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A few airlines—Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines—raised fees for checked bags this year. But if you plan ahead, such fees are easy to reduce or avoid altogether.
On Friday, United raised its fee to $40 for the first checked bag at the airport and to $35 for those who prepay online at least 24 hours before their flight — both $5 increases.
Similarly, American raised its fees earlier last week. JetBlue too recently increased The checked bag fee is $45 and Alaska at $35.
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Such fee changes “are likely to affect families worse because families tend to travel with checked bags,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going, a platform that helps travelers find airfare deals.
Checked baggage fees represent a large revenue stream
A checked bag is that which is stored in the hold of an airplane during a flight. While this service was free in previous years, it is now standard for major airlines to charge for checked bags.
Major U.S. airlines began doing so in 2008, charging about $15 per bag, Nastro said.
By the end of 2023, it was about double that for many carriers: $30 to $35 for a checked bag, Nastro said. That means travelers who checked a bag on each leg of a round trip could add an extra $60 to $70 to the total cost of their base fare.
Recent changes from American and United mean travelers could now be charged an extra $80 total if they check one bag at the airport.
Prices generally increase for each additional checked bag.
Passengers Paid about $6.8 billion in total baggage fees in 2022, the last full year for which data is available, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That’s up 17% from about $5.8 billion in 2019, though fewer passengers flew on US carriers in 2022, data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics show.
“Unless baggage is included in a premium ticket (premium economy, first class, business class, etc.), passengers should expect to pay a fee,” Eric Napoli, vice president of legal strategy at AirHelp, the which helps passengers file claims for airline compensation, an email said.
Here’s how cost-conscious consumers can reduce these fees and maybe avoid them altogether, according to travel experts.
1. Fly with certain airlines
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There are some airlines that still do not charge for checked bags.
The Southwest, for example, is the most extreme in the U.S., experts said. The Carrier allows two free checked bags.
The “Big Three” Gulf Airlines — AIRLINES catEtihad Airways and Emirate — still offer free luggage, as it does Air Indiaaccording to Aiden Higgins, senior editor at The Broke Backpacker website.
These carriers may have certain restrictions, including the size and weight of baggage.
Of course, just because they may not charge for baggage doesn’t mean their fares are cheaper than others when evaluating the total cost. They are also not allowed to fly routes that operate for the travelers’ itineraries.
2. Combine bags
Travel partners can also consider combining bags.
A family of four may be able to condense four pieces of luggage into two, potentially cutting checked bag fees in half, experts said.
Unless baggage is included in a premium ticket (premium economy, first, business class, etc.), passengers should expect to pay a fee.
Eric Napoli
vice president of legal strategy at AirHelp
Families with young children may be able to make use of the space inside a car seat carrier, “since airlines don’t charge for a car seat per child,” Nastro said. “You can often place a small soft case in this space to hold items,” he added.
Passengers should consider the airlines’ weight requirements for baggage and whether consolidating bags could incur additional fees.
3. Skip checking a bag
Traveling light — with just one personal item and/or carry-on, depending on what your airline and fare class allows for free — is “the only foolproof way” to avoid paying a checked bag fee, Napoli said .
Of course, this will not be possible for everyone.
But passengers “can sneak into the cabin” within airline limits, especially with a well-packed backpack — with the help of packing cubes — combined with a sling bag and/or a carry-on bag, Higgins said.
Passengers with softer duffel bags that are more flexible may have an easier time meeting carry-on size requirements compared to those with a hard case, Nastro said.
4. Consider a fare upgrade
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Even major carriers generally charge basic economy fares for carry-ons, experts said.
A higher class ticket for a higher cost may include a baggage allowance, in which case passengers may pay the same total price compared to a lower cost fare, while also receiving some additional benefits such as seat selection or flight changes , experts said.
“If you use an aggregator like Skyscanner, it can sometimes be cheaper to go with the 2nd or 3rd most expensive flight if the airline is [also] offering baggage,” Higgins said.
Travelers should read the fine print to determine what baggage is included in their ticket, which varies by airline and ticket class, Napoli said.
5. Add bags early
Whether you’re checking a bag or carrying a bag for a fee, declaring early can save you money.
For example, a typical passenger flying Spirit Airlines from New York to Los Angeles for the weekend (March 1-3) would pay $49 for a carry-on bag, according to the carrier price chart. A checked bag is cheaper at $44.
However, these prices are subject to passengers adding their baggage during the initial online booking process. Those who wait to pay until they get to the gate, for example, will pay $99 for a checked bag or carry-on, the chart shows.
For those who know they’ll need to add a bag, “nine times out of 10 it’s always cheaper to do it at the time of booking” rather than putting it off until later, Nastro said.
Relatively high fees for “extras” such as bags mean a financial carrier may not be the cheapest option when assessing overall cost and value, he said.
6. Buy a luggage scale, light bags
Purchasing and using a luggage scale before traveling can help travelers avoid surprise airport fees due to exceeding a weight limit on checked bags.
“At least weigh your bag before you even book the flight,” Higgins said. “Once upon a time, airlines might have turned a blind eye” to the added weight, but not anymore, he said.
Travelers can also invest in ultralight luggage, Higgins said.
“You can easily save one or two [kilograms] buying specially designed ultralight travel gear,” he said. However, such bags can be expensive and may not be as durable as more durable packaging, he said.
7. Get a credit card or join a frequent flyer program
“Many credit cards, especially airline cards, offer free checked bags as a perk,” Napoli said.
Of course, travelers shouldn’t necessarily open a credit card account just for this perk, experts say. Some cards may also have an annual fee, though travelers may catch on if their annual benefits (eg savings on baggage fees) outweigh that cost.
“It varies from credit card to credit card and airline to airline,” Nastro said.
Membership in an airline’s frequent flyer program can also come with perks for travelers, such as free or extra bags, Higgins said.
Correction: Some data came from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. An earlier version misstated the agency’s name.
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