In late August JetBlue raised many of their fees, including checked bag fees. Among other changes, they raised the cost of a first checked bag on a domestic itinerary from $25 to $30.
It’s interesting to see JetBlue be the first US airline to raise the cost of a checked bag from the standard $25, given that they’re otherwise not the most aggressive airline with fees. However, since they don’t have basic economy, I guess they figured they’d rather start by increasing fees in this way. Their stock isn’t doing well, so I imagine we’ll see a lot more fees from them in the coming months and years.
While the “big three” (American, Delta, and United) don’t typically follow JetBlue’s lead, I expected that they’d do so in this case. After all, when they’re not leading the race to the bottom, they’re following the race to the bottom.
Just a few days later United announced that they’d be following JetBlue’s lead, and would be raising the cost of checked bags for tickets booked as of August 31, 2018.
I figured it was only a matter of time before Delta and American followed, and it looks like the next airline has now taken the plunge.
Delta has now raised the cost of the first checked bag to $30, and the cost of the second checked bag to $40, which is up from $25 and $35, respectively. This information can be found on Delta’s baggage & travel fees page.
Interestingly this isn’t accompanied by any sort of announcement, and the website doesn’t even make reference to this being a change. I suspect this new pricing only applies for tickets issued as of today (September 19, 2018), so previously booked tickets shouldn’t be subjected to this.
I imagine at this point it’s going to be days (at most) until American matches…
@Robert Schrader
So what other options do we have??? We still need to feed our mouth. Shit is still better than nothing. Shit also taste a bit better when you eat shit a lot (have a shit status). Like you, I'm amazed how many people talk trash about never flying xxx ever again and to see them still flying xxx (this holds true from American to Spirit). Consumers have little choice. I doubt anyone would...
@Robert Schrader
So what other options do we have??? We still need to feed our mouth. Shit is still better than nothing. Shit also taste a bit better when you eat shit a lot (have a shit status). Like you, I'm amazed how many people talk trash about never flying xxx ever again and to see them still flying xxx (this holds true from American to Spirit). Consumers have little choice. I doubt anyone would hate an airline so much that they would rather drive from JFK to LAX, when you could pay 10 times less and arrive in 7 hours rather than 7 days.
I'm amazed how many people who still stan for the Big 3 US airlines, as they continue shitting into all our mouths.
I imagine despite the increase you'll still be throwing my bags?
I just booked a Delta flight this morning at 9:08AM and the receipt in my email confirmation says first bag is $25 and second is $35. I guess I just squeaked by with old rates lol.
Delta quietly begins charging for seatbelts ...
Delta installs coin entries to lavatories ...
Delta charges for use of lights and fresh air vents ....
AND you get to fly thru ATL.
@Endre
As if the airlines ever needed a reason to hike fees, especially those fees they themselves invented a decade ago to squeeze more coin out of their unwary public.
Now, the question is when United will allow regular carry-ons in Basic Economy...
@Mark F.:
The whole point of buying a checked bag is to be able to bring more bags with you than your carry-on allowance would allow, or to bring oversized baggage.
If you only have one cabin-size roller bag to bring along with you, I'm sure the majority of us would prefer to bring it on-board as a carry-on rather than check it in, even if it was offered for free at the check-in counter (not even talking about gate-checks). That's a total non-issue.
Scr*w you, Delta. You could have taken the high road on this.
I wonder who will do it next, American or Alaska...
About time. The shareholder need to make money.
Flyers are cattle. You are there to feed us.
I understund they blame it on the Chinese import tax hikes.
I have yet to be on a Delta flight where they didn't announce that the flight was full and that they were allowing bags at no cost. Unless I had a big bag or stuff that wouldn't go through TSA, there is no way I would pay for checked bags at the counter. Just check it for free at the gate if you want.
WOW, All the Delta fanboys say that everyone follows Delta's lead and now Delta is following United.
As far as bag fees go you get 1 free with an airline credit card (sorry Chase Sapphire Preferred won't give you a free checked bag) so just get an airline credit card for one free checked bag
Or become an airline employee and you get 2 free checked bags.
making the credit benefits worth more, hopefully we won't see a change in card benefits on checked bags!