International baggage with AA

[pippilongstocking]

Hi There,

Husband ( QF Platinum ) flying with 2 bronze.

Aust - USA on QF 11 then, internal flights with AA domestic, all on one ticket.

Will his platinum baggage allowance carry through to the AA flights, and do the 2 bronze get any extra baggage allowance as they are on the same ticket as him.

Thanks so much in advance

Pippi

 

[justinbrett]

Hi There,

Husband ( QF Platinum ) flying with 2 bronze.

Aust - USA on QF 11 then, internal flights with AA domestic, all on one ticket.

Will his platinum baggage allowance carry through to the AA flights, and do the 2 bronze get any extra baggage allowance as they are on the same ticket as him.

Thanks so much in advance

Pippi

Yes and No.

For the bags checked in at SYD, he'll get the Platinum allowance through to the first destination including AA flights beyond LAX.

For all other flights checked in at AA (unless checking in directly with QF at LAX or DFW), he'll get the higher of the non-platinum QF allowance or the Oneworld Emerald AA allowance. The latter is more.

Bronze gets nothing, so they'll get the QF allowance (1 @ 32Kg)

So for Platinum - 3 pieces @ 23Kg each (unless flying AA Domestic First, then it's 3 @ 32Kg). Some airlines allow all pax to benefit from the extra allowance, but AA does not have this as policy. However you can pool the bags (5 total).

 

[madrooster]

If everyone is on the same booking, assuming everyone is in economy...

Total of 5 bags between the three of them at 32kg per bag (3 under husband, 1 under each bronze) in each direction.

So for Platinum - 3 pieces @ 23Kg each (unless flying AA Domestic First, then it's 3 @ 32Kg). Some airlines allow all pax to benefit from the extra allowance, but AA does not have this as policy. However you can pool the bags (5 total).

AA waives the heavy charge for emeralds so it'd be 5x 32kg in both directions.

 

[justinbrett]

If everyone is on the same booking, assuming everyone is in economy...

Total of 5 bags between the three of them at 32kg per bag (3 under husband, 1 under each bronze) in each direction.



AA waives the heavy charge for emeralds so it'd be 5x 32kg in both directions.

I stand corrected. Has that been a recent change? I don’t recall seeing that before.

 

[pippilongstocking]

Thank you @madrooster & @justinbrett,

Yes, ticketed in economy, and all on same ticket. ( they have fingers crossed for an upgrade to J)

That’s great info. They have one bag each but will have 2 ski bags so concern was for the 5 bags in total.

They have 24 hours in LA, but I booked the LAX to JAC on the same ticket as SYD to LAX and return as I was hoping they would get baggage allowance.

Really appreciate your replies.

HNY
Pippi

 

[justinbrett]

Thank you @madrooster & @justinbrett,

Yes, ticketed in economy, and all on same ticket. ( they have fingers crossed for an upgrade to J)

That’s great info. They have one bag each but will have 2 ski bags so concern was for the 5 bags in total.

They have 24 hours in LA, but I booked the LAX to JAC on the same ticket as SYD to LAX and return as I was hoping they would get baggage allowance.

Really appreciate your replies.

HNY
Pippi

If it's 24 hours in LAX the bags won't be checked through (you have to clear them regardless) but they'll need to be re-checked with AA at LAX on the following day. If it was a same day connection they'd be tagged to JAC in SYD, and although they'd have to be collected in LAX they go straight back to the belt once you clear customs - they don't need to be rechecked.

But it's 5 bags still, so no worries there.

 

[jpp42]

booked the LAX to JAC

ooh, I love Jackson's Hole... sounds like a great trip! How come you're not going? If you're not a boarder/skier, a snowcoach trip into Yellowstone would be a stunning excursion (though pricey).

 

[pippilongstocking]

ooh, I love Jackson's Hole... sounds like a great trip! How come you're not going? If you're not a boarder/skier, a snowcoach trip into Yellowstone would be a stunning excursion (though pricey).

