U.S. airlines have been hiking baggage fees for years and a new report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows the extraordinary amount of money they’re stowing away. In 2018, total baggage fee revenue among 11 major U.S. carriers added up to $4.9 billion. That’s an increase from $4.6 billion recorded in 2017. Many airlines increased their fees for checked luggage and penalties for overweight items last year, including American, United, Alaska, Delta and Jetblue. How far have baggage fees climbed over the past 10 years or so?
To put that $4.9 billion figure into perspective, the 2010 version of the report shows that those eleven carriers made less than half that amount in fees – $2.3 billion. The following infographic shows eight of the worst culprits, comparing their total baggage fee revenue in 2010 with 2018. Last year, American Airlines cashed in the most on stowed, overweight or unwieldy luggage, pocketing $1.22 billion. That’s more than twice what it brought in back in 2010 when revenue “only” amounted to $580 million. United’s fees have also increased significantly over the past couple of years, with revenue going from $133 million in 2010 to $889 million in 2018. The bad news for passengers is that airlines continued to increase their fees for luggage towards the end of last year so 2019 is expected to be even worse.
Click below to enlarge (charted by Statista)
