So, you had reached the airport check-in and just remembered that you actually forgot to weigh your luggage beforehand. Then, you started to panic and wonder what happens if your checked luggage is overweight? This is a commonly search topic and in this post, we will get your covered with all you need to know to deal with overweight luggage.
Paying for excess baggage fees
First, you need to understand that different airlines have different luggage weight limits. Depending on your airlines, you will need to check the baggage weight limit you are entitled to. In most cases if you exceeded your luggage weight limit, you will need to pay something called the excess baggage fees. Some airlines could be lenient with their check-in baggage weight limit policy if you just exceeded by a little. That said, we do think that is not the case if you are flying with a budget airline. Based on our flying experiences, budget airlines are most strict with their checked-in luggage weight so good luck! Well, part of budget airlines revenue comes from baggage fees.
Best practice to weigh your luggage beforehand
To avoid any stress or surprises during check-in, it is highly advisable to weigh your luggage beforehand. The golden rule is to always weigh beforehand. Trust us that it’s not worth the effort and money if you have to pay for excess baggage. Typically, you will be paying for each kg you exceeded, thus the fee can be insanely high if your luggage is overweight by lot. Please note that different airlines also have different baggage fees so be sure to check their website for the policies.
You may find it useful to actually invest in a cheap luggage weighing scale so that you can accurately weigh your baggage during packing. A luggage weighing scale typical cost less than $20 and you can also bring it along on your trip.
Can you split your checked luggage weight difference with other checked luggages?
Fortunately, such practice is acceptable by most major airlines and you can split your checked luggage weight difference alongside with other checked luggages you have.
For example, if you have 2 checked luggages at 30kg each. Your total luggage weight limit is 60kg. If your first checked luggage weighed 40kg, you just have to ensure that your second checked luggage is no heavier than 20kg. As long as you are within your total weight limit for both luggages, you are safe. It is also worth mentioning that the maximum measurement for checked luggage (length + width + height) is 62 inches in case you are not aware.
Is my luggage over 50 pounds?
Why most people are concerned about 50 pounds? Because most (not all) airlines stated that as long as luggage exceeds 50 pounds (23 kg), your baggage will be considered overweight. Excess baggage fees are not cheap and most starts from $100 onwards. So, always stay within the limits.
5 rules to avoid heavy baggage and paying for excess baggage fees
Here are some proven tips to help you avoid paying for unnecessary baggage fees.
- Rule #1 – Always weigh your luggage beforehand during packing.
- Rule #2 – Don’t forget rule #1.
- Rule #3 – If you are unfortunately arrive at check-in and realise luggage could be overweight, find a place and try to re-pack your items on the spot to move some items over to your carry-on luggage.
- Rule #4 – If you are travelling with a friend or family who you can trust, ask if they are open to baggage pooling. Some airlines allowed this.
- Rule #5 – If you really have to pay for excess baggage fee, don’t do it during check-in. Buy extra baggage allowance via the website before arriving in airport.
Wrapping Up
Paying for excess baggage fees is unnecessary and expensive. We hope you find our post on “What Happens if Your Luggage is Overweight” useful and will help you next time you realise your luggage is overweight and in need of some quick tips.