A traveler’s guide to airline checked baggage fees

When Southwest Airlines announced on March 11 that only select customers would qualify for free checked bags, it sent a shockwave through the industry. Southwest built its brand on free

checked bags. “Southwest is doing a 180-degree shift from its long history of free bags and will start doing what almost every U.S. airline does: charging customers for checked bags,

effective May 28,” says Sean Cudahy, senior aviation reporter at The Points Guy. The airline’s “A-List Preferred flyers and Business Select passengers will retain the precious perk of two

free checked bags,” says Sally French, NerdWallet’s travel expert. “A-List members and Rapid Rewards credit cardholders will get one freebie. Everyone else? You’ll be paying up – though

Southwest hasn’t said yet exactly how much.” Excluding the fourth quarter, 13 airlines collected $5.5 billion in baggage fees in 2024, according to the Department of Transportation’s Bureau

of Transportation Statistics. And the airlines reported a “mishandled baggage rate of 0.55 percent” in 2024, down from 0.58 percent in 2023, according to the DOT. In the 2025 AARP Travel

Trends report, 46 percent of travelers 50-plus said they plan to travel domestically by plane, and 66 percent plan to travel internationally by plane. Therefore, it’s important to know how

much it costs to check a bag before you book your flight. For many airlines, if you have elite status or above, book a business- or first-class or other higher fare, or carry the airline’s

credit card, you’ll still get free checked baggage. But for those travelers without those perks, “be sure to include those ‘ancillary’ costs into the budget for your trip,” Cudahy says.

“Add-on fees are a huge part of airlines’ bottom lines today – and not just for bags.” Video: 4 Tips to Pack a Carry-on Bag Here’s what you need to know about the checked bag fees. Note:

Prices are subject to change and can depend on route and fare class. Allegiant Air, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and other carriers provide a baggage fee calculator to assist with

determining the cost. ALASKA AIRLINES Whether you must pay for a checked bag is determined by member status, fare class and being a credit card holder. Fees can be paid during check-in

online, at airport ticket counters or at a bag tag station. * $35 for the first checked bag. * $45 for the second checked bag. ALLEGIANT AIR The budget airline’s pricing is based on when a

checked bag fee is purchased. Depending on the route and date, the price for purchasing a checked bag upon booking will change and be cheaper than if you added the checked bag at the

airport. * $70 for the pre-departure baggage fee. * $75 if you’re paying for a checked bag at the airport. AMERICAN AIRLINES American’s checked bag fees depend on the region you’re traveling

in, whether it’s within the U.S. and its territories or to and from Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Guyana and Mexico. * $40 for the first checked bag ($35 if purchased online) when

traveling within the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. * $45 for the second checked bag when traveling within the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.