Why is it costing more to travel to New York without luggage this year?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

A trip to the Big Apple should cost less without a suitcase (AP)

Q Can I ask why going to the US this year with no baggage should cost more than flying with luggage last year? Last year I went to New York for £234 with a suitcase. This year I paid £270 with no checked-in baggage entitlement. This is madness. If I am not taking suitcase it should cost less. How is it possible?

Jubed B

A Airlines, like other businesses, aim to extract as much as they possibly can from each passenger while delivering good service. At off-peak times, particular in the first three months of the year, they can’t extract much; I paid £304 last month (out from Heathrow to Boston, back from New York JFK, no checked baggage) and thought it was a good deal, with no baggage. You have evidently done even better: £270 is excellent, and £234 with checked bags was exceptional (and historically among the lowest ever fares charged on the route in real terms).

All the transatlantic airlines are now offering “basic” fares that don’t include luggage. This is partly in response to the competition from carriers such as Norwegian, which have always charged extra for baggage on routes between the UK and US. Fortunately, there is an easy work-around: to choose an airline that has a generous cabin-baggage allowance. United, for example, says that transatlantic passengers on basic economy tickets “can bring on board one full-sized carry-on bag plus one personal item free of charge”. By “full-sized”, the airline means 22x35x56cm (a volume of 43 litres), while a “personal item” is up to 22x25x43cm (24 litres).

British Airways is even more generous on the larger bag, with 25x45x56cm (63 litres), but slightly less with the smaller (15x30x40cm, 18 litres). The maximum weight limit is 23kg for each case, which you should find more than enough.

The one airline that lags behind is Virgin Atlantic: its limit is a single piece measuring 23x36x56cm (46 litres) with a weight limit of only 10kg. While in my experience this is not enforced strictly everywhere, if ground staff do decide to crack down and require you to check in the bag it could prove expensive.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder