Airline baggage fees, compared

What every major airline charges to check a bag

These are domestic, main-cabin prices for one bag each way, paid online ahead of time. Read the notes under the table — airport and gate prices run higher.

• Prices are the online, pay-ahead main-cabin rate each way. Paying at the airport costs about $5 more per bag, and American lists $50 first / $60 second at the airport.
• *United Basic Economy includes only a personal item — a carry-on must be checked, and bringing one to the gate costs about $75.
• †JetBlue adds a peak-season surcharge (about $49 first / $69 second) on busy summer and holiday dates.
• ‡Frontier prices its carry-on and checked bags by route, date, and how early you buy — often around $30 to $99 each, lowest at booking and highest at the airport.

What changed in 2026

This was the year checked-bag prices reset across the board. If you haven't flown in a while, three shifts matter most:

• Southwest now charges for bags. The airline that built its brand on "Bags Fly Free" started charging in 2025 and raised the price in 2026 to about $45 first / $55 second. Its own credit-card holders and top elites still get a free bag.
• The legacy airlines moved in step. American, United, and Alaska all nudged their fees up in 2026, so most main-cabin first bags now land at about $45 and second bags at $55 — the prices have quietly converged.
• Spirit stopped flying. Spirit Airlines wound down its operations in 2026, so its old à-la-carte carry-on fee is no longer part of the picture. Among the big names, Frontier is now the lone budget airline charging for a carry-on.

Carry-on vs checked: which bags are free

The good news under all the fee changes: you can still fly the major airlines with two free bags if you pack light.

• Your personal item is always free. A bag that fits under the seat — a backpack, purse, or laptop bag — costs nothing on every airline here, Frontier included.
• A carry-on is free on the big six. American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska all include one full-size carry-on at no charge, even on basic fares.
• Checked bags are where the fees live. That first $45 is the one most travelers pay — and the easiest one to skip by going carry-on only.

The two carry-on traps to watch

"Free carry-on" has two exceptions that catch people at the gate, where the bag fee is highest.

United Basic Economy

On United's domestic Basic Economy fares, your ticket covers a personal item only — no full-size carry-on. If you show up with a roller bag, you check it, and doing that at the gate runs about $75. Some international routes and United elite members are exempt, but on a domestic Basic Economy ticket, plan to travel with just a personal item or pay up.

Frontier's paid carry-on

Frontier charges for a carry-on on every fare, and it's often priced higher than a checked bag. The price moves with your route and how early you pay, so it's lowest when you add it at booking and highest at the airport. A Frontier bundle fare can be the better deal once you add a bag — do the math before you book the base fare.

How to avoid baggage fees

A checked-bag fee is one of the most avoidable costs in travel. These four moves cover almost everyone:

• Go carry-on only. One carry-on plus a personal item is free on every major airline but Frontier — the simplest way to pay nothing.
• Use the airline's credit card. An airline's own card usually waives the first checked bag for you and a few companions, which can cover its fee in two trips.
• Earn elite status. Mid- and top-tier frequent-flyer status includes free checked bags, and so does flying in a premium cabin.
• Pay online, not at the airport. Adding a bag ahead of time saves about $5 to $10 versus the airport counter, and far more than paying at the gate.

One more trap to read closely: a Basic Economy fare can look like the lowest price and then cost more once you add the bag it doesn't include. Compare the all-in price, bag and all, before you pick the lowest-priced fare.

Pack light, then time your trip

Going carry-on only does more than save the fee — it gets you to the gate faster, with nothing to check and nothing to wait for at the other end. Make sure what's in the bag will clear the checkpoint: see what you can bring through security and the 3-1-1 liquids rule. Then, once you know what you're carrying, check today's live security wait so you leave on time — start with live security wait at Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX) wait times, or Chicago O'Hare (ORD) right now.

How much do airlines charge for a checked bag in 2026?

Most major U.S. airlines now charge about $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second on domestic main-cabin fares, when you pay online ahead of time. American, Delta, United, Southwest, and Alaska all sit near that price. Prices at the airport or the gate run higher, and budget airline Frontier prices bags by route and date instead of a flat fee.

Does Southwest still let bags fly free?

No. Southwest ended its longtime free-checked-bags policy and began charging in 2025, then raised the price in 2026 to about $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second. The exceptions are its top elite members and the holders of its own credit card, who still get a free bag. A carry-on and a personal item remain free for everyone.

Which airlines include a free carry-on bag?

American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska all let you bring one full-size carry-on and one personal item for free — even on their basic fares. The two catches: United's domestic Basic Economy gives you only a personal item, not a carry-on, and Frontier charges for a carry-on bag on every fare.

How do you avoid checked bag fees?

Travel with just a carry-on and a personal item, which are free on every major airline except Frontier. If you must check a bag, an airline's own credit card often waives the first checked bag for you and a few companions, top-tier elite status includes free bags, and paying online ahead of time saves about $5 to $10 over the airport price.