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All of the major U.S. airlines charge baggage fees of around $30 to $50 for a first checked bag on domestic flights.
There are a handful of ways to avoid paying for checked bags. For instance, customers traveling in a premium cabin and those with elite status generally can check at least one bag for free.
The easiest way to avoid checked bag fees on most airlines is to open a co-branded airline credit card that offers free checked bags as an ongoing benefit. For anyone who isn't loyal to a single airline, there are even general travel credit cards with statement credit offers that can be used toward checked bag fees.
Best credit cards with free checked bags
- Best for any airline: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees)
- Best for Delta: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Best for United: United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees)
- Best for American Airlines: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for Southwest: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees)
- Best for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines: Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature®
- Best for JetBlue: JetBlue Plus Card
Best for any airline
Who's this card for? The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is an excellent general travel credit card if you want premium benefits like airport lounge access and comprehensive travel protections.
Free checked bag benefit: The Sapphire Reserve doesn't have a specific free checked bag perk. However, every year, cardmembers receive a general travel credit of up to $300 each account anniversary year that can be used toward checked bag fees. It's an easy-to-use benefit and applies to any airline — just pay the bag fee with your card, and you'll automatically receive a statement credit on each account anniversary year. This card also offers travel insurance perks like baggage delay insurance and lost luggage reimbursement.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $288 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Best for Delta
Who's this card for? The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has several perks that are a good fit for even the occasional Delta flyer.
Free checked bag benefit: Delta SkyMiles Gold cardholders and up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation receive a free first checked bag. To receive the baggage fee waiver, you need to make sure the cardholder's Delta SkyMiles number is attached to the reservation. For domestic flights, Delta charges $35 per bag each way, which means this benefit can save you hundreds of dollars on a single trip if you're traveling with a large group.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has the right mix of benefits if you occasionally fly with Delta, such as free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 80,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
- When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you can earn: 2X miles on Delta Purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets, 1X miles on all other eligible purchases. Every mile you earn brings you closer to the places you want to go. Turn them into your next trip, use them for seat upgrades, and more.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights and save up to $70 per person on a round-trip Delta flight.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- $100 Delta Stays Credit: Get up to $100 back per year as a statement credit after using your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Want even more flexibility? Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees.
Best for United
Who's this card for? The United℠ Explorer Card is great for United flyers who don't want to pay a high annual fee. It packs a lot of useful benefits into one card.
Free checked bag benefit: United Explorer Card offers the primary cardholder and a companion a free first checked bag — a savings of up to $200 per round trip (terms apply). To use this perk, you need to pay for the flights (or the taxes and fees on award flights) with your card (this requirement is waived for the first 90 days from account opening). United normally charges $40 for a first checked bag, or $35 if you prepay online. Plus, United's basic economy fares typically don't include a carry-on, but United Explorer cardholders are exempt.
The United℠ Explorer Card is worth it even if you only fly with United Airlines once or twice a year because you can take advantage of two United Club℠ passes per year when the primary cardmember or authorized user is traveling and you can receive free checked bags.
- No annual fee for the first year
- Unlocks upgrades for elite members on award flights
- Two free United Club airport lounge passes every year
- Valuable United Airlines perks, such as in-flight purchase discounts and the ability to earn elite status credit through credit card spending
- First checked bag free benefit requires you to pay for the flight with the card
- United Airlines has a dynamic award chart which can limit the value and flexibility of your miles
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn up to 60,000 bonus miles
- $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
- NEW! 9x total miles on eligible United flights and 3x miles on all other eligible United® purchases
- 2x miles on dining and hotel stays when booked with the hotel. 1x mile on all other purchases.
- Free first checked bag - a savings of up to $200 per roundtrip. Terms Apply. Plus, priority boarding on United® flights.
- 2 United Club one-time passes per year - over a $100 value
- Over $500 in partner credits each year
- NEW! Save 10% or more when booking flights with miles. Premier members save even more.
- Member FDIC
Best for American Airlines
Who's this card for? The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is worth considering by anyone who doesn't have American Airlines elite status and wants to avoid checked baggage fees on domestic flights.
Free checked bag benefit: The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select offers the first checked bag for free on domestic American Airlines flights for the cardholder and up to four companions on the same reservation. American Airlines charges $40 for the first checked bag on domestic flights, but it's only $35 if you pay online. So, this benefit can save you up to $70 to $80 per person per round-trip flight.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is worth considering if you fly with American Airlines once or twice a year because you'll get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
Best for Southwest
Who's this card for? The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card has the lowest annual fee of any Southwest credit card, so it's the most affordable way to get free checked bags with a Southwest credit card.
Free checked bag benefit: Up to eight people on the same reservation receive a free first checked bag. Southwest charges $35 per first checked bag per trip, so this represents a savings of up to $70 a person per round trip.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is an affordable card that makes sense for the occasional Southwest traveler.
