Airline Loyalty Elites Sit Out a Wave of New Fees
Skift Take
While most of the traveling public saw an increase in baggage fees this month, those carrying airline elite status were once more spared. Sooner or later, that luck will surely run out.
The process is taking a few weeks, but one by one, nearly every North American air carrier is in the process of raising checked bag fees by about 20 percent. It started late last month when JetBlue (then Air Canada, then WestJet) raised first-checked-bag fees from $25 to $30. United followed suit this month while last week, both American and Delta finally capitulated and did the same.
Immune from the new fees, however, have been loyalty program members carrying any sort of elite status. At American Airlines, for example, those who earn gold status (i.e. fly 25,000 miles and spend $3,000 in a calendar year) are given a free checked bag with every flight. Top-tier members on that airline are given three. In total, that can add up to $230 of savings on
