The Amazing Convenience Found at Most Global Airports That’s Missing in America

Flying into U.S. airports, international travelers weary from long-haul flights and dragging heavy suitcases are often shocked to find they need to fork over money for a luggage cart — and more than just a few coins. Miami’s International Airport, for example, charges $9 (as of this writing) for a self-service luggage cart. While U.S. travelers may find this normal, many international airports offer carts for free or only require a deposit that is returned when the cart is brought back. Some international airports even offer free luggage carts on both the landside (meaning publicly accessible areas such as check-in and parking) and the airside (the secured part of the airport that includes the boarding gates and duty-free shopping). 

While commonplace abroad, this service is rarely seen in U.S. terminals, leaving some travelers wondering why American airports are lacking this convenience. “What a shame we do not see more of these in the USA!” wrote travel consultant Matthew Klint on his blog, Live and Let’s Fly. “It’s so easy to put your carry-on bag and personal items on this little cart and push it to the gate. It’s a little thing, but I mention it because it makes the entire travel experience smoother. … But I cannot recall a single airport in the USA that offers such carts.” So, what gives?

To figure out why luggage carts aren’t free in the U.S., let’s take a look back at their history in American airports. It wasn’t until 1970 that Smart Carte launched the first self-service luggage cart in the United States. This service allowed passengers to pay a small fee to rent a cart rather than hire a porter. At first, this helped passengers save money while benefiting from the convenience of not having to carry multiple bags. 

However, what started out as a convenience turned into a surprisingly big business. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, LAX used to make nearly $3 million a year in luggage cart concessions. But with the advent of rolling suitcases, passengers ditched the carts in favor of toting their own luggage. Furthermore, over the years, international travelers finding out that luggage carts are not free upon landing has triggered complaints, leading to opinion pieces in the New York Times among other papers. 

This has spurred some change, and today, the San Francisco and Los Angeles airports offer free carts — but only for international arrivals. Domestic arrivals and departing passengers still have to pay. This is unlikely to change soon because, due to decrease in demand for luggage carts in general, the sale of domestic terminal carts doesn’t make enough money to cover the fees the airports pay to have the carts in the first place.