Military Baggage Allowance by Airline
Free checked bags for the military, by airline.
American Airlines · active-duty service member · on leave or personal travel
3 free checked bags on American, up to 50 lb eachEach up to 62 inches (length + width + height). The bags after that pay the usual fee.
- Free bags
- 3 bags
- Weight each
- up to 50 lb
- Size each
- 62 in (L + W + H)
At the counter: Your military ID, and your orders when you travel on orders. A dependent on orders: a Military Dependent ID and a copy of active orders.
In American’s own words
- “When traveling on personal business or pleasure you can check:”
- “Up to 3 complimentary bags**”
- “Bags up to 50 lbs and 62 inches (width + length + height)”
- Reserves, National Guard, the US Public Health Service and a civilian military ID are excluded.
- Only on flights American sells and operates: not on a partner’s codeshare flight.
Read 2026-10-01 on American Airlines’s own page. Bags past the free ones: the Baggage Fee Calculator
An active-duty service member, on leave or personal travel: every airline
| Airline | Free bags | Weight each | Size each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | Every bag (up to 20) | up to 100 lb | 80 in |
| Alaska Airlines | 5 bags | up to 70 lb | usual size |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 5 bags | up to 70 lb | usual size |
| American Airlines | 3 bags | up to 50 lb | 62 in |
| Delta Air Lines | 2 bags | up to 50 lb | 62 in |
| JetBlue | 2 bags | up to 50 lb | usual size |
| United Airlines | Not readable | — | — |
On leave, an active-duty member checks 3 free bags up to 50 lb on American, 2 on Delta and JetBlue, 5 up to 70 lb on Alaska and Hawaiian, and every bag on Southwest. On orders it is 5 free bags (Southwest: every bag), up to 100 lb on American and Southwest. Show your military ID at the counter.
How to use it
Choose the airline, who is flying and why: on leave (any personal trip) or on military orders. The answer gives the free checked bags, how heavy and how big each may be, and what to show at the counter, with the airline’s own words under it. The table under the tool sets every airline side by side for the same traveller, so a family moving on orders, or a member flying home on leave, can see which airline carries the most for free. Bags past the free ones pay the airline’s usual fee: the Baggage Fee Calculator prices them.
The rules, airline by airline
Read on each airline’s own page on 2026-10-01: American’s “Military bags”, Delta’s “Military Baggage”, Southwest’s “Military baggage and cargo”, JetBlue’s “Military and Veteran Customers”, and the bag fee table that Alaska and Hawaiian share. United’s page refused every reader we tried, so its rules are not copied here: check them on united.com.
| Airline | Active duty, on leave | Active duty, on orders | A dependent with the member, on leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 3 bags, up to 50 lb | 5 bags, up to 100 lb | Standard fees |
| Delta Air Lines | 2 bags, up to 50 lb | 5 bags, under 100 lb | Not stated |
| Southwest Airlines | Every bag (up to 20), up to 100 lb | Every bag (up to 20), up to 100 lb | Not stated |
| JetBlue | 2 bags, up to 50 lb | 5 bags, up to 99 lb | 2 bags, up to 50 lb |
| Alaska Airlines | 5 bags, up to 70 lb | 5 bags, up to 70 lb | 1 bag, up to 50 lb |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 5 bags, up to 70 lb | 5 bags, up to 70 lb | 1 bag, up to 50 lb |
| United Airlines | Not readable | Not readable | Not readable |
Delta’s leave allowance depends on the cabin: 2 bags in Delta Main and Comfort, 3 of 50 lb in Premium Select, 3 of 70 lb in First and Delta One. Sizes: up to 115 inches (length + width + height) on orders on American, Alaska and Hawaiian, 80 inches on Delta on orders and on Southwest either way, and the usual 62 inches on leave elsewhere. “Not stated” means the airline’s military page says nothing about that traveller: ask before you fly.
Worked examples
Moving on orders with a spouse, on American. The member and a spouse who shows a Military Dependent ID and a copy of the orders each check 5 bags of up to 100 lb: 10 bags between them, free.
Four 45 lb bags on leave: Southwest or Delta? On Southwest all four are free. In Delta Main the first two are free, and the third and fourth are extra bags, $200 each within the US: $400 each way.
A spouse flying with the member on Alaska, on leave. The spouse’s first bag is free up to 50 lb; the second pays the usual fee. Flying alone without orders, the spouse pays the usual fees from the first bag.
Common mistakes
- Reserves and National Guard on American. American’s page excludes them, with the US Public Health Service and a civilian military ID.
- Expecting 100 lb on leave. On leave it is 50 lb on American, JetBlue and Delta Main and 70 lb on Alaska and Hawaiian; Southwest’s 100 lb holds either way.
- A partner’s flight. American’s free bags apply on flights it sells and operates, not on a partner’s codeshare.
- Booking a military fare online on Southwest. Its military fares are sold by phone or at the ticket counter; the free bags only need the ID.
Pack for the trip
For a trip on leave, the carry-on packing list and these packing tips help a bag stay under the weight. Flying United, see how many bags United Economy allows; for the bag itself, the luggage cabin crew use. To check a bag fits in the cabin, the Airline Bag Size Checker.
FAQ
What is American Airlines’ military baggage allowance?
On orders, up to 5 free bags of up to 100 lb and 115 inches; on leave, up to 3 of up to 50 lb and 62 inches. A dependent on orders gets the same with a Military Dependent ID and a copy of the orders.
What is Southwest’s military baggage policy?
Active-duty members with a valid Uniformed Services ID check every bag free, up to 20 per flight, with no overweight or oversize fee up to 100 lb and 80 inches. A dependent travelling without the member pays the normal charges.
What is Delta’s military baggage policy?
On orders, 5 free bags under 100 lb and up to 80 inches. On leave, 2 bags of 50 lb in Delta Main and Comfort, 3 of 50 lb in Premium Select and 3 of 70 lb in First and Delta One, up to 62 inches.
Does Alaska Airlines give the military free bags?
Yes: an active-duty member with a military ID checks up to 5 bags free at 70 lb, on leave or on orders, with no charge for 51–70 lb. A dependent flying with the member on leave gets the first bag free up to 50 lb. Hawaiian has the same table.
Does United give free bags to the military?
United publishes a military allowance on its own page, but that page refused every reader we tried, and blogs disagree on its weight limit. Check United’s military benefits page, or ask at the counter with your ID and orders.
Do military dependents get free checked bags?
On orders, yes on American, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian, even without the member. On leave it depends: JetBlue gives the member’s two bags to dependents on the same reservation, Alaska and Hawaiian one bag, American none.
Do veterans get free checked bags?
Not as veterans: the allowances above are for active duty. JetBlue gives two free bags of 50 lb to WeSalute+ subscribers (a paid membership), and Alaska and Hawaiian give a retiree with orders 5 bags at 70 lb.