A Brief Overview: United Airlines Baggage Policy

Hand Baggage

In this section, you will learn everything you must know about carry-on baggage or hand baggage before booking flights with United. If you are not sure of what you can bring and what you cannot, here is a quick guide.

Passengers can bring one full-size handbag as well as one personal item without any charge. However, there may be some exceptions, such as passengers traveling on Basic Economy flight tickets. Such passengers are only allowed one personal item as hand baggage.

1. Hand Baggage Dimensions

Passengers must adhere to the bag size and dimension to avoid any inconvenience at the airport. Moreover, there are bag sizers at the airports that you can use to measure the bags.

Also, in case your hand baggage exceeds the permitted size, then you will have to check the baggage  policy in. Additional charges may be applicable for the same.

(i) Carry-On Bag:

Including handles and wheels, the dimension allowed onboard are 9 inches by 14 inches by 22 inches or 22 cm by 35 cm by 56 cm. Make sure your bag doesn’t exceed these measurements. These dimensions are apt for the bag to fit inside the overhead bin.

 (ii) Personal Item:

For your personal item to fit underneath the seat in front of you, follow the dimensions. These are 9 inches by 10 inches by 17 inches or 22 cm by 25 cm by 43 cm.

(iii) Additional Items:

Apart from one carry-on and one personal item, there are other articles that you can carry onboard. Here are some examples:

1. Jacket
2. Diaper bag
3. Umbrella
4. Breast Pump
5. Reading Material
6. Purchases made from the airport
7. Assistive devices such as cane, crutches, collapsible wheelchair, and so on
8. Pet carrier
9. Camera
10. Child restraint system approved by the FAA (Federal Aviation Association)

Check-in Baggage

Many aspects come in to play while determining how many bags you can check-in. For instance, your flight travel booking and itinerary, Mileage Plus Premier Status, and so on.

Therefore, here are some important things that you must know about United Airline’s checked baggage policy.

Checked Bag Dimensions and Weight

Your check-in bag must not exceed the linear dimension of 62 inches. This means that the length + breadth + height of the bag, including handles and wheel, must be equal to or under 62 inches.

On the other hand, the maximum weight limit for your checked-in baggage depends on your flight itinerary, and member status. For instance, If you book flight tickets for United Economy, that maximum weight limit is 50 lbs or 23 kg.

Similarly, if you book first-class flight ticketsor business class flight tickets, the maximum weight allowance is 70 lbs or 32 kg.

Further, if your member status is Premier Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Premier 1K, or Star Alliance Gold, you are eligible for bags weighing up to 70 lbs or 32 kg.

Extra Service Charges

Passengers will have to settle extra service charges in case they want to check-in more bags than what they are allowed. Moreover, if passengers exceed the weight, size, or number of bags, extra charges are applicable.

So to avoid any extra baggage fee do not bring:

1. Oversized Baggage
2. Overweight Baggage
3. Extra Bags 

Prepaying for Checked Baggage

United Airlines allows you to save money for select destinations if you prepay for the checked baggage policy online. You can prepay for all United and United Express flights.

This will make the check-in process at the airport much easier and convenient. All you have to do is print your bag tags. You can use the airport kiosks for the same. Attach tags to your bag and drop them off at the baggage drop-off counter and simply proceed.

Also note that if you want to save money on prepaid, you have to check-in your bags at least 24 hours before your flight departs. Moreover, prepaying facility is unavailable for passengers carrying overweight, oversized, or special items.

Here’s how you prepay for your baggage:

1. Visit the official United Airlines website.
2. Enter your confirmation number
3. Locate and click on ‘prepay bags.’
4. Feed the required information and check all the details
5. Finally, click on ’Continue to payment.’

Prepaying Terms and Conditions

1. You can prepay for up to nine bags per passenger within the 24-hour check-in window for your flight
2. Baggage check-in time limits by the company still apply
3. This service is only for United and United Express flight passengers. Customers traveling on codeshare flights cannot avail of the service.
4. Charges are determined based on the standard bag sizes and separately for each way
5. Sometimes it takes up to 120 minutes for the United’ system to issue a ticket for your reservation. Therefore, if you are unable to prepay for your bags, try again in an hour or two.

Problems with your Baggage

If there are any problems with your baggage handling, you must file a complaint within a certain time period. Otherwise, United will not compensate for your loss. You can visit the company website to know about the details.

On the other hand, if you are at the airport and notice any damage or issue with your bag, you must head over to the Baggage Service Office at once.

You can find the office next to the baggage claim area. You would have to fill a form after the agent has inspected the bag.  then receive a file reference number. 

(i) Damaged Bags:

United is not liable to compensate you for damages to your bag that arise out of an existing defect, poor bag quality, ordinary wear, and tear or if the bag is overpacked. 

 if the bag was damaged during security screening, then you must file a written complaint with the TSA (Transportation Security Administration)

(ii) Delayed Bags:

When United receives information about a delayed bag, the airline immediately begins the searching and tracking process. There are multiple ways you can get updates about the status. 

Instance, you can receive updates on your phone or email. United uses the contact information collected during booking. You can also track your bag using the official website of United Airlines.

 United cannot find your bag for more than three days you are eligible for compensation up to $3500. As soon as United finds your bag, the airline will contact you to schedule a delivery that works well with you.

(ii) Missing Baggage:

In case your bag is lost, you can submit your complaint and claim using the United Airlines website.

So, this is all the important information about United Airlines Baggage Policy. Before you book airline tickets, consider the above mentioned and enjoy your flight.