Here's What Every US Airline Charges Now, and the One Way to Pay $0 on

Key Highlights

1United now charges the most for a first checked bag: $50 at the airport, $45 if you prepay. Delta is $45.
2A family of four pays $280 to $400 just to check one bag each on a single round trip.
3Southwest's free bags are gone. "Bags fly free" ended in May 2025. No major US airline is fee-free anymore.
4Most "never pay" tricks cost money too. Credit cards run $95 to $150 a year. Elite status takes 25,000+ miles.
5The carry-on is the only fix with no catch, if your bag really holds a week. Most don't. We found one that holds 10 days (section 10).

Every few months another airline quietly adds $5 or $10 to its checked bag fee. Each one alone sounds small. Added up over a year of trips, it isn't.

So we did the boring part for you: every fee, every airline, straight from their own baggage pages. Then we checked every popular way to stop paying them, and what each one really costs.

TL;DR

A first checked bag now costs $35 to $50 each way on every major US airline. Cards, status and prepaying lower the fee. Only a carry-on that holds the whole trip takes it to $0 on every airline, every time.

On this page

01Why bag fees keep going up
02Every airline's fees, side by side
03Airline by airline: what you'll actually pay
04The fees nobody mentions
05What couples and families really pay
06Your 5-year bag fee bill
07The costs that aren't on the receipt
08The 6 "never pay" tricks, ranked
09The 4 carry-on rules
10The bag that passed
11What it saves you
12Checklist before you book
13FAQ

Why Bag Fees Keep Going Up

Bag fees aren't a side business for airlines anymore. US carriers collected $7.4 billion in bag fees in 2025, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. For several of them, that's more than their entire profit for the year.

The pattern is always the same. Fuel gets expensive, one airline raises its fee, and the others match within weeks. Then fuel gets cheaper and the fee stays where it is.

There's a second reason airlines love bag fees: they're easy to raise without anyone noticing. A $10 jump in the ticket price shows up on every comparison site. A $10 jump in the bag fee only shows up at the counter, after you've already booked.

That's also why the fare you compare is rarely the fare you pay. Add one checked bag each way, and a $180 round trip quietly becomes $270.

$7.4B

Bag fees collected by US airlines in 2025

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Major US airlines still flying bags free

Airline baggage pages

Fuel prices go down. Bag fees don't. Nobody refunds you the difference.

Every Major Airline's Checked Bag Fees, Side by Side

Domestic economy, per bag, per direction. No status, no credit card perks.

Airline	1st bag	2nd bag	Notes
United	$50 ($45 prepaid) Highest	$60 ($55)
Delta	$45	$55
JetBlue	$39 to $49	$59 to $69	Off-peak vs peak
American	$40 ($35 online)	$50 ($45)
Southwest	$35	$45	Free bags ended 2025
Alaska	$35	$45
Spirit / Frontier	~$45 to $65+	Varies	$99+ at the gate
Carry-on that fits the bin	$0 Every airline	$0	Check basic economy rules

Read the fine print

Some basic economy fares charge for a bag in the overhead bin. Check your fare type before you book. Personal items under the seat are free on every airline.

Airline by Airline: What You'll Actually Pay

The table gives you the headline number. Here's what each one means for a normal round trip with one checked bag, and what it looks like if you don't check one at all.

United Airlines

The most expensive first bag of the big US airlines. $50 at the airport, $45 if you pay online before you fly. A second bag is $60. One round trip, one bag: $90 to $100.

Delta Air Lines

$45 for the first bag, $55 for the second. Delta is also strict on weight: anything between 51 and 70 lbs adds $100 on top. One round trip, one bag: $90.

American Airlines

$40 at the airport, $35 if you pay online. The second bag is $50 ($45 online). One round trip, one bag: $70 to $80.

JetBlue

JetBlue prices bags by season: $39 off-peak and $49 on peak travel days, which are exactly the days most families fly. One round trip, one bag: $78 to $98.

Southwest Airlines

For decades "bags fly free" was the reason people picked Southwest. That ended in May 2025. It's now $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second. One round trip, one bag: $70.

Alaska Airlines

$35 for the first bag and $45 for the second, tied with Southwest for the lowest of the majors. One round trip, one bag: $70.

Spirit and Frontier

The cheap ticket is the bait. Bag prices change with the route and the date, and they're highest at the airport: often $99 or more at the gate. On these airlines even a full-size bag in the overhead bin can cost extra, so read your fare before you pack. One round trip, one bag: $90 to $200.