- Valuable welcome bonus
- 3,000 bonus points every card member anniversary
- Not especially rewarding for common expenses such as groceries or dining
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
- Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- Cardmembers and up to 8 additional passengers in the same reservation can check their first bag at no additional cost.
- Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Best for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
Who's this card for? The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® is a good option for Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines loyalists who don't receive free checked bags through Atmos elite status.
Free checked bag benefit: You and up to six companions get a free checked bag when you pay for the flights with your card. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines charge $30 to $40 for the first checked bag on domestic flights, so your savings can quickly add up.
- Annual companion fare
- Lounge membership discount
- Earns valuable miles
- Annual fee
- Limited bonus spending categories
Information about the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® Card cards has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
Best for JetBlue
Who's this card for? The JetBlue Plus Card is a good choice if you live near or frequently travel to a JetBlue hub, such as New York, Boston or Fort Lauderdale.
Free checked bag benefit: With the JetBlue Plus Card, you'll get a free checked bag for yourself and up to three companions on JetBlue flights. With JetBlue, the first checked bag costs at least $39 if you pay more than 24 hours in advance; otherwise, it's up to $59. So having this card can save you $78+ per person for each round-trip flight.
JetBlue Plus Card
Rewards
6X points on eligible JetBlue purchases; 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores; 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 70,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on the card and pay the annual fee in the first 90 days.
Annual fee
$99
Intro APR
0% APR on eligible balance transfers that post to account within 45 days of account opening, for the first 12 billing cycles; 19.49% to 29.49% variable thereafter depending on creditworthiness
Regular APR
19.49% to 29.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5%, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fees
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply.
Pros
- 5,000 bonus points on your account anniversary
- 10% rebate on JetBlue award flight redemptions
- First checked bag free for you and up to three companions
- 50% off in-flight purchases
Cons
- $99 annual fee
- Limited bonus spending categories
Other ways to avoid checked bag fees
Having the right travel credit card or airline credit card isn't the only way to avoid paying for checked bags. In fact, if you're loyal to a single airline or typically pay for more expensive fares, this card perk may be completely irrelevant to you.
Most airlines provide a free checked bag or two if you're flying in business class, first class or you pay for a more expensive economy fare. You also typically won't have to pay for checked bags on long-haul international flights.
The vast majority of airlines offer elite status and depending on your elite status tier, you may receive free checked bags on any flight with that airline or its partners. For example, if you have United Airlines Premier Gold status, you receive two free checked bags when flying in Economy. You'll also qualify for Star Alliance Gold status, which gets you an extra baggage allowance on eligible flights with other Star Alliance airlines.
For most people, having the right credit card is the easiest and cheapest way to address checked bag fees. You'll usually pay less than what you would pay for premium airfare that comes with free checked bags and it's not as complicated as earning airline status (although you can earn status without flying with many of these credit cards).
One scenario where you can receive free checked bags without any additional costs or hoops to jump through is if you're an active-duty military member. Most airlines provide priority boarding and free checked bags with a valid military ID.
FAQs
How can I get my baggage fee waived?
To get your checked baggage fee waived, you'll generally need elite status with that airline or its partners or a cobranded credit card that comes with free checked bags. You may also be able to avoid checked bag fees depending on the itinerary you're flying or the class of service. Many international flights and business-class tickets come with free checked bags.
Is there a fee for a carry-on bag?
Carry-on baggage fees aren't the norm, but depending on the type of ticket and airline, they are something to watch for. Some airlines charge passengers who booked the cheapest fares (often referred to as basic economy) extra for a carry-on bag. Ultra-low-cost carriers, such as Spirit and Frontier, may also make you pay for a carry-on bag. Note that personal items, such as a purse or small backpack that can fit under the seat in front of you, are almost universally free.
Do I need to pay for the flight with my co-branded credit card to receive free checked bags?
In most cases, simply having a co-branded credit card with a free checked bag benefit linked to your frequent flyer account is all you need to utilize the perk. However, there are instances where you need to pay for the flight with the card in order to waive the checked baggage fees, so be sure to read your cards terms and understand the fine print.
Does a free checked bag perk cover oversized luggage?
Free checked bag benefits typically only cover standard-sized luggage. However, certain cards have general travel credits. In these instances, the credit may cover incidental fees, including oversized baggage.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards with a free checked bag benefit.
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Our methodology
To determine which credit cards are best for free checked bags, CNBC Select analyzed cobranded airline credit cards with a free checked bag benefit and travel cards with credits that can be applied to checked bag fees. We compared each card on a range of features, including the annual fee, authorized user fees, rewards, credit score requirements, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks and how easy it is to redeem points.
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For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
