XE 1st bag: 🆓 FREEWN 1st bag: 🆓 FREEMX 1st bag: $20XP 1st bag: $209K 1st bag: $25HA 1st bag: $303M 1st bag: $30AA 1st bag: $35DL 1st bag: $35UA 1st bag: $35B6 1st bag: $35AS 1st bag: $35SY 1st bag: $35DL 1st bag: $35UA 1st bag: $40AA 1st bag: $45F9 1st bag: $49G4 1st bag: $50NK 1st bag: $79XE 1st bag: 🆓 FREEWN 1st bag: 🆓 FREEMX 1st bag: $20XP 1st bag: $209K 1st bag: $25HA 1st bag: $303M 1st bag: $30AA 1st bag: $35DL 1st bag: $35UA 1st bag: $35B6 1st bag: $35AS 1st bag: $35SY 1st bag: $35DL 1st bag: $35UA 1st bag: $40AA 1st bag: $45F9 1st bag: $49G4 1st bag: $50NK 1st bag: $79
LIVE — 19 Airlines Tracked

Airline Baggage Fees
Compared. Side by Side.

Stop getting surprised at the gate. Every checked bag fee, carry-on charge, and oversize penalty for every major US airline — one table, updated daily.

Compare AirlinesHow to Avoid Fees
✈️
19
Airlines Tracked
All major US carriers
🆓
2
Airlines with Free Bags
JSX, Southwest
💰
$37
Average 1st Bag Fee
Across fee-charging airlines
🏆
$20
Cheapest Paid Bag
Breeze Airways

2026 Baggage Fee Comparison

Click any column header to sort. All fees in USD. Prices reflect standard economy fares.

JSX
JSXXE
Semi-private carrier. 1 checked bag always free, 2nd bag free on certain fares. Oversized items limited.
#1
Carry-OnFREE
1st BagFREE
2nd Bag$50
Oversize$75
OverweightFREE
No card perk
Book ↗
Southwest Airlines
Southwest AirlinesWN
First 2 checked bags are ALWAYS FREE. Industry-leading bag policy.
#2
Carry-OnFREE
1st BagFREE
2nd BagFREE
Oversize$200
Overweight$125
Always Free ✓
Book ↗
Breeze Airways
Breeze AirwaysMX
BreezePoints members and Nicest fare includes bags. One of the lowest bag fees available.
#3
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$20
2nd Bag$20
Oversize$100
Overweight$50
No card perk
Book ↗
Avelo Airlines
Avelo AirlinesXP
Low-cost carrier with competitive bag fees. Personal item always free.
#4
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$20
2nd Bag$30
Oversize$75
Overweight$50
No card perk
Book ↗
Cape Air
Cape Air9K
Small regional carrier. Weight limit 50 lbs. Aircraft size limits apply. Overweight fee only for 51-70 lbs.
#5
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$25
2nd Bag$25
Oversize—
OverweightFREE
No card perk
Book ↗
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian AirlinesHA
First checked bag fee is lower than most majors. Premier Club members get free bags.
#6
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$30
2nd Bag$40
Oversize$175
Overweight$50
Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard® — 1 free checked bag
Book ↗
Silver Airways
Silver Airways3M
Regional carrier serving Florida, Bahamas, and Caribbean. Personal item free.
#7
Carry-On$30
1st Bag$30
2nd Bag$30
Oversize$75
Overweight$50
No card perk
Book ↗
American Airlines
American AirlinesAA
Free bag for AAdvantage Gold+ and with eligible credit cards.
#8
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$45
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select — 1 free checked bag
Book ↗
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air LinesDL
Free bag for Medallion members and Delta SkyMiles® credit card holders.
#9
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$45
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Amex — 1 free checked bag
Book ↗
United Airlines
United AirlinesUA
Free bag for MileagePlus Premier members and with eligible Chase cards.
#10
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$45
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
United℠ Explorer Card — 1 free checked bag
Book ↗
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue AirwaysB6
Blue Extra and Mint fares include 1 free checked bag.
#11
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$50
Oversize$175
Overweight$150
JetBlue Plus Card — 1 free checked bag
Book ↗
Alaska Airlines
Alaska AirlinesAS
Free bag for MVP members. Credit card holders get 1 free checked bag.
#12
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$45
Oversize$175
Overweight$100
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® — 1 free checked bag
Book ↗
Sun Country Airlines
Sun Country AirlinesSY
Carry-on is charged. Rewards members get discounts.
#13
Carry-On$35
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$35
Oversize$100
Overweight$75
No card perk
Book ↗
Delta (Basic Economy)
Delta (Basic Economy)DL-BE
Basic Economy on Delta still includes carry-on (unlike AA/UA). Bag fees same as Main Cabin.
#14
Carry-OnFREE
1st Bag$35
2nd Bag$45
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Amex — still waives 1 bag on Basic Economy
Book ↗
United (Basic Economy)
United (Basic Economy)UA-BE
Basic Economy: carry-on NOT included (gate-check fee applies). Same checked bag fees as Economy.
#15
Carry-On$45
1st Bag$40
2nd Bag$50
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
United℠ Explorer Card — still waives 1 bag on Basic Economy
Book ↗
American Airlines (Basic Economy)
American Airlines (Basic Economy)AA-BE
Basic Economy: carry-on NOT included. Overhead bin denied at gate.
#16
Carry-On$45
1st Bag$45
2nd Bag$50
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select — still waived on Basic Economy
Book ↗
Frontier Airlines
Frontier AirlinesF9
Carry-on is charged. WORKS Bundles include free bags. Book early for lowest rates.
#17
Carry-On$45
1st Bag$49
2nd Bag$79
Oversize$150
Overweight$75
No card perk
Book ↗
Allegiant Air
Allegiant AirG4
Both carry-on AND checked bags are charged. Personal item only is free.
#18
Carry-On$50
1st Bag$50
2nd Bag$55
Oversize$75
Overweight$75
Allegiant World Mastercard — 1 free checked bag/flight
Book ↗
Spirit Airlines
Spirit AirlinesNK
Carry-on bag is NOT free. Pay at booking to get lowest rate. Airport prices are highest.
#19
Carry-On$79
1st Bag$79
2nd Bag$99
Oversize$200
Overweight$100
No card perk
Book ↗

