United Enforces Carry-On Bag Limits

Technically, it has always been the rule, but some passengers will always try to push the limits.  United Airlines will stop oversized carry-ons before they make it to  security check.  In case they make it past security, gate agents have been instructed to send passengers with over-sized bags back to ticket counter and pay the check-in fee.

From United.com

Carry-on baggage allowed

Each traveler can bring on board one carry-on bag plus one personal item free of charge.

• Maximum dimensions for a carry-on bag are 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches (22 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm), including handles and wheels
• Maximum dimensions for your personal item, such as a shoulder bag, backpack, laptop bag or other small item, are 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches (22 cm x 25 cm x 43 cm)

Please see our Carry-on Baggage page for more information.

Checked baggage

To determine first and second checked baggage service charges for your itinerary, use the baggage calculator below. Please note that as required by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, baggage service charges for your entire itinerary are determined by the marketing carrier for the first segment of your itinerary. Your originating marketing carrier is the airline whose flight number is assigned to the first segment of your itinerary. If this carrier is not United or United Express, different charges may apply. Baggage service charges are based on the date of ticketing.

Checked baggage service charges apply at any point where bags are checked. For a trip that includes one or more connections, bags will be checked to your final destination, and the charge for checking a bag from your origin to your destination will apply. For a trip that includes a voluntary stopover, your bags will be checked to your stopover point, where you will collect your bags. When you resume travel, subject to applicable charges, you may check your bags again from the new point of check-in to the destination.

Temporary or permanent baggage embargoes, based on size, weight or number of bags, may be in place at certain airports. See our Excess Baggage Embargo page for details.

Service charge exemptions

Some customers are exempt from certain checked baggage service charges for bags within specified size and weight limits. For specific exemption details relating to your itinerary, select the appropriate status or membership from the dropdown list in the baggage calculator above. Note that exemptions cannot be combined to provide waived charges for additional bags. In the case of multiple exemptions, the greater of the allowances will apply.

U.S. military exemptions

• Active U.S. military personnel and their accompanying dependents, not traveling on official business, receive waived service charges for up to three checked bags.
• Active U.S. military personnel and their dependents traveling in United Economy on official business receive waived service charges for up to four checked bags
• Active U.S. military personnel and their dependents traveling in United Global First^SM, United BusinessFirst®, United First® or United Business® on official business receive waived service charges for up to five checked bags.
• Dependents traveling with active U.S. military personnel are also exempt as long as they are traveling in the same reservation. This exemption will not apply to group reservations including ten or more customers.

Other baggage service charges

Excess baggage

Bags checked in addition to the traveler's baggage allowance.
Checked baggage allowance may vary depending on cabin, status level, military status, itinerary and date of purchase.
From $125 to $200 per bag
Learn more

Oversized baggage

Checked bags in excess of 62 linear inches* (158 linear cm) to 115 linear inches (292 linear cm)
Maximum size allowed may vary depending on cabin, status level, military status, itinerary and date of purchase.
*linear measurement = length + width + height
$200 per bag
Learn more

Overweight baggage

Checked bags weighing more than 50 pounds (23 kg) to 70 pounds (32 kg)
Maximum weight allowed may vary depending on cabin, status level, military status, itinerary and date of purchase.
From $100 to $200 per bag

Checked bags weighing more than 70 pounds (32 kg) to 99.9 pounds (45 kg)
Maximum weight allowed may vary depending on cabin, status level, military status, itinerary and date of purchase.
Up to $400 per bag
Learn more

More Airlines Turning "Frequent Flyer Programs" to "High Pay Programs"

More airlines are telling travelers that it is not the frequency you fly but how much you pay that will determine mileage credits and status.

Since the publication of this article, United Airlines has joined the "party" and "frequent flyer" will soon be an invalid and outdated term.

From Delta Airlines:

Delta Continuing to Improve the Travel Experience

(February 26, 2013) - Delta Air Lines has taken another step in its ongoing commitment to improve the travel experience by unveiling changes to the SkyMiles program. The 2015 SkyMiles program will introduce a shift from today’s current model in which customers earn redeemable mileage based on distance traveled to one based on ticket price. The program updates will be effective Jan. 1, 2015 and will also include a new mileage redemption structure that will improve Award Seat availability at the lowest mileage requirement levels, offer One-Way Awards at half the price of round-trip, provide Miles + Cash Award options, as well as make significant improvements to delta.com and Delta reservations Award shopping tools.

