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Our pick for free checked bags on United: United℠ Explorer Card
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Here’s how to get free checked bags on United flights:
You can also get free checked bags by flying premium fare classes, flying to certain destinations and if you’re active military personnel.
A free checked bag on United can save you up to $70 per person on a round-trip flight, as this privilege usually costs up to $35 each way. The United℠ Explorer Card offers a free checked bag for you and one companion on each United-operated flight. You can also get 1 to 3 free checked bags per flight as a Premier member in United’s MileagePlus loyalty program.
Checked baggage can weigh a maximum of 50 pounds in economy and 70 pounds in premium fare classes. It can have maximum overall measurements of 62 inches.
Here are more details on how to get free checked baggage on flights operated by United and United Express:
Guide to the Star Alliance Global Airline Network
| Premier Silver | Premier Gold | Premier Platinum | Premier 1K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Economy travel between US and:
| 1 bag | 2 bags | 3 bags | 3 bags |
Economy travel between the US and:
| 2 bags | 3 bags | 3 bags | 3 bags |
| All other Economy travel | 1 bag in addition to included checked baggage allowance | 1 bag in addition to included checked baggage allowance | 1 bag in addition to included checked baggage allowance | 1 bag in addition to included checked baggage allowance |
Data obtained July 2020. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.
These rates apply to bags of up to 50 pounds with maximum linear dimensions of 62 inches. You’ll pay extra if your bags are oversized or overweight.
| First bag | Second bag | Each additional bag |
|---|---|---|
| $30 or $35 | $40 or $45 | $150 or $200 for oversized bags |
Data obtained July 2020. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.
United Airlines doesn’t publish an extensive table of baggage fees. But you can use its fee calculator to see how much you’ll pay.
If you’ve already booked a flight, you can log in to your MileagePlus account or input your flight confirmation number. The calculator will show you baggage fees based on your route.
On the “Any flights” tab, you can see baggage fees on a route of your choice.
Four United Airlines cards offer free checked baggage on United- and United Express-operated flights.
| United Airlines credit card | Free Checked Bag Allowances | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| United℠ Explorer Card | First bag free | $0 intro annual fee, then $95 |
| United℠ Explorer Business Card | First bag free | $95 annual fee |
| United MileagePlus® Club card | First and second bag free | $450 annual fee |
| United Club℠ Business Card | First and second bag free | $450 annual fee |
To get the checked baggage benefit, purchase your flight with your United credit card and include your MileagePlus number in your reservation. One companion on the same reservation gets the baggage benefit as well.
Almost every Delta credit card offers a checked baggage benefit. However, each card lets you check only one bag. Meanwhile, United’s premium credit card lets you check up to two bags.
To be fair, Delta’s higher-tier cards offer annual companion certificates, which could be worth hundreds of dollars a year. United’s cards don’t offer these perks.
United credit cards offer airline-specific benefits such as savings on inflight purchases, priority boarding and United Club access. But if you don’t fly with the carrier often, these perks might not be valuable.
You might like a general travel card, which could offer strong rewards on everyday purchases. If the card offers travel credits, you can use them for charges such as baggage fees and in-flight purchases.
United offers a variety of ways to avoid baggage fees. The easiest methods include upgrading your fare class and getting a United card.
If you’re not sure a United card is right for you, consider other airline credit cards.
Pictures: Getty Images
