Delta Air Lines Baggage Fees

In early March 2024, Delta Air Lines quietly updated its baggage pricing and raised fees by $5. Your first standard checked bag will cost $35, and a second bag will cost $45. There was no announcement, so we’re here to make sure you don’t miss this if you’re flying the airline soon.

The great news about Delta’s baggage fees is that the pricing model is very straightforward, though prices do vary based on which part of the world you’re heading to. Baggage fees are more expensive if you’re flying to South America, Asia, Europe or even Mexico rather than a domestic U.S. route.

No matter the destination, if you’re traveling on a Delta Main Cabin fare, you’ll get one free personal item and one free carry-on bag. A personal item is classified as a purse, briefcase, laptop bag, diaper bag or similar. Items that don’t count as personal items and are always free to bring onboard are jackets, umbrellas, food and drink you bought at the airport, duty-free merchandise, strollers, crutches and wheelchairs.

Your carry-on bag has size limitations, so be careful with how tight you pack it. Your carry-on luggage can’t exceed a total of 45 linear inches, and individual measurements can’t exceed 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches. It’s important to note that if your bag is too large or the flight is too full you’ll need to check your bag.

Even if your bag is the correct dimension, you may still be asked to gate check, especially if the flight is full or your plane has limited storage capacity. In some cases, the gate agent may ask for volunteers to check their bag before boarding, freeing up more time in the boarding process and allowing the airline to aim for a faster departure.

A quick note about Delta Basic Economy fares: The airline allows a free carry-on bag for Basic Economy travelers, while competitors, like United, charge a fee. Unless you’re flying a small Delta Connection with less than 50 seats, feel free to bring both a personal item and a carry-on.

Read more: Best Travel Credit Cards

Domestic Delta Air Lines Baggage Fees

For most domestic flights, as well as U.S. flights to the Caribbean, you’ll pay $35 for your first checked bag and $45 for your second bag. This fee is per bag, per direction, regardless of what class you’re flying. In other words, if you fly from Raleigh (RDU) to Dallas (DFW) and connect in Atlanta (ATL), you don’t have to pay a separate fee for each leg of the trip.

International Delta Air Lines Baggage Fees

International flights are where more price disparity comes into play with regard to main cabin versus basic economy fares.

However, Canada remains the exception. The country is lumped together with the U.S. as domestic, so baggage fees only cost you $35 and $45 for the first and second checked bag, respectively, when you’re flying to and from the Great White North.

Central America also has similar baggage fee prices: $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second, just like U.S. domestic flights.

Unfortunately, it’ll cost you more to go to the U.S.’s southern neighbor with multiple checked bags. If you’re heading to Mexico, your first bag will still be $30, but the second bag fee jumps to $55. These prices hold firm through basic economy and main cabin fares.

For main cabin fares, flights to Europe, Australia and South America come with the first bag free, while the second bag will cost $100.

Flights from the U.S. to Asia, Africa and the Middle East get the first two bags for free on main cabin fares, whether you’re heading to Seoul, Nairobi or beyond.

International Basic Economy Baggage Fees

If you’re looking to save on the cost of the ticket and purchase a basic economy fare, note that the baggage price structure does adjust for some destinations.

However, if you choose to fly in basic economy to Europe, you’ll miss out on the first bag free. Instead, you’ll have to pay $75 for the first bag and $100 for the second checked bag in economy. Similarly, if you fly basic economy to South America, your first checked bag will cost you $70, and the second will run you $100.

Flights to Australia, Africa and the Middle East still receive the first check bag free, but the second bag will run you $100. Economy flights to Asia still qualify for two free check bags.

As a reminder, all those international flights include a free carry-on bag, so if you can travel light, you’ll be able to avoid the extra cost.

If you’re looking to avoid paying checked baggage fees, you’re in luck—there are plenty of methods with Delta.

Avoid Baggage Fees by Using Credit Cards

Delta, along with its partner American Express, offers a wide mix of credit cards that offer baggage fee waivers. The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) offers a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation.

This means a family of four can each get their first bag free in both directions, saving an average of $70 per passenger on a domestic round trip. The savings apply whether you’re flying on a basic economy ticket, a main cabin ticket or a Comfort+ ticket.

The annual fee on the credit card is $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150, so with one round trip for you and a companion ($70 round-trip times two flights = $140 bag fees), you’re making up most of the cost of the annual fee.

The same benefits apply to the two more premium cards offered by American Express: The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Terms apply) and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Terms apply). Both cards come with the same baggage benefit, so no matter which you choose, you won’t pay those pesky fees.

Avoid Baggage Fees With Elite Status

Another way to avoid paying fees for bags on Delta is to earn Medallion status. Even the lowest level of status, Silver Medallion, comes with a first bag for free on Delta flights. To qualify for elite status in 2025, your spending and earning in 2024 determine your status:

For more information, see our article about Delta’s elite status changes.

Your elite status and the class you fly can also gain eligibility for additional free baggage: Flying first class with any level of elite status lets you check three bags up to 70 pounds each for free, regardless of origin or destination. If you’re planning to fly in a different class, check Delta’s charts for baggage allowance, as it will depend on which combination of elite status and class you’re flying.

Avoid Baggage Fees by Flying First Class

Lastly, if you’ve got extra heavy bags or more than one bag, consider flying first class. Travelers who fly in first class get two free bags on every reservation, and those bags can weigh up to 70 pounds each. The most your bags can weigh without paying an extra fee in any economy cabin is 50 pounds. For bags over the limit, without a first class ticket, you’ll pay a fee depending on your destination. A checked bag between 51 pounds and 70 pounds on a domestic flight in the U.S. will see you charged $100.

Sometimes the difference between a main cabin and first-class fare is comparable to the cost of paying for your overweight luggage. If you check two bags and one ends up being overweight, you would be charged the $100 overweight fee on top of the $30 regular checked bag fee, each direction. You wouldn’t have to pay that $130 if you were flying first class and received two free checked bags up to 70 pounds each. The question becomes the price difference between your seat and first class, and how valuable that is to you.

While the difference in cabin class cost could be under $130, flying first class still may be worth it to avoid the worry or hassle of an overweight bag while also receiving the elite cabin’s perks.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed and confused by the myriad of destinations, classes of service and credit cards, you’re not alone. Delta has created a handy guide for you to know exactly what you can expect to pay.

It’s called the Baggage Estimator. Simply insert your origin, destination, class of service, date of travel and your SkyMiles status or the American Express credit card you have, if any. Delta’s system will kick out a report to let you know what you can expect to pay for your baggage.

Delta offers an on-time baggage guarantee for all passengers on their domestic flights. If you decide to check a bag and it comes out to the baggage carousel more than 20 minutes after your arrival at the gate, Delta will give you 2,500 miles. Simply fill out the form up to three days after you arrive, and the miles will be automatically posted to your account.

If you paid for your bag and it arrived late, receiving 2,500 SkyMiles for the delay can take the sting out of that baggage fee.

While it’s a pain to pay fees, the great news is that Delta provides quite a few options to avoid baggage fees.

Whether you decide to sign up for one of its various credit cards, earn status with the SkyMiles program or purchase a first-class fare, there’s a good chance you can find a way to avoid or reduce baggage fees as you take to the skies.

To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card please visit this page.