Today’s announcement is the latest innovation in Delta’s continued effort to rethink and reshape the airline business. During the past five years it has made strategic investments in Virgin Atlantic Airways, AeroMexico and GOL; invested in the newly opened $1.4 billion Terminal 4 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta; built a hub at New York-LaGuardia; made facility improvements at Los Angeles International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; created Monroe Energy to provide 80 percent of its annual domestic fuel needs; transformed its fleet strategy including significant reduction in 50-seat aircraft; and invested millions of dollars to improve the customer experience.

A New Mileage Earning Model

Today’s method of earning redeemable miles based on the distance a customer flies will change to a model of earning redeemable miles based on the price of the ticket purchased. Delta is providing 10 months advance notice of the upcoming program changes so that customers have ample time to make travel plans.

Under the new 2015 SkyMiles Program, customers will earn between 5 and 11 miles per U.S. dollar* spent on Delta flights based on their SkyMiles status, and continue to earn up to an additional two miles per dollar* when using their Delta SkyMiles Credit Card, for a total of up to 13 miles per dollar. The updated program will better reward the customers who spend more with Delta and give them improved mileage earning opportunities.

“The introduction of a new model for earning miles will increase rewards for those who spend more as well as differentiate the SkyMiles frequent flyer program for our premium travelers,” said Jeff Robertson, Delta’s vice president – SkyMiles.

The updated mileage earning plan, for travel beginning Jan. 1, 2015, will better recognize frequent business travelers and those less frequent leisure customers who purchase premium fares. The move is consistent with a trend in the travel industry of rewarding customer behavior based on spending. Customers will continue to earn additional miles for purchases with a Delta SkyMiles Credit Card⁺.

Mileage Earning Chart
 

SkyMiles program status	Miles per dollar*	Miles earned with Credit Card*+	Total miles per dollar*
General SkyMiles member	5	Up to 2	Up to 7
Silver Medallion	7	Up to 2	Up to 9
Gold Medallion	8	Up to 2	Up to 10
Platinum Medallion	9	Up to 2	Up to 11
Diamond Medallion	11	Up to 2	Up to 13

⁺ on Delta spend

For travel marketed and ticketed by Delta’s partner airlines, members will earn a percentage of miles flown as determined by the fare class purchased and will also earn Medallion mileage bonuses on eligible fares.

Mileage Accrual for Exception Fares
 
Tickets where the fare is not disclosed are those that are issued with a BT, NT or IT indicator (discount fare type code). These tickets (including those issued in international regions) will earn miles based on a percentage of distance flown and the fare class paid as published at delta.com/exceptionfares at the time of travel.

New Redemption Options
 
Up to a Five-Tier Structure for Wider Variety of Awards

SkyMiles members will gain even more redemption options with the introduction of up to a five-tier structure to give them a wider variety of Awards and improve overall availability at the lowest price points. The lowest level for SkyMiles Saver Awards will remain at 25,000 miles plus government-imposed taxes and fees for an Economy Class Award Ticket for travel within the U. S. and Canada excluding Hawaii. All of Delta’s worldwide redemption charts will be updated to reflect the new options in the last quarter of 2014 and will be effective for new Award bookings beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

New One-Way Awards, Additional Miles + Cash Award Options and New Award Shopping

In addition to offering multiple new redemption levels, the SkyMiles program will also introduce One-Way Award Tickets starting as low as 12,500 miles plus government-imposed taxes and fees within the U. S. and Canada excluding Hawaii and will offer customers the ability to redeem Miles + Cash to provide more Award booking options for tickets purchased at delta.com or through Delta reservations.

Access to Every Flight with No Blackout Dates

Customers will continue to have access to every Delta flight for Award travel with no blackout dates. In 2013, frequent flyers redeemed more than 271 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 11 million Award redemptions.

Medallion Status Qualification Requirements Remain Unchanged

The way members qualify for Medallion status is not changing. The redeemable miles earned toward Award Travel differ from Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs). MQMs are used to calculate Medallion status and will continue to be based on distance flown.

Medallion members will continue to enjoy the same benefits they do now, like Unlimited Complimentary Upgrades, waived baggage fees and Priority Check-In.

Members with Million Miler™ complimentary Medallion annual status and Choice Benefits gifted Medallion status will earn the Medallion mileage bonus for their respective complimentary tier. Members with any other complimentary Medallion status will  not earn a Medallion mileage bonus, so they will earn 5 miles per dollar spent on Delta-marketed or -ticketed flights.

Additional Information and FAQs

Click here to view the complete news release with additional details.

Click here to view answers to frequently asked questions, including corporate, group, meeting and incentive, SkyBonus and leisure bookings.

To view a list of FAQs available on delta.com, please click here.

