Air Canada to Charge for Second Checked Bag

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

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Air Canada will begin charging passengers for their second checked bag on January 19. The fee for travel between Canada and the U.S. will be $30CAD (about $28.50, see XE.com for current exchange rates), and the fee for travel between Canada and Europe will be $50CAD.

According to Air Canada’s executive vice president Ben Smith, the airline, which flirted with bankruptcy earlier this year, instituted the fee to “match our U.S. and European competitors” and called it “an important step as we work toward sustained profitability.”

The fee is on par with what most domestic carriers charge for the second checked bag (typically around $30), though the exchange rate will cause that comparison to fluctuate. Multiple U.S. carriers charge a smaller fee if passengers pay online; Air Canada does not.

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