| Written by: Brian Soares

Credit Cards With Free Checked Baggage

Checked bag benefits are among the big reasons why so many folks open airline cards. But these benefits aren't always very clearly explained. Do you have to use that credit card to receive a free checked bag? Will you still get a free bag if you book an award flight through a partner? Do others in your reservation also receive free checked bags? This ToP Guide to credit cards with free checked baggage.

Updated 6/5/26

Checked Bag Credit Card Benefits by Airline

Below we list out all the US co-branded credit cards with free checked baggage for each major airline. We also break down the free checked bag benefits for each since they can be nuanced.

American Airlines

American Airlines

American Airlines offers a slew of co-branded credit cards between Citi and Barclays. Not all cards offer free checked bags, and the ones that do vary in the number of companions who can also check a bag for free. Here is a list of American Airlines credit cards that offer this benefit, along with the number of companions who can check a free bag when traveling with the primary cardholder:

(As a reminder you can no longer apply for Barclays AA cards)

The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard, Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Blue Mastercard, and the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard do not offer free checked bags as a benefit.

The terms for the free checked bag benefit are the same across all of the American Airlines co-branded cards. Here is a breakdown of the terms:
  • Payment with the card is not required. This means the benefit should apply to award flights booked through a partner if the additional requirements below are met.
  • Benefits are limited to the primary cardholder, not authorized users.
  • Your card account must be open at least 7 days prior to travel, and you must add your AAdvantage number to the reservation at least 7 days prior to travel.
  • If the card is closed before travel, the benefits will be canceled.
  • Applies only to domestic American Airlines itineraries. Not valid for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American flight number but operated by another airline (like Alaska).
  • Travel companions traveling with the primary cardholder must be listed in the same reservation.
  • Benefits do not apply to overweight or oversized bags.
  • You cannot combine this benefit with any existing AAdvantage program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. This means you cannot stack this benefit to add free checked bags that you already receive via American or OneWorld elite status or if you are traveling on a ticket that already includes a free bag. You also cannot stack this benefit by having multiple American Airlines co-branded cards.

For additional information, review this page on American's website.

Alaska Airlines (Atmos) Credit Cards That Offer Free Checked Bags

As a reminder there is now the Alaska/Hawaiian combined loyalty program, Atmos which we cover here. Alaska Airlines offers two personal cards and one business co-branded credit card, all issued by Bank of America. The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature®, Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® and the Atmos Airlines Visa Business, offer a free checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to 6 travel companions on the same reservation. Here is a breakdown of the terms:

  • Payment with the Alaska Airlines Atmos credit card is required to qualify for this benefit. It is unclear whether paying taxes and fees on an award booking made through a partner, such as American, would work here. Alaska agents have confirmed that it would, but we still recommend tempering expectations.
  • Credit card must be open at the time of travel.
  • To qualify for the free first checked bag benefit, you must credit your flight miles to the Alaska Mileage Plan. Companions traveling with the cardholder may credit flight miles to other programs.
  • Benefits are limited to flights operated by Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines (or operated for Alaska by Horizon or SkyWest). If your flight connects to or from another airline, standard baggage fees will apply.
  • Not applicable for guests who already receive 1 or more free checked bags (meaning this benefit cannot be combined with other free bags).
  • This benefit does not apply retroactively and does not entitle the cardholder to refunds for checked bag fees.
  • New cardholders will be eligible for this benefit approximately within 2-3 weeks after account opening. Cardholders upgrading from another Alaska Airlines credit card will be eligible for this benefit approximately within 4-6 weeks after being upgraded.

For additional information, review this FAQ on Alaska's website.

Delta

Delta Air Lines Credit Cards With Free Checked Baggage Perks

Delta has a number of personal and business card options, all issued through American Express. All of the following Delta cards offer a free checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to 9 guests on the same reservation. They also include a second checked bag for Delta-operated domestic flights.

The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card does not offer a free checked bag.

Here is a breakdown of the terms:

  • Payment with the card is not required. This means the benefit should apply to award flights booked through a partner if the additional requirements below are met.
  • Benefits are limited to the primary cardholder (which Amex refers to as the basic card member), not authorized users.
  • Reservations must include the primary cardholder's SkyMiles number.
  • Benefits do not apply to bags that are overweight or oversized under Delta's applicable rules.
  • The first checked bag fee waiver will only be applied on flight segments that originate on a Delta or Delta Connection carrier when you check-in with Delta for both a Delta marketed and Delta operated flight. Codeshare flights are not eligible.
  • New cardholders and those upgrading from another Delta SkyMiles card product will be eligible for the checked baggage fee waiver benefit after receiving their card from Amex. Offer terms and conditions subject to change.

For additional information, you can review this page on Delta's website.

Credit Cards With Free Checked Baggage

Hawaiian Airlines

As a reminder there is now the Alaska/Hawaiian combined loyalty program, Atmos which we cover here. Hawaiian offers a personal and a business credit card, the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard and the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Business Mastercard, both issued by Barclays. Due to the merger with Alaska, these cards can be harder to find. But there are still landing pages via Bank of Hawaii. Each card stands out for a different reason. The personal card offers two free checked bags, which is quite unusual. In contrast, the business card does not offer any free checked bags–also unusual.

