A reader sent me a photo from the American Airlines check-in counter, showing a sign with a baggage policy I’d never heard of for sports equipment.
- If the checked bag with your skis is over 50 pounds, and it contains more than just the skis (e.g. skis and ski boots) then they will charge you based on two checked bags rather than one overweight bag – even though it is one overweight bag.
- First and business class customers, and elite status customers, normally get an overweight baggage allowance. They’re afforded up to 70 pounds instead of 50 pounds. American will ignore this benefit for ski equipment.
This struck me as odd. I’m usually up on American Airlines policies, even what some might consider obscure ones. The rule about counting one bag as two for fee purposes is actually on the American Airlines website and the policy was updated about four months ago.
However the exception to elite baggage benefits isn’t there. I cannot find it on the page listing elite benefits, either. Nor is it on the oneworld website, listing extra baggage allowance as a benefit.
- That page shows the British Airways exception, where ‘hand baggage only’ fares don’t receive a status-based baggage allowance
- But it does say “Exceptions may apply” as a catch-all regarding elite benefits
- I’ve confirmed that members with oneworld partner elite benefits don’t have those benefits fully honored by American for sports equipment.
Specifically, I am told by American Airlines:
• For ConciergeKey/Executive Platinum/Platinum Pro/oneworld Emerald and First/Business cabin customers, their status/fare benefit that allows them baggage up to 70 lbs does not apply to sports equipment, including ski equipment.
• The one exception to this rule is golf bags. One golf bag up to 70 lbs is accepted free of charge for CK/EP/PRO and oneworld Emerald customers.
You don’t get an elite status or premium cabin baggage benefit for sports equipment – unless you’re checking a golf bag. Make of that exception what you will. I understand that the sign itself that tipped off this change will come down.
I’m not a skier so this may not make sense, but why wouldn’t you just put the boots in a regular suitcase or duffel bag and avoid the issue?
@ TheJetsFan – Boots are heavy, cumbersome, and take up a lot of space.
This policy allows you to bring your boots along with your skis.
Skis plus boots (and assorted items stuffed in your boot bag like helmet, gloves, etc) really shouldn’t exceed 50lbs. I think it’s just a way to limit people stuffing heavy items in their boot bag for “free”.
last year I checked in 2 bags (ski & ski boot bag) for one and then up to 70 pounds all in …. Next season I will check in one overweight bag that contains skis but checked in normal bag….
When I would have a weight problem with my bags then my ski boots would be hand luggage 😉
Yes, my skis and bag weigh exactly 34 pounds. Except when they don’t in 3 different airports a few weeks ago (Scales said 34, 36, and 38 for the exact same amount of items). Go figure.
So should be easy to get under 50 pounds.
I do know my son absolutely packs his golf bag with clothes, and then just takes a backpack as carry on…. so ‘stuffing the golf bag’ is a thing, lol.
If you stuff your Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine into your ski boot bag, will this bag get a medical baggage exemption?
@Gary – making something out of nothing yet again (sad). As @Daniel and @Jon state – skis (with boots, poles, goggle and even some clothing in the bag) should never weigh over 50 pounds. Just like my golf bag carrier (with 2 pair of shoes, extra balls and other misc items in addition to my golf clubs) will never weigh over 50 pounds. From a practical standpoint this shouldn’t come into play unless someone is abusing the policy and using sporting equipment to get around other baggage restrictions. Perfectly reasonable by AA.
Also, guess you don’t ski or travel with golf clubs (just a guess from your head shot) so you wouldn’t know about this. The constant “sky if falling” to get clicks (or leading with National Enquirer type stories or unconfirmed Tik Tok/Reddit stories) is really getting old!
You go over the limit when you are filling a large ski bag for two people. 2x skis, boots, poles, helmets, and clothes will get you over the limit. Look for the ski bags in the airport with wheels — not all, but some may be in excess of 50lbs.
American Airlines published baggage policy: “The one exception to this rule is golf bags. One golf bag up to 70 lbs is accepted free of charge for CK/EP/PRO and oneworld Emerald customers.” Accordingly, if you stuff your skis and boots into a golf bag, will this comply with the American Airlines sports equipment baggage policy and qualify for a free baggage allowance?
Stuffing the ski bag and boot bag is something I have done a bunch. But never hit by the “combined 50lbs” limit.
And since I have realized over the years that I was packing too many clothes for most of my ski trips, I travel lighter on ski trips nowadays than I used to do so. A ski bag without skis can hold a lot of clothes. And a boot bag can hold a bunch too.
Even when I may rent skis, I prefer to have my own ski boots anyway. And nowadays, it’s carrying the ski helmet that is the bigger issue for me since I really don’t want the helmet in checked luggage.
Having flown for skiing with a group several times, I think that someone exceeding 50 pounds in a ski bag is abusing the system, especially since skis are shorter these days (not like my old 210cm Head GS racing skis.) Ski boots go in the bag since they make for everything together and extra clothing and outerwear help with padding even while the ski bag is padded. I wouldn’t put goggles in the ski bag or a helmet if I could help it because both could be broken as handlers sling around the luggage. I suppose both could be put together with a ball of padding on the outside. It sucks to have to replace stuff or rent stuff for broken equipment.
Someone important is a golfer.
It’s an odd concept that a ski boot bag AND ski bag count as ONE item. some kiosks only print one lablel and it’s odd.
Skis are a pain to transport. They are both heavy and oversized. There are stories about Aspen needed to fedex ship the skis due to weight limits out of the airport.
If you check the ski boot and ski bag as separate items (you should get a 50 lb weight limit on EACH). The ski boot bag should count as a regular bag and get the 70 lb exemption
As I said earlier they have no idea what to do with a bike box One recent flight with a bike charged 150. The next without charged 0 the final without 200 but negotiated to 150. And the ticket holder has Platinum Pro. I complained to AA got a total non- answer back.
In practice, luggage pricing for bikes seems all over the place — more so than for ski items. The issue with ski items is the 2 tags for items charged as one checked bag as long as staying within the weight dimensions.and if there are scales being used for either the skis and or the boot bags. Often they don’t even seem to care to weigh the ski bags properly and so they don’t really add up the weight of the ski bag + boot bag. With bikes, it’s more Wild West for what they will try to charge.
US airlines seem to kiss up more to golfers than to skiers and bikers.
Skiers also bring aboard their St. Bernard service dog .
Typical. Let’s see how much we can complicate current policies or when making new ones. So unless you are a golfer, AA is biased. I check diving equipment, in ONE bag. But it looks like a large suitcase, not an odd size. I make sure it stays within its limit based on my class of travel. Golf clubs are odd sized but free? Makes zero sense. If you are elite you usually get 2 free checked bags any way and pay for the over. So I don’t understand being penalized? But then again, you are dealing with an airline management team that should be at Spirit or Frontier. They can’t comprehend all this elite status, international service or that people actually have other hobbies beyond the typical, common golf.