Airline Baggage Fee Hikes Shift Value to Co-Branded Credit Cards
EB
Ezra Bishop
BNPL debt risk · Apr 10, 2026
Source: The Digital Ledger Data Terminal
Round-trip domestic flights now cost at least $90 to check a bag. Major U.S. carriers, including JetBlue, United, Delta, Southwest, American, Alaska, and Hawaiian Airlines, have raised checked bag fees in response to increasing fuel prices. The cost of a first checked bag is increasing by up to $10 each way.
Co-branded airline credit cards now provide a mechanism to avoid these costs. The JetBlue Plus Card, United Explorer Card, Delta SkyMiles Gold, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus, Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select, and Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Card offer free checked bags for the primary cardholder and companions. Cardholders avoid the increased baggage fees by paying an annual fee ranging from $95 to $150 after introductory periods.
BNPL debt risk
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