Two major airlines charging more for checked baggage as cost of jet fuel soars

• United Airlines has increased checked baggage fees by $10 for the first and second bags and $50 for the third for tickets purchased from April 3, 2026.
• This fee hike, the first in two years for United, is a direct response to skyrocketing jet fuel prices exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East.
• The new charges apply to customers traveling within the US, Mexico, Canada, and Latin America, though certain passengers like co-branded credit card holders and military personnel will still receive a free first checked bag.
• Other airlines, including JetBlue, have also recently raised baggage fees as rising fuel costs add hundreds of millions to airlines' operating expenses.
• Separately, Trump has detailed plans to privatize airport security screening in the U.S., proposing a $52 million cut to the federal agency's funding and requiring smaller airports to enroll in a program for private screeners.

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Another US airline raises checked bag fees effective immediately