United's Baggage Subscription Could Save You Money

United's new all-year check-two-bags program is still another of that line's stream of innovations. Its Premier Baggage program allows you to check up to two bags on any United or United Express flight, domestic or international, for a year for a single annual fee. The program's introductory fee is currently $249 per year, with no indication of when or how much that might change in the future. A single subscription covers a subscriber plus up to eight companions traveling under the same confirmation number. It does not, however, cover oversize or overweight bags that would usually be subject to a surcharge, nor does it offer any reduction on more than two bags per flight.

Premier Baggage is the latest of 13 options in a product portfolio that United touts as "providing United customers with the opportunity to customize their travel experience." Although most airlines tailor such promotions to target frequent business travelers, Premier Baggage can appeal strongly to seniors, families, and other leisure travelers:

• Avoiding the hassle of carry-on baggage—schlepping it through endless air terminal corridors and fighting with others to stuff it in an overcrowded overhead bin—can be a plus for any traveler. Many seniors, especially, enjoy the convenience of checking bags in when they first arrive at a departure airport and being free of the stuff while they shop in the airport, wait, and board the plane. And, at least in my experience, although they typically buy cheap tickets, many seniors are actually frequent flyers and could easily justify the annual cost over a year's travel.
• Families could also make out very well. Checking bags on United currently costs $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second, if you prepay online. Otherwise it costs more to check them at the airport. With two bags per person, a family of four would pay more than $249 on just one round-trip. And even checking just one bag per person, a family would pay for the annual subscription on two round-trips.

Other United portfolio products may also be attractive to seniors, families, and other leisure travelers:

• Economy Plus seating, with several inches of extra legroom, provides welcome relief from the ultra-tight front-to-rear seat spacing on most economy flights. You can buy access to the roomier seats by the year, for $349 (covering you and a companion) or by the flight, starting at $9 but usually several times that figure.
• Premier Travel bundles Economy Plus seating with early boarding, priority security line (where available), two checked bags, and preferred check-in lines, starting at $47 per flight, but usually more. Premier Travel Plus adds access to the Red Carpet Club airport lounges during your trip. Both options include extra frequent flyer miles.
• Don't be misled that United is being altruistic: I'm sure the corporate bean counters have figured out that the new programs will turn a profit. And, of course, travelers on top-priced coach tickets and exalted members of United's frequent flyer program get some of these perks automatically. But for the vast majority of us, we either pay or do without.

So far, only two lines are challenging United on the baggage and legroom fronts:

• You'd have been hard-pressed not to see Southwest's ad campaign about "two bags free" on all flights. And JetBlue doesn't charge extra for your first bag. Beyond those two lines, the others all charge $15 to $25 for the first checked bag and usually more for the second.
• JetBlue's regular seating provides almost as much legroom as United's Economy Plus, and you can opt for near-first-class legroom (although with still narrow seats) starting at $10 per flight in the front of the cabin. Although other airlines charge extra for the very few exit-row seats, no other lines have special cabins with extra-roomy seating in coach.

For many, these lines represent a better deal than United. Still, I believe that lots of travelers will find United's initiatives provide good value. I know I wouldn't dream of flying United without using Economy Plus.