Luggage Weight & International Flights

I'm flying from DFW to Rome (FCO) via United next week. Then home on November 12th via Lufthansa. I know the checked luggage weight is 50 lbs. My question is probably going to get a lot of slack or no brainer type answers but I'm asking anyway. Airline says they charge $200 for going over the weight limit. However, I am bout 3 lbs over. Do they give any leeway at all on international flights or flights in general? Or will I really be charged $200 for 3 lbs. I've weeded out everything I feel like I can do without for three weeks.

Please don't be rude or condescending....I'm honestly just curious. I have been told by some that have flown internationally that they were always over by 10+ lbs and were never charged because international flights are given a bit a leeway.

Expect to be charged for going over the weight.

I'm flying from DFW to Rome (FCO) via United next week. Then home on November 12th via Lufthansa. I know the checked luggage weight is 50 lbs. My question is probably going to get a lot of slack or no brainer type answers but I'm asking anyway. Airline says they charge $200 for going over the weight limit. However, I am bout 3 lbs over. Do they give any leeway at all on international flights or flights in general? Or will I really be charged $200 for 3 lbs. I've weeded out everything I feel like I can do without for three weeks.

 

Please don't be rude or condescending....I'm honestly just curious. I have been told by some that have flown internationally that they were always over by 10+ lbs and were never charged because international flights are given a bit a leeway.

The scales they use in the airport are not that accurate. I would think 3lbs is within the error margin.

That said, I have been in that situation and am not away of how strict they would be with check luggage.

I am sorry, but I cannot believe that you cannot find 3 pounds of stuff you can either remove or move to your carry on. I use a luggage scale and have been at 49 pounds on all our suitcases.

It took a little bit of juggling, but we did it. We were on a 32 day cruise

United may cut you some slack, or they may not.

Lufthansa is VERY strict about the cutoff and extra charges.

To be safe, I would heed the above advice, and be prepared to remove some items for carry-on, to get under the 50 pounds.

You would be better off paying for a second bag rather than risk the 50lb limit. What are you planning on doing for the return trip? are you planning on buying absolutely nothing? Trying repacking your heavier items. Plan on packing hiking boots and such then you should plan on wearing them on the plane! When traveling for lengthy trips I typically wear my bulkiest items on to the plane and then strip myself of them ASAP.

I have flown both UA and LH many times to/from Europe. You are not "cut any slack" because it's a TATL. I agree; if your bags are overweight, be ready to be charged. Try and pack lighter unless you want to pay.

Absolutely no guarantees and you should expect to pay. But I find that if the suitcase is maybe 1 or max 2 pounds over I have seen it slip by. But 3 pounds? Never seen that slip by for free.

1-2 lbs tends to be okay, at least on US airlines. But 3 is probably too much. European airlines are usually much more strict.

Haven't flown United across the pond but have flown Lufthansa and they will weigh both your checked and carry on luggage. You should expect them to maintain their weight and size limits.

I feel for you, truly I do. Not only are you facing the challenges of packing you are also faced with a shopping ban during your trip.

The answer is that it depends on the person at the ticket counter. They might overlook it. They might not.

If it was me I would try to get to 49 lbs knowing that their scale could be different than yours.

Keith

As we were recently checking in for our DL flight at LAX...we witnessed the scene of someone tearing their over weight bag apart and trying to stuff items into their carryon and onto their person...not something I would want to do on the floor in front of the ticket counter :eek::eek:

As we were recently checking in for our DL flight at LAX...we witnessed the scene of someone tearing their over weight bag apart and trying to stuff items into their carryon and onto their person...not something I would want to do on the floor in front of the ticket counter :eek::eek:

Which not always is that easy, as often carryon will also be weighted.

Even if the person at checkin doesnot mind, the person at the gate might in case of a full flight.

I I have been told by some that have flown internationally that they were always over by 10+ lbs and were never charged because international flights are given a bit a leeway.

I have never seen anyone who was 10+ lbs over not get charged. Was this person a frequent flyer with elite level status in their airline? 1 or 2 lbs... maybe but certainly not guaranteed. 3 lbs over? I would absolutely expect to pay. And here's the thing... even if United lets you slide by on the way over, that is absolutely no indication that Lufthansa will do the same on the return, and all the "but on the way over....." arguments will get you no where.

Don't want to come across as rude but honestly- if you are taking 51 lbs of stuff PLUS a carry on, you probably have too much. Rethink what you're packing. Base everyone on one neutral color so you can take fewer pairs of shoes. Plan to wear things a few times, and/or pay for laundry to be done onboard; it's cheaper than paying $200 for an overweight bag. Ditch some of the "just in case" toiletries. Forget about taking different jewelry for each outfit.

If you are packing large toiletry items, either bring small travel sizes or leave them home and buy when you get to your destination.

You probably need 1/2 the clothes and 1/4 the shoes you are planning on taking. Rethink your wardrobe and only take two pair of shoes plus the sneakers or boots you wear on the plane.

Take out half the underwear and wash out in the sink each night and hang to dry over the shower rod.

Take out the heaviest jacket or sweater and wear it onto the plane.

By the way--how much does your suitcase weigh? If it's one of those old heavy clunkers, borrow a newer lighter weight one from someone. Old suitcases can weigh as much as 14 pounds each, a newer bag of the same size can be as low as three to four--there's 10 pounds right there.

