Hawaiian Is Raising Checked Bag Fees: That’ll Make Southwest Flights to Hawaii an Even Better Bargain!

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Welp…yet another airline has decided to hop on the increased bag fees bandwagon!

As of yesterday, November 13, 2018, Hawaiian’s checked baggage fees increased by $5.  This comes after most other major US airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, and United Airlines, implemented higher fees earlier this year.

If you’re tired of paying for checked bags, check out the credit cards that can save you big time on luggage fees.

Checked Baggage Fees Are Going Up Across the Board, Making Credit Card Perks Like Free Checked Luggage and Travel Credits Even More Valuable!

Going forward, Hawaiian Airlines will charge $30 for your first checked bag and $40 for your second checked bag.  This is up from $25 and $35, respectively.

That said, checked baggage fees for flights between the Hawaiian Islands will stay the same, at $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second.  And anyone who’s a member of the airline’s frequent flyer program will pay just $15 for the first checked bag and $20 for the second checked bag for inter-island flights.

But Wait…Southwest Will Fly to Hawaii Soon!

In my opinion, this isn’t a very smart move for Hawaiian Airlines, because Southwest plans to begin service to Hawaii in early 2019.  And with Southwest, you can check 2 bags for free!  Plus, I know lots of us can’t wait to use the Southwest Companion Pass to save even more money on flights to the Aloha State!

With perks like these, how do other airlines, like Hawaiian, plan to woo customers?  If ticket prices are similar, you’d bet I’d rather fly with Southwest and get 2 free checked bags than pay $70 each way ($140 total) for my luggage!

In the meantime, don’t forget that folks with The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express can get the fees reimbursed (up to $200 per calendar year) if Hawaiian Airlines is your selected airline.

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Meghan Hunter is an editor for Million Mile Secrets. She covers points, miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels and general travel. Her work has also appeared in The Points Guy.

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

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