American Airlines Increases Checked Baggage Fees: What You Need to Know

2024-02-21 06:00:00
American Airlines announced an increase in checked baggage fees for domestic flights. (Shutterstock)

Flying with a checked bag just became more expensive on American Airlines. The airline announced this Tuesday, February 20, that the cost of checking a suitcase for domestic flights, which used to be $30, will increase to $35 if purchased online or $40 at the airport. For a second suitcase, the fee is $45, up from $40 previously, regardless of how it is purchased.

The new prices apply to flights booked starting Tuesday in the main cabin; suitcases in premium cabins remain free. It is the first time American has raised the prices of its checked bags since 2018. It follows Alaska Airlines, which increased the cost of the first checked bag from $30 to $35 in January.

Scott Keyes, founder of cheap flight alert service Going, said he was not surprised by the move. “Airlines tend to move in packs,” so when one airline does something like increase the price of its bags, many others see it as a sign that it’s time for us to do it too, he explains. “When it comes to fees, it’s not often you see airlines competing and lowering prices.”

The cost for the first checked bag is now $35 if payment is made online, and $40 if payment is made at the airport. (Illustrative Image Infobae)

JetBlue and United raised their fares to $35 for bags not paid for more than 24 hours in advance in early 2020, but kept the price at $30 for those who paid in advance. JetBlue now charges $45 for the first bag and $60 for the second within 24 hours of departure; For those who pay more than a day in advance, the first suitcase costs $35 and the second, $50.

Delta charges $30 for the first checked bag. Southwest remains aloof and allows you to check two bags for free. There’s good news for those traveling with excess luggage on American: Lightly overweight suitcases will cost less. Instead of costing $100, a suitcase weighing between 25 and 26.5 kilograms will only cost $30 more.

American’s increase in the price of checked bags comes amid widespread scrutiny of so-called “junk fees” charged by airlines, credit card companies, ticket sellers and others, and a push for the Biden administration in favor of greater transparency.

This fare adjustment is the first that American has made since 2018 and follows the trend started by other airlines such as Alaska Airlines, which had previously increased the cost of the first checked bag from $30 to $35. (REUTERS/Tingshu Wang)

Before, travelers flew without paying anything extra for checking a suitcase. Airlines first introduced baggage fees in 2008, when fuel prices skyrocketed; Last year, they earned $33.3 billion for this concept, according to an estimate published this Tuesday.

Jay Sorensen, president of consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany, which issued the estimate along with car rental technology company CarTrawler, said he didn’t think more airlines would follow American’s lead. Sorensen interpreted the move as a way to get more people to sign up for the airline’s credit card; Most cardholders get a free checked bag on domestic flights.

Their report notes that baggage fees often encourage more passengers to carry carry-on luggage, which “has become an operational challenge and customer pain point.”

JetBlue and United also changed their pricing policies for checked baggage at the beginning of 2020, establishing a fee of $35 under certain conditions. (Illustrative Image Infobae)

Travelers often fight for space in overhead bins or are forced to check a suitcase at the gate, even if there is room on the plane. Airlines are trying to avoid delays while passengers solve the logistical puzzle of fitting their suitcases into sometimes tight spaces.

Keyes says “the most logical thing” would be for airlines to charge high fees for carry-on bags and lower prices for checked bags, a tactic Spirit Airlines has adopted. Although bag prices vary, a midday flight from Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale in early March shows a price of $61 for a checked bag during the booking process, while a carry-on bag would cost $69.

For travelers who don’t necessarily mind carrying their luggage with them — but don’t want to pay a checked bag fee — Keyes suggests taking it with you and waiting to see if the agent asks for volunteers to check your items at the gate. “I’d be hard-pressed to remember the last time I had a flight where there wasn’t a gate agent asking people to check their bags to their final destination,” he says.

(c) 2024 , The Washington Post

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