These Are Baggage and Seat Fees on Major US Airlines.
Because flights weren’t nasty enough or expensive enough, four major domestic airlines raised their checked baggage fees in 2018, including American, Delta, JetBlue and United.
While exact prices often differ depending on destination, when adding extra amenities (for example, some carriers will charge extra if you don’t reserve a seat or add a suitcase during online check-in), different flight class levels and In the case of baggage. weight, deciphering all the fees you are about to pay can be difficult. And that could get even more confusing – MarketWatch says Congress is considering repealing the so-called “full fare” advertising rule, which “requires the carrier to quote a ticket price that includes all taxes and fees.”
With that in mind, here are some of the general fees charged by each of the major US carriers:
Alaska Airlines
- Alcohol: $ 7.50 for beer, $ 7.50 to $ 8.50 for wine.
- Continue: free
- Checked baggage: $ 25 first, $ 25 second
- Seat reservations : from $ 15 for more legroom , from $ 29 for an upgrade.
american airlines
- Alcohol: American just raised the prices of beer (up to $ 8), wine ($ 9), and liquor ($ 9) by $ 1 for main cabin and basic economy ticket holders.
- Continue: free
- Checked baggage: $ 30 for the first, $ 40 for the second. Premium Economy and Business ticket holders can check in two pieces of baggage free of charge; First-time passengers on a three-class plane can check in three bags for free.
- Transatlantic flight with checked baggage: USD 60.
- Seat Reservations : Preferred Seats: $ 4 to $ 139, Master Cabin Surcharge: $ 20 to $ 280.
Delta Airlines
- Alcohol: $ 6 to $ 8 for beer and wine on domestic flights, free on select international flights.
- Continue: free
- Checked baggage: $ 30 for the first, $ 40 for the second. First Class, Delta Premium Select and Delta One passengers receive two complimentary checked bags on every flight.
- Transatlantic flight with checked baggage: USD 60.
- Seat reservations : the price depends on the trip and ticket status.
JetBlue
- Alcohol: $ 7 for beer, wine and spirits on most flights.
- Continue: free
- Checked baggage: $ 30 first, $ 40 second for Blue ticket holders (for flights purchased after August 27, 2018); free checked baggage when upgrading to Blue Plus for about $ 25
- Seat reservations : from $ 10 for more legroom
Southwest
- Alcohol: Southwest also raised alcohol prices in 2018, although they are still cheaper than most other airlines, with beer, wine, and spirits ranging from $ 6 to $ 7.
- Continue: free
- Checked baggage: Two free checked baggage are allowed per ticket holder.
- Seat Reservations : You are not assigned seats in the Southwest. However, you can check in early to get a better boarding number and find a good seat for $ 15-25, depending on the length of the route.
Spirit airlines
- Carry-on baggage: Free small personal item, then $ 20 to $ 40 per carry-on bag, depending on the length of your trip and where you are going.
- Checked Baggage: Again, this depends on the length of your flight. You can check here . Spirit also charges additional fees for carry-on and checked baggage if you do not pay for them when you book your flight but add them later.
- Seat reservations : from $ 5, usually around $ 30-40.
- $ 9 Tariff Club : $ 9 Tariff Club members can get better deals ($ 26 for carry-on luggage during the online booking process), but it costs $ 59.95 the first year, then $ 69.95 thereafter … You must cancel your subscription before it expires, otherwise your membership will be automatically renewed; membership is not refundable.
United airlines
- Alcohol: $ 7.99 for beer , wine, and most spirits.
- Carry-on baggage: Free if you are not a member of Basic Economy . In this case, your carry-on baggage will be checked at the gate at the standard checked baggage price (see below) plus USD 25.
- Checked baggage: $ 30 first, $ 40 second
- Seat reservations : free, except for Basic Economy Class customers.
Having an airline credit card or other travel card can help you avoid some of the fees if there is an airline you use more than others. Plus, unless you are flying southwest, you will probably pay for just about any service. Services like Kayak and Google Flights try to include projected fares in their displayed prices, but it’s best to check on the airline’s website before booking a flight.