Checked-bag prices rise
Several U.S. carriers are raising checked-bag fees this week, so factor baggage costs into any upcoming trips. Reporting shows Delta and Southwest are moving the first checked-bag fee to $45 starting this week, while Southwest said the second checked bag will now cost $55 — an about-face less than a year after ending its 'bags fly free' stance ( ).
A suitcase that cost $35 to check on some U.S. flights last week can cost $45 this week, and Southwest Airlines is now charging for a second checked bag at a level that used to be part of its old free-bags identity. Delta Air Lines and Southwest both moved their first checked-bag fee to $45 in changes rolling out this week. (delta.com, swamedia.com) Southwest said the increase took effect on reservations ticketed or voluntarily changed on or after April 9, 2026, and it raised both the first and second checked-bag fees by $10. That puts the first bag at $45 and the second at $55 for many fares that no longer include free checked bags. (swamedia.com, apnews.com) Delta’s baggage page still shows the old domestic fee structure for many standard economy travelers at $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for a second, which is why the change stands out: the reporting this week says Delta is moving the first bag to $45. In practice, that means Delta is matching the new Southwest first-bag price instead of undercutting it. (delta.com, foxbusiness.com) This is not just one airline sneaking in a fee. Reuters and other outlets reported that Delta and Southwest are joining United Airlines and JetBlue Airways, which had already raised checked-bag prices, so the industry is moving in a pack instead of one carrier taking the heat alone. (msn.com, foxbusiness.com) Southwest’s move is the sharpest turn because the airline spent decades selling itself on “bags fly free,” then ended that stance less than a year ago for many customers. Its current fee chart now says only Choice Extra fares and Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members still get two free checked bags, while Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares pay bag fees. (apnews.com, southwest.com) The reason airlines are giving is fuel. Reuters and Fox Business both tied the latest fee increases to surging jet-fuel costs linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East, which gives carriers a fast way to pull in extra revenue without rewriting every advertised base fare. (msn.com, foxbusiness.com) The fine print matters more than the headline price. Southwest said existing bookings are not hit by the new fee unless the traveler voluntarily changes the reservation, which turns a date change or flight swap into a possible baggage-price reset. (swamedia.com, dallasnews.com) The other fine print is who still escapes the charge. Delta says the first checked bag is waived for many Medallion status members and some co-branded credit card holders, and Southwest keeps free checked bags for A-List Preferred members and Choice Extra customers, so two people on the same flight can now face very different prices for the same suitcase. (delta.com, southwest.com) For a family of four checking one bag each on a round trip, a $10 increase per checked bag adds $80 to the trip. That is why the cheapest fare on the first search screen can stop being the cheapest fare by the time the bags are tagged at the airport. (swamedia.com, foxbusiness.com)
