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United Airlines increased its checked bag fee by $10 on Thursday (April 2), following JetBlue Airways as the second major U.S. carrier to raise the fee this week amid rising fuel prices, CNBC reports.
United will now charge a $45 fee to check a first bag on most domestic flights if a traveler pays ahead of time and a $50 fee if they do so within 24 hours of their scheduled flight.
“United is raising first and second checked bag fees by $10 for customers traveling in the U.S., Mexico and Canada and Latin America beginning with tickets purchased Friday, April 3,” the company said in a statement obtained by CNBC.
United is attempting to combat the rising costs of fuel, airlines' biggest expense after labor. The airline last raised its fee on checked bags in 2024.
JetBlue had previously announced it was increasing bag fees at least $4 on Monday (March 30). The average price for regular gas in the United States is $4.091, which is higher than the $4.081 average for the previous day; the $3.978 average for the previous week; $3.109 average for the previous month; and the $3.260 average for the previous year.
Brent Crude Oil, which serves as the primary global benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils, was reported to be trading at around $109 per barrel on Friday (April 3), while U.S. Crude Oil was estimated to be at around $111.