American Airlines raises checked-bag fee

First bag will cost $20, second $30, on tickets bought after Aug. 13

Image: Philadelphia International Airport

Matt Rourke / AP

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updated 7:47 p.m. ET July 24, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas - It's going to cost you more to check bags on an American Airlines flight.

American said Friday that checking the first bag will cost $20, up from $15, and a second bag will cost $30, up from $25.

The change takes effect on tickets bought after Aug. 13 for travel within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on American and its regional affiliate, American Eagle.

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Elite members of American's frequent-flier program continue to be exempt from the bag fees, as are passengers in business- and first-class and those who paid full fare for coach seats. There are no bag fees for international itineraries except Canada.

United, Delta, Continental and US Airways recently announced $5 increases in checked-bag fees paid at the airport, to $20 for the first and $30 for the second.

Those other carriers left the fees at $15 and $25 for people who pay the charges online, but American doesn't offer the online option.

Fees on checking baggage and other services can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars a year at major airlines, which are struggling with falling revenue due to a slump in traffic. Last week, American parent AMR Corp. reported a $390 million loss for the second quarter.

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