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Checked Baggage

In general, Continental Airlines will accept up to two pieces of checked baggage with a maximum weight of 50 pounds (23 kg) per bag and a maximum outside dimension of 62 inches (157 cm) per bag in exchange for the applicable service fees. Outside dimension of a bag is equal to the width + height + depth of the bag added together. The fees are discounted for bags that are checked and pre-paid at continental.com. You may continue to check your bags at the airport or curbside for a higher fee. If your baggage needs require you to check additional baggage, or baggage that is over the listed size and weight, please review the Excess Baggage policy.

Certain customers are exempt from paying the fees and will be allowed to check bags free of charge (bags must meet weight and size restrictions). Learn more about exemptions from 1st and 2nd baggage fees.

For tickets purchased prior to October 19, 2009 the following customers are allowed to check up to 3 bags, with a maximum weight of 70 lbs.:

• Customers ticketed and confirmed in BusinessFirst at time of baggage check-in
• Customers ticketed in Domestic First Class, First Class, or International Business Class at time of baggage check-in.
• Continental OnePass Elite members
• Active U.S. military personnel, whether or not or military orders
• U.S. military dependents travelling with military personnel, and without military personnel when on military business.

For tickets purchased on or after October 19, 2009, the following customers are allowed to check up to 3 bags, with a maximum weight of 70 lbs.:

• Customers ticketed and confirmed in BusinessFirst at time of baggage check-in
• Star Gold members, including Continental Platinum and Gold Elite members
• Active U.S. military personnel, whether or not or military orders
• U.S. military dependents travelling with military personnel, and without military personnel when on military business.

Tips for checking Your Baggage in for a Flight

Continental recommends that you carry valuable items such as electronic equipment, cameras, film, cash, jewelry, medication, prescriptions and keys with you on board the aircraft.

Place your name and address on the outside of your baggage. Nametags are available at all airport baggage check-in locations. We also recommend that you place your name and address on the inside of the bag.

Be sure to inform us of your final destination if you are connecting, so that your baggage will be checked to your final destination.

For domestic and international flights (excluding certain flights departing for Guam), baggage will not be accepted for check-in more than 4 hours prior to scheduled flight departure.

Claim your baggage immediately upon arrival at your destination.

Baggage will be checked to a customer's final destination or to a permissible stopover for the fare paid, except at some international destinations. Please see check-in baggage for more information.

Be aware of what items are restricted to be in checked baggage. If you are not sure, review the list of items permitted and prohibited shown on the Transportation Security Administration Web site.

Allow enough time for your checked baggage to be accepted. See the guidelines below:

How Your Baggage is Checked

When you check your baggage, the airport agent or skycap will put a bag tag on each bag that indicates your name, the flight number(s), and all cities in your ticketed itinerary.

Tip: If you are deviating from your ticketed itinerary, please advise the airport agent or skycap before checking your luggage.

You will be given a numbered claim check for each bag that is checked. These serve as proof of checked baggage. It is important that you keep the claim check(s) until your trip is completed and you have received all of your checked baggage.

Tip: Please check to ensure that the number of claim checks you were given corresponds to the number of bags you checked.

How Your Baggage Travels

From the ticket counter or skycap podium, your baggage is placed on a series of conveyor belts. The conveyor belts transport baggage to a location where bags are loaded into carts according to flight number and destination. In our large airports, automated scanners read the code on the bag tag and direct the bag to the correct loading area. Your bag will go through a series of conveyor belts, chutes, and other mechanisms before reaching the point where it is loaded into a cart and taken out to the aircraft.

Tip: Please remove any straps, hangers, and protruding objects from your bag before checking it. These may get caught in the baggage system and cause damage to your bag. Bags that are bulging or are not sufficiently constructed to support the weight inside may split during the trip through the bag belt system.

All checked baggage is screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Refrain from locking your checked baggage or use a TSA Accepted & Recognized Lock. TSA is mandated by Federal law to screen 100% of checked baggage. If your baggage alarms and TSA cannot gain access to your checked bag, unrecognized locks may be broken. TSA will not reimburse passengers for unrecognized locks broken as a result of the security screening process. For more information about the TSA, visit www.tsa.gov.

The baggage is loaded in the cargo compartment of the aircraft, usually using another conveyor belt. Due to the amount of space in the compartment, bags may have to be placed flat and stacked on top of each other. Although the baggage compartments are secured with nets or straps, bags can shift during flight due to the plane's angle during take-off.

Tip: As this is the standard or normal way all bags are transported, breakage or damage to fragile items may be unavoidable. Do not pack fragile items inside your checked baggage.

Note: Baggage allowances for codeshare partners or another airline may be different. If your flight originates with one of our codeshare partners or another airline you will need to check the operating carrier for baggage policies.