United Airlines has followed American Airlines in raising checked baggage fees by $5 per bag. Although I’m not generally a fan of airline co-branded credit cards, this does present a stronger case for the United Explorer credit card by Chase if you are a semi-frequent United traveler.
United Airlines Raises Baggage Fees
Across the board, United Airlines has raised checked baggage fees by $5. In domestic markets and fares that do not include complimentary checked baggage, you can now expect to pay:
- $35 for a first checked bag (advance purchase)
- $40 if paid at the airport
- $45 for a second checked bag (advance purchase)
- $50 if paid at the airport
United does not publish a baggage fee chart, but has an interactive tool that can calculate baggage fees based upon more specific details of your purchase and elite status. International checked baggage fees are also going up by $5 as well.
There are a number of exemptions, though:
- MileagePlus Premier 1K – 3 free checked bags
- MileagePlus Premier Gold status – 2 free checked bags
- Star Alliance Gold members from other programs – 2 free checked bags
- MileagePlus Premier Silver status – 1 free checked bag
- Select United co-branded credit holders – 1-2 free checked bags:
This matches a move by American Airlines earlier this week to institute similar baggage fees. JetBlue and Alaska Airlines also recently raised baggage fees.
And frankly, that strikes me as fair. These fees have not gone up in four years and during that time we have certainly seen a lot of inflation everywhere else in the economy. This move may push even more to try to squeeze everything into carry-on bags, but at least in the case of United it is in the process of installing larger overhead bins on its aircraft to accommodate more hand baggage.
Time To Apply For United Co-Branded Credit Card?
I’m not a fan of placing a lot of spending on airline co-branded credit cards like the Explorer Card because carriers (including and sometimes especially United) have been known to devalue without notice. I prefer to keep my points more flexible by using cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X card.
But if you are a traveler who flies even a couple times per year, the $95 annual fee (waived the first year) on the Explorer card may pay for itself in just one trip (authorized card users can check their bags for free when they travel on the same reservation as the primary cardmember).
If you get this card, I would not use it for everyday purchases, but the baggage benefits (plus lounge passes and priority boarding) likely justify the annual fee.
> Read More: Best Credit Deals In 2024
CONCLUSION
United Airlines raised its checked bag fee by $5 in most markets. This represents the first price increase in about four years. While higher fees are never something to be celebrated, I am surprised this did not happen earlier…
The airlines should rush and copy Alaska….doors pop open in flight
Do they really give *G pax two bags on all fares? I may need to book a MEX-IAH ticket and the Aeroméxico business class price is only about 30% more than the cheapest UA economy fare and the difference dwindles to a negligible amount if I need to pay for the second bag. It’s only a two hour flight and I will have lounge access, so not too bothered about sitting in the back.
Raising checked bag fee might result in a few more heavy carry-on bags , to the irritation of their own FA employees . They missed an opportunity to raise the checked pet fee and therefore create more “service animals” . Another example of the result of a management meeting .
Typical Kirby’s leadership style. Just follow what my competitors do.
Not surprising considering the pilots alone will cost 35-40% more.
Right! And eventually a new FA contract. They need to squeeze every dollar out of passengers they can. I recently looked at a flight from the east coast to the Midwest. UA was twice Southwest. I am starting to shop around more than in the past when UA was my default, as a 1K. 1K status isn’t worth much anymore.
Since I have 1K on United, Gold on Delta, and almost exclusively buy first/business to avoid upgrade roulette, I can’t remember ever paying a baggage fee since these things became the norm, so I’m personally disinterested and unaffected. However, it seems to me that the best way to kill these ancillary fees would be for the government to impose the same tax structure (i.e., the 7.5% excise tax) on baggage and other garbage fees. This would disincentivize the unbundling and nickel-and-diming by the carriers. Charge an all-inclusive fare in the back (much the way those baggage fees are largely “included” in the pointy end of the plane) and just stop the nonsense. Resort/destination fees (one of my pet peeves) are taxed at the prevailing hotel tax rate, so there is precedent for this. And travel agents – the few traditional ones that are left – will benefit as their commissions will be based on full-fares. Right now, the airlines and hotels are using these carve out fees not just for certain tax avoidance, but to screw travel agents out of commissions.
Ah, that explains it. Many (most?) full service airlines offer a ‘light’ fare without checked baggage and include bags in other Y fare families, I thought it was bizarre that the US ones don’t seem to offer such an option, but it does look like it’s about dodging tax
Let’s see when the airline credit card annual fees go up too — specifically the airline credit cards that come with baggage fee waivers. The banks will be laughing all the way to the bank on this too.
People will keep flying the same amount or more regardless. The airlines know they can do anything and have nothing to worry about.
Maybe the next time you fly you can turn to the other person and ask if they can take your bag if they have none to check. We all have to get together and stop Airline fees,
Wait ’till Alaska goes on strike. we’ll be paying up.