JetBlue just raised its first checked bag fee. Again. Late March, no fanfare, buried in a fare update email that most people deleted without reading. The new rate: $40 for a first checked bag if you pay at the airport. That’s up from $35 last year and $30 the year before that.

Southwest is still the only major US airline with two free checked bags on every fare — everyone else charges you. JetBlue isn’t alone; they’re just the latest. The average first-bag fee across US carriers hit $38 in 2026. Two years ago it was $32. Baggage fee revenue for the industry passed $7 billion in 2025, up 18% from 2023, per BTS Form 41 financial reporting. Airlines figured out that people will complain about bag fees on Twitter and then pay them at the counter anyway.

So I pulled every major US carrier’s current checked bag pricing, compared the tricks that actually reduce what you pay, and found the one airline where this whole conversation is irrelevant.

2026 Checked Bag Fee Comparison

Airline	1st Bag (Online)	1st Bag (Airport)	2nd Bag	Free Bags?
Southwest	$0	$0	$0	Yes — 2 free on every fare
Delta	$35	$40	$45	Only with Delta SkyMiles Amex
United	$35	$40	$45	Only with United Explorer Card
American	$35	$40	$45	Only with Citi AAdvantage card
JetBlue	$35	$40	$50	Only on Mint fares
Alaska	$35	$40	$45	Only with Alaska Visa Signature
Hawaiian	$35*	$40*	$45*	Military; inter-island varies
Spirit	$39-55	$55-65	$55-65	No
Frontier	$39-55	$55-65	$55-65	No

Hawaiian fees in transition due to Alaska merger — verify at booking.

The short version: Southwest is the only major US airline that gives you two free checked bags on every ticket. Everyone else charges $35-65 depending on when and how you pay. Co-branded credit cards unlock free bags on legacy carriers, but you’re paying an annual fee for the privilege.

Why Bag Fees Keep Climbing

Airlines caught onto something in the 2010s: ancillary revenue doesn’t show up in fare searches. When you compare flights on Google Flights or Skyscanner, the price you see is the base fare. Bag fees, seat selection, boarding priority — all hidden behind the “book” button. A $180 fare with a $40 bag fee looks cheaper than a $210 all-inclusive fare. Even when it isn’t.

That asymmetry is the entire business model. Airlines deliberately lowered base fares and raised ancillary fees because they know how people shop. The Department of Transportation tried to fix this with a fare transparency rule that requires showing total cost, but enforcement has been slow and inconsistent.

The result: $7 billion in baggage fees alone in 2025. That’s not a rounding error. For some carriers, bag fees represent 5-8% of total revenue. Spirit and Frontier are built on this model entirely. Their base fares assume you’re boarding naked with no possessions.

The JetBlue Hike: What Actually Changed

JetBlue cited fuel costs and “operational investments” in the fee increase. The standard justification. What they didn’t say: JetBlue has been bleeding money on its Mint service (their lie-flat business class product) and needs ancillary revenue to offset those losses.

Here’s what the JetBlue fee structure looks like now:

• Blue Basic (no bag included): First checked bag is $40 at the airport, $35 online, $30 during booking
• Blue (standard fare): First checked bag included in the fare price on some routes, $35 on others, depends on route and date
• Blue Plus: First bag included
• Mint: Two bags included

The confusing part: “Blue” fare bag inclusion varies. I booked two JetBlue flights last month for testing. JFK to Fort Lauderdale — Blue fare included a first bag. JFK to San Francisco — same Blue fare, first bag was $35 extra. JetBlue’s own site didn’t make this clear until the payment page. You have to click through to the fare details to see whether your specific route includes a bag.

My advice: assume nothing is included on JetBlue unless you’re flying Mint or Blue Plus. Budget for the bag fee and be pleasantly surprised if it’s waived.

Southwest: The Last Free Bag Standing

Two free checked bags. Every fare. Every route. No credit card required. No loyalty status required. No exceptions.

I keep waiting for Southwest to cave on this. They haven’t. Even after switching to assigned seating and adding seat tiers that generate new revenue, they’ve left the bag policy alone. Two bags, 50 pounds each, free.

For a family of four on a round trip, that’s potentially 16 checked bags at $0. The same 16 bags on American would cost $560 at the online rate ($35 x 16 legs). On Spirit? Don’t even run that math. You’ll cry.

