. Please confirm which card you have and that you've used this feature - I'd switch to the card that includes this!


----------



## JeffW (Jan 21, 2010)

Continental has that benefit with their credit card.   Easily made up the cost of the annual fee on our trip with CO in October (and that was still at the $15/bag rate).

Jeff


----------



## nazclk (Jan 21, 2010)

*AA credit Card*

I too have a platinum CITI AA credit card and I still have to pay for bags.


----------



## Kauai Kid (Jan 26, 2010)

I finally got around to checking AA's baggage policy.  Those with Gold or higher AA cards* DO NOT* HAVE TO PAY THE BAGGAGE FEE.

aa.com

Sterling


----------



## dougp26364 (Jan 26, 2010)

USAirways credit card offer was with BoA when it was America West. I doubt they have that benefit.

Also, on one of the forums I participate in (possible cruise critic), someone received a 1099-R this year from Citibank for the value of FF tickets they received using part of the miles they earned from their Citibank card. On Flytalk someone apparently found the IRS ruling thay said earned FF miles were not taxable income. 

I'm not sure if this is an isolated incident of if Citibank has gone rouge with it's program and, in light of increase scrutiny has decided to take the burden off their shoulders and put it on those of it's customers.

I guess it would be a lot easier to take getting a 1099-R for a few baggage fee's rather than for FF tickets valued just under $700.


----------



## Ken555 (Jan 26, 2010)

Kauai Kid said:


> I finally got around to checking AA's baggage policy.  Those with Gold or higher AA cards* DO NOT* HAVE TO PAY THE BAGGAGE FEE.
> 
> aa.com
> 
> Sterling



Sorry, but you're misinterpreting what you saw on AA's site. The "Gold or higher" listed below (from AA's site) is in reference to the AA's Elite program, which is completely different than the credit card from Citibank. Confusion over this issue has happened before, and I'm sure it will happen again. 

If I'm wrong, then please post the specific web page where it states otherwise. I'd suspect that such a great benefit would be listed at Citibank's site under features of the card, and it's not. I'd be very happy to see this included with my credit card ~ especially since AA is raising baggage fees in February.

FWIW, I just paid for my checked bag on an AA flight a few days ago with my AA Citibank Platinum card. 



> The following passengers will be allowed a 1st and/or 2nd checked bag at no additional charge provided it falls within the size and weight limitations:
> 
> Customers traveling to or from a destination outside of the US/Canada/PR/USVI if the ticket was purchased before September 14, 2009
> For tickets purchased after September 14, 2009, customers traveling to, from, or through an international destination that does not include Europe or India
> ...


----------



## Kauai Kid (Jan 27, 2010)

Since their are no numbers on AA's web pages it is hard to post them.

Go to checked baggage Changes
Click on exceptions to policies
Click view complete list of exceptions

The following do not have to pay baggage fees

"Executive platinum, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage gold"

Hope you are wrong and I am right.

Guest the smartest thing to do would be call AA.

Sterling


----------



## Ken555 (Jan 27, 2010)

Kauai Kid said:


> Since their are no numbers on AA's web pages it is hard to post them.
> 
> Go to checked baggage Changes
> Click on exceptions to policies
> ...




That's the list I posted earlier - scroll down and you'll see it. Sorry, but you're wrong. You're confused by the similar names of the credit card marketing terms (Gold, Platinum, etc) and AA's Elite Program levels. 

Again, I just did this a few days ago and paid on my Citi card (which posted already... I paid $15 for one checked bag). Wish I was wrong, but I'm not. Let us know what you hear when you call AA/Citi.


----------



## Kauai Kid (Jan 27, 2010)

After 25 minutes on the phone with AA @ 800-538-4077 and 882-8880 I find that you are correct, unfortunately.

AAdvantage World Gold from American Airlines is different that AAdvantage World Gold from citi-card.

Basically if you actually fly >=25,000 miles with American in one year you get AAdvantage Gold status and your luggage flies free.

No wonder those bankers and CEO's get multi-million bonuses when the corporation is bankrupt. 

I wouldn't have paid $50 to get the gold card if they had clearly written the benefits.


Bah Humbug,

Sterling


----------



## Ken555 (Jan 27, 2010)

Kauai Kid said:


> After 25 minutes on the phone with AA @ 800-538-4077 and 882-8880 I find that you are correct, unfortunately.



Thanks for posting confirmation. I wish it turned out differently.



> I wouldn't have paid $50 to get the gold card if they had clearly written the benefits.



I'm among the first to get upset at large corporations, but I don't think this is a fair statement. They do clearly write the benefits. It's just coincidental that AA's Elite program has similar names as common credit card types. 

If you're really upset about this, just call Citibank and tell them. You can cancel your card or change to their 'bronze' card which doesn't have an annual fee (I think they still offer this option).


----------



## vettebuf (Jan 28, 2010)

I have a US Airways Dividend Miles Premier World Mastercard that gave me 25K miles. It also gives me free baggage check-in (2 bags), a $99 companion ticket, a complimentary USAir Club daypass, zone 2 boarding, 1st class check-in, and reduces the amount of my ff tickets by 5K miles. It costs $79 a year.  This is the first time I've paid for a credit card but I've benefited and kept it for a second year.
I'm in the silver preferred category.


----------



## Ken555 (Jan 29, 2010)

vettebuf said:


> I have a US Airways Dividend Miles Premier World Mastercard that gave me 25K miles. It also gives me free baggage check-in (2 bags), a $99 companion ticket, a complimentary USAir Club daypass, zone 2 boarding, 1st class check-in, and reduces the amount of my ff tickets by 5K miles. It costs $79 a year.  This is the first time I've paid for a credit card but I've benefited and kept it for a second year.
> I'm in the silver preferred category.



Thanks for posting. I just checked out the US Air credit card and can't find the listed benefit for free checked bags as you state. Credit card details include other features but not free bags. BTW, it's now $89/year. 

On the other hand, as a Dividend Miles Silver status member, you do get free bags. This means you get the free bags due to your Silver status, but not the credit card.

If you think otherwise, please post a link to a page with the details.


----------



## Ken555 (Jan 29, 2010)

JeffW said:


> Continental has that benefit with their credit card.   Easily made up the cost of the annual fee on our trip with CO in October (and that was still at the $15/bag rate).
> 
> Jeff



Very cool - that's one airline credit card that actually has this benefit!  

You get the first checked bag for free on each flight.



> Continental Airlines Chase primary cardmembers get their first checked-bag fees automatically waived (a savings of $50 per round trip per passenger checking bags).



So, any others?


----------



## vettebuf (Jan 31, 2010)

Ken555 said:


> Thanks for posting. I just checked out the US Air credit card and can't find the listed benefit for free checked bags as you state. Credit card details include other features but not free bags. BTW, it's now $89/year.
> 
> On the other hand, as a Dividend Miles Silver status member, you do get free bags. This means you get the free bags due to your Silver status, but not the credit card.
> 
> If you think otherwise, please post a link to a page with the details.



You have it right. I confused the two because I wouldn't have had all the miles if I didn't put the purchases on the card.


----------

