United
Airlines
planes
at
Denver
International
Airport.
Leslie
Josephs
|
CNBC
United
Airlines
is
raising
the
price
to
check
bags,
becoming
the
latest
carrier
this
year
to
hike
a
fee
that
generated
more
than
$5
billion
for
airlines
in
the
first
nine
months
of
2023
alone.
United
economy
passengers
who
book
domestic
tickets
starting
Feb.
24
will
pay
$40
for
a
first
checked
bag,
or
$35
if
they
prepay
online
at
least
24
hours
before
their
flight,
an
increase
of
$5.
A
second
checked
bag
will
cost
$50
at
the
airport,
or
$45
in
advance,
up
$5
for
both
options.
The
changes
apply
to
most
flights
throughout
North
America,
a
United
spokeswoman
said.
In
2020,
United
raised
the
price
to
check
a
bag
at
the
airport
by
$5
to
$35
but
kept
it
steady
at
$30
if
travelers
paid
for
the
service
in
advance.
Certain
credit
card
holders,
frequent
flyers
with
elite
status,
active
military
and
travelers
in
top-tier
classes
can
still
check
a
bag
for
free,
United
said.
Earlier
this
week,
American
Airlines
raised
its
fee
to
check
a
first
bag
on
domestic
flights
to
$35
if
purchased
in
advance
and
$40
at
the
airport.
Both
options
were
previously
$30.
A
second
checked
bag
will
go
up
from
$40
to
$45.
Airlines
and
other
companies
have
been
grappling
with
how
to
grow
profits
while
reining
in
costs,
such
as
new
labor
contracts,
while pricing
power has
waned.
JetBlue
and
Alaska
Airlines
have
also
raised
bag
fees
this
year.
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