- ORIGINAL NEWS
Major airlines raised fees for checked bags. Here are 7 ways to cut costs
- SUMMARY
Several major airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines, have raised their fees for checked baggage this year.
These fees generally range from $35 to $45 for a first checked bag.
To avoid or reduce these fees, travelers can: * Consider airlines that still offer free checked bags, such as Southwest Airlines.
* Combine luggage with travel partners to potentially cut fees in half.
* Utilize space within car seat carriers for small children.
* Pack light and carry only a personal item or carry-on bag if permitted.
* Declare additional bags early during online booking, as it’s often cheaper than waiting to do it at the airport.
* Purchase luggage scales to avoid unexpected fees from exceeding weight limits.
* Consider using credit cards or joining loyalty programs that offer free checked baggage perks.
- NEWS SENTIMENT CHECK
- Overall sentiment:
negative
Positive
“There are a few airlines that still don’t charge for a checked bag.”
“The carrier allows two free checked bags.”
“These carriers may have certain restrictions, including for luggage size and weight.”
Negative
“Travelers who checked a bag on each leg of a round-trip itinerary could add an extra $60 to $70 to the total cost of their basic fare.”
“Passengers paid about $6.8 billion in total baggage fees in 2022, the last full year for which data is available, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.”
“That’s up 17% from roughly $5.8 billion in 2019, even though fewer passengers flew on U.S. carriers in 2022”