The one number that's the same everywhere

Fly with a bag that fits under the airline's carry-on limit and the bag line on every one of these airlines reads $0.

The Fees Nobody Mentions

The first-bag fee is the one everyone talks about. It's rarely the only one you pay. These are the charges that turn a $45 bag into a $150 afternoon.

The extra	Typical cost	When it hits
Second checked bag	$45 to $60 each way	Family trips, long trips, winter clothes
Third checked bag	$150 to $200 each way	Weddings, ski trips, moving
Overweight (51 to 70 lbs)	$100+ each way Ouch	The flight home, after shopping
Paying at the gate (Spirit, Frontier)	$99+	When your bag "won't fit" at boarding
Separate tickets with a connection	The fee, twice	Mixing airlines to save on the fare

Notice where most of these happen: at the airport, when you can't compare prices or walk away. The overweight fee is the worst one, because it usually lands on the flight home, after a week of shopping and souvenirs.

Literally don't even use my suitcase anymore and Delta accepts it as a carry on on flights so I save money too.

Claire P., verified Luhxe buyer

One Bag, One Trip, Doesn't Sound Like Much. Here's What It Adds Up To.

Bag fees are charged per bag, per flight. So a round trip doubles them, and every person on the booking multiplies them again.

Solo, 2 trips a year$180$45 × 2 ways × 2 trips

Couple, 2 trips a year$360Two bags, every flight

Family of four, 1 trip$280 to $400One bag each, round trip

And that's before the scale. Delta charges $100 extra for a bag between 51 and 70 lbs. One overpacked suitcase can cost more than the flight.

The way out

Every number above drops to $0 the day your clothes fit in the overhead bin. Before we get to how, here's what it adds up to over a few years.

Your 5-Year Bag Fee Bill

Most people never add this up, because it's spread across a dozen bookings. We did. This uses $45 per bag each way (Delta's first-bag fee, the middle of the market) and one checked bag per person.

Trips a year	Solo	Couple	Family of four
1 trip	$450	$900	$1,800
2 trips	$900	$1,800	$3,600
3 trips	$1,350	$2,700	$5,400
4 trips	$1,800	$3,600	$7,200 A whole vacation

Totals over 5 years, round trips, today's fees. Second bags, overweight fees and future fee increases not included.

A couple who flies twice a year will hand airlines about $1,800 over five years just to move their clothes. That's a week in Europe, or a year of weekend trips, spent on the bag line.

$90

One bag, one round trip, on Delta

Delta baggage page

$1,800

A couple, 2 trips a year, over 5 years

Travel Edit calculation

The Costs That Aren't on the Receipt

The fee is only the part you can see. Checking a bag costs you three other things, and none of them show up on your card statement.

Your time

A checked bag means getting to the airport earlier for the bag drop line, then standing at the carousel when you land while everyone with a carry-on is already in a taxi. Do that on both ends of every trip, and it adds up to hours spent waiting for a suitcase.

The risk of losing it

Airlines worldwide mishandled 33.4 million bags in 2024, and 41% of them went wrong during a connection (SITA). A carry-on can't miss a connection without you.

Your clothes

Checked suitcases get thrown, stacked and squeezed. Your best outfit arrives folded under everything else. Then the hotel charges to press it, or you wear it creased.

33.4M

Bags mishandled worldwide in 2024

SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025

41%

Of those went wrong during a transfer

SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025

The way out

A carry-on fixes all of it at once: no fee, no line, no carousel, no lost bag. So we tested every way people try to stop paying.

The 6 "Never Pay a Bag Fee" Tricks, Ranked by What They Actually Cost

Every one of these gets shared as the secret. Here's the catch each one leaves out.

Get an airline credit card

Only if you're loyal

Free first bag for you and a few companions.

The catch: $95 to $150 a year, only on that one airline, and a new credit account.

Earn elite status

Not realistic

Free bags, upgrades, priority boarding.

The catch: about 25,000+ miles of flying a year. Not for 2 or 3 trips.

Prepay online

Cheaper, not free

Pay for the bag when you book, not at the counter.

The catch: it saves $5 to $10. You still pay.

Book a higher fare

Costs more

Some fare classes include a bag.

The catch: the fare difference is usually bigger than the bag fee.

Ship your luggage ahead

Costs more

A courier delivers your suitcase to the hotel.

The catch: $60 to $150+ per bag each way, and you plan around delivery days.

Go carry-on only

The winner

$0 on every airline, every trip, forever.

