Airlines Raise Checked Bag Fees. How To Avoid Paying With Credit Cards
JetBlue Airways was the first airline to raise checked baggage fees in response to increasing fuel prices. Now, nearly all of the biggest U.S.-based carriers have followed suit.
Carriers have raised the cost of a first checked bag by up to $10 each way. With most airlines, you’ll pay at least $90 to check a bag on your next round-trip domestic flight.
As bad as this is, it’s an indirect boost to co-branded airline credit cards, the best of which offer a free checked bag for the primary cardholder and their companions (typically three to eight travel companions, to be specific).
Below, CNBC Select details each major U.S. airline’s checked bag price increase and the most affordable cards to consider if you want to eliminate these fees.
Airlines that have raised checked bag fees
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue has increased baggage fees by $4–$9 per bag. The exact price of a checked bag varies by route, travel dates, the fare class of your ticket and your elite status level. You can use the JetBlue bag calculator to see your luggage fees.
The cost for your first checked bag each way within the U.S., Latin America, Caribbean and Canada is:
- $39 ($4 increase) for your first checked bag added 24+ hours from departure
- $59 for your second checked bag added 24+ hours from departure
Peak pricing has also increased by $9. JetBlue charges $10 more each way per checked bag on peak travel dates for these flights and $10 more per bag each way if you pay for your checked bag within 24 hours of departure.
How to get free checked bags with JetBlue
Blue Plus (first checked bag is included) and Mint (first and second checked bags are included) fares include complimentary checked bags. JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic 1 elite status members receive one free checked bag, and higher levels (Mosaic 2–4) receive two free checked bags. Active-duty military members receive two free checked bags for themselves and dependents.
The cheapest card that has a checked-bag benefit for JetBlue is the JetBlue Plus Card. For a $99 annual fee, you can get a free checked bag on JetBlue flights for yourself and up to three companions.
JetBlue Plus Card
Information about the JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
-
Rewards
6X points on eligible JetBlue purchases; 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores; 1X points on all other purchases
-
Welcome bonus
Earn 70,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on the card and pay the annual fee in the first 90 days.
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
0% APR on eligible balance transfers that post to account within 45 days of account opening, for the first 12 billing cycles; 19.49% to 29.49% variable thereafter depending on creditworthiness
-
Regular APR
19.49% to 29.49% variable
-
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5%, whichever is greater.
-
Foreign transaction fees
-
Credit needed
Pros
- 5,000 bonus points on your account anniversary
- 10% rebate on JetBlue award flight redemptions
- First checked bag free for you and up to three companions
- 50% off in-flight purchases
Cons
- $99 annual fee
- Limited bonus spending categories
United Airlines
For tickets purchased on or after April 3, 2026, your first or second checked bag will cost $10 more ($50 more for a third checked bag). You can use United’s baggage fee calculator to see the exact fee you’ll pay for a specific route, fare class and elite status level.
For flights within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Latin America, you’ll pay:
- $45 for a first bag paid 24+ hours before departure ($10 increase)
- $55 for a second bag paid 24+ hours before departure ($10 increase)
- $200 for a third bag paid 24+ hours before departure ($50 increase)
If you pay for your checked bags within 24 hours of departure, the first and second bags will incur an additional $5 charge each (the price for a third bag remains the same).
How to get free checked bags with United
United MileagePlus Premier members receive one to three free checked bags, depending on their elite status level. Checked bags are also included with more expensive premium economy, business class and first class fares.
If you’re an active-duty member of the U.S. military, you’ll receive three free checked bags for personal travel and five free checked bags when traveling on military orders. Dependents receive two free checked bags when traveling on orders.
The United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees) is the most affordable United credit card to open if you want free checked bags. It has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year (then $150), and the primary cardholder and a companion get their first checked bags free on United flights (when you pay for the flight with your Explorer Card).
The United℠ Explorer Card is worth it even if you only fly with United Airlines once or twice a year because you can take advantage of two United Club℠ passes per year when the primary cardmember or authorized user is traveling and you can receive free checked bags.
- No annual fee for the first year
- Unlocks upgrades for elite members on award flights
- Two free United Club airport lounge passes every year
- Valuable United Airlines perks, such as in-flight purchase discounts and the ability to earn elite status credit through credit card spending
- First checked bag free benefit requires you to pay for the flight with the card
- United Airlines has a dynamic award chart which can limit the value and flexibility of your miles
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- NEW! 9x total miles on eligible United flights and 3x miles on all other eligible United® purchases
- 2x miles on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel. 1x mile on all other purchases.
