The country’s largest carrier, Air Canada, has revised its checked baggage policy, increasing fees for Economy Basic and Standard flyers.
The airline announced the changes on Wednesday, and they apply to people who purchase fares on or after February 28, 2024, for domestic flights, Canada-US flights, and flights between North America and Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Customers with Basic and Standard fares flying domestically or between Canada and the US can expect to pay between $35 and $40 for the first checked bag and between $50 and $60 for the second checked bag.
Those purchasing Comfort and Flex fares for the same flights will have the first bag checked for free but pay $50 to $60 for the second one. Latitude fares mean the first two bags are checked in at no cost.
Daily Hive ran the Air Canada baggage fees page through the Wayback Machine to compare how the prices have changed. Here’s what they look like:
Air Canada/Wayback Machine
If you fly Basic or Standard between Canada and Mexico or the Caribbean, you’ll pay $35 for your first bag and $50 for your second bag.
Comfort and Flex travellers check in the first bag for free and the second for $50. Both bags are free on Latitude fares.
Here’s how the changes look at a glance:
Air Canada/Wayback Machine
Checked baggage fees have remained the same for other international travel: a first bag fee of $75 for Economy Basic and Aeroplan Standard Rewards, and a second bag fee of $100. As always, baggage allowance varies based on your flight route and ticket issuing date.
These amounts are pre-tax and remain the same whether you pay in US or Canadian dollars.
If you’re curious, here’s what Air Canada baggage fees looked like around seven years ago, in June 2017.
Air Canada/Wayback Machine
A trend in baggage fee hikes
Air Canada changed its checked baggage fees less than two weeks after WestJet.
As of February 15, prepaid baggage on WestJet will cost you $35 to $42 for your first checked bag, and $55 to $65 for your second checked bag. But if you opt for self-serve check-in, you’ll be paying $45 to $54 for the first checked bag and $65 to $77 for the second bag.
Checking in at the airport will cost you a lot more, with the first checked bag fee ranging from $55 to $65 and the fee for a second checked bag ranging from $75 to $89.
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