Booking.com luggage symbols question

What kind of transportation are you talking about; air, rail, bus or taxi?

Hi khansen,
I guess my first question is if you're trying to use booking.com for flights? I've used them a lot of hotels/apartments but wouldn't personally use them for that. If something goes wrong, such as a change in flight times that doesn't work for us, I'd want to be working directly with the airline and not with a third party, thus we almost always book directly through the airlines' own sites.

Apologies if I'm misunderstanding and it's a bus or other transport you're looking at. Help us out here? And if it is an airline, which one? :O)

Sorry. Flights.

Right now I'm just educating myself on cost, time, layovers, etc.

You don't know what you don't know, right?

Reading further it looks like if you bring 3 containers, one has to be checked, one must fit in the overhead and one must fit under the seat.

If you bring 2 containers, one must fit in the overhead and one must fit under the seat. This is when the confusion started. If I only have 2 containers, can I check one of them even though it is small enough to fit in the overhead and still get the lower fare because I only have 2 containers?

Booking.com doesn’t fly airplanes, they are a 3rd party ticket reseller. It’s always best to book directly with the airline you’re flying with. That way there can be no confusion about luggage allowances etc.

Booking is a third party and I would not rely on it for the information you're asking about. Look directly at the airline website for the flight it is offering you and read their baggage policies. And you should book the flight through the airline to ensure you can deal with them directly if anything goes awry.

FWIW I find Google flights easier to navigate for searches.

Since every airline has their own baggage rules, I see no point in trying to figure out symbols on a 3rd-party site.
I don't think anybody here thinks it's a good idea to book flights anywhere but the airline itself. I sure wouldn't.

I would not book any transportation through Booking.com. I would book directly with the airline, rail etc. If there are any problems you want the airline etc to handle it directly and not have to go through a third party.

I will answer this for airlines, not Booking.com. Generally, when you check a bag, you are paying something unless you have an airline credit card for airline status. If I purchase a flight through EasyJet, for instance, I have to pay an additional price if I need to check a bag…and sometimes even to have a carry on that would fit above my seat.

For your example above, just consider the largest “perk” you need. That drives the difference in prices. For Basic, it’s a carry on bag. For Standard, etc. it’s the ability to check one bag. For Basic, you are not requiring any extra airline personnel to load/unload your bag.

By the way, I have traveled domestically two times in the last month. Both times, the gate agents have said everyone must only have two items - a carryon size to go above the seats & a personal bag for under the seat. Everything counts as separate bags - purses, shopping bag from the airport, etc. The days of trying to add an additional item, taking additional space in the overhead, are thankfully gone.

You can't tell anything by looking at booking.com.

You must go to the specific airline's site and see what type(s) and size(s) of luggage are included with a specific ticket.

And pay close attention to buy the ticket/baggage that you need. If not, they will charge a lot more at the airport if you show up with luggage that doesn't match your ticket and its amenities.

Posted by Jean
I will
answer this for airlines, not Booking.com. Generally, when you check a
bag, you are paying something unless you have an airline credit card
for airline status. If I purchase a flight through EasyJet, for
instance, I have to pay an additional price if I need to check a
bag…and sometimes even to have a carry on that would fit above my
seat.

For your example above, just consider the largest “perk” you need.
That drives the difference in prices. For Basic, it’s a carry on bag.
For Standard, etc. it’s the ability to check one bag. For Basic, you
are not requiring any extra airline personnel to load/unload your bag.

By the way, I have traveled domestically two times in the last month.
Both times, the gate agents have said everyone must only have two
items - a carryon size to go above the seats & a personal bag for
under the seat. Everything counts as separate bags - purses, shopping
bag from the airport, etc. The days of trying to add an additional
item, taking additional space in the overhead, are thankfully gone.

Yes. After thinking about it, most airlines charge to check a bag.

So the 2 item fares mean they go in the cabin.
The 3 item fares means you can check one and carry up to 2 in the cabin.

And thanks CL. I'll look at Google Flights too.

As I said, I'm LOOKING for my own education, not BOOKING.

Gotcha. It's just that as mentioned above, the individual airlines have their own baggage rules (number of carryons, their sizes and weights) so it's best to reference the websites for the ones you'll be flying. Wherever you're going, have a great trip!

PS: the airline we recently flew for a domestic trip charged for a carryon that had to go in the overhead bin. Only one underseat item, which was also defined as a personal item, was free.

So the 2 item fares mean they go in the cabin.
The 3 item fares means you can check one and carry up to 2 in the cabin.

No, not necessarily.

I recently bought a ticket that included two bags - a checked bag and a small, under-the-seat personal item bag. You simply can not make generalizations like this - you must look at the conditions of the specific ticket (when you are actually looking to buy).

The personal item is generally supposed to be the thing you put under the seat, not an extra carryon.

So the 2 item fares mean they go in the cabin.
The 3 item fares means you can check one and carry up to 2 in the cabin.

Not necessarily. Depends on the airline and depends on the ticket class that you book. Many airlines are beginning to charge for a carry on with the basic (cheapest) fare. If you need, or want to check a bag, plus have both a carry on and a personal item, it may be cheaper in the long run to buy a standard seat rather than basic + paying extra for the extra bags.

Very general guidelines, but check with specific airline luggage rules prior to booking.

• Basic/Economy Light. 1 carry-on, 1 personal item (must fit under the seat).
  
• Main Cabin and higher, 1 carry-on, 1 personal item, 1 piece of checked luggage.

I normally fly Basic/Economy Light on Delta/KLM/AF. Since I am the cheap ticket individual, it is common for the airline to require me to check my carry-on bag due to limited space in the cabin. Or many times they will make an announcement for volunteers to check their carry-on bags. When that is the case, there is no additional cost to you. But, make sure that the carry-on bag is within the carry-on dimensions and weight or you will be charged extra.

I check prices on Google Flights and then do my homework on the specific airlines luggage rules. Since I am carry-on only, there are a few airlines that I do not fly due to the limitations of their luggage policies. What might look like a good deal on airline fare, is not always a good deal when it is looked at holistically.

This might save you some time. It appears to be reasonably current….

https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines/checked-luggage-size-chart-allowances/

Good to do research, but book with the actual airline.

Are you looking for domestic US travel, travel within 'Europe', or international travel?

That's apples, oranges and bananas. What may be true for one may not apply to another.
And as already mentioned, each airline has its own rules in each of those situations..

Even with 2 bags, I would check the carry-on size suitcase and consolidate my personal item (purse) into a bag that will fit under the seat (tote or rolling underseater). Would I have to pay the higher fare to check a bag even though my total number was 2?

Depending on the specific airline/situation 'yes' or 'no' may be the correct answer.