Checked baggage
Customers traveling to/from the United States and all international destinations are required to have their baggage checked 45 minutes prior to flight departure time. The free baggage allowance, as well as maximum bag weights, vary with your Mileage Plus status and/or class of service. Please review the information below for details and exceptions.
Travel within the U.S. and Canada
Revised policy: Only passengers traveling on a stand-alone ticket for flights exclusively within the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada will be affected by our new domestic checked bag policy.

You will be charged for checked baggage only if you are a Mileage PlusŪ general member or are not a Mileage Plus member, and you are traveling within the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and/or Canada on one of the following types of tickets:
  • a paid Economy ticket not purchased in conjunction with any international fares; or
  • an Economy award ticket.
View the U.S./Canada travel baggage information page for more details.



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Travel to/from U.S. and international destinations
(exluding travel to/from Brazil)
Cabin class/Program status Free baggage allowance Max weight per bag Max baggage size
• Economy 2 50 lbs/23 kg 62 linear in/
158 linear cm (length + width + height)
• First or Business 70 lbs/32 kg
• Global Services
• 1K
• Premier Executive
• Star Alliance Gold
3
• Active military personnel and/or dependants with ID and traveling on orders 3 duffel bags, sea bags or B-4 bags 115 linear in/
292 linear cm (length + width + height)

Fees for baggage more than 70 pounds/32kg or exceeding the maximum linear dimensions vary by destination Contact United or your travel agent prior to your trip for details.

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Travel to/from Brazil
Cabin class/Program status Free baggage allowance Max. weight per bag Max. baggage size
• Economy 2 70 lbs/32 kg 62 linear in/
158 linear cm (length + width + height)
• First or Business
• Global Services
• 1K
• Premier Executive
• Star Alliance Gold
3
• Active military personnel and/or dependants with ID and traveling on orders 3 duffel bags, sea bags or B-4 bags 115 linear in/
292 linear cm (length + width + height)

Fees for baggage more than 70 pounds/32kg or exceeding the maximum linear dimensions vary by destination. Contact United or your travel agent prior to your trip for details.

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Travel to Mexico City
Cabin class/Program status Free baggage allowance Max. weight per bag Max. baggage size
• Economy 2 50 lbs/23 kg 62 linear in/
158 linear cm (length + width + height)
• First or Business 70 lbs/32 kg
• Global Services
• 1K
• Premier Executive
• Star Alliance Gold
3
• Active military personnel and/or dependants with ID and traveling on orders 3 duffel bags, sea bags or B-4 bags 115 linear in/
292 linear cm (length + width + height)

Fees for baggage more than 70 pounds/32kg or exceeding the maximum linear dimensions vary by destination. Contact United or your travel agent prior to your trip for details.

Travel during peak periods
When traveling to Mexico City during the peak winter, spring and summer months, and holiday periods, customers will be asked to voluntarily designate a secondary bag that may be placed on a later flight. We will only be able to guarantee a primary bag at times when capacity exceeds space limitations.

During the peak winter travel period of December 1 - January 7, customers are limited to the number, size and weight of their checked baggage as outlined in the chart above. No oversize, overweight or extra bags will be accepted. In addition, the following guidelines will apply to all customers during this period:

  • No oversize, overweight or extra bags will be accepted
  • Pets will not be accepted as part of a customer's checked baggage
  • Only one box is permitted as part of a customer's free allowance; it must be the original manufacturer's box containing the original item
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Travel to Guatemala
Cabin class/Program status Free baggage allowance Max. weight per bag Max. baggage size
• Economy 2 50 lbs/23 kg 62 linear in/
158 linear cm (length + width + height)
• First or Business 70 lbs/32 kg
• Global Services
• 1K
• Premier Executive
• Star Alliance Gold
3
• Active military personnel and/or dependants with ID and traveling on orders 3 duffel bags, sea bags or B-4 bags 115 linear in/
292 linear cm (length + width + height)

Passengers will be subject to certain fees for any excess, oversized or overweight bags. This applies to passengers originating from Los Angeles (LAX) or passengers connecting through LAX from other U.S. points of origin.

Travel during peak periods
Further restrictions apply during peak travel periods. When traveling on or between the following time periods, customers will be limited to the number, size and weight of their checked baggage. No oversize, overweight or extra bags will be accepted:

  • 10 days prior to Easter Sunday through the following Monday
  • The Saturday prior to Memorial Day through the Tuesday after Labor Day
  • The first Sunday in December through January 6 of the following year
In addition, the following guidelines will apply to all customers during the above periods:
  • Only one box is permitted as part of a customer's free allowance; it must be the original manufacturer's box containing the original item
  • Customers will have to declare a secondary bag. If secondary bags are not placed on the designated flight, bags will be routed to final destination on the first available flight
NOTE: The provisions above do not apply to customers originating travel from outside the U.S.

Travel during non-peak periods
Non-peak periods occur for travel other than the periods listed above. The following guideline applies for travel during non-peak periods:

  • Only one box is permitted as part of a customer's free allowance; it must be the original manufacturer's box containing the original item

The number of permitted excess checked bags for travel to Guatemala varies with your Mileage Plus status and/or class of service:

Cabin class/Program status Excess baggage limit Max. weight per bag Max. baggage size
• Economy 3 50 lbs/23 kg 62 linear in/
158 linear cm (length + width + height)
• First or Business 70 lbs/32 kg
• Global Services
• 1K
• Premier Executive
• Premier
• Star Alliance Gold
2
• Active military personnel and/or dependants with ID and traveling on orders 3 duffel bags, sea bags or B-4 bags 115 linear in/
292 linear cm (length + width + height)

There is a fee of $100.00 for each additional checked bag. Added charges apply if the piece is overweight or over size. If you have additional questions, please contact your travel agent or United reservations at 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) in the U.S. for assistance.

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Travel originating in London
The British Airport Authority strictly limits checked baggage originating in London to 70 pounds/32 kg per piece. Any piece exceeding the limit must be repackaged into smaller units.

We recommend contacting United Reservations in advance when checking items such as musical instruments, sporting equipment, camera equipment, etc. that cannot be subdivided to meet the weight limit.

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Travel wholly within Asia
For travel wholly within Asia, the maximum total combined weight of all checked bags varies with your Mileage Plus status and/or class of service:

Cabin class/Program status Total combined weight of checked bags not to exceed
• Economy 44 lbs/20 kg
• Business 66 lbs/30 kg
• First 88 lbs/40 kg
• Global Services
• 1K
• Premier Executive
• Star Alliance Gold
An additional 44 lbs/20 kg is allowed
• Active military personnel and/or dependants with ID and traveling on orders Any number of duffel bags, sea bags or B-4 bags up to a total maximum weight of 140 lbs/64 kg

Fees for baggage weighing more than 70 pounds/32kg or exceeding the maximum linear dimensions vary by destination. Contact United or your travel agent prior to your trip for details.

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New TSA baggage policy, travel tips
View the TSA’s new airport security screening process. 
Details
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