Here is a breakdown of the free checked bag terms for the Hawaiian personal card:

  • All ticket purchases (original and exchanges) must be made with the credit card directly from Hawaiian Airlines or Alaska Airlines (HawaiianAirlines.com, AlaskaAir.com, Hawaiian Airlines Reservations department and Hawaiian Airlines airport ticket counters). Tickets purchased from third parties (i.e., travel agencies, etc.) are not eligible. This means the benefit should not apply to award flights booked through a partner, since you have to book directly through Hawaiian.
  • You must be a current primary cardholder upon check-in to be eligible.
  • Benefits are limited to Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines-On Hawaiian Airlines operated flights only for travel between North America and Hawaii and between Neighbor Islands (interisland). International flights are excluded.
  • Authorized users do not qualify for the free checked bag benefit.
  • The primary cardmember must provide their Atmos Rewards Program Account number associated with the Card Account within their reservations any time prior to check-in.
  • Atmos Gold members who booked as Pualani Platinum members before October 1, 2025 are allowed three (3) bags free of charge. Please see an agent at check-in if you have a third bag to check.
  • Applicable overweight and excess baggage fees will apply.

For more information, refer to this page on Hawaiian's website.

Credit Cards With Free Checked Baggage

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue offers two personal cards and one business co-branded card, each issued by Barclays:

  • JetBlue Card
  • JetBlue Plus Card
  • JetBlue Business Card
  • JetBlue Premier Card

The Plus, Premier and the Business cards include a checked bag benefit, while the no annual fee JetBlue Card does not.

Here is a rundown of the free checked bag terms for the JetBlue credit cards:

  • All ticket purchases (original and exchanges) must be made with the credit card and the primary cardholder's JetBlue loyalty account number must be entered at the time of booking.
  • If the card is closed before travel, the benefits will be cancelled.
  • Primary cardmember and up to 3 travel companions on the same reservation each receive their first checked bag free on JetBlue-operated flights that do not otherwise include their first checked bag free.
  • This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with a JetBlue flight number but operated by another airline.
  • Your card account must be open at least 7 days prior to travel, and you must add your TrueBlue number to the reservation at least 7 days prior to travel.
  • Applicable overweight and excess baggage fees will apply.

For additional information, check out this page on JetBlue's website.

Southwest Airlines

Previously known for it's “bags fly free” policy, but as of May 28th, 2025, checked bags now come at an extra cost for all fares except for Business class tickets and members with A-List status. However, Southwest cardholders receive checked bag benefits. Southwest has a slew of co-branded credit cards issued by Chase. All of the cobranded credit cards will come with the same first checked bag free benefit for cardmembers and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.

Here is a summary of the free checked bag terms for the Southwest credit cards:
  • Authorized users are only eligible if they are on the same reservation as the primary cardholder (meaning authorized users will count as one traveling companion).
  • Purchasing the ticket with the credit card is not required, however your Southwest Rapid Rewards number needs to be listed on the reservation in order to receive your cards' benefit.
  • Cardmembers should allow up to 14 days for the benefit to be reflected in your account after opening an eligible card.
  • The checked bag benefit is only available on Southwest operated flights, and does not include any code-share or partner-operated flights.
  • Cardholders who are already exempt from other checked baggage service charges will not receive an additional free standard checked bag (meaning this benefit cannot be combined with other free bags).
Credit Cards With Free Checked Baggage

United Airlines

United offers a number of co-branded credit cards issued by Chase. Some cards stand out for offering up to two free checked bags. Here is the list of United Airlines credit cards that offer this benefit, with the number of bags the primary cardholder can check for free.

The United Gateway Card does not offer a free checked bag as a perk.

Here is a summary of the free checked bag terms for the United credit cards:
  • The primary cardholder must use their United credit card to purchase their ticket (this purchase requirement is waived for flights completed during the 90 days following the account open date) and include their MileagePlus number in their reservation. In theory, this means you could received a free checked bag if you booked a United award flight through a partner like Aeroplan, as long as you paid the taxes/fees with your United card and added your United number to the reservation. But in practice, this does not usually work.
  • You must be a cardholder at the time of check-in to be eligible for free checked bags.
  • This benefit is available to the primary cardholder and one traveling companion on the same reservation.
  • Authorized users are only eligible if they are on the same reservation as the primary cardholder (meaning authorized users will count as one traveling companion).
  • First standard checked bag free is only available on United- and United Express-operated flights; codeshare partner-operated flights are not eligible.
  • Service charges for oversized, overweight and extra baggage may apply.
  • Cardholders who are already exempt from other checked baggage service charges will not receive an additional free standard checked bag (meaning this benefit cannot be combined with other free bags).
  • The terms state you should allow 2 weeks after card opening for your first free standard checked bag to be available on eligible United reservations.

For additional information, review this page on United's website.

Credit Cards With Free Checked Baggage: ToP Thoughts

Checked bag fees can add up if you travel a lot or if you travel with multiple companions. While we generally do not recommend opening a credit cards with free checked baggage solely for this benefit, the free bags perk can help you choose between one airline card or the other.