Delta has become the third major airline over the past two weeks to raise its checked-bag fees.
The price hike, effective Tuesday, is $5 for the first and second checked bags on “most U.S.-originating domestic and short-haul international routes,” the company told Business Insider in a statement.
The new prices — $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second — are reflected on Delta’s website.
Perk holders, including Medallion members, first-class travelers, and Delta-credit-card holders, will continue to receive complimentary checked bags, the statement added. The changes don’t apply to any tickets purchased before Tuesday.
Delta told BI it implemented the increase, first reported by CNBC, to help it keep up with rising industry costs. It marks the airline’s first price hike since 2018 but is part of a wider industry trend.
Late last month, American Airlines raised its checked-bag fees ($35 online and $40 in person for the first bag, and $45 for the second), while overhauling its frequent-flyer program to incentivize customers to book directly through American and its partner airlines.
Less than a week later, United Airlines announced a similar move, raising the price of checked bags by $5 for economy-class passengers on domestic flights. JetBlue and Alaska Airlines announced comparable increases earlier this year.
Baggage fees are a big moneymaker for airlines. They accounted for $33.3 billion in revenue in 2023, IdeaWorks, an airline-revenue consultancy, recently reported — up 15% over 2022.
