Checked bag fees keep climbing, and that makes the question unavoidable: are airline co-branded credit cards actually worth it just to dodge the charge at the airport? Misryoum newsroom reporting and analysis looks at what happens when you’re not chasing elite status, you book basic economy, and you’re trying to keep the trip “cheap,” at least on paper.
For a round-trip flight, travelers may now expect to pay about $100 extra per person for each checked bag—assuming you’re dealing with the current mix of higher fees and fuel surcharges. And if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t stick to one airline, that cost can feel like it sneaks up on you. One minute you’re thinking “basic economy,” the next you’re doing math over a screen while a plane roars somewhere overhead.
Sure, the obvious workaround is: don’t check a bag. But for most trips, that’s not realistic—especially if you’re visiting family for more than a long weekend, or you’re packing anything more than a carry-on. Misryoum analysis also points to a second annoyance: some airlines have placed restrictions on earning rewards on basic economy flights. So you’re not only paying bag fees; in some cases you’re also losing out on the mileage game.
That’s where the co-branded cards come in. Misryoum newsroom reporting compiles some of the lowest-annual-fee airline cards that include a checked bag perk, and pairs them with how basic economy earns work for that card. First up is American Airlines: American bag fees for basic economy are $55 for your first checked bag ($50 if prepaid online) and $65 for your second checked bag ($60 if prepaid online). In that scenario, Misryoum newsroom reporting suggests the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® can help if you fly round-trip at least once per year and check a bag. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 thereafter, and it offers a first checked bag free for you and up to 4 travel companions on domestic flights. It’s also set to earn 2 miles per $1 spent on eligible American flights even when you book basic economy with the card.
United’s checked bag fees are $50 for your first checked bag ($45 if prepaid online) and $60 for your second checked bag ($55 if prepaid online). Misryoum editorial desk noted that the United℠ Explorer Card—$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 thereafter—lets the primary cardmember plus one companion check a bag for free. Basic economy fare earning with this card is 0 United MileagePlus miles, but it’s 3 miles per $1 spent on United flights for basic economy booked with the card, while standard fare mileage earning for non-elite members is also 3 miles per $1 spent. The pitch here: if you fly with United at least two times per year (round-trip) and check a bag, the card could match the $200 ($180 if you prepay online) bag cost.
Delta and Southwest are a bit more straightforward, at least on the bag-fee-to-card value math. Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 thereafter, and includes first checked bag free on Delta flights for you and up to eight travel companions. Delta’s bag fees are $45 for your first checked bag and $55 for your second. Misryoum analysis says that if you fly round-trip at least
two times a year with Delta, the card can offset the $180 checked bag fees—and importantly, it can shift basic economy earnings from 0 Delta SkyMiles to 2 miles per $1 spent on Delta flights. Southwest, meanwhile, has bag fees of $45 for your first checked bag and $55 for your second, and Misryoum newsroom reporting highlights the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (annual fee: $99). It gives first checked bag free on Southwest
flights for you and up to eight travel companions, and it’s pegged at 4 points per $1 spent on Southwest flights for basic fare with the card.
Alaska’s listed fees are $45 for your first checked bag and $55 for your second, and Misryoum newsroom reporting points to the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card (annual fee: $95). It provides first free checked bag for the cardholder and up to six travel companions (on the same reservation). It also comes with travel perks like preferred boarding and 20% back on eligible inflight purchases, while basic fare (Saver) earning shifts from 30% of miles flown (number of Atmos Rewards points you’ll earn) to 3 points per $1 spent on Alaska and Hawaiian flights with the card.
Bottom line: even without factoring in welcome bonus offers and the rest of the perks, Misryoum editorial desk notes these low-annual-fee co-branded cards can save money if you fly with a specific carrier and check a bag at least once or twice a year—and especially if you travel with a companion who’s also covered by the free-bag benefit. And even if fuel surcharges eventually cool off, don’t count on airlines lowering checked bag prices. It’s become the new normal. Or at least, it feels that way—until the next fee change pops up mid-trip planning, anyway.
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