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. 2022 May 18:1–18. Online ahead of print. doi: 10.1057/s41272-022-00388-5

Table 1.

Baggage and pet fees, by airline

Carry-on 1st 2nd 3rd 4th- 5th 6th- 10th On-board pet Checked pet
Network carriers
 Alaska 2010 $0a $15 $25 $50 $100 $100 $100 $100
2021 $0 $30 $40 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100
 American 2010 $0a $25 $35 $100 $100 $200 $100 $150
2021 $0 $30 $40 $150 $200 $200 $125 $200s
 Delta 2010 $0a $25 ($23) $35 ($32) $125 $200 $200 $125 $200
2021 $0 $30 $40 $150 $200 $200 $125 $245**
 United 2010 $0a $25 ($23) $35 ($32) $100 $100 $200 $150 $250
2021 $0 $35 ($30) $45 ($40) $150 $150 $150 $125 $328s,**
Low-cost carriers (LCC)
 Southwest 2010 $0a $0 $0 $50 $50 $50 $75 N/A
2021 $0 $0 $0 $75 $75 $75 $95 N/A
 JetBlue 2010 $0a $0 $30 $75 $75 $75 $100 N/A
2021 $0 $35 ($30) $45 ($40) $150 $150 $150 $125 N/A
Ultra low-cost carriers (ULCC)
 Frontier 2010 $0a $20 $30 $50 $50 $50 $75 $150
2021 $60 ($36)* $60 ($36)* $55 ($48)* $95 ($83)* $95 ($83)* $95 ($83)* $99 N/A
 Spirit 2010 $45 ($30)a $25 ($19)b $25b $100b $100b N/Ab $100 b N/Ac
2021 $67 ($39)* $67 ($34)* $60 ($44)* $100 ($87)* $100 ($87)* N/A $110 N/A

Prices represent airport check-in fees for economy class, assuming one-way domestic travel. ($) = Lowest price available for online or early booking of baggage service, if applicable. N/A = service is not available. sService was still suspended temporarily due to COVID-19 as of the time of data collection; fees are reported using pre-suspension prices

*Baggage fees vary due to dynamic pricing: Los Angeles, California (LAX) to Boston, Massachusetts (BOS) was used for a flight booked two months in advance

**Checked pet fees vary due to dynamic pricing: LAX to BOS was used for a small 20–30 lb. dog traveling in the smallest crate available

Sources Data for 2010 pulled from Garrow et al. (2012), except as indicated: aEllis (2010), bU.S. GAO (2010), cSmarter Travel (2012). Data for 2021 collected from airline websites