Air Canada Has Some New Baggage Fees, Carry-On Policies And Updated Rules For 2025

Several airline regulation changes are set to take effect starting in January 2025, impacting both domestic and international travel. We’re focusing on Air Canada because it’s our preferred airline and it will impact Canadians more than any other airline.

Starting in January 3, 2025, Air Canada will be implementing an extra charge for carry-on bags.

Rather than going as a superior carrier, Air Canada has lowered themselves for the almighty “extra fees” and “aligned” themselves with the other Canadian budget airlines that charge an additional cost for carry-on baggage larger than the one free personal item.

Basic-Economy Fares
Basic-economy travellers will be charged extra for carry-on bags on flights within the Americas. Passengers will be charged $25 for their first piece of carry-on luggage and an additional $36 for a second. Additionally, those who do not register their checked bags when checking in prior to arriving at the airport will be charged an elevated fee of $46 at the airport.

The airline will also start charging basic-economy flyers for changing their seats automatically assigned to them at check-in starting on Jan. 21. However, it is unclear what that fee will be.

Basic-economy flyers will also be expected to arrive 3 hours earlier than scheduled to help with loading food and fuel onto their aircraft to off-set the costs of not upgrading to Business Class. Just kidding… but don’t be surprized if we’ve just given them another idea to soak the customer.

Economy Basic & Economy Comfort Fares
Air Canada is also making changes to Economy Basic and Economy Comfort fares, where tickets purchased on or after January 3, 2025, will no longer include carry-on baggage. Kaaching!! Customers will only be permitted to bring one (1) personal article when traveling within Canada; to and from the U.S. (including Hawaii and Puerto Rico); to and from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Standard baggage fare rules will apply.

Economy Basic customers connecting onwards to an international destination can continue to bring one (1) standard carry-on bag and one (1) personal item on board.

Starting January 21, 2025, the new Basic fare will still include complimentary seat assignment at check-in for customers who have not paid a fee to select their seats in advance.

Changes To Comfort Fare
Starting January 3, 2025, Air Canada is increasing the checked baggage allowance for customers travelling worldwide on its Economy Comfort fare. Under the new structure, comfort fare customers who purchase their tickets from January 3, 2025, onwards will be entitled to check two complimentary bags, where currently the fare permits only one checked bag.

Getting Strict With Carry On Baggage
Personal items will be identified with a new white tag that will be attached prior to boarding. Personally we think this is GREAT! How many times have you gotten on a plane and you can’t stow your carry-on because some clown has filled the overhead bins with 5 or 6 items like coats etc.? Not anymore…

NOTE: Nowhere on the website does it make allowances for the sum of the bag’s height, length, and width dimensions as an option anymore. One of our carry-on bags is an odd shape (airline approved), but it fell within the sum measurements… now it looks like we’ll have to get a new carry-on!! Also, the Air Canada size allowance is larger than the new U.S. TSA size!

Here is the updated carry-on rules, directly from their website Carry-On Baggage

A standard carry-on bag measures 55 cm (21.5 in) in height, 23 cm (9 in) in depth, and 40 cm (15.5 in) in width
A personal item adheres to the following dimensions: 33 cm (13 in) in height, 16 cm (6 in) in depth, and 43 cm (17 in) in width.
Maximum dimensions include wheels and handles
Although no weight limit applies to carry-on baggage, your bag must be light enough that you can store it in the overhead bin unassisted
Please place the personal item we have identified with a white tag under the seat in front of you

Standard Size

Automated carry-on baggage sizers
To ensure that your carry-on baggage will fit onboard, Air Canada have introduced automated carry-on baggage sizers at pre-security in the Montreal (YUL), Toronto (YYZ), and Vancouver (YVR) airports.

These new, touchless machines are easier and faster to use than the metal sizers. Please make sure that your carry-on bag complies with the sizing outlined above to avoid having to check your carry-on bag at the airport. Note that any non-compliant baggage will be assessed and is subject to applicable baggage fees.

Here are examples of other items you can bring on board in addition to your carry-on allowance:

Coat or other outer garment
Small purse measuring no more than 25cm x 30cm x 14cm (10in x 12in x 5.5 in)
Larger purses will be included in your carry-on allowance
Infant care item (e.g. diaper bag)
Stroller – collapsed diameter can’t exceed 25.5 cm (10 in) and length can’t exceed 92 cm (36 in)
Child restraint device (if a seat has been purchased for your child)

Air Canada - Carry-On - Personal size, TravelBloggers.ca, Iain Shankland, Gail Shankland

Personal Item

Snacks or food to eat on board:

All food must be wrapped or in a container
You cannot consume your own alcoholic beverages on board

Smoking accessories:

One book of matches per passenger
Butane (Bic-type) lighters, which are the only lighters accepted past U.S. pre-clearance checkpoints for departures from the U.S. – no more silver lighters the baddies use to set fire to cars/people are allowed on planes
Electronic cigarettes (or ‘e-cigarettes’), provided they remain stowed and unused in your carry-on baggage

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In other news: Airlines create new fee for passengers who actually show up for their flights. An industry representative was quoted as saying “It’s much more profitable for us when people pay for tickets but don’t show up, so this new fee will allow us to recoup some of those “losses” when we can’t charge two people for one seat.” ArnoldT.Pants,Esq.

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Air Canada Vacations

If you have a reservation with Air Canada Vacations, visit their website for more details.

USA

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has introduced new air travel baggage rules, allowing passengers to carry only one cabin bag in addition to a designated handbag, both for domestic and international flights.

Carry-On Restrictions

The TSA has updated carry-on rules for 2025, which include stricter limits on the size and weight of carry-on luggage.

Passengers must ensure their carry-on bag does not exceed 22″ x 14″ x 9″ and the sum of the bag’s height, length, and width must be less than 45 inches

All liquids, gels, and aerosols must be in containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or smaller and packed into one transparent, re-sealable quart-sized (1L) bag

Refund Policies: (USA) New federal regulations require airlines to make it easier for ticketed passengers to get their money back after flight cancellations or significant changes. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has defined significant changes to include departure or arrival times that are changed by more than three hours (domestic) and six hours (international), changes in airport or the number of connections, cabin downgrades, or problems with accessibility for travelers with disabilities.

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About TravelBloggers.ca
Iain & Gail started blogging in order to inspire and motivate people to travel the world from their perspective – specializing in having the most fun while using the least amount of money, travelling on the cheap without sacrificing comfort.

In the end, you will only regret the things you didn’t do