Prepare to pay a little more if you buy a Basic Economy fare on American Airlines.
The airline discreetly eliminated its free checked bag for Basic Economy passengers on long-haul flights, as The Points Guy originally reported. Passengers traveling to Asia, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel will have to pay $75 for their first standard-sized checked bag beginning June 7. The prices for a second ($100) and third ($200) bag remain unchanged.
Passengers who booked before June 7 will be grandfathered in at the old cost (free), so there’s no need to worry about your forthcoming flight. However, the Basic Economy cost no longer includes free checked luggage.
According to an American Airlines spokeswoman, the decision was made to “simplify” the purchase process. American will now be the only one of the three main US airlines that does not include a complimentary bag with any Basic Economy cost.
“We are simplifying our product offerings in order to make it easier for customers to shop for travel.” “With this change, our Basic Economy product will include the same features whether a customer purchases it for a domestic or international itinerary,” said a spokesman.