Delta Air Lines Joins Others in Raising Bag Fees
by Daniel McCarthy
Delta's bag fees now match United and JetBlue. Photo: Delta.
Delta Air Lines became the third major U.S. airline, and the second U.S. legacy carrier, to raise bag fees when it quietly updated its baggage fee page on its website this week.
Delta will immediately begin charging $30 for the first checked bag (up from $25) and $40 for the second (up from $35). The increases are the same ones made by United Airlines and JetBlue last month and are similar to ones made by Canadian carriers Air Canada and WestJet.
The increase comes as no surprise to most of the industry — after United matched JetBlue’s increase, many speculated that the rest of the industry would follow. Delta did not return Travel Market Report’s request for comment on the future of its bag fees after the initial increases earlier this month.
Delta will still offer free bags to some of its Delta SkyMiles Credit cardholders and to its Premium Select and Delta One passengers.
Now, travelers wait on news from other legacy carriers — Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines — to see if the change will be made industrywide.
While an American spokesperson told Travel Market Report earlier this month when asked about its future bag fees that the carrier was “unable to comment on questions regarding future pricing,” that airline, along with Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, all still charge $25 for the first bag, for the moment.

