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Delta Air Lines Just Hiked Its Baggage Fees Too

The increase follows similar hikes by United Airlines and JetBlue, both of which have raised their baggage rates within the last month. This means that customers will pay $30 for their first checked item and $40 for their second. It is believed that a rise in operational costs is behind this hike.

Delta Air Lines has increased its fees for domestic bags by $5, meaning its customers will now pay $30 for their first checked piece of luggage, Seeking Alpha reports. The cost of checking a second piece of luggage has also increased by $5 and now incurs a $40 fee. These fees are applicable for those traveling in the main cabin on the airline’s domestic routes.

These recent increases bring the carrier’s checked luggage fees in-line with those levied by United Airlines and JetBue, both of which have raised their baggage fees within the last month. CNN Money reports that American Airlines (AA) has “declined to comment if it will follow” suit, but Seeking Alpha has stated that passengers of Southwest Airlines will still be able to check two items free of charge.

Rising operational costs are being given as the impetus for these sudden hikes in baggage fees; in addition to rising fuel prices, many carriers are having to increase salaries and benefits for their staff. CNN Money reports that both American and Delta have had to revise their financial forecast for the year and so carriers are attempting to effectively recoup these losses through ancillary fees, such as those collected for checked baggage.

Based on statistics from the Bureau of Transportation statistics, Delta earned $375 million through luggage fees alone during the first half of 2018, a figure that is reportedly a 15 percent drop from the same period of 2017.

A spokesperson for Delta spoke to CNN Money to confirm the increase in fees and added that the carrier “routinely makes fee adjustments.”

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3 Comments
C
CaptHolic September 21, 2018

I always chuckle at these articles on FlyerTalk. I may be wrong but I assume those who frequent this website have airline status of some level, making the whole discussion of baggage fees irrelevant. Just my thoughts on the matter...

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MarkOK September 21, 2018

This matters: 1. Those of use primarily loyal to one airline (where we have waived bag fees; for me AA) are now going to get charged more for trying someone else's product (where we don't have waived bag fees, for me, everyone else). Now, Delta needs to be 60$ cheaper than AA for me to use them out for a single round trip ticket. Or in otherwords, AA can now be $60 more expensive on their fare. In other words, even frequent fliers with bag fee waivers can eat more costs even if we are 'exempt' from baggage fees because it increases the costs of crossing over. 2. This will drive more of the infrequent flier segment to Southwest. I know many people that would rather spend 100 dollars more on southwest as is just to not deal with bag fees and their last-in-line treatment with the 'legacies'.

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rylan September 21, 2018

Just a junk fee and a way for airlines to make more money. Just like the 'resort fees' that some hotels are charging, yet you get essentially nothing for it.