The catch: only if the bag really holds the trip. Most carry-on rollers fit 3 to 4 days and crease everything. So we set 4 rules.

The 4 Rules a Carry-On Has to Pass to Replace a Checked Bag

We looked at what actually goes wrong when people try to fly carry-on only. It's almost always one of these four.

It fits the bin on every major airline. 22 × 14 × 9 inches or smaller. Smaller is safer.
It holds the whole trip. 7 to 10 days, shoes included. This is where most carry-ons fail.
Your clothes come out wearable. They should lie flat, not get crushed. Compressed clothes are creased clothes.
It's light and soft. Under 3 lbs, so your allowance goes to clothes. Soft bags squeeze into a full bin; hard cases get gate-checked.

Hard-shell rollers fail rule 4. Backpacks fail rule 2. Compression cubes fail rule 3.

Left: a traveler repacking an overweight suitcase on the check-in floor. Right: a woman walking through the terminal with one soft carry-on. — Same airport, same trip. Left: three suitcases, the scale and the fee. Right: one bag that passes all 4 rules.

The Only Bag We Found That Passes All Four

One bag kept showing up in reader emails and boarding lines: the Luhxe Travel Bag 2.0. It looks like a soft weekender. Then you open it.

At 20 × 9 × 12.5 inches it's smaller than every airline limit in the table above, and Luhxe says it's carry-on approved on 100+ airlines, including United, Delta, American, Southwest, Spirit and Frontier.

Four steps: the bag opened flat, dresses laid flat at full length, shoes and folded clothes in their own compartments, then zipped into a duffel — How it holds the trip: open it flat, lay your dresses in full length, shoes go in their own compartment, zip it into a weekender.

Luhxe Travel Bag 2.0 vs the 4 rules

✓Fits the bin: 20 × 9 × 12.5 in, under every US limit
✓Holds the trip: 38+ items of clothing plus 5 pairs of shoes (Luhxe's figure), about 10 days
✓Clothes come out wearable: dresses lie flat at full length, with a wrinkle-resistant lining
✓Light and soft: 2.2 lbs, water-resistant vegan PU leather
+Its own shoe compartment and makeup pockets. The Roller Edition adds snap-on wheels that come off.

See the bag and today's price →

Buy 2 & save 30% · 100 Day Guarantee

Why It Holds More Than It Looks Like It Should

A normal carry-on roller is a box. You pack into the box, and a lot of the space goes to the handle, the wheels and the air between folded clothes. This bag works differently.

It opens completely flat. You lay each piece down in one layer instead of stacking and sitting on the lid.
Dresses lie flat at full length. Your nicer clothes go in long and flat, not folded three times under everything else.
Shoes get their own compartment, so they don't take over the main space or touch your clothes.
It's soft. At 2.2 lbs empty, almost all the weight you carry is your clothes, not the bag.

Built for Years of Trips, Not One Season

A bag only saves you money if it lasts long enough to fly a lot. The Luhxe is made from water-resistant vegan PU leather that wipes clean, with gold hardware on the zips and straps. It's made to be the bag you reach for on every trip, which is exactly how the savings stack up.

Every trip you take with it is another $70 to $100 that stays in your pocket. The more you fly, the more it pays you back.

When the Bag Pays for Itself

Put the bag next to the fees it replaces.

You fly…	Bag fees	Luhxe
Solo, 1 round trip (Delta)	$90	One bag, bought once
Solo, 2 trips a year	$180	Pays for itself on trip 2
Couple, 1 round trip (United)	$200	Buy 2 & save 30%: paid off on trip 1
Family of four, 1 trip	$280 to $400	Two Buy 2 sets, 30% off each

Every trip after that, the bag line on your booking reads $0.

What you keep over 5 years

Same math as the bill above, flipped around. This is the bag fee money that stays yours once you stop checking a bag.

Solo, 2 trips a year$900kept over 5 years

Couple, 2 trips a year$1,800kept over 5 years

Family of four, 1 trip a year$1,800kept over 5 years

That's why the Buy 2 offer matters. Most people don't travel alone. Two bags at 30% off means two people stop paying the fee, on every trip, starting with the first flight.

10 seconds of real packing: clothes go in flat, the bag zips shut, gold hardware on every strap.

What a Carry-On Won't Fix

Before you change how you travel, the honest part.

