Here We Go Again… The Airlines Are Raising Bag Fees — ALL of Them
One of the biggest drivers of revenue for airlines nowadays is airline baggage fees, and lately it seems like they just can’t help themselves! I have to start by saying I used to be a Delta Diamond Medallion member for years, and Delta will always have a special place in my travel heart,
I still think they are the best overall airline in the US, but I have to be honest, they have made it very hard to stay loyal! Between the constant benefit cuts for self paying passengers and now this… but I am getting ahead of myself, let me start from the beginning!
They’re ALL Doing It, Monkey see, Monkey DO!
So here is what has been happening over the last few weeks. Pretty much every major US airline raised their checked bag fees, some by $10, some even more, and they all did it basically at the same time!
Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, American, Alaska… all of them! Now I have written before about how this industry is basically a copycat industry. One airline does something and the rest follow almost immediately, like they have all been waiting for permission! United moved first, then Delta followed a few days later, then Southwest, then the others. Its almost like they are all sitting in a room together waiting to see who blinks first, and once someone does… well, here we are!
OK So What Are We Actually Paying Now?
Let me give you the numbers so you know what you are dealing with. Delta and United are now both at $45 if you prepay online, or $50 if you wait and pay at the airport counter. Second bag is $55. And a third bag? TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS! That is not a typo. $200! American is a little more conservative at $35 prepaid or $40 at the airport for a first bag. JetBlue is at $39. And remember, these fees are one way, so you double all of this on a round trip. A family of four traveling with bags is getting absolutely hammered right now!
Southwest… Say It Ain’t So!
Now, about Southwest, and I have to say this one really gets me more than the others. Southwest literally built their entire brand and identity around Bags Fly Free. That was THEIR THING! That is what made them different! Families loved them, budget travelers swore by them, and it was the one clear example in this industry that an airline could actually be successful without nickle and diming every single passenger. Well, they got rid of that policy less than a year ago, and they have already raised the fees TWICE since then! Twice! I feel like they really traded their soul for a balance sheet, and I hope they understand what they gave up in terms of what made them, THEM!
Why Is This Really Happening?
Now the airlines are blaming fuel costs, and to be fair, that part is actually true. Jet fuel prices have gone from around $2.50 a gallon to over $4 in recent weeks, largely because of global tensions and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. That is a real expense, I get it. But here is what most people do not know, and this is important! Checked bag fees are NOT subject to the same federal excise taxes that regular airfares are. Domestic airfares carry a 7.5% tax, but bag fees do not. So when airlines shift revenue from ticket prices into fees, they are also saving millions in taxes at the same time. That is not a conspiracy, that is just the tax code, and the airlines know exactly what they are doing! And on top of that, higher bag fees make their co-branded credit cards look more attractive, because “free checked bag!” is a much better selling point when that bag now costs $45 each way. They are literally engineering a reason for you to sign up for their credit card. I am not mad at the hustle, but let’s call it what it is!
And then there is the oldest trick in the book, which is keeping the base fare low so the ticket looks cheap in Google Flights, and then layering all the real cost into fees at the very end of checkout, when you are already mentally committed to the trip. It works, because most people are not thinking about bag fees when they are searching for flights!
My Delta Vent… Skip This If You Don’t Want to Hear It!
Now back to Delta for a second, because I want to be real with you. I spent years as a Diamond Medallion member, loyal, self paying, not a corporate account, MY OWN money. And over the last few years I have watched Delta systematically cut benefits for exactly those kinds of passengers. Upgrades became almost impossible. SkyMiles got har
der to earn and more expensive to use. The little courtesies that used to make you feel valued started disappearing one by one. So at some point you have to ask yourself, what exactly am I being loyal to? I still think Delta is the best run airline in the country overall, I really do, but they have made it harder and harder to justify that loyalty when it feels very one sided. So right now, honestly, I do not have a dedicated airline. And raises like this are exactly why!
How To Not Get Killed By These Fees!
With all of that said, I do not like to just vent without giving you something useful! And this is exactly why I always stress the importance of keeping some level of airline status, whatever airline you fly most! Status is one of the last remaining shields a traveler has against all of this nickel and diming. Even mid tier status on most carriers gets you at least a free first checked bag, and that alone can save you hundreds of dollars a year depending on how much you travel. This is one of the main reasons I keep telling people, pick an airline and be loyal to it, because the perks, even the basic ones, add up to real money! And if you are not at a status level that covers bags, then the co-branded credit card for whatever airline you fly most is the next best move. At $45 each way per bag on a round trip for two people, you are already at $180 just in bag fees. Most of these cards waive that, and the card essentially pays for itself on a single trip, period. Also, always prepay your bags online, never pay at the airport counter. That is just a $5 to $10 penalty for not planning ahead, and there is absolutely no reason to give them that extra money!
Wrap-UP
Look, US airlines pulled in close to $5.5 billion in baggage fee revenue in 2025 alone. Billion, with a B! And that money came from us, the passengers, the people who buy the tickets and keep these airlines in business. The least we should expect is a little appreciation and some transparency. But I digress! Know the game, play the game, and do not leave money on the table. Stay smart out there! Thanks for reading, and PLEASE, TRAVEL MORE!
