Her Two Cents

Photo from Flickr

Now there’s one more reason to travel light: Delta and Continental just raised their checked baggage fees to $23 for the first bag and $32 for the second. Let’s ponder that for a moment. A family of four checking just one bag each will now pay nearly $100 extra to fly on those airlines–each way. Paying at the check-in counter? Add $2 to the first bag charge and $3 to the second.

I realize that Americans are prone to over packing, and we probably shouldn’t travel with as much flotsam as we do. But there are some occasions on which it’s nearly impossible to get all of your possessions into a carry-on bag. Ski trips. Long vacations. And traveling with kids? You’re pretty much toast.

Here’s the latest landscape:

Delta
First bag: $23 ($25 at the counter)
Second bag: $32 ($35 at the counter)

Continental
First: $23 ($25 at the counter)
Second: $32 ($35 at the counter)

United
First: $15 ($20 at the counter)
Second: $25 ($30 at the counter)

US Airways
First: $20 ($25 at the counter)
Second: $30 ($35 at the counter)

American Airlines
First: $20
Second: $30

AirTran
First: $15
Second: $25

JetBlue
First: FREE
Second: $30

Southwest
First and second bags: FREE

The result, of course, is that passengers now attempt to carry on as much of their luggage as humanly possible, making the boarding process a stressful game of Will-There-Still-Be-Space-Left-For-Mine?

Do checked bag fees make you more likely to fly a lower-priced airline, like JetBlue or Southwest, or do you just grin and bear it?