Baggage fees jump
Major U.S. carriers have raised checked‑bag prices, with American Airlines and Southwest specifically hiking fees at Phoenix Sky Harbor. (eu.azcentral.com) Reporting also says Southwest and Delta raised fees by $10 and Alaska increased checked‑bag charges, signaling broader fare‑and‑fee pressure driven by rising fuel costs. (news.ssbcrack.com)
Checked bags got more expensive this week as American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines raised domestic baggage fees, adding to higher travel costs before the summer rush. (aa.com; southwest.com; alaskaair.com) American said tickets booked on or after April 9, 2026 now cost $50 for a first checked bag on domestic trips, or $45 if paid online, up from $40, and $60 for a second bag, or $55 online, up from $50. The airline said the changes apply within and between the United States, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. (aa.com; aa.com) Southwest ended its long-standing two-free-bags standard for many customers on bookings made on or after April 9, 2026. Its fee chart now shows Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares paying $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second, while Choice Extra fares still include two free checked bags. (southwest.com; southwest.com) Alaska said on April 9 that it was raising checked-bag charges by $5 for a first bag and $10 for a second bag on North American Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights booked on or after April 10, 2026. The carrier said “ongoing volatility in fuel prices and an uncertain global environment” drove the increase. (alaskaair.com) Delta Air Lines’ baggage page now lists $35 for a first standard checked bag on domestic flights for Delta Main and Delta Comfort customers without card or status exemptions. Delta also keeps a page for “previous checked baggage fees,” showing the airline ties charges to the ticket purchase date. (delta.com; delta.com) The fee changes hit Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where American and Southwest are major carriers and passenger traffic is already at record levels. Sky Harbor said 52,325,266 passengers traveled through the airport in 2024, up 7.5 percent from 2023 and the first time the airport topped 50 million in a year. (skyharbor.com; skyharbor.com) American paired its bag-fee increase with new restrictions on its lowest fare. The airline said Basic Economy customers who buy tickets on or after April 9 will not earn AAdvantage miles or Loyalty Points unless they hold qualifying status or use a qualifying co-branded credit card. (aa.com) Southwest’s new fare structure also narrows who still gets bag perks. Its published rules say Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members keep a first checked bag free for themselves and up to eight passengers on the same reservation, while A-List members and Rapid Rewards credit cardholders get only the first checked bag free. (southwest.com; southwest.com) For travelers, the practical change is simple: the price on the ticket matters less than the final price after bags. On many domestic trips booked after April 9, checking one suitcase now adds $45 to $50 each way, and a second bag can push that add-on to $55 or $60. (aa.com; southwest.com)
