Airline Baggage Fees: Compare Every Airline (2026)

No major US airline checks a bag for free for the general public anymore, after Southwest ended its free bag policy in 2025 and fees rose across the industry in 2026. You can still get a free checked bag with an airline credit card, elite status, a premium cabin, or military travel. On long haul international economy, full service airlines usually include a checked bag in the fare.

Travel with a personal item only, which is free on essentially every airline, even the ultra low cost carriers. If you need more, a free carry-on on a legacy airline is next cheapest, then an airline credit card that waives the first checked bag. Whenever you do pay, buy the bag online before the airport, since prepaid bags are cheaper everywhere.

Ultra low cost carriers charge the most relative to the base fare, because they charge for the carry-on as well as checked bags. That includes Frontier, Spirit, Allegiant, and Avelo in the US, Ryanair and Wizz Air in Europe, and Volaris and Viva Aerobus in Mexico. Their prices also change with route and timing, and paying at the airport is the most expensive option.

Most major US airlines charge about 45 to 50 US dollars for a first checked bag and 55 or more for a second, each way, after increases in 2026. American and Alaska are at the lower end, near 35 dollars when you prepay online. Prices are per bag, per person, each way, so a round trip with one bag is charged twice.

Usually yes on long haul economy. Full service airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Japan Airlines include at least one checked bag, and often two on routes to and from the Americas. The exception is basic or light economy fares, which can remove the free checked bag, so check the fare rules before you book.

On legacy and full service airlines, yes, a carry-on for the overhead bin is free along with a personal item. On ultra low cost carriers such as Spirit, Frontier, Ryanair, and Wizz Air, only the personal item is free and the larger carry-on is paid. A personal item that fits under the seat is free on almost every airline.

Yes. Baggage fees are per bag, per person, and per direction, so a round trip is charged twice and a family pays for each traveler. A family of four checking one bag each on a round trip pays eight bag fees in total. This is why an airline credit card that waives bags for everyone on the booking saves so much on family trips.

Use the comparison table above to find your airline, then open its guide for the current carry-on and checked allowance, sizes in centimeters and inches, special baggage, and the exact fee in the local currency. Because airlines change fees often, the guide always points to the airline for the final price on your route and fare.