Checked‑bag fees jump

A spring-break traveler who checks one bag on Delta now pays $45 each way on many domestic trips, up from $35, after Delta’s new fees started on Wednesday, April 8. Southwest’s new bag charges took effect on Thursday, April 9, ending the “two free checked bags” rule that had defined the airline for decades. (delta.com) (southwest.com) (nbcconnecticut.com) On Southwest, the first checked bag now costs $35 and the second costs $45 on Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares, while Choice Extra still includes two free checked bags. The airline also says those prices are listed for one-way travel, so a round trip with two checked bags can add $160 before any oversized or overweight charges. (southwest.com) Delta’s baggage page now lists $35 for a first standard checked bag for many domestic travelers, but NBC Connecticut reported Delta raised first and second checked-bag fees to $45 on domestic and some short-haul international routes, with the change beginning April 8. Delta also raised the fee for a third checked bag to $200 from $150, according to that report. (delta.com) (nbcconnecticut.com) The timing is what stings. The fee changes landed in the same week millions of travelers are moving for spring break, so the extra cost shows up after people have already budgeted for airfare, hotels, and rental cars. (nbcconnecticut.com) Southwest’s shift is the bigger cultural break. For more than 50 years, Southwest used free checked bags as a simple sales pitch while larger rivals built a la carte pricing around add-on fees. (nbcconnecticut.com) (southwest.com) Now Southwest is moving closer to the rest of the industry. The airline already rolled out new fare types, and its customer-updates page says assigned seating became bookable for travel starting January 27, 2026, which fits the same strategy of charging differently for different kinds of trips. (southwest.com 1) (southwest.com 2) Delta’s move fits that same pattern. Its baggage pages still carve out exceptions for frequent flyers, co-branded credit card holders, active-duty military travelers, and some premium-cabin tickets, which means the highest bag costs fall most directly on occasional travelers paying standard economy-style fares. (delta.com 1) (delta.com 2) The airlines are not making these changes in isolation. NBC Connecticut says American Airlines, United Airlines, and JetBlue had already raised similar fees, so Delta and Southwest are joining a market where checked bags are increasingly treated like a separate product instead of part of the ticket. (nbcconnecticut.com) For travelers booking this week, the practical question is no longer “Does this ticket include a seat?” but “What fare did I buy, and what does one suitcase cost on each leg?” On Southwest, that answer now depends on whether you bought Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, or Choice Extra, and on Delta it depends on route, fare, and status exceptions. (southwest.com) (delta.com)