Guide
Airline baggage fees compared: what sets the price
Baggage is where a cheap fare stops being cheap. Airline baggage fees compared side by side rarely line up neatly, because what you pay for a checked bag depends on the fare you bought, the route, your status or credit card and when you pay, and airlines change the numbers often. So this guide does not print a fee table that would be wrong within weeks. It shows what sets the price on each major US airline, links to each official fee page, and explains the US rules that make airlines tell you the fee and refund it when a bag is late.
On this page
The rules that matter more than any fee table
- Your fare decides the allowance. On the same flight, one fare can include a checked bag and another can include nothing beyond a personal item. JetBlue's published fares are a clear example: its BlueFirst and Mint fares include checked bags, while Main fares include a checked bag only on transatlantic and some other international routes.
- Pay in advance where the airline offers it. Several carriers price a bag bought online before the day of travel below the airport price. The size of the gap varies, and on ultra-low-cost carriers it is usually largest.
- Overweight and oversize charges add up fast. Many airlines charge on top of the bag fee once a bag goes over the standard weight or size limit, often 50 lb / 23 kg in economy. A luggage scale is cheap insurance.
- Status, cabin and co-branded cards waive fees. On several carriers the airline's credit card or elite status gives free checked bags for the member and, on some, companions on the same booking. JetBlue, for example, says Mosaic members get up to two checked bags, and its co-branded cardmembers and up to three companions get one.
What sets the price on the major US carriers
| Airline | What changes what you pay | Official fee page |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest | Began charging for checked bags on tickets booked from 28 May 2025, ending its long-standing free-bag policy. Higher fare bundles, top-tier status and the co-branded card can still include bags. | southwest.com |
| Delta | Fare and cabin, Medallion status and the SkyMiles credit card. | delta.com |
| American | Fare and cabin, route, AAdvantage status and card, and whether you pay online or at the airport. | aa.com |
| United | Fare and cabin, MileagePlus status and card, and whether you prepay ahead of departure. | united.com |
| Alaska | Fare and cabin, status and the co-branded card. | alaskaair.com |
| JetBlue | Fare (Main Base, Main, EvenMore, BlueFirst or Mint), route, Mosaic status and card. New fare names apply to bookings made from 30 July 2026. | jetblue.com |
| Frontier | Bundles and when you buy: bags bought at booking are priced differently from bags bought later or at the gate. The personal item size limit is enforced. | flyfrontier.com |
| Hawaiian | Route: inter-island pricing differs from flights to and from the mainland. | hawaiianairlines.com |
Our airline pages cover each carrier in more detail. Trailisse is an independent travel agency and is not affiliated with any airline.
What US rules require airlines to tell you
The Department of Transportation's baggage fee disclosure rule, 14 CFR 399.85, sets out where bag fees must be shown:
- On your e-ticket confirmation. For travel within, to or from the United States, the purchase summary page and the confirmation email must state your free baggage allowance and the fee for a carry-on bag and for the first and second checked bag.
- On the first fare quote. Airlines and ticket agents selling online must say, on the first screen with a fare for your itinerary, that bag fees may apply and where to find them.
- When fees go up. An airline must prominently disclose any increase in its carry-on or first and second checked bag fees, or any change in the allowance, on its website homepage.
- On codeshares. The airline that sold you a flight operated by a partner must tell you about any differences in the operating airline's optional fees.
In practice, this means the confirmation email is the document to keep. If the airport asks for more than it says, ask why before you pay.
Carry-on: the rule people get wrong
On most standard economy fares from the major US carriers, a carry-on and a personal item are included. The exceptions matter:
- Basic fares can restrict you to a personal item. The rule is not the same across airlines, and it can vary by route. JetBlue's Main Base fare, for example, includes a carry-on bag. See Basic Economy vs Main Cabin.
- Ultra-low-cost carriers charge for the overhead bin. On Frontier and similar carriers the carry-on is a paid extra, and the price depends on when you buy it.
- Personal item dimensions are enforced. JetBlue, for example, publishes a personal item limit of 17 x 13 x 8 inches and a carry-on limit of 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Measure your bag rather than trusting the label.
- Pets and food count too. A pet carrier usually takes the place of a bag (see flying with a pet in cabin), and a cooler is a bag like any other (see food through TSA).
Things that do not count against your allowance
- Mobility aids and assistive devices. Under 14 CFR 382.121, airlines must not count assistive devices such as wheelchairs, canes, walkers, prescription medication and the devices needed to give it, or a CPAP or portable oxygen concentrator, towards a carry-on limit, and 14 CFR 382.31 bars charges for services the rule requires. See special assistance.
- A stroller and car seat for a travelling child, which most US airlines carry without charge, though the rules differ. See flying with a lap infant.
Getting a bag fee back
Under 14 CFR Part 260, an airline must refund the checked bag fee for a lost bag or a significantly delayed one. A bag is significantly delayed if it is not delivered within 12 hours of the last flight's arrival on a domestic itinerary, within 15 hours on an international itinerary whose nonstop segment to or from the US is 12 hours or less, or within 30 hours when that segment is longer. The refund depends on filing a Mishandled Baggage Report with the airline that operated the last flight, so report it before you leave the airport. See lost luggage compensation and refund rights.
Fees you paid for a trip you do not take are a separate question that depends on the airline. JetBlue, for example, says checked bag fees are refunded to the original payment if the booking is cancelled before departure, but not if you fly and simply do not check the bag.
Common questions
Which US airline has the cheapest checked bags?
There is no single answer, because the fee depends on your fare, route, status, card and when you pay, and airlines change it often. Compare the total for your own trip using each airline's fee page, and check what your fare already includes.
Is it cheaper to pay for a bag online?
On several carriers, yes: a bag bought online before the day of travel is priced below the airport price. Check the airline's fee page for its deadline.
Does Southwest still include two free bags?
Not on every ticket. Southwest started charging for checked bags on tickets booked from 28 May 2025. Some fare bundles, status levels and the co-branded credit card still include bags, so check southwest.com for your fare.
Where can I see the bag fee for a ticket I already bought?
On your e-ticket confirmation. Under 14 CFR 399.85 the confirmation page and email must show your free baggage allowance and the fees for a carry-on and the first and second checked bag.
Can I get a bag fee refunded if my bag arrives late?
Yes. US rules require a refund of the fee if a checked bag is lost or significantly delayed: more than 12 hours on a domestic itinerary, and 15 or 30 hours on international ones depending on flight length. File a Mishandled Baggage Report first.
Does a wheelchair count as a bag?
No. Under 14 CFR Part 382, wheelchairs and other assistive devices do not count towards a carry-on limit, and airlines may not charge for services the rule requires.