Among the most practical benefits of many co-branded airline credit cards is the ability to check a bag for free. With fees for checked baggage climbing, this benefit can add up to significant savings, especially for frequent travelers.
Alaska Airlines
Visa Signature Card
This card offers a free checked bag for you and up to six people on the same qualifying reservation if you pay for the trip using the card. For an annual fee of $95, you also get some great benefits like priority boarding, a companion fare (after meeting an annual spend requirement), and a 20% rebate as a statement credit on eligible in-flight purchases like WiFi, food, and beverages.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Delta
As a benefit of Delta’s three SkyMiles American Express cards, you can check your first bag free and save up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. This can apply to up to eight passengers on the same reservation. It’s important to note that you can’t combine this benefit when you’re receiving one or more checked bags free due to itinerary purchased, Medallion Status, or active military status. Each of the following benefits for SkyMiles American Express cards is in addition to the first bag-free benefit.
SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
For a $150 annual fee (waived the first year), you get a $200 Delta flight credit after spending $10,000 in a calendar year, priority boarding and discounts on award travel, and select in-flight purchases.
SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card
Benefits include statement credits for rideshares, a credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and automatic Five Star status with Hertz. The annual fee for this card is $350.
SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
The richest SkyMiles American Express cards offer benefits like Delta Sky Club access, an annual companion certificate, statement credits for rideshares, and TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. The annual fee for this card is $650.
Delta Airbus 330 climbing in altitude
Hawaiian Airlines
World Elite Mastercard
A co-branded card from Hawaiian Airlines may seem limiting initially. Still, combined with the other benefits offered, it could be worth it even if you fly from North America to Hawaii once a year. A $99 annual fee gets you two free checked bags. Considering it costs $40 each way to check a bag from North America, the savings mostly offset the annual fee. If you are traveling between islands during your trip ($15 per bag for HawaiianMiles Members), the savings could exceed the annual fee depending on where your itinerary takes you.
Hawaiian Airbus 330 on the runway
American Airlines
Two American Airlines AAdvantage cards offer a free checked bag benefit. However, this benefit only applies to domestic flights and does not include overweight or oversized luggage.
Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
With this card, you and up to four people on your itinerary get a free first checked bag, saving up to $400 per round trip. The $99 annual fee is waived for the first 12 months (and there is no minimum card spend to meet either). You also get preferred boarding, a discount on in-flight purchases, and opportunities to book discounted flights.
Executive World Elite Mastercard
This card’s benefits are richer, and so is the annual fee. Your first checked bag is free, and that extends to up to eight people on your itinerary. The $595 annual fee includes benefits like reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Admirals Club lounge membership, and accelerated loyalty points earnings.
United Airlines
A United co-branded card might make sense since United recently announced they will begin charging for first-checked bags. The fee for a checked bag is $40. ($35 if prepaid online). Plus, United’s basic economy fares typically don’t allow you to bring a carry-on (cardholders are exempt from that rule).
United Explorer Card
This card offers a free checked bag, two United Club passes to use twice a year, and a $100 reimbursement for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS—all for a $0 annual fee for the first year and $95 after. Benefits like these are typically seen with co-branded credit cards with a higher annual fee (usually starting around $250).
United Quest Card
If you check two bags and want more robust benefits, check out this card. For a $250 annual fee, you get free first and second checked bags, an annual $125 United purchase credit, and two 5,999-mile anniversary award flight credits.
United Club Infinite Card
This card is for those wanting a premium card and a free checked bag benefit. A $525 annual fee gets you free first and second checked bags, membership to United Club, and 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
JetBlue
JetBlue Plus Card
JetBlue fans may benefit from the Plus card in a big way. On Blue Basic fares, unless your bag is a personal item and fits under the seat in front of you, there’s a $65 fee to check it and second bags. It’s important to note that this fee does not apply to Mosaic members. This card includes a free first checked bag for you and up to three companions on the same reservation. With an annual fee of $99, it also offers a discount on JetBlue Vacation packages and 5,000 bonus points every year after your account anniversary.
Frontier
Frontier Airlines World Mastercard
This is an important card for Frontier fans since they charge $60 for carry-on luggage (although you get a personal item for free so long as it can fit under the seat in front of you). The $0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 after) gets you two free checked bags and instant Elite Gold Status when you make a purchase with your card in the first 90 days after account opening. It’s worth noting that the free checked bag benefit includes golf and ski equipment at no extra cost.