About Delta and its SkyMiles Program

Delta is the only major airline that offers elite perks such as no mileage expiration, no Award redemption fees, a published Diamond Medallion tier and Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles.

Now in its 33rd year, SkyMiles is one of the longest-running and most successful loyalty programs in the travel industry. Delta offers many ways to redeem frequent flyer miles, including airline tickets on Delta and 28 partner airlines, mileage upgrades, car rentals, hotel stays and Delta Sky Club® memberships, and is the only major airline with miles that don't expire. For more information on the SkyMiles program, Medallion status and mileage redemption options, visit delta.com/skymiles.

Terms and Conditions

For full terms and conditions, please visit delta.com/skymiles2015. All SkyMiles program rules apply. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/skymiles. Other restrictions may apply. Offers, prices, rules and benefits subject to change without notice.

* Ticket price eligible for mileage accrual includes base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, but excludes government-imposed taxes and fees. Additional miles earned for purchases with a Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express will be based on the total ticket price, including base fare, carrier-imposed surcharges and government-imposed taxes and fees.

Miles on Delta Purchases with U.S. Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from
American Express:

This offer applies to qualifying Delta, Delta Connection® carrier and Delta Shuttle® flights taken with the purchase of a fare that is eligible for SkyMiles mileage credit. Offer applies to any Delta-branded purchase where Delta is the merchant of record via delta.com or in flight such as upgrades, miles, seat selection, Delta Sky Club membership or passes, pre-purchased meals, food, beverages and in-flight entertainment. Offer applies to Delta Vacations® packages but not other all-inclusive packages. The chart reproduced here is not valid for Delta SkyMiles Options Credit Card Members who only earn a maximum of one additional mile per dollar spent on Delta purchases with their Card. The additional miles offer is subject to change without notice. Bonus miles will be posted to your Delta SkyMiles account 8 to 12 weeks after the end of each month.

Regional Airline Pilots Cheer Possible Increase of Minimum Wage

Pilots flying at minimum wage? Yes! Republic and many other regional carriers pay a starting pilot salary of about $15,000 a year.  That translates to a minimum wage.  Now those same regional carriers are complaining about a "pilot shortage".  Larger airlines after years of downsizing, and mandatory retirements are poaching the regionals for qualified pilots creating a shortage for those small carriers. In a desperate attempt to avoid massive cancellations, those regional carriers are relaxing the stringent requirements of hiring pilots with less than stellar backgrounds and fast-tracking the training to get those pilots ready.  So if you think names like Chautauqua Airlines, Republic and Shuttle America don't affect you, think again.  Republic is the operating carrier for United Express, Delta Connection, USAirways Express and American Eagle. www.premieretravel.com

Cancellations and Delays Cascade Systemwide

Thousands of flights across the Eastern Seaboard have been cancelled.  Even airports with no weather issues are experiencing delays and cancellations due to domino effects of the storm.  Delta Airlines reported that 30% of its flights have been cancelled today.  Travelers should check and re-check as changes could continue for at least the next two days.  Most airlines have issued waivers allowing changes without penalty.  Due to reduced capacity, alternatives may be limited or non-existent. www.premieretravel.com

VP Biden: La Guardia "A third world country airport- I'm not joking"

Last week, Vice Presdient Joseph Biden pointed to La Guardia as a fine example of "third world country..." airport.  He is right.  Not only that VP Biden is right about La Guardia , but he might as well point the finger at JFK and Newark and hundreds of other airports around the U.S.

The travesty is that travelers have been paying big taxes for so many years which the FAA levies.  It is a bewildering assortment of taxes, user fees, 9-11 fees and best of all "Passenger Facility Charge" aka PFC (Government loves acronyms).
Here's the explanation from the FAA about the "PFC":

The Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Program allows the collection of PFC fees up to $4.50 for every boarded passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies. Airports use these fees to fund FAA-approved projects that enhance safety, security, or capacity; reduce noise; or increase air carrier competition.

The U.S. has one of  the highest tax rates in the world.  The FAA and most Airport Authorities are doing virtually nothing with these funds.  As a result, many of our airports are outdated, overcrowded and just plain bad.

Southwest Scores Big Win at Reagan Washington National

Just in-Southwest Airlines won 54 landing and take-off slots at Washington Reagan Airport.  You will see more Southwest liveries taxiing at National.  Welcome Southwest!
www.premieretravel.com

Rolling European Air Control Strike Adding To Travel Woes

A disrupting rolling strike by air traffic controllers in Europe is starting to impact air travel within the continent.  Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights.  Many flight cancellations have been announced and carriers are bracing for more. www.premieretravel.com