Delta also jacks up bag fees, copying 4 other US airlines

05.03.2024 - 15:48 / thepointsguy.com / Airlines

Airlines in the U.S. are no strangers to a game of follow the leader.

In its latest rendition, Delta Air Lines is raising checked bag fees by $5, matching a similar move made by four other major U.S. airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue and United Airlines.

Beginning March 5, Delta's checked bag fees will increase from $30 to $35 for the first bag and from $40 to $45 for the second checked bag. Note that this new fee structure only applies to tickets purchased on or after March 5.

These increased fees apply to most U.S.-originating domestic and short-haul international routes, and there are no fee increases for checked bags between the U.S. and Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Paraguay and Uruguay.

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This represents the first time that Delta has increased domestic checked bag fees since 2018, and the carrier says that this increase will allow it to better control rising costs.

Just this year alone, five of the largest domestic carriers, including the so-called "Big Three," have raised their checked bag fees.

It started in January when Alaska Airlines implemented its increase, but American and JetBlue quickly copied Alaska just a few weeks later by jacking up their fees.

It wasn't until American — one of the largest U.S. carriers — raised its fees that United decided to match a few days later.

Delta, meanwhile, becomes the last of the big network carriers to hike its fees, but it's not necessarily a surprising move.

For years, the airlines have mimicked policy changes made by their competitors. During the coronavirus pandemic, United was the first carrier to eliminate change fees, a move that was quickly matched by American, Delta and others.

The good news is that Delta isn't eliminating any of its bag fee waivers. That means that Medallion elite members, premium-cabin travelers and those with Delta's cobranded credit cards will continue to enjoy their complimentary bag allowance as before.

As such, Delta's cobranded credit cards just become a little bit more valuable than before, making it a good time to consider applying if you don't have one already.

It's also worth noting that Delta charges just one checked bag fee no matter when you add the bags to your reservation. Most of the other U.S. carriers impose a $5 penalty for those who wait until the check-in window to add bags.

Below you'll find a table comparing the updated checked bag fees for domestic flights on the major U.S. carriers. Note that when two prices are presented, the lower one is charged for buying the bag before the check-in window opens.

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