Delta Air hikes checked baggage fees as jet fuel prices soar

Key Points:

• Delta Air Lines announced it will increase checked bag fees on domestic and select short-haul international routes, marking its first domestic baggage fee hike in two years, to help offset rising jet fuel costs.
• The fees for first and second checked bags will each increase by $10, reaching $45 and $55 respectively, while the third checked bag fee will rise by $50 to $200, effective for bookings made on or after Wednesday.
• The fee increase follows similar moves by United Airlines and JetBlue Airways amid soaring fuel prices caused by escalating Middle East tensions and disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz oil shipping corridor.
• Despite the hikes, Delta's baggage fee benefits related to frequent-flyer programs, premium fares, and co-branded credit cards will remain unchanged, and there will be no fee changes on long-haul international routes.
• Delta partially mitigates fuel cost exposure through its subsidiary-owned refinery in Pennsylvania, which supplies nearly 75% of its fuel needs, but the airline remains vulnerable to crude oil price spikes.