7 Billion Reasons to LugLess

Airlines checked bag fees skyrocket

According the the Government Accountability Office, airlines collected $7.1 billion in revenue from checked bag and changed reservations fees in the past 12 months! Now, that’s a lot of zeroes (nine by our count).

• Is it getting better?

  Ummm…nope. The airlines’s total haul for bag fees was a record $1.2 billion in the most recent quarter and the fifth in a row of more than $1 billion. The technical term for this would be “trend.” If this trend continues, it won’t be long before checked baggage fees eclipse the GDP of Canada (JK, we love you Canada).

• Is relief in sight?

  Well, it’s hard to say. Despite some witty soundbites, it’s hard to imagine that airline checked baggage fees will be regulated any time soon.

  “At this rate, passengers are going to have to start showing up with a suitcase full of clothes and a suitcase full of money just to get on the plane,” – Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

  Reining in checked baggage fees may be popular with constituents, but probably isn’t super high on the priority list in Washington, DC. Just a guess.

• So, what to do?

  Well, we’re glad you asked. In some cases, base airfares are now lower than they were when checked luggage was included in the price. So, you’re better off shopping for the lowest airfare and then the cheapest way to get your luggage to your destination (that’s where we’ve got you covered). LugLess has the cheapest luggage shipping options in the land with prices starting as low as $14.99.