Swoop Baggage Fees: How to Save Money

With travel picking back up this year, many are looking to stretch their travel budget further when it comes to the essentials like flights and hotels. Enter Swoop Airlines, a strong option for Canadians who are looking to save on their flight costs for their next vacation.

Let’s take a look at Swoop Airlines, their baggage fees, and how you can save money on baggage for your next Swoop flight.

Swoop Airlines Overview

Swoop Airlines is an ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC) that flies to various destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Many people are attracted to Swoop as a result of the low base fare costs, which are often supplemented by various fees for things such as baggage, seat selection, and more.

Swoop makes it possible to fly on a tight budget, but makes it equally important to understand how their fees work to ensure you are actually saving money on the whole.

Swoop Cabin Baggage Fees

When it comes to cabin or carry-on baggage with Swoop, it is important to be aware of both the good and the bad.

Starting out with the positive news, each ticketed traveler is eligible to bring one free personal item. This item may include things such as a purse, small backpack, laptop bag, or briefcase. This free personal item must be 41cm x 15cm x 33cm (16” x 6” x 13”) or smaller. When considering what to bring, think about anything that would fit under the seat in front of you.

On the other hand, carry-on baggage is not free with Swoop as it is with other airlines. Each traveler may bring one piece of carry-on luggage, such as a small suitcase or small duffel bag. All carry-on baggage must fit into the sizing device and must not exceed the maximum dimensions of 52cm x 23cm x 38cm (21” x 9” x 15”). It is important to note that these are the total dimensions, which include the wheels and handles on many roller carry-on bags.

Carry-on baggage is charged based on distance bands of your flight distance. Baggage is cheaper for short-distance flights, and as a result of the distance-based pricing model, direct flights are preferred when flying Swoop to minimize distance. 

Refer to the table below to find the applicable fee.

Note that if you are departing from Canada you will be paying the fee in CAD, but if you are departing from the United States you will be paying the fee in USD. You can find a guide of flight distances for all routes that Swoop flies here.

If you are paying for a carry-on bag, bag fees increase the closer you get to your departure date. You will pay the least amount of money if you pay for your baggage in advance, such as when you buy your ticket. If you leave it closer to the flight, a $10 fee is added to all bag prices at check-in and a $20 fee is added to all bag fees if purchased at the airport.

Carry-on baggage fees will increase by $2 for any travel that occurs during the peak winter and summer seasons. For example, in 2022 the peak seasons were from June 28 – September 6 and December 12  – January 8, 2023.

Swoop Checked Baggage Fees

If you are checking baggage on a Swoop Airlines flight, it is important to be aware of the limitations and fees that come with each piece of luggage you wish to check. Checked baggage may include things such as large suitcases and large duffel bags.

Each ticketed traveler can check a maximum of four pieces of baggage, provided the luggage is below the maximum dimension and weight:

• Dimensions: 157 cm (62 in.) total combined dimension (length + width + height)
• Weight: 23 kg (50 lbs)

Checked baggage is charged based on distance bands of your flight distance. Baggage is cheaper for short-distance flights, and as a result of the distance-based pricing model, direct flights are preferred when flying Swoop to minimize distance. Fees also increase for each subsequent bag you check per ticketed passenger.

Refer to the table below to find the applicable fee.

Similar to carry-on luggage, if you are paying for a checked bag, bag fees increase the closer you get to your departure date. You will pay the least amount of money if you pay for your baggage in advance, such as when you buy your ticket. If you leave it closer to the flight, a $10 fee is added to all bag prices at check-in and a $20 fee is added to all bag fees if purchased at the airport.

Checked baggage fees will increase by $2 for any travel that occurs during the peak winter and summer seasons. For example, in 2022 the peak seasons were from June 28 – September 6 and December 12  – January 8, 2023.

Oversized Baggage Fees

If your baggage exceeds the defined dimensions and weight for checked baggage, Swoop can still accept it but it will come at a steep cost.

For luggage to be considered oversized, it will exceed either the following dimensions or weight:

• Dimensions: 157 cm (62 in.) in total combined dimension (Length + Width + Height), but less than 203 cm (80 in.)
• Weight: 23kg (50 lbs), but not no more than 45 kg (100 lbs)

If you are flying with oversize baggage, Swoop will charge an additional fee of $105 to $115 for domestic and international flights. You will need to pay this at the time you are checking your bags at the airport if the luggage is determined to be oversized.

How to Save Money on Swoop Baggage Fees

While there are a few credit cards in Canada that allow you to waive airline baggage fees, such as Air Canada baggage fees and WestJet baggage fees, no such opportunity exists with Swoop. Regular baggage fees apply on all Swoop flights.

With that in mind, the best way to save money on Swoop Airlines baggage fees is simply to pay for your checked or carry-on bag when you make the initial booking. This is no different than the baggage fees on Flair Airlines, another ultra-low-cost carrier in Canada. You will pay the least if you pay for baggage in advance, and will save you $10 or $20 which can add up if you are bringing luggage both ways.

Additionally, when you are booking your Swoop ticket, you should also estimate the total cost including one checked or carry-on bag as it is unlikely you are traveling without either.

Interesting to note that carry-on baggage is priced at the same rate as checked baggage, so I recommend choosing one or the other. Depending on the type and length of your trip, it might be better to bring a checked bag in addition to your allowed personal item since you can fit more items than in a carry-on bag.

While the cost for carry-on and checked luggage is the same, this is a good opportunity to learn to travel lighter. Perhaps you can get away with one checked bag only between two people, saving you half the cost as opposed to bringing two checked bags. Consider what you really need for your trip, and pack accordingly.

Learning to travel lighter is something that I have recently gotten much better at to the point where I only take a Briggs & Riley cabin bag for a 3 or 4 night trip with everything that I need. Flying carry-on only reduces hassles at the airport as you don’t need to physically check-in or wait at the baggage claim after your flight, saving you time on both ends. Travelpro luggage also offers some great carry-on bags that meet the size requirements of most airlines.

Conclusion

When you fly an ultra-low-cost carrier like Swoop Airlines, it is important to fully understand the limits, restrictions, and costs when it comes to both carry-on and checked baggage as these fees can significantly increase the cost of your ticket. 

While this article covers the average use cases for baggage on Swoop, if you are flying with unique items and are unsure of how they will be handled, such as musical instruments, check out Swoop’s guidelines here for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions