The costs keep rising for passengers booking flights: Delta Air Lines just announced it will be the latest U.S. airline to hike checked bag fees.
Going forward, most Delta flyers will pay $45 instead of $35 for their first bag. That’s a jump of $10, or roughly 28%.
The change will apply to tickets booked from Wednesday, April 8, and beyond.
3 major airlines have now hiked bag fees
Delta’s move comes as airlines have faced skyrocketing jetfuel costs in recent weeks, amid fallout from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. And carriers in the U.S. and abroad have looked to pass those costs onto consumers in the form of higher fares, fuel surcharges and, increasingly, higher add-on fees for bags.
“These updates are part of Delta’s ongoing review of pricing across its business and reflect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement to TPG Tuesday.
The Atlanta-based carrier isn’t alone. JetBlue and United Airlines already hiked bag fees in recent days. So Delta’s move keeps alive a longstanding aviation trend: when one airline raised their luggage costs, others tend to do the same.
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For that reason, don’t be surprised to see other remaining U.S. carriers follow suit.
Delta’s bag fees: What to know
Keep in mind, Delta flyers with Medallion elite status will maintain their free baggage perks, as will customers who carry an eligible SkyMiles/American Express cobranded credit card.
As part of this latest fee increase, Delta also raised the fees customers will pay for their second checked bag by $10. Customers’ second piece of checked luggage will cost $55 (instead of $45) going forward.
And, the carrier hiked the fee for flyers’ third checked bag by a whopping $50, to $200 total.
Checked bag fees on Delta
| Bag number | Previous fee | Fees for tickets booked from April 8, 2026 on |
|---|---|---|
|
$35 |
$45 |
|
|
$45 |
$55 |
|
|
$150 |
$200 |
The carrier did not make any changes to the fees customers pay on long-haul international flights.
Like most competitors, Delta last raised baggage fees in early 2024.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com
