United Airlines has become the latest US carrier to hike fees on checked baggage on domestic routes and flights elsewhere in the Americas.
Last week JetBlue announced fee increases for first and second checked bags, a move that was quickly matched by Canada’s big two airlines, Air Canada and WestJet.
United is the biggest carrier so far to follow suit. The increases take immediate effect.
The first checked bag now costs $30 on United flights in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The fee for the second bag is also rising by $5 to $40.
The fee increases will allow the airline to ‘continue investing in the overall customer experience in today’s marketplace’, it said in a release.
United will continue current exemptions so MileagePlus Premier status members and customers booking with an eligible MileagePlus credit card ‘will continue to receive complimentary checked luggage.’
Industry analysts expect other major carriers to follow with their own fee increases.
Rather than simply raising airfares, ancillary fees have become the prefered method for the industry to boost revenues amid surging fuel costs.
US airlines earned $4.6 billion in bag fees in 2017, according to government data.
