Delta Air Lines is raising checked bag fees, the latest sign that higher jet fuel prices are putting pressure on airlines and travelers alike.
Beginning Wednesday, most passengers on domestic and short-haul international routes will pay $45 for a first checked bag and $55 for a second, while a third checked bag will cost $200. Delta said the changes are part of an “ongoing review of pricing” that reflects “evolving global conditions and industry dynamics.” Fees for long-haul international flights are not changing.
The move marks Delta’s first increase in domestic checked baggage fees in two years. It also follows similar fee hikes by United Airlines and JetBlue, as carriers look for ways to offset higher operating costs.
Fuel has become a growing problem for the industry as conflict in the Middle East has disrupted oil shipments near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Because jet fuel is refined from crude oil, swings in oil markets can quickly raise airline expenses. Fuel typically ranks as an airline’s second-largest cost after labor.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian told investors last month that the jump in jet fuel prices had already added about $400 million to the airline’s operating expenses since the conflict began on Feb. 28. Executives at United Airlines and American Airlines have reported similar cost increases.
Jet fuel prices have climbed sharply in recent weeks. The average price for a gallon of jet fuel in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York reached $4.69 on Monday, up from $2.50 just before the conflict began, according to Argus Media data cited by The Associated Press.
Delta said some customers will still receive complimentary checked bags, including premium cabin passengers, active-duty military personnel, eligible co-branded credit card holders, and members of certain loyalty tiers.
The fee increase adds to a broader shift across the airline industry, where carriers have leaned more heavily on baggage charges and other ancillary fees as cost pressures build. Analysts told The Associated Press that U.S. airlines are more likely to rely on those extra fees to offset higher fuel expenses, while many non-U.S. carriers are turning to fuel surcharges instead.