Luggage is prepared for an American Airlines flight at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson | Getty Images News | Getty Images
american airlines Like other airlines, it increased baggage fees on Thursday, making baggage even more expensive for customers buying basic economy tickets.
united airlines, jet blue airlines, delta airlines and southwest airlines Airlines have increased fees for checked baggage over the past two weeks as the industry grapples with soaring jet fuel costs caused by wars in the Middle East.
While other airlines are raising prices across the board, American Airlines is raising prices even further for its no-frills options.
The airline is increasing the fee for checking the first bag at the airport on domestic or short-haul international flights by $10 for tickets booked on Thursday. This brings the price of one bag to $50 and the second bag to $60 for most tickets. If you check your bag on American Airlines’ website or app, you’ll get a $5 discount, making the prices $45 and $55, respectively.
Meanwhile, customers with basic economy tickets will have to pay $55 for the first checked bag and $65 for the second bag from tickets purchased on May 18th. A $5 online discount will also be applied to these rates, bringing the prices to $50 and $60, respectively, for pre-paid customers.
All Basic Economy customers, even those with status, will have to pay for seat reservations starting May 18 and will not be eligible for free system-wide upgrades.
Airline executives say travel demand remains strong, but it’s unclear whether airlines will be able to cover all of the rise in fuel prices. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted supplies of both crude oil and refined products such as jet fuel, further pushing prices higher.
Jet fuel is the second-largest cost for airlines, after labor costs.
Meanwhile, as growth in luxury options outpaces regular economy sales, airlines are leaning more toward premium products and tightening restrictions on base fares. American Airlines lags behind larger rivals Delta Air Lines and United Airlines in pursuing premium customers and profits.
