United Airlines, the No. 2 U.S. carrier, is doubling the fee for checking a second bag on domestic flights to $50 each way, blaming higher jet-fuel costs.
The increase applies to tickets bought starting today for travel on Nov. 10 or later, the airline said in a statement Monday. Customers in first or business class and United’s frequent fliers don’t have to pay the new fee.
United’s increase extends steps taken by U.S. carriers to counter fuel prices that have climbed 45 percent in the past year. Last week, Denver-based Frontier said it would begin charging $15 for the first checked bag.
United said its added charges, including the bag fees, will produce $700 million in revenue next year.
It’s unclear how the charges will affect passenger travel. United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said planes are flying at capacity.
“We’re going to continue to monitor our fees to make sure they offset our cost and are competitive with the industry in this challenging economic environment,” she said.
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson contributed to this report.
