AA Checked Baggage Fee - using FF Mileage Ticket
 

When I booked our AA mileage tickets to Kauai out of LAX I had my husband and I put on one record locater number and our 4 adult children on another. Reason being that we could get an Eagle flight to LAX from SJC and not incur any additional mileage cost. They all are coming from different locations and flying SW. Well, today I find out that Executive Platnium members and anyone flying on the same record locater number don't have to pay $15 to check a bag. Since our kids are all on a separate record locater number they will have to pay. Lesson learned.

Why don`t they just do carry on? I am doing an aa mileage flight to Boston, and that`s what I am going to do. You don`t need that much in Kauai. It will be the first time for me to do just carry on.

If you're all flying the same route on AA you can have AA link the itineraries. I've done this in the recent past when I wanted combine paid & FF tickets & it was no problem.

The issue is:

OP & her husband are flying AE/AA SJC-LAX-LIH
Her kids are flying SouthWest into LAX, then AA LAX-LIH.

I don't think they can link their PNRs together because the itins are different, though I'm not 100% sure.

Oh, I take that back. Just call the EXP desk and give them both PNRs and ask if they can link them together.

But I agree with pat, why not just do carryon only?

We are doing carry on but also have snorkel and fins, walking shoes, etc. My huband and I will do one checked bag and 2 carry ons, son already dib'd to use one of our free checked bag allotment for himself and daughter just shrugged and said what the heck, it was a free ticket I'll pay. What a good sport. I'll make it up to her later.

I thought about wearing my walking shoes on the plane so as not to have to check them and then said , nahh.

Anyway, I just want to share what I learned in the event someone else can use the information.

I can't wait for the flight attendant to come around and ask if we know we are sitting in an exit row and can we lift the door. I will have my 6'8" paramedic/firefighter sil and my son, a corporate pilot, in the row with us. We can handle any situation that comes up! Medical emergency, fly the plane, lol. Course, my daughter and dil are just so darn cute they don't need to do a thing!