Traveling isn’t getting any easier — or cheaper. And now fees for checked baggage are on the rise again. On Feb. 20, American Airlines became the latest carrier to hike its checked bag fees this year, bumping the price up by $10 for bags checked at the airport. Now the first checked bag on an American domestic flight will cost you $35 if you pay online, and $40 if you wait till you get to the airport to pay. The second checked bag for a domestic flight is $45, whether purchased online or at the airport.
American’s fee hike comes four years after its last increase, in 2018. And American isn’t alone. JetBlue and Alaska Airlines have also had recent price hikes for bags. Now that American has paved the way to a $40 checked bag, it’s likely we’ll see other US airlines catch up. They’re making money off baggage fees, so don’t expect the charges to go away anytime soon. You’ll have to work them into your travel budget, unless you can find an alternative.
The basics of bag fees
It’s always cheaper to pay for a first checked bag online. And a second checked bag always costs more. Baggage fees can also vary depending on your ticket type and class of service. And fees jump even more if you’re traveling internationally.
Some travelers consider carry-on bags practically a religion — you know who you are — and will just shrug off these changes. It’s easy to see why. Not only is carry-on luggage generally free, but once you land, you don’t have to wait around at baggage claim, or run the risk of the airline losing your bag. (Pro tip: The Federal Aviation Administration now says you can include Apple AirTags and similar trackers in your checked bag).
Other travelers rely on a checked bag. It allows them to carry more in a larger container, and to pack certain toiletries that are over the allowed carry-on size. And it means they don’t have to drag a bag through the security check, and fight for overhead-bin space.
With airlines charging fees for everything from aisle or…
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