When Southwest’s Free Bags Aren’t Enough

Southwest doesn’t fly everywhere. No international long-haul. Limited coverage in the northeast. If your route isn’t a Southwest route, free bags don’t help you.

Also: Southwest’s base fares aren’t always the cheapest. With the new seat tier pricing, a Southwest Preferred seat might cost more than a basic economy ticket on Delta plus one checked bag. You have to compare total cost, not just bag policy.

The honest math: if you’re checking one bag on a domestic round trip, Southwest saves you $70-80 compared to the legacy carrier average. If you’re not checking a bag at all — just a carry-on — Southwest’s fare advantage disappears on a lot of routes. The free bags only matter if you use them.

The Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Complication

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merged their booking systems on April 22. As of right now, bag fee policies on combined routes are still being sorted out.

What I’ve been able to confirm:

• Alaska mainline routes: Standard Alaska bag fees apply ($35 online, $40 airport for first bag)
• Hawaiian mainline routes: Hawaiian’s fee structure mostly preserved for now
• New combined routes (Alaska metal flying Hawaiian routes, or vice versa): Fee policy depends on which airline’s operating certificate the flight runs under, which isn’t always obvious at booking
• Alaska Visa Signature card: Still gets first bag free on Alaska-operated flights. Whether it extends to Hawaiian-operated codeshares is being rolled out “in phases,” per Alaska’s baggage FAQ

If you’re booking an Alaska/Hawaiian route right now, check the bag fee on your specific itinerary during the booking process. Don’t assume Alaska’s policies apply to a Hawaiian-operated leg or the reverse. The system integration is happening, but it’s not done.

I called Alaska’s customer service last week to ask a simple question: “If I book an Alaska codeshare operated by Hawaiian, do I get my credit card free bag?” The agent put me on hold for four minutes and came back with “it depends on the route.” That’s where we are.

How Co-Branded Credit Cards Change the Math

Every legacy carrier offers a credit card that includes free checked bags. The question is whether the annual fee is worth it.

The Break-Even Calculation

Most airline co-branded cards charge $95-99 per year. A first checked bag costs $35 online, round trip that’s $70.

• Fly the airline twice a year, check a bag each time? You break even ($140 saved vs. $95 annual fee). Anything beyond two trips is profit.
• Fly once a year? You don’t break even. Pay the bag fee.
• Fly five or more times? The card pays for itself several times over, plus you usually get priority boarding and other perks.

The catch: these cards lock you into an airline. The United Explorer Card only gives free bags on United. If you fly different carriers depending on route and price, a general travel card (Chase Sapphire, Amex Gold) might serve you better — even though it won’t waive bag fees.

Which Card Actually Saves You the Most?

For pure bag fee savings:

1. Delta SkyMiles Amex Gold ($150/year) — free first bag for you and up to 8 companions on the same reservation. That companion benefit is unique and huge for families.
2. United Explorer Card ($95/year) — free first bag, two free United Club passes per year
3. Citi AAdvantage Platinum ($99/year) — free first bag, preferred boarding
4. Alaska Visa Signature ($95/year) — free first bag, companion fare once per year (the companion fare alone can be worth $200+)

The Delta Amex companion bag benefit is the one most people don’t know about. If you’re flying with your partner and two kids, that’s four free first bags each way. $280 saved on a round trip. The $150 annual fee is a non-issue.

How to Pay Less for Bags Without a Credit Card

Not everyone wants an airline credit card. Fair. Here are the workarounds that actually work.

1. Pay during booking, not at the airport

Every carrier charges $5-10 more at the airport counter than online. Add the bag during the booking process or in the airline’s app before check-in. This is the easiest money you’ll save.

2. Check your airline’s app after booking

Some carriers offer bag fee “sales” or bundled add-ons through their app that don’t show up on the website. I’ve seen United offer a bag + seat selection bundle for $5 less than the bag alone. The airline apps are pushing these bundles hard.

3. Use a carry-on (obviously)

A 22x14x9 carry-on fits in every US carrier’s overhead bin. If you can travel with just a carry-on, the bag fee conversation is irrelevant. I pack carry-on only for anything under five days. A good packing cube set and one pair of versatile shoes gets you further than you’d think.