An old backpacker's saying- you worry about the ounces, the pounds will take care of themselves. Little cuts here and there, and you have made your goal.

I wouldn't be happy travelling with a bag that weighs over 45lbs on my scales - between the inaccuracy of my scales and the inaccuracy of the airline scales, starting out with a bag that weighs 49lbs could still get you in trouble.

As a longtime cruiser, I always kick myself for overpacking and swear I won't do it next time (altho' I usually do) - I never wear all the clothes I take with me! Take out at least a quarter of your clothes (you can rinse out tops and undies in the sink and line dry even if your ship doesn't have a laundrette) and you'll be sorted. Or cut down on the shoes (they're heavy), buy toiletries at embarkation port, take a kindle not books, etc. etc.

Carry-on baggage definitely gets weighed on many international airlines. Not any of the major US carriers, but many European, Australian and Asian airlines definitely do it. Most recently, I had Qantas weigh my carry-on at Wellington back in August, and it was over by about 2 lbs. She asked me to take out a fleece jacket and then deemed it "close enough".

I wouldn't be happy travelling with a bag that weighs over 45lbs on my scales - between the inaccuracy of my scales and the inaccuracy of the airline scales, starting out with a bag that weighs 49lbs could still get you in trouble.

 

As a longtime cruiser, I always kick myself for overpacking and swear I won't do it next time (altho' I usually do) - I never wear all the clothes I take with me! Take out at least a quarter of your clothes (you can rinse out tops and undies in the sink and line dry even if your ship doesn't have a laundrette) and you'll be sorted. Or cut down on the shoes (they're heavy), buy toiletries at embarkation port, take a kindle not books, etc. etc.

I remember the first time my (now) wife and I cruised, she brought two suitcases on a 5 day cruise. She denies it these days, pretending like my memory is off ;)

Meanwhile, I can pack carry-on only for a week long business trip abroad. In winter. It can be done, folks!

The scales they use in the airport are not that accurate. I would think 3lbs is within the error margin.

I ask because in the last four or so weeks, I have twice tested scales at Heathrow and London City (yesterday), by weighing bags on one check-in scale and then on another one. In the case of all the bags that I did this with, the two sets of scales read exactly the same, within their precision of 0.1 kg (= 3.5 oz).

A few months ago, I also tested scales at Durban with the same result.

Where have you found scales where 3 lb is the error margin?

As we were recently checking in for our DL flight at LAX...we witnessed the scene of someone tearing their over weight bag apart and trying to stuff items into their carryon and onto their person...not something I would want to do on the floor in front of the ticket counter :eek::eek:

That was me quite a few years ago at ORD!

I had checked the bag at JFK a couple of days before without issue and the scales said it was underweight, it had gone astray and been delivered to my hotel the night before the flight ex-ORD, so I was taking it unmolested to ORD. Got told it was 4lbs overweight and could pay $50 to leave it or repack slightly. As my wife and I were flying on $27,000 tickets and were both top tier oneworld elites I wasn't best amused but didn't expect my story about the bag being fine at JFK to fly, which it didn't.

As we were recently checking in for our DL flight at LAX...we witnessed the scene of someone tearing their over weight bag apart and trying to stuff items into their carryon and onto their person...not something I would want to do on the floor in front of the ticket counter.

That was me quite a few years ago at ORD!

This happened to me on United, same bag, same contents. 3 flights the bag was accepted as 50lbs or under. One flight it was 50lbs and they put a HEAVY tag on it.

This check in, placed the bag on the scale was 50lbs. Agent printed my ticket (no access to PC and cell phone was dead). Maybe 5 to 7 minute transaction from placing bag on the scale to thanking him and walking away.

I get two positions down and he is yelling at me to come back.

I should have kept going but I went back. The scale now read 53 lbs.

Now here I was on the floor doing the PULL this and that out to get 3 lbs out.

Back on the scale and now back at 50lbs.

I demanded he move the bag to the belt right then and there.

So be prepared to pay if this experience is anything. Good thing I hardly ever travel with check bags if you ask me...

FWIW

I'm flying from DFW to Rome (FCO) via United next week. Then home on November 12th via Lufthansa. I know the checked luggage weight is 50 lbs. My question is probably going to get a lot of slack or no brainer type answers but I'm asking anyway. Airline says they charge $200 for going over the weight limit. However, I am bout 3 lbs over. Do they give any leeway at all on international flights or flights in general? Or will I really be charged $200 for 3 lbs. I've weeded out everything I feel like I can do without for three weeks.

 

Please don't be rude or condescending....I'm honestly just curious. I have been told by some that have flown internationally that they were always over by 10+ lbs and were never charged because international flights are given a bit a leeway.

Also if you are flying business or are a UA elite flyer (gold and above) the limit is 70 pounds.

I think most of us who've flown a bit will have "been there, done that" at some stage!

Yes...but not to the extreme of this particular sight...literally a pile of dirty looking laundry approx 2 ft high spread all over an approx 4 foot space...he just dumped it, not exactly was just going through the packed first few items on top...I mean he really "dumped it all out":eek::eek:

There are a lot a variables. Your status with the airline, the ticket class itself, airline policy, codeshare, check in agent, family check in average, multiple bag checks, etc. Perhaps the best answer is maybe you will not be charged, but plan on being charged. Ask your TA or visit the airline's web site. You may have weight gain during the vacation as well. Best of luck.