A good piece of information...

Most airlines have dropped the free baggage weight limit from 88lbs to 50lbs total.

I don't recall a free 88# limit ever. For the 2 airlines I fly regularly (Northwest and Delta) the checked bag limit for coach passengers is 2 bags up to 50 pounds each on domestic itineraries. International itineraries are controlled by tariffs, e.g. for trips between the U.S. & Europe the limit is 2 bags up to 70 pounds each. I can't find any evidence that any major carriers have recently dropped below these limits. If you fly at least 25K miles/year, chances are that your airline will allow greater limits, e.g. my wife & I both can check 2 bags up to 70 pounds each on Northwest (and a 3rd when we are upgraded to FC). We usually just travel with carryon rollaboards these days. I can't imagine even approaching the limits on checked baggage but some people must do it! Comment from backtonorway - 3/28/05 8:03 PM

This is a good piece of information, thank you for taking the time to inform. 

Though a majority of my readers who asked for my travel advice, never travel 25,000 miles a year, nor do they make trips to Europe in first class.  There are different standards for premium and top tier passengers, that's a given.  I was giving general information for those who may only travel to and from grandma's house every couple of years, that they may need to be aware of.  There are alot of my readers who have small children, so it's pretty much impossible to just carry on.

When I started flying FIVE years ago, the checked baggage limit was 88 pounds total, because I had to make sure that my baggage that I brought to training did not weigh more than 88 pounds.  With belt tightening and increased fuel prices, airlines reduced the check baggage limit.  Before the reduction there was a variance from airline to airline for domestic checked luggage.  From what I observed now, it's pretty much standard.