What a carry-on bag costs you on 9 major airlines

Free

Hawaiian’s carry-on baggage rule says that “you are limited to one (1) carry-on bag and one (1) personal item on any flights that we operate.”

It depends.

Frontier charges a fee for carry-ons, and that fee goes up the closer you get to takeoff. For instance, a flight departing from Charlotte, North Carolina for Los Angeles on July 16 (checked July 3) has the follow fee schedule for carry-ons:

🧳 $62 if a carry-on is confirmed when the ticket is purchased

🧳 $72 if a carry-on is confirmed when a passenger checks in for their flight via web or app

🧳 $79 if a carry-on is confirmed if a passenger checks in at the ticket counter the day of the flight

🧳 $99 if a carry-on is confirmed at the departure gate

The prices can change at any time and can also change from flight to flight. There are some exceptions:

🛄 Passengers with Elite Gold, Platinum, or Diamond frequent-flyer status can bring a carry-on bag for free.

🛄 Passengers flying on a Elite Diamond member’s booking can bring a carry-on bag for free.

🛄 Active duty military passengers can bring a carry-on bag for free.

🛄 Business travelers who book through a travel agent can get a special fare that allows for free carry-ons.

🛄 The airline sometimes has coupons for free carry-ons, as well.

Free (soon)

Until Sept. 6, all JetBlue passengers fly with a free carry-on except for its budget Blue Basic fares according to the company’s policy. Those tickets will have to pay a $65 fee. But the carrier just announced that Blue Basic customers will get free carry-ons for flights departing after Sept. 6.

It depends

Spirit charges a fee for carry-ons, and that fee goes up the closer you get to takeoff. For instance, a flight departing from Charlotte, North Carolina for Los Angeles on July 16 (checked July 3) has the follow fee schedule for carry-ons:

🧳 $50 if a carry-on is confirmed when a ticket is booked

🧳 $60 if a carry-on is confirmed when a passenger checks in via web or app

🧳 $79 if a carry-on is confirmed at the airport

The prices can change at any time and can also change from flight to flight.

Free

Alaska’s carry-on baggage policy says that “when traveling with us, you’re allowed one carry-on bag plus one personal item.”

Free (mostly)

United’s carry-on policy says that “you can bring one carry-on bag and one personal item for free on most domestic and international flights.”

Passengers flying under the carrier’s budget Basic Economy fare, on the other hand, have to pay a bag fee for carry-ons that varies from trip to trip. For instance, a flight departing from Charlotte, North Carolina for Los Angeles on July 16 (checked July 3) has the follow fee schedule for carry-ons:

🧳 $35 if a carry-on is confirmed at least 24 hours before the flight

🧳 $40 if a carry-on is confirmed less than 24 hours before a flight

🧳 $65 if a carry-on is confirmed at the departure gate

Free

American’s carry-on policy says that each passenger gets “1 personal item and 1 carry-on” free of charge.

Free

Southwest’s carry-on policy says that passengers “may bring one carryon bag and one personal item without charge.”

Free

Delta’s carry-on policy says that “each passenger flying with Delta can bring 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item free of charge.”