As of 2010, airline baggage fees varied widely by the size and number of bags checked. American Airlines charged $20 per bag for domestic flights, $30 for a second bag, $50 for bags weighing between 51 and 70 pounds, and $150 for bags measuring between 62 and 115 inches. Delta/Northwest charged $23 for a first checked bag (if the ticket was purchased online), $32 for a second checked bag (if purchased online), and between $90 and $300 for oversize and overweight bags.
The major airlines exempt some passengers from baggage fees, including first-class passengers, military personnel being deployed and certain frequent fliers.
According to the "Los Angeles Times," the top 20 U.S. air carriers earned $2.6 billion in passenger baggage fees over the first three fiscal quarters of 2010, which helped major airlines report a profit for the first time since 2007. The airlines that earned the most luggage fees included Delta Air Lines ($733 million), American Airlines ($431 million), and US Airways ($388 million).