Basic economy: on some fares (United, JetBlue), even a bin bag costs extra. Check your fare before you book.
Long winter trips: two weeks with boots and coats won't fit. A week to 10 days of normal clothes will.
Fragile things: it's a soft bag. A breakable souvenir is safer in a hard case.
If it's not for you: Luhxe has a 100 Day Guarantee. "If it's not right, we'll make it right."

4.8/51,346+ reviews

100,000+sold

100+airlines

A customer packs hers for a trip

★★★★★

"I used this garment bag to attend my friend's wedding. I put my dress in this bag, and it can make my clothes wrinkle free, which was something I struggled with before with other bags."

Jennifer H. · ✓ Verified Buyer

★★★★★

"He didn't even bring a suitcase when we went to Europe for 2 weeks and just stuffed everything inside the bag."

Stacy P. · ✓ Verified Buyer

★★★★★

"It fits all my essentials, including shoes for every occasion and outfits for a full week!"

Stephanie Luiz, Miami · ✓ Verified Buyer

Your Checklist Before You Book the Next Flight

Save this. It takes two minutes, and it's the difference between the fare you see and the fare you pay.

Add the bag fees to the fare before you compare airlines. Round trip, every person.
Check your fare type. Basic economy can mean no full-size carry-on on some airlines.
Check the carry-on size limit for your airline. 22 × 14 × 9 inches is the common US size.
Weigh your bag at home if you do check one. Over 50 lbs costs $100+ more.
Avoid separate tickets with a connection, or you may pay the bag fee twice.
Pack one bag that holds the whole trip, and skip the bag line on both ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to check a bag on Delta or United in 2026?

Delta charges $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second. United charges $50 ($45 if you prepay) and $60 for a second. Those are per direction, so double them for a round trip.

Which US airlines still have free checked bags?

None of the major ones. Southwest was the last, and it started charging in May 2025.

What's the cheapest way to never pay a bag fee?

Fly carry-on only, with a bag that holds the whole trip. It's the only method that costs nothing on every airline, with no card and no status.

How much does an overweight bag cost?

On Delta, a bag between 51 and 70 lbs costs $100 on top of the normal bag fee on US and Canada routes. Other airlines charge similar amounts. It's one of the most common surprise fees, especially on the way home.

How much will I really save by not checking a bag?

About $70 to $100 per person on every round trip with the major US airlines, and more on Spirit and Frontier if you'd pay at the gate. A couple flying twice a year keeps around $1,800 over five years.

Can I still bring a personal item?

Yes. On most fares you get one carry-on for the overhead bin plus one personal item under the seat, like a handbag or a small backpack. Check your fare type first.

Will a soft carry-on fit if the bins are full?

A soft bag squeezes into gaps a hard case can't. At 20 × 9 × 12.5 inches, the Luhxe bag is also smaller than the standard 22 × 14 × 9 limit.

Does the Luhxe bag fit on my airline?

Luhxe says it's carry-on approved on 100+ airlines, including Spirit, United, Frontier, American, Delta, Southwest, Alaska, British Airways and Lufthansa. Not sure about yours? Their team will check it at support@luhxe.com.

What if it doesn't work for me?

Every bag comes with Luhxe's 100 Day Guarantee. Pack it for a real trip before you decide.

Key Takeaways

First-bag fees now run $35 to $50 per flight on every major US airline, and $100+ more if the bag is overweight.
The extras add up fastest: second bags, overweight bags and gate fees can turn $45 into $150+.
Over 5 years, a couple flying twice a year pays about $1,800 in first-bag fees alone.
Cards, status and prepaying cut the fee. None of them get it to zero on every airline.
A carry-on that holds 10 days does. It has to fit the bin, hold the trip, keep clothes wearable and stay light.
Buy 2 and save 30%, on every order. For most travelers the bag pays for itself within a trip or two.

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One for you, one for whoever you travel with. Two bags, two fee lines at $0.

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Sources

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics: 2025 airline financial data, baggage fee revenue ($7.4B).
United, Delta, JetBlue, American, Southwest, Alaska, Spirit and Frontier: official checked baggage pages.
Delta Air Lines: excess and overweight baggage, 51 to 70 lbs ($100).
SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025: 33.4 million mishandled bags in 2024, 41% during transfers.
Luhxe Travel Bag 2.0 product page: dimensions, weight, capacity, airline approval, prices, 100 Day Guarantee. luhxe.com
Customer reviews as published on luhxe.com.

This is an advertisement. Luhxe product details and reviews are from luhxe.com. Airline fees are taken from each airline's own website and may change. Prices checked October 2026.