- Free first checked bag – a savings of up to $160 per roundtrip. Terms Apply. Plus, priority boarding on United® flights.
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year – over a $100 value
- Over $500 in partner credits each year
- NEW! Save at least 10% when booking flights with miles. Premier members earn even more.
- Member FDIC
Delta Air Lines
For tickets purchased after April 8, 2026, checked bags cost $10 to $50 more. For domestic flights, you’ll pay:
- $45 each way per bag for your first checked bag ($10 increase)
- $55 each way per bag for your second checked bag ($10 increase)
- $200 each way per bag for your third checked bag ($50 increase)
How to get free checked bags with Delta
With the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you and up to eight people traveling on the same reservation get your first checked bag free. It has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees). That makes it the cheapest Delta card for getting free checked bags on Delta flights.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has the right mix of benefits if you occasionally fly with Delta, such as free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts.
- Earn up to $300 in travel credit every year
- First checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on eligible flights
- Discounts on eligible in-flight purchases and on Delta award flights (Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees).
- Annual fee after the first year
- Delta flight credit benefit has a high spending requirement to earn
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees.
Southwest Airlines
For U.S. mainland flights, all tickets purchased after April 9, 2026, have checked bag fees as follows:
- $45 first checked bag
- $55 second checked bag
- $150 third checked bag
How to get free checked bags with Southwest
More expensive Choice Extra Fares include two complimentary checked bags. Southwest Rapid Rewards® A-List members receive one free checked bag, and Rapid Rewards® A-List Preferred members receive two free checked bags. Active-duty military members also receive free checked bags and don’t pay additional fees for overweight or oversized luggage.
Checked bag fees are also increasing for interisland Hawaii flights booked after April 9, 2026, and are doubling in certain cases. You can review the exact updated costs here.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees) comes with a free first checked bag on Southwest flights for the cardholder and up to eight people on the same reservation. It has a $99 annual fee, so if you want a card that gets you free checked bags on Southwest, this is the lowest cost option.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is an affordable card that makes sense for the occasional Southwest traveler.
- Valuable welcome bonus
- 3,000 bonus points every card member anniversary
- Not especially rewarding for common expenses such as groceries or dining
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
- Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
- Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
American Airlines
As of April 9, 2026, American Airlines is also raising certain checked bag fees by $10 to $50. For most flights within or between the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, you’ll pay the following for checked bags purchased online:
- $45 each way per bag for your first checked bag ($10 increase)
- $55 each way per bag for your second checked bag ($10 increase)
- $200 each way per bag for your third checked bag ($50 increase)
Your first and second checked bags cost $5 more if you do not prepay online.
While the price increase aligns with its competitors, American is going a step further by introducing additional restrictions on Basic Economy tickets purchased on or after May 18, 2026. Basic Economy ticket holders will pay $5 extra each way per bag. Additionally, AAdvantage elite status members will lose their seat selection and upgrade privileges on Basic Economy fares.
How to get free checked bags with American Airlines
AAdvantage elite status members receive one to three free checked bags depending on their status level. If you pay for a more expensive ticket, such as a premium economy, business class or first class ticket, checked bags are included at no extra cost. Active-duty military members receive up to three free checked bags for personal travel and up to five free checked bags when traveling on orders.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is worth considering if you fly with American Airlines once or twice a year because you’ll get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
- First checked bag free on eligible American Airlines flights for the cardholder and up to four travel companions on the same reservation
- No foreign transaction fees
- Preferred boarding
- American Airlines Flight Discount has a high spending requirement
- Has an annual fee
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
For flights booked on or after April 10, 2026, you’ll pay $5 more for your first checked bag, $10 more for your second and $50 more for a third. Previously, you would pay $5 less when you prepaid for your checked luggage, so this is effectively a $10–$15 increase for many travelers.
International flights include one or two free checked bags, but for flights within North America, you’ll pay:
- $45 for a first checked bag
- $55 for a second checked bag
The checked bag fees for flights between Hawaiian islands remain the same at $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second.
How to get free checked bags with Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines
Checked bags are free for Atmos status members, members of the U.S. military and anyone who books a business or first-class fare.
- Annual companion fare
- Lounge membership discount
- Earns valuable miles
- Annual fee
- Limited bonus spending categories
Information about the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Card cards has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
Subscribe to the CNBC Select Newsletter!
Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every story is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X to stay up to date.
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
<
