Baggage fees climb
- U.S. carriers are raising checked-baggage fees as jet-fuel and oil costs push operating expenses higher. (apnews.com) - At Newark Liberty, reports found more than a quarter of baggage scales faulty, creating overcharge risks. (thetravel.com) - The coverage also flagged widespread disruption: about 1,762 delayed flights and 46 cancellations across major U.S. hubs. (nomadlawyer.org)
Checked-bag fees are rising again across U.S. airlines, with American, United and Southwest all posting higher prices in April 2026. (aa.com) (united.com) (southwest.com) American updated its fees on April 9, 2026: a first checked bag on many U.S. routes now costs $50 at the airport, or $45 if paid online, and a second bag costs $60, or $55 online. United says tickets bought on or after April 3, 2026 carry a $10 increase for the first and second checked bags in most markets. (aa.com) (united.com) Southwest, which long marketed free checked bags, now lists fees for many fares booked or changed on or after April 9, 2026: $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares. Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members still get two free checked bags. (southwest.com) The fee increases are landing as airlines face a more fragile operating picture, with the Federal Aviation Administration warning on April 20 that wind, low clouds and thunderstorms could delay traffic in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco and Washington. FlightAware listed 590 delays within, into or out of the United States when its airport-status page was crawled this week. (faa.gov) (flightaware.com) At Newark Liberty, baggage pricing has another pressure point: whether the scale is accurate before an airline charges an overweight-bag fee. New Jersey’s Office of Weights and Measures says it inspects commercial scales used in the state, including devices at airports. (njconsumeraffairs.gov) In a December 19, 2023 enforcement update, New Jersey officials said inspectors found inaccuracies in 100 of 366 baggage scales at Newark, and condemned 81 of them, a 22% failure rate. The state said 94 scales were later serviced and returned to compliance, while six remained out of service awaiting parts. (njconsumeraffairs.gov) American tells customers who believe they were charged incorrectly for bag fees to contact the airline or file a refund claim within 45 days. United directs travelers to a bag-fee calculator because charges vary by route, fare and status, and says extra fees also apply for oversized or overweight bags. (aa.com) (united.com) Low-cost carriers already rely heavily on bag charges, but even there the pricing is fluid. Frontier says checked-bag prices vary by travel date and when the bag is purchased, and Spirit says checked bags can be added separately for many fare types rather than included by default. (flyfrontier.com) (spirit.com) For travelers, that means the cost of a suitcase now depends on at least three things before a trip even starts: the fare bought, the moment the bag is added, and the accuracy of the scale at the counter. (aa.com) (southwest.com) (njconsumeraffairs.gov)
