Best credit cards that offer free checked baggage

Not too long ago checked bags were included in the price of your ticket. Sadly, these times are mostly gone. These days, your choices are packing light (like carry-on light) or paying a fee to have all you need while traveling.

Fortunately, there are credit cards that offer free checked baggage as a benefit. These cards almost always carry annual fees, but you’ll still come out ahead in most cases. To ensure we compare apples to apples, we’ve picked several co-branded airline cards in the same annual fee range for our roundup. Holding one of these cards will allow you to pack whatever you want on your next trip (well, almost).

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard: Best for American Airlines flyers

Why we picked it: American Airlines charges $30 for the first checked bag on domestic trips. As a cardholder of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*, you’ll get your first checked bag free on domestic American flights (for you and up to four companions on the same reservation), among other benefits.

Note that your credit card account must be open at least seven days before air travel and the reservation must include your AAdvantage number.

Pros

• Earn a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months of account opening
• The first-checked-bag-free benefit is valid for you and up to four traveling companions on the same reservation
• Earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend at least $20,000 during your card membership year and renew your card
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year (then $99 annual fee)
• You’ll get preferred boarding on American flights
• Get 25 percent back (as statement credits) on in-flight food and beverages paid with your card
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• $99 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year)
• Lower earning rates — 2X miles on eligible American purchases, 2X miles at restaurants and gas stations and 1X miles on all other purchases

Who should apply: If American Airlines is your preferred airline and you normally check bags, this card can be a good flight companion — especially since the $99 annual fee is waived for the first year, so you can see if it works for you before committing to an annual fee.

Who should skip: If American doesn’t work for your travel plans, or if you primarily fly in business or first class (a premium-class ticket includes free checked bags), you don’t need this card’s benefits.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card: Best for Delta Air Lines flyers

Why we picked it: Delta charges $30 for the first checked bag on domestic flights. However, if you’re a Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card holder, you can check your first bag for free (but don’t forget to include your Delta SkyMiles number in your reservation).

Pros

• Earn a welcome bonus of 40,000 miles after spending $2,000 within your first six months
• The first-checked-bag-free benefit is valid for you and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
• Priority boarding on Delta flights
• Earn 20 percent back (as statement credits) on in-flight food and beverages paid for with your card
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• Lower earning rates — 2X miles on eligible Delta purchases, 2X miles at restaurants, 2X miles at U.S. supermarkets and 1X miles on all other purchases
• $99 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year)

Who should apply: If you routinely check bags, each round trip on Delta will cost you $60. So anyone who flies Delta domestically even a couple of times a year will benefit from a free checked bag. Plus, there’s a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year (then $99), so there is no risk to test-drive this card.

Who should skip: Travelers who rarely fly Delta, don’t check bags or fly in business or first class won’t benefit much from the free-checked-bag benefit, although they might still enjoy the welcome bonus.

United Explorer Card: Best for United Airlines flyers

Why we picked it: United charges $30 to $35 for the first checked bag on a domestic flight. Fortunately, holders of the United℠ Explorer Card* can avoid this fee. Note that you must buy your airfare with the United Explorer Card to use this benefit. In addition, you must include your United MileagePlus number in the reservation.

Pros

• Earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 per year
• You’ll get priority boarding on United flights
• Earn 25 percent back (as statement credits) on in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi paid for with your card
• Receive up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fees (every four years)
• Get two United Club one-time passes after account opening and on each account anniversary
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• Lower earning rates — 2X miles on eligible United purchases, 2X miles on dining and directly-purchased hotel accommodations and 1X miles on all other purchases
• $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year)
• The first-checked-bag-free benefit is only valid for you and one traveling companion

Who should apply: Anyone who flies United in economy class at least a couple of times a year and checks their bags will find the United Explorer card useful — especially since it waives the $95 annual fee for the first year.

Who should skip: Consumers who don’t fly United, check bags or fly economy might want to choose another travel credit card.

JetBlue Plus Card: Best for JetBlue flyers

Why we picked it: JetBlue charges $35 for the first checked bag on domestic flights. To get your first checked bag free with the JetBlue Plus Card*, you must pay for tickets with your card and enter your JetBlue TrueBlue number at the time of booking. Besides a free checked bag, the JetBlue Plus Card comes with quite a few benefits like decent earning rates and a welcome bonus. Unfortunately, the card’s annual fee isn’t waived for the first year.

Pros

• Earn a welcome bonus of 40,000 points after spending $1,000 and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days of account opening
• The first-checked-bag-free benefit is valid for you and up to three traveling companions on the same reservation
• Decent earning rates — 6X points on eligible JetBlue purchases, 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores and 1X points on all other purchases
• Earn 50 percent back (as statement credits) on eligible in-flight food and beverages paid with your card
• Earn 10 percent of your points back after you redeem for (and travel on) a JetBlue award flight
• Earn 5,000 bonus points each year after your account anniversary
• Get an annual $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more with your card
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• $99 annual fee
• No preferred or priority boarding benefits

Who should apply: If you fly JetBlue at all, this card offers enough savings and perks to justify the annual fee, especially considering the card’s free-checked-bag benefit.

Who should skip: Right now JetBlue has a relatively limited network, so if it doesn’t fly from your home airport, there’s no reason to get this card.

Tips for choosing a card that offers free checked bags

• First, find out what airlines fly from your home airport. Enter the name of your hometown airport into your favorite web search engine and simply head to the airport’s website for a list of its airlines. If you live in a large metropolitan area served by several major airlines, you’ll have more options to choose from.
• Then, pick your preferred airline. For example, if you fly United most of the time, there is no reason to apply for a non-United card, no matter how enticing a card’s benefits are. However, if you value a comfortable seat, JetBlue typically has the best legroom in coach.
• What card or airline benefits do you want? After you identify the airlines that fly from your home airport to destinations you frequent, choosing an airline card with a free-checked-bag benefit becomes as simple as a matter of personal preference. Think about the card or airline benefits you’re looking for, and compare co-branded airline cards to find the best fit for you.

The bottom line

Quite a few airlines offer co-branded credit cards, and many of them offer a first-checked-bag-free benefit. These cards can save you a great deal of money if you have a preferred airline and fly at least a few times a year. However, not everyone checks bags (or checks a bag every time), so consider your travel habits first.

*The information about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, United℠ Explorer Card and JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.