• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation

Why Airlines Like Jet Blue, United, and Delta Are Suddenly Hiking Their Baggage Fees

By
Grace Dobush
Grace Dobush
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Grace Dobush
Grace Dobush
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 20, 2018, 5:31 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

You should pad your budget for your next vacation: Your air travel is likely to be a bit more expensive.

Delta (DAL) said yesterday it has raised its baggage fees on domestic flights from $25 to $30 for the first bag and from $35 to $40 for the second. It’s following in the footsteps of JetBlue (JBLU), United Airlines (UAL), Air Canada and West Jet, which all raised their baggage fees by $5 in the past month.

American Airlines (AAL) has not yet announced any such baggage fee increases, but industry observers expect it’s just a matter of time. Southwest Airlines (LUV) remains the only major U.S. carrier with no fees for the first two bags.

Baggage fees are a lucrative business for airlines. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports domestic airlines collected $2.4 billion in baggage fees in the first half of 2018, up about 7% from the same period last year. They collected a total of $4.6 billion in bag fees in 2017.

And passengers have also adapted to fees for seat selection, snacks, premium drinks, blankets, and Wi-Fi. The U.S. airline industry collected a total of $57 billion in add-on fees in 2017, leading CNBC to ask: Is there anything left to charge for? The “third rail” might be charging for a carry-on.

Airlines around the world are testing fee increases to help cope with rising fuel prices — up 30% as compared to the first half of last year, as the industry has had its third year of declining profits. American Airlines was the first U.S. airline to implement checked baggage fees in 2008 at the height of the recession. It at first invoked outrage from passengers, but quickly became standard across the industry.

Congress is considering asking the Department of Transportation to assess whether airline baggage and ticket change fees are “reasonable and proportional,” Reuters reports. The department spoke out in May opposing provisions in a Senate Commerce Committee bill that would prohibit unreasonable airline fees, saying it would be a return to the era before airline deregulation in 1978. Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration.

About the Author
By Grace Dobush
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 15, 2026 in Beijing, China. (Photo: Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
China mulls limiting foreign access to advanced AI models
By Andrew NuscaJuly 8, 2026
1 hour ago
Photo: President Trump.
NewslettersMarkets
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
By Jim EdwardsJuly 8, 2026
1 hour ago
Top CD rates today, July 8, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.40%
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates today, July 8, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.40%
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 8, 2026
1 hour ago
The top high-yield savings rates: Up to 4.50% on July 8, 2026
Personal FinanceSavings accounts
The top high-yield savings rates: Up to 4.50% on July 8, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 8, 2026
1 hour ago
t
CommentaryEducation
AI is about to disrupt millions of jobs. A century ago, America’s answer was to build a new high school
By Tim KnowlesJuly 8, 2026
2 hours ago
Unilever’s big World Cup bet is all about building ‘desire at scale’
NewslettersCEO Daily
Unilever’s big World Cup bet is all about building ‘desire at scale’
By Diane BradyJuly 8, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
2 days ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
3 days ago
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
Asia
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
By Nicholas GordonJuly 7, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 7, 2026
22 hours ago
Despite ending his tennis career with a $220 million net worth, Rafael Nadal says he won’t retire because he hates waking up to no plans
Success
Despite ending his tennis career with a $220 million net worth, Rafael Nadal says he won’t retire because he hates waking up to no plans
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 7, 2026
1 day ago
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.