Checked‑bag fees rise
Alaska Airlines raised its checked‑bag fees starting April 11, joining five major carriers that have boosted baggage charges recently. (rollingout.com) That shift means a low base fare can be undercut quickly by add‑ons, so the headline price may no longer reflect the true cost of a summer flight. (rollingout.com)
Alaska Airlines raised checked-bag fees for North American flights booked on or after April 10, pushing the first bag to $40 and the second to $55. (news.alaskaair.com) Alaska said the increase took effect for travel on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights, and it cited fuel-price volatility and an uncertain global environment. The airline said the first bag rose by $5 and the second by $10 from its previous pricing. (news.alaskaair.com, alaskaair.com) The new pricing puts Alaska closer to a broader industry shift in 2026, after United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines all raised checked-bag fees in recent weeks, according to recent carrier updates compiled by Arizona Republic and USA Today. (azcentral.com, usatoday.com) For travelers, the change widens the gap between the fare shown in a search result and the amount paid at checkout. In April 2024, the United States Department of Transportation finalized a rule requiring airlines and ticket agents to disclose fees for a first checked bag, a second checked bag, a carry-on bag, and ticket changes or cancellations whenever fare and schedule information is shown. (transportation.gov, federalregister.gov) Checked bags have become a large revenue line for airlines. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics said United States airlines collected $7.27 billion in baggage fees in 2024, the highest annual total in the dataset posted by the agency. (bts.gov, bts.gov) Alaska had already raised bag fees once in the past 15 months. Forbes reported that Alaska increased its first and second checked-bag fees to $35 and $45 on January 2, 2025, up from $30 and $40. (forbes.com) Some Alaska customers still avoid the charge through status or card benefits. Alaska said Mileage Plan elite members, some fare classes, and eligible Alaska Airlines credit card holders can receive free checked bags, and the airline said those exemptions remain in place. (news.alaskaair.com, alaskaair.com) The result is that summer airfare comparisons now depend more on the extras than on the base ticket. A $20 or $30 fare difference can disappear once one traveler checks two bags on a round trip. (transportation.gov, bts.gov)
