United Airlines announced on Friday that it will be increasing its fees for checking bags, following a similar move by American Airlines earlier in the week. Effective immediately for tickets booked on Saturday, economy-class passengers on domestic flights will be charged an additional $5 for checking a bag. This will bring the total fee to $35 if paid online at least 24 hours before the flight, and $40 if paid after that time period. Additionally, the fee for a second checked bag will also increase by $5, reaching $45 when paid in advance online and $50 at the airport. However, passengers in premium cabins, holders of United-branded credit cards, and customers with elite status in the airline’s frequent-flyer program will still have the privilege of checking a bag for free.
This decision by United Airlines comes shortly after American Airlines raised its fees for checked bags as well. American Airlines increased the fee for a first checked bag from $30 to $35 if paid in advance, and to $40 if paid at the airport. They also raised the fee for a second bag from $40 to $45. Furthermore, American Airlines implemented higher bag fees for short international flights. It is worth noting that Alaska Airlines and JetBlue also recently raised their bag fees for most economy passengers.
The charging of bag fees has become a reliable source of revenue for airlines since American Airlines introduced the practice back in 2008 during a period of surging jet fuel prices. In 2022, US airlines collectively earned $6.8 billion in checked-bag fees, with American Airlines leading at $1.4 billion and United at $1.1 billion.
Overall, the decision by United Airlines to raise its bag fees aligns with recent moves made by other major airlines, indicating that this trend is becoming industry-wide. Passengers will now have to take these increased fees into account when budgeting for their flights and consider alternatives such as packing lighter or utilizing carry-on luggage.
