American Airlines Media Baggage

Media rateEligible media and entertainment travelers get a flat bag price. Camera-equipment weight/size fees are waived within the limits; musical instruments are excluded from that waiver.

The quick answer

What do I pay per bag?: $60 domestic$90 / £60 / €70 international, per bag
How heavy can each bag be?: Usually 100 lb. Maximum 70 lb on transatlantic trips and to/from Australia, New Zealand, Cuba and South Africa. Instrument charges differ.
How big can each bag be?: 115 total inches. Madrid departures: no side over 43 inches. A universal 75-inch side limit was not freshly verified.
Who qualifies?: Eligible media / entertainment company representatives
What do I show or send?: Show company ID or company business card, plus government photo ID; pay at airport check-in

Prices are per bag, one way. Weight includes the case. Total inches = length + width + height added together.

All the details

Domestic: $60 per bag, each way
International: $90 / £60 / €70 per bag, each way
Limit: Up to 25 bags per company, per flight
Weight / size: Usually 100 lb / 115 total inches. 70 lb on transatlantic trips and to/from Australia, New Zealand, Cuba and South Africa. Confirm any destination-specific restriction.

How it works

For camera, film, video, lighting, sound gear and musical instruments.
Show company ID or business card plus government photo ID.
Seasonal and permanent bag embargoes still apply.
Instruments may qualify for the media price but not its weight/size waiver. The trade policy says fees apply over ‘50 lbs / 23 kgs and 80 in / 203 cm’—confirm the charge for your case.
Pay at check-in; connecting flights must be American-operated. Madrid departures have a 43-inch maximum for any side.

Where the airline says this

Official airline pages and quoted wording to show at check-in. Look for the section named in each link. Highlighting depends on your browser; PDFs may need a search. Reviewed October 28, 2026; any unverified allowance is labeled above.

American — Audio or visual equipment rates ↗
"Eligible travelers will pay"
American — ID required ↗
"You must present your company issued identification"
American — Detailed media bag rules ↗
"Media rates apply to up to 25 checked bags"

Guitars & musical instruments

Agent says it can't go onboard? Open these on your phone and show them:

The airline's own instrument policy ↗U.S. law (14 CFR 251.3) ↗

The airline's page says: “excluding musical instruments”

American includes instruments in media eligibility, but explicitly excludes them from the media weight/size waiver. A heavy guitar or drum case may cost extra.

Can my guitar come onboard?: Yes, if the guitar in its case fits safely in approved cabin storage and space is available when you board. The U.S. instrument rule allows this even if it exceeds normal suitcase dimensions.
What does it replace?: Your carry-on bag—not an extra free overhead suitcase. A small personal item must still meet the airline’s rules.
What do I pay in the cabin?: Nothing extra. The guitar counts as your one carry-on bag. If the overhead bins are full, it may have to be checked.
Can I buy my instrument a seat?: The current instrument-specific seat price and limits were not freshly verified. Arrange an approved seat with American before relying on this option.
What do I pay to check it?: Eligible instruments can receive the media price, but NOT the general media overweight/oversize waiver. American’s trade policy says fees apply to instruments over ‘50 lbs / 23 kgs and 80 in / 203 cm’; have American confirm how that wording applies to your case.
How heavy and big can a checked case be?: Do not treat 100 lb / 115 inches as a fee-free instrument allowance. The separate checked-instrument maximums could not be freshly verified in this review; confirm the packed case and route with American.

Weight and size include the case. Cabin space must be available when you board. Use a protective case suitable for checking if the cabin is full.

U.S. law protects your guitar. On U.S. flights, airlines must let a guitar in its case ride in the cabin if it fits safely in the overhead bin or under the seat and there is room when you board. Show this page — the rule itself (14 CFR 251.3) — if an agent says no: Read the rule ↗

Official instrument rules

U.S. rule — 14 CFR 251.3: small instruments ↗
“There is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.”
American — Media bags: instruments excluded from waiver ↗
“excluding musical instruments”
American — Musical instruments: carry-on, seat and checked sections ↗
The full instrument section was not freshly retrievable; use it to confirm instrument-specific acceptance limits.

Original 2024 article (historical)

American Airlines

Media Rate: Conditions & Pricing

For the majority of travelers, American Airlines takes the top spot for booking a ticket because it scores high in reliability, comfort, and customer satisfaction. The company has a big advantage over other companies because it offers the perfect mix of low prices and high-quality services.

If your creative projects require traveling with photographic equipment, and you want to use the services of American Airlines, the possible questions you may have are: does the airline have a media rate with the same low-price approach as it applies to tickets? Is it safe to fly with media bags on American Airlines?

Let's figure out all the details you need to know about American Airlines media rate.

American Airlines Media Rates

American Airlines' pricing models for transferring cameras, lighting, film or sound equipment, musical instruments, or any other media equipment are pretty straightforward:

Airline media rate:

Domestic journey. Basically, you need to pay $50 for one media bag for a domestic one-way journey.
International journey. If you wish to use international itineraries and fly from/to other countries, you must pay a slightly higher charge which equals $90, £60, or €70 for transporting one media bag (the currency may depend on the country from which you plan to make a flight). This rate is applicable to all American Airlines' foreign itineraries.

What is the maximum number of bags you can take?

Traveling with American Airlines, you can take up to 25 bags at the above-mentioned airline media luggage rate per flight. The limit is based on the operational needs and rules of regional airline partners.

Excess baggage media rate:

Media bags may not exceed 100 lbs / 45 kg or 126 in / 320 cm in total dimensions (max length of 75 in / 190 cm). Overweight fees will apply to musical instruments weighing over 50 lbs / 23 kgs and 80 in / 203 cm. The fees for overweight and oversize bags will be waived.

However, there’s some fine print in relation to weight and size limitations that you should consider depending on the destination. Also, equipment may be subject to embargoes. For example, the maximum size and weight limits depend on the rules for the destination.

It is important to note that American Airlines recommends contacting their service media.bags@aa.com ahead of time to ensure you are a media entity (you use a corporate account, or gouging to visit production movement or media event). Such a request will help you avoid possible delays in the check-in. Besides, you can use this email address to find out more information or ask any questions you may have.

If you want to learn more about American Airlines media rate, you can also check their official website. Navigate to the Audio or Visual Entertainment category to read everything that is related to media bags.