American Airlines is raising the price of its checked baggage fees effective Feb. 20, along with other baggage policy changes and limits on earning miles.
Let’s hope this price increase and frequent flyer change by one of the top three US-flag carriers does not start a stampede by everybody to charge us more to check our luggage.
New American Airlines Baggage Fees in 2024
For domestic flights, the fee goes up from $30 to $35, if you purchase online before your flight.
If you wait to purchase at the airport, the fee goes up to $40. The new price for a second checked bag is $45 whether you purchase it online or at the airport.
This is the first time the airline has adjusted baggage fees since 2018, according to the airline’s press release.
Note that this is only for tickets purchased on or after Feb. 19, 2024, The former – lower – fees still apply to tickets purchased before that date.
More American Airlines Checked Baggage Fee Increases
The airline also announced several other changes, including a $150 fee for in-cabin pets, up from $125.
There also are new rules and prices for overweight bags, depending on the weight and size of the bag.
A 50 to 70 pound bag used to cost an extra $100 to $200.
Now, bags between 50-53 pounds will cost just an additional $30, while the cost of a bag weighing 53 to 70 pound bag remains the same $100 to $200. This fee increases with weight and size.
Compare the new higher baggage fees at American Airlines with other domestic carriers – according to research by CBS News
Not surprisingly, the airlines with the lowest fares have the highest baggage fees.
Baggage Fees Are a Huge Profit Center for Airlines
According to Business Insider, US domestic carriers earned more than $6.8 Billion in 2023 from baggage fees, despite mishandling more than three million of them.
American Airlines generated the most money – $1.6 Billion – and had the worst record of mishandled bags.
Mishandled is corporate jargon for lost, delayed or damaged.
New American Airlines Rules for Frequent Flyers
The airline is cutting the cost of transferring points between frequent-flyer accounts. But –
Starting with tickets issued on May 1, the only way to earn frequent flyer miles is to buy tickets directly from the airline, partner carriers or from preferred online travel agencies.
That means if you buy a ticket through consolidators like Kayak or Expedia, you won’t earn miles.
It’s already getting more difficult to get a free ticket via an airline’s frequent flyer loyalty program.
This change to the AAdvantage loyalty program will make it more difficult to redeem miles for free flights.
The airline said it will list the preferred travel agencies in late April. Corporate travelers won’t be affected.
Frontier Airlines Baggage Fees
Frontier Airlines has some of the highest baggage fees compared to other U.S.-based airlines.
The fees for your first carry-on and checked bag on most domestic Frontier flights is $59 each – if you pay for them while you book your ticket.
The fee for each of these bags increases to $74 if you pay before check-in and $99 if you pay at the airport.
The prices increase for second and additional checked bags. Most airlines do not charge for carry-ons.
You can check the baggage fees for your flight using a feature on their website.
Spirit Airlines Baggage Fees
Spirit also has a calculator to determine baggage fees – and they charge for carry-ons.
Alaska Airlines Baggage Fees
Effective January 2024, a first checked bag on an Alaska Airlines domestic flight is $35, while a second will cost $45. These fees were increased by $5 over 2023.
The airline did not make changes to the fees for third or additional checked bags or overweight bags.
JetBlue Baggage Fees
JetBlue has tiers to its checked bag system.
When you buy a basic ticket for a domestic flight, the fee is $35 for the first bag and $50 for the second. You can pay less if you pay online before check-in, but you’ll pay more if you pay within 24 hours of your departure.
You can also save by becoming a Mosaic member, which is earned by racking up miles.
The other way is to pay more for a premium ticket, called Blue Plus, which includes your baggage fee. This ticket also includes such perks as free cancellation and advance seat selection.
United Airlines Baggage Fees
Most domestic flights like New York to Miami or Los Angeles to Dallas have a standard fee of $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second.
Supposedly, you can save $5 on each if you pay in advance – but that was not my experience on a recent round-trip when I paid on line in advance.
United Airlines has a baggage fee calculator on its website.
Delta
On domestic Delta flights, the standard fee for your first checked bag is $30 and the fee for the second bag is $40.
Southwest
Southwest offers two free checked bags. Like most airlines, the bag must be under 50 pounds and 62 inches in size. The airline says ski and golf bags may also fly free – and surfboards fly free in Hawaii.
Your third or additional checked bags cost $125 and overweight checked bags are $100.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA), a former Board Member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and a current member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
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