The $45 bag is now $200: Airlines raise fees as fuel costs climb

Baggage fees rising among airlines

Air travel is expected to get more expensive as airlines are now hiking bag fees. FOX 13's Matthew McClellan reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Americans heading into the summer travel season are seeing costs climb before they even board a flight.

Major U.S. airlines are raising baggage fees, with some passengers now paying as much as $200 for a third checked bag.

What we know:

Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines are the latest to increase fees, joining United and JetBlue in a broader industry shift.

The first checked bags now cost around $45. A second bag runs about $55. Additional bags can cost significantly more.

Airlines are making these changes as fuel prices rise. Jet fuel already makes up about a quarter of airline operating costs, and prices are climbing amid instability near the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route.

Because many travelers book flights months in advance, airlines can’t quickly raise ticket prices. Instead, they’re leaning on fees like checked bags to make up the difference.

What Travelers are Saying

Passengers say the higher costs are already hitting the airport.

"It’s very upsetting," one traveler told FOX. "So upsetting because these airlines make a lot of money, and they’ve been increasing their prices, and obviously now we have the impasse that’s happening in the Middle East."

Big picture view:

The baggage fee hikes come on top of rising airfare.

Domestic ticket prices are up about 19% compared to last year, including some of the biggest increases in budget fares.

Airline leaders warn that the pressure may continue.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian says elevated fuel costs are expected to last for the next several months. That could lead to more changes, including fewer flights.

What's next:

Fewer flights and higher costs could shape the summer travel season, one of the busiest times of the year.

Travel analysts say passengers looking to save money may need to rethink how they pack — or risk paying more before they even take off.

As global tensions continue to impact energy markets, lower-cost travel extras may be fading, replaced by a new reality where even a checked bag comes at a premium.