Yes, I love it too. We are a family of skiers. Just couldn’t get the time off in January this year ….. We usually go every Jan and also book our J reward seats in advance. But due to covid / travel restrictions we have not been since 2020. Plus, did not book reward in advance as missed it . Family so excited to finally go again. Also … every year I say I’m going to do the Yellowstone National Park Tour…. But then the snow is always amazing so we just hit the slopes.

 

[RichardMEL]

(cheeky comment)

Er it's Jackson Hole, WY....

Some may take Jackson's Hole as referring to QF possibly under or post the stewardship of Margaret Jackson, chairperson from 2000-2007



I'll see myself out....

 

[madrooster]

I stand corrected. Has that been a recent change? I don’t recall seeing that before.

No it has always been AA policy for at least 10 years.

They have 24 hours in LA, but I booked the LAX to JAC on the same ticket as SYD to LAX and return as I was hoping they would get baggage allowance.

So all flights are on a 081 ticket number? If yes, then all good.

 

[jpp42]

Er it's Jackson Hole, WY....

Definitely off topic, but the removal of the "'s" is controversial and many locals do still call it "Jackson's Hole" . This refers to the whole valley, the town is (uncontroversially) just "Jackson."

Fun fact to be a bit more aviation related - the airport is at 6,451 ft / 1,966 m above sea level and only has a 6300-ft runway, which is problematic in summer where "hot and high" conditions limit takeoff performance. It's one of the airports for which the Boeing 757 was designed (along with Mexico City), and all major US air carriers used B757's there in that airframe's heydey (it looks like Delta still does). The B757 has a vastly superior power-to-weight ratio than most other medium to large planes, which means much shorter takeoff performance even in difficult conditions. With most 757's being retired today, summer flights are mostly to fairly close-by destinations such as Denver or Salt Lake City, in order to minimise fuel requirements and thus takeoff distance. For these the A319 is a popular aircraft due to its slightly better power-to-weight ratio to others (same engines as A320 but smaller plane), but it doesn't come close to the B757. JAC airport is also great for private jet spotting if you're into that - it's a hangout of the rich.

 

[Quickstatus]

Passengers to and from AU/NZ bag weight is max 32kg not 23kg (but it used to be 23kg)
Then it's a matter of how many complimentary bags are allowed

Ruby 1
Sapphire (and/ or at least premium econ up to domestic F) 2
Emerald 3
Transpacific QF 1

Note AA does not explicitly mention AA flights to/from AU in Y only that Ruby plus transcontinental to/from AU/NZ = 1 but it matches what QF offers = 1 bag.

So for your party from AU to first final destination in US as it's all on the one ticket.
3 bags for the emerald
2x 1 bag for the transpacific

And same for return.
Just show your QF plat card to get the emerald benefit.

No it has always been AA policy for at least 10 years.

Re QF transpacific to US
I'm sure it used to be minimum 2 bags from Y to J
Y used to be 2x23kg.
J were 2x32kg
F were 3x32kg
WP actually allowed an extra 32kg

I don't recall W (premium econ).

I'm not sure when it changed to 1x32kg

In any case I reckon it's an "enhancement" from 46 to 32kg. Dudded out of approx 0.5 bags.

Note also the 32kg rather than the 23kg only applies to Transpacific routes between US and AU/NZ. Nowhere else. I reckon it's an AA/QF enhancement.

Re oversized bags. AA/QF don't seem to care if the measurements of the ski bag is oversized. I've carried 200cm total dimension ski bags with no issues. The only airline which actually brought out the tape measure at checkin has always been JAL

 

[pippilongstocking]

Thanks again for all your replies....
They are very happy also as upgrade just came through

Now I do wish I was going as well

 

[justinbrett]

No it has always been AA policy for at least 10 years.

I think it's the wording on their website that confused me.

On the main baggage page, it only lists First/Business as getting the 32Kg limit.

But if you click on to the specific oversize/overweight page, it says there that also OWE is exempt.

As it didn't apply to me (I usually fly F on AA) I didn't dig much deeper than the initial page.