But be honest with yourself. If you’re checking a bag anyway, own it and optimize the fee instead of trying to stuff a week’s worth of clothes into a roller bag.

4. Check if your fare includes bags

Basic economy on legacy carriers: no bag. Regular economy and above: check the fare details. Some routes and some promotional fares include a checked bag that isn’t advertised prominently. I’ve seen this on American’s transcon routes (JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO) where the regular economy fare quietly includes a bag. You have to read the fare comparison panel during booking.

5. Military, elite status, and partner benefits

Active military gets free bags on every US carrier. Elite status (usually mid-tier and above) includes free bags. Flying internationally? Some partner airline tickets include bags that the domestic carrier wouldn’t — a British Airways codeshare ticket on American might include a bag that American’s own fare wouldn’t.

Which Airline Has Free Checked Bags in 2026?

Straight answer, because this is what people are actually searching:

Southwest Airlines is the only major US carrier that offers free checked bags (two per passenger) on every fare with no credit card, no status, and no catches.

Every other US airline charges for checked bags on their base fares. You can get free bags through co-branded credit cards, elite status, premium fare classes, or military service — but the default is you’re paying.

Internationally, a few carriers still include bags: Turkish Airlines, Emirates, and most Asian carriers include at least one checked bag in economy. But for US domestic flying, it’s Southwest or it’s a fee.

The Ultra-Low-Cost Trap

Spirit and Frontier deserve special mention because their bag fees are the highest in the industry and the least transparent.

Spirit’s first checked bag ranges from $39 to $55 depending on route and when you add it. At the airport? $55 to $65. Second bag? Same range. And their carry-on bag — not personal item, the overhead bin bag — costs $39-55 too. On Spirit, even your carry-on roller costs money unless you buy their Big Front Seat bundle.

Frontier runs the same playbook. The “cheap” $29 fare becomes $100+ once you add a carry-on and a checked bag.

I’ve tested this with fare comparison tools: on routes where Spirit or Frontier compete with Southwest, the total cost (fare + one checked bag + one carry-on) is within $10-20 of Southwest’s all-in price about 60% of the time. And Southwest gives you two free checked bags, a better cancellation policy, and an airport experience that doesn’t feel like a bus station.

The ultra-low-cost model works for exactly one type of traveler: someone flying with a single personal item (backpack under the seat), no checked bags, who doesn’t mind no seat selection and no changes. If that’s you, Spirit’s $29 fare is genuinely $29. For everyone else, do the total cost math before you book.

My Packing Strategy for Avoiding Bag Fees

I check a bag on maybe 30% of my flights. The rest, carry-on only. Here’s what changed my math:

A compression packing cube set (I use Eagle Creek, $30) lets me fit five days of clothes in a carry-on with room for a laptop bag. I do laundry in the hotel sink or use a laundromat for trips longer than five days. One pair of shoes that works for walking, casual dinners, and doesn’t look terrible.

For trips where I’m checking a bag — ski trips, week-plus vacations, anything involving formal clothes — I book Southwest when the route exists. When it doesn’t, I pay the bag fee online during booking and stop thinking about it. The $35 isn’t worth the mental energy of trying to avoid it through credit card hacks or packing contortions.

The people who stress most about bag fees are often the same people who’d save more money by just booking a slightly different flight time. A Tuesday departure instead of Friday can save $80-150 on the fare. That dwarfs the $35 bag fee you’re trying to optimize away.

The Bottom Line

The bag fee picture in 2026 is simple, if annoying. Southwest: free. Everyone else: $35-65, reducible to $0 with the right credit card or status. JetBlue just made things worse. The Alaska-Hawaiian merger made things confusing. Spirit and Frontier are still a trap for anyone checking luggage.

If you fly one airline more than four times a year and check bags, get their credit card. If you fly multiple carriers, pack carry-on when you can and pay the fee when you can’t. If you’re a family checking multiple bags, Southwest saves you hundreds per trip.

And if you’re still comparing fares by base price alone without adding bag fees, seat selection, and change penalties — you’re not comparing fares. You’re comparing fiction.

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Fee data current as of April 2026. Airlines change bag fees without notice — verify pricing on the carrier’s website during booking. Alaska/Hawaiian merged route policies are still evolving; check your specific itinerary. Credit card benefits and annual fees subject to change by the issuing bank.