Home / Calculators / Overweight fee

Calculator

Overweight bag fee estimator

Updated 2026-09-24. Researched from airline pages and published specifications.

Quick answerA 55 lb checked bag is 5 lb over the usual 50 lb limit and falls in Delta's and Southwest's $100 overweight band (51 to 70 lb) and JetBlue's $150 band (51 to 99 lb). Moving 5 lb into a carry-on is usually free, so weigh the bag before you leave.

Limits change; confirm with your airline before you fly. Every figure here links to the airline page it came from.

Overweight bag fee estimatorAirline-published limits
Over a 50 lb allowance by 5 lb (24.9 kg total)
Delta Air Lines (free to 50 lb)$100 per bag, each way
Southwest Airlines (free to 50 lb)$100 per bag, each way
JetBlue (free to 50 lb)$150 per bag, each way
Frontier Airlines (free to 40 lb)$129 per bag, each way

Fees are the bands each airline states on its own page, charged on top of the standard bag fee. Fees change; check the airline.

Moving a few pounds into your carry-on or personal item is usually the cheapest fix.

How it works: fee = the band on the airline's own page that contains your bag weight, charged per bag, per direction, on top of the ordinary bag fee

Only fee bands read from each airline's own page are used, and only as a guide. Fees change often and vary by route, fare and status. Check the airline before you fly.

A luggage scale costs less than one overweight fee

Frequently asked questions

How much is an overweight bag fee?

On the airline pages read for this site: Delta charges $100 for 51 to 70 lb and $200 for 71 to 99 lb; Southwest $100 for 51 to 70 lb; JetBlue $150 for 51 to 99 lb; Frontier $75 for 41 to 50 lb and $129 above 50 lb on newer bookings. These are per bag, per direction, and change often.

What happens if my checked bag is over 50 pounds?

At most US airlines the bag is accepted with an overweight fee up to 70 lb, and often up to 99 or 100 lb with a larger fee. Above 100 lb most refuse it. Repacking at the counter to move weight into a carry-on is allowed and is usually the cheapest option.

Researched, not professional advice. Airline limits and fees change; confirm with your airline before you fly.

Related