Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines Raise Baggage Fees as Jet Fuel Prices Soar

Delta will increase checked bag fees by $10 for the first two bags, and $by 50 for a third.

Travelers in line at the ticketing desk at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta on Feb. 24, 2026. Jason Allen/Getty Images

Delta Air Lines is raising checked baggage fees, the Atlanta-based carrier said Tuesday, citing rising costs for jet fuel.

The changes apply to bookings made on or after April 8 for domestic flights and select short-haul international routes. Long-haul international fees and benefits for frequent flyers, premium cabins, or co-branded credit cards remain unchanged.

For new bookings, the fee for the first checked bag will increase by $10 to $45, the second by $10 to $55, and the third by $50 to $200, the company said.

Delta did not immediately return a request for comment.

The move marks Delta’s first domestic baggage fee increase in two years and aims to offset record jet fuel costs.

In a similar move, Southwest Airlines has also introduced checked baggage fees for the first time. First and second checked baggage fees will increase by $10 starting on or after April 9, the company said.

The airline, which has long promoted its “Bags Fly Free” policy, will now limit free checked bags to Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and Business Select fare customers, who will continue to enjoy two free checked bags with their service.

Jet fuel prices have nearly doubled since late February as the war in Iran has disrupted trade in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping route for oil. Global jet fuel prices climbed from an average of $85 to $90 a barrel before the strikes to about $209 a barrel now, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Airlines worldwide have responded by raising fares and cutting capacity. United Airlines and JetBlue have already made similar baggage fee adjustments.

Before the current crisis, airlines had expected fuel prices to ease, and it’s unclear whether the two-week cease-fire agreed to on April 7 will be enough to stabilize oil prices.

Forecasts last year projected jet fuel averaging roughly $90 a barrel in 2026, down about 9 percent from 2025 levels, supporting steady growth in passenger traffic. U.S. carriers carried nearly 980 million passengers in 2025, near record highs, with strong holiday demand.

Jet fuel is one of the airline industry’s biggest expenses, typically accounting for about 25–30 percent of operating costs.

Some airlines engage in “fuel hedging,” buying jet fuel at a fixed price for delivery later.

Major carriers in the United States typically do not hedge fuel costs as extensively, leaving them more exposed now to sudden jumps in jet fuel prices.

“It’s a dramatic increase,” Cathay Pacific Airways Chief Financial Officer Rebecca Sharpe said in Hong Kong after reporting earnings on April 8.

“Our hedging is on ​crude oil rather than jet fuel. And therefore, while we do have some protection from that hedging, obviously, it’s not protecting ⁠against the jet fuel price in totality.”

Reuters and Owen Evans contributed to this report.