Showing 19 of 19 airlines

Fees verified Jun 1, 2026. Always confirm on the airline's official site before booking.

View Sources & Methodology
💳 Credit Card Hacks

Cards That Waive Baggage Fees

The right co-branded airline credit card pays for itself in the first round trip. Here are the best cards for avoiding bag fees on major carriers.

🔷Delta Air Lines
Bag Waived ✓

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

1st checked bag free for you + up to 8 companions on same reservation

$35/bag × 2 people = $70 saved per round trip
Annual fee: $0 first year, then $150/yr
Learn More ↗
🔴American Airlines
Bag Waived ✓

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

First checked bag free for you + up to 4 companions

$35/bag = $70 saved per round trip
Annual fee: $0 first year, then $99/yr
Learn More ↗
🔵United Airlines
Bag Waived ✓

United℠ Explorer Card

First checked bag free for you and one companion

$35/bag × 2 = $70 saved per round trip
Annual fee: $0 first year, then $95/yr
Learn More ↗
🟢Alaska Airlines
Bag Waived ✓

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

Free checked bag for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation

$35/bag × 2 = $70+ saved per round trip
Annual fee: $75/yr
Learn More ↗

5 Ways to Avoid Baggage Fees (Without a Credit Card)

🧳
Pack in a personal item only

Most airlines allow a free personal item (under-seat bag). Airlines like Spirit and Frontier charge for overhead carry-ons but never the personal item. A 40L backpack often qualifies.

📅
Pay for bags at booking, not at the gate

Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant charge significantly more at the gate than during online check-in. Always prepay when booking for the lowest rate.

🌟
Earn elite status for free bags

Most airlines waive bag fees for status holders. Even the lowest tier (AA Gold, Delta Silver, United Silver) typically includes 1–2 free checked bags.

🤝
Fly Southwest whenever possible

Southwest's "Bags Fly Free" policy means 2 checked bags are always included. On routes where Southwest competes, this makes them significantly cheaper than the sticker fare suggests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about airline baggage fees in 2026.

Southwest Airlines is the clear winner — their first 2 checked bags are always free for every passenger, on every fare. Among airlines that charge, Breeze Airways ($20) and Avelo Airlines ($20) currently offer the lowest first checked bag fees in the US.

Airline Baggage Fees in 2026: What You Need to Know

Airline baggage fees have become one of the largest sources of ancillary revenue for US carriers, generating over $7 billion annually across the industry. For travelers, understanding the fee structure before booking can mean the difference of $100+ per trip.

The landscape divides sharply into two camps: legacy carriers (American, Delta, United) that charge $35–$45 for the first bag but offer credit card waivers, and ultra-low-cost carriers (Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant) that charge for almost everything but advertise cheaper base fares.

Southwest remains the outlier — its "bags fly free" policy has been a consistent competitive differentiator for decades. When comparing fares, always add bag fees to the ticket price to get the true cost of flying.

Airlines With Free Checked Bags

JSX
Semi-private carrier. 1 checked bag always free, 2nd bag free on certain fares. Oversized items limited.
FREE
Southwest Airlines
First 2 checked bags are ALWAYS FREE. Industry-leading bag policy.
FREE
Lowest paid bag fees
Breeze Airways$20/bag
Avelo Airlines$20/bag
Cape Air$25/bag

How to Use This Comparison Table

Carry-On Fee

Fee for a bag that goes in the overhead bin. Most legacy carriers include this free; ultra-low-cost carriers typically charge $45–$79.

Checked Bag Fees

1st and 2nd checked bags. Bags must be under 50 lbs and 62 linear inches to avoid overweight/oversize surcharges.

Oversize / Overweight

Extra fees for bags exceeding size or weight limits, added on top of the standard checked bag fee. Can add $75–$200 per bag.

Sources & Data Verification

All baggage fee data on this page is sourced directly from each airline's official website. We do not rely on third-party aggregators for pricing data. Each entry is manually verified and we link directly to each airline's official site for your own verification below.

JSX↗Southwest Airlines↗Breeze Airways↗Avelo Airlines↗Cape Air↗Hawaiian Airlines↗Silver Airways↗American Airlines↗Delta Air Lines↗United Airlines↗JetBlue Airways↗Alaska Airlines↗Sun Country Airlines↗Frontier Airlines↗Allegiant Air↗Spirit Airlines↗

Disclaimer: Baggage fees shown are for standard domestic economy fares and may vary by route, fare class, loyalty program status, and booking method. Fees are subject to change without notice. Always verify fees on the airline's official website before purchasing your ticket. Some links on this page contain affiliate tracking codes — we may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our fee data or rankings.