Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of , including those best for:. Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Find the best airline credit card for you Calculator: How much does that basic economy seat really cost? Earn more points and miles with these 6 strategies. How to avoid paying checked baggage fees.
Know the fees. Use the right credit card. Book first or business class. Get elite status or fly with someone who has it. Use a military discount. Check your bag at the gate. Pack light. How to maximize your rewards. On a similar note Dive even deeper in Travel. Explore Travel. In , for example, Southwest and JetBlue a smaller discount airline that until recently had a no-fee policy for the first checked bag earned the top two spots in J.
But it is an open question whether the no-fee policy is sustainable over the long haul. It could ultimately pose a dilemma for Southwest, pitting the goodwill it has built up against the temptation to collect fees.
For their part, the other major airlines have become deeply dependent on the practice. In addition to their cost-cutting effects, one factor driving the fees is a quirk in the U. Many of the airlines are now talking about expanding their fees to include all kinds of new ancillaries. One has even contemplated charging customers to use the bathroom. But consider that fewer bathrooms in airplanes mean more seats for passengers, which potentially means more revenue per flight, and therefore lower ticket prices.
Given that logic, an idea that seems ludicrous today might one day become—as with baggage fees—the industry standard. Stranger things have happened. Working paper. But expertise can also come with a curse.
Flying Basic Economy is a lot like flying a discount airline. All carriers have basic requirements that dictate the maximum size of carry-on luggage, and some airlines have much smaller limits than others.
According to the Air France website, your carry-on bag cannot exceed Your carry-on bag also cannot weigh more than 12 kilograms, or 26 pounds.
In addition to confirming your carry-on luggage meets size and weight requirements, you should also make sure you weigh any bags you hope to check on the plane for free or for a fee. Most airlines limit the weight of checked baggage to approximately 50 pounds.
You can avoid this stressful situation by weighing your bag before you leave for the airport. Airfare is expensive enough without having to pay hidden fees for bringing your luggage along. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to avoid checked baggage fees if you look hard enough. Airline credit cards offer one of the easiest ways to avoid checked bag fees and score other frequent flyer perks, but these cards work best for consumers who fly with the same airline more than a few times per year.
Before you decide on the best strategy for you to avoid checked bag fees, take stock of your normal travel plans and consider all your options. Holly Johnson is a credit card and travel expert with a focus on rewards and loyalty programs and family travel in Europe and the Caribbean. Follow Johnson on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Select Region. United States. United Kingdom. Holly Johnson.
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Choose the Right Airline Credit Card The best airline credit cards include a free checked bag as a cardholder benefit, and some even extend that benefit to other passengers on your itinerary. Terms apply. See rates and fees Some travel credit cards offer flexible credits that can apply to any type of travel. Avoid Basic Economy When you shop for airfare, you have probably noticed the lowest advertised fares are described as Basic Economy. Bottom Line Airfare is expensive enough without having to pay hidden fees for bringing your luggage along.
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