On American Airlines, pack light and you’ll get to board early

If you travel light, American Airlines will reward you by letting you board your flight early.

The nation’s third-largest airline has expanded across the country a new boarding policy that allows passengers to board early if they carry no luggage for the overhead compartment.

In March, American Airlines announced that it was testing the boarding policy at the Baltimore-Washington; Washington-Dulles; Austin, Texas; and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., international airports.

The boarding process, explained on the American Airlines website, allows passengers with only carry-on items that fit under a seat to board after first-class and other elite travelers but before other coach passengers.

Shortening the boarding time has been an obsession with many airlines, looking to squeeze more flights into each work shift and cut staffing, fuel and other costs. Every minute cut on boarding can save $30 per flight, according to a 2008 study in the Journal of Transport Management.

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