How to Get a Tax Break for Airline Baggage Fees

Self-employed taxpayers may be eligible for the write-off.

Kevin McCormally's avatar
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in How Tos

Airlines seem to revel in driving travelers batty with extra fees for baggage, online booking and for changing travel plans.

These fees add up quickly. Baggage fees collected by U.S airlines alone topped $3 billion during the first nine months of 2016. Cancellation and change fees totaled another $2 billion-plus over the same period.

If you get burned, maybe Uncle Sam will help ease the pain. If you're self-employed and travelling on business, be sure to add those costs to your deductible travel expenses.

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See more tax tips for your 2016 return:

Deduct Job-Hunting Expenses

Out-of-Pocket Charitable Deductions

Deduct State Sales Tax

Kevin McCormally
Kevin McCormally
Chief Content Officer, Kiplinger Washington Editors
McCormally retired in 2018 after more than 40 years at Kiplinger. He joined Kiplinger in 1977 as a reporter specializing in taxes, retirement, credit and other personal finance issues. He is the author and editor of many books, helped develop and improve popular tax-preparation software programs, and has written and appeared in several educational videos. In 2005, he was named Editorial Director of The Kiplinger Washington Editors, responsible for overseeing all of our publications and Web site. At the time, Editor in Chief Knight Kiplinger called McCormally "the watchdog of editorial quality, integrity and fairness in all that we do." In 2015, Kevin was named Chief Content Officer and Senior Vice President.