Credit cards with free checked bags

Last verified 2026-06-10

Answer first

Some airline credit cards include a free checked bag, but the benefit is not universal.

In this site's verified calculator, Alaska, American, United, and Delta cards include published checked-bag benefits. The important question is not just whether the card says "free checked bag." It is whether your airline, route, traveler count, reservation, and payment method satisfy the benefit rules.

The airline credit cards in this site's verified dataset that include checked bag benefits are currently Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines co-branded cards. In each case, the benefit is narrower than a blanket baggage waiver: route scope, traveler count, and booking conditions still control whether the published free-bag line applies.

This page is a technical reference, not a card ranking. It covers the airline card families currently included in this site's bag-fee calculator: Alaska, American, United, and Delta.

Use this page when the question is:

Which airline credit cards currently include a checked bag benefit?
How many travelers the waiver covers on one reservation?
What the published route or booking limits are before using the benefit?

Run free checked bag math Estimate baggage cost first

Airline-by-airline checked bag benefit reference

The useful comparison is not just which card has a bag benefit. It is how many travelers the benefit covers, how many bags it removes, and how narrow the route or booking rules are.

Airline	Card family / name	Checked bag benefit	Companions included	Annual fee	Basic restrictions	Source / verification note
Alaska Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights paid with an eligible Atmos card	Atmos Rewards Visa Business card business	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 6 companions	$70	Published free-bag language requires the flight to be paid for with the eligible card. The benefit applies to the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation. Free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation when the flight is paid for with the card.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Card entry	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 6 companions	$95	Published free-bag language requires the flight to be paid for with the eligible card. The benefit applies to the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation. Free checked bag for the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation when the flight is paid for with the card.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Card premium	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 6 companions	$395	Published free-bag language requires the flight to be paid for with the eligible card. The benefit applies to the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation. Free checked bag and preferred boarding for the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation when the flight is paid for with the card.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
American Domestic American Airlines itineraries	Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard entry	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 4 companions	$99	Benefit is tied to domestic American Airlines itineraries, not every partner or long-haul itinerary. Companions must be on the same reservation as the eligible primary cardholder. First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardholder and up to 4 companions on the same reservation.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard entry_alt	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 4 companions	$99	Benefit is tied to domestic American Airlines itineraries, not every partner or long-haul itinerary. Companions must be on the same reservation as the eligible primary cardholder. First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to 4 companions on the same reservation.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard premium	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 8 companions	$595	Benefit is tied to domestic American Airlines itineraries, not every partner or long-haul itinerary. Companions must be on the same reservation as the eligible primary cardholder. First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same reservation.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
United United-operated flights	United Explorer Card entry	First checked bag free	Cardmember + 1 companion	$150	United requires the primary cardmember's MileagePlus number on the reservation. In this model, the ticket must be purchased with the eligible card for the bag benefit to apply. First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	United Quest Card mid	First and second checked bags free	Cardmember + 1 companion	$350	United requires the primary cardmember's MileagePlus number on the reservation. In this model, the ticket must be purchased with the eligible card for the bag benefit to apply. First and second checked bags free for the primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	United Club Card premium	First and second checked bags free	Cardmember + 1 companion	$695	United requires the primary cardmember's MileagePlus number on the reservation. In this model, the ticket must be purchased with the eligible card for the bag benefit to apply. First and second checked bags free for the primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
Delta Delta and Delta Connection segments when checking in with Delta	Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card entry	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 8 companions	$150	Reservation must include the Basic Card Member's SkyMiles number. Delta publishes this benefit for flights booked with the card and checked in with Delta. First checked bag free for the Basic Card Member and up to 8 companions on the same reservation when the reservation includes the member's SkyMiles number.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card mid	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 8 companions	$350	Reservation must include the Basic Card Member's SkyMiles number. Delta publishes this benefit for flights booked with the card and checked in with Delta. First checked bag free for the Basic Card Member and up to 8 companions on the same reservation when the reservation includes the member's SkyMiles number.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10
	Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card premium	First checked bag free	Cardmember + up to 8 companions	$650	Reservation must include the Basic Card Member's SkyMiles number. Delta publishes this benefit for flights booked with the card and checked in with Delta. First checked bag free for the Basic Card Member and up to 8 companions on the same reservation when the reservation includes the member's SkyMiles number.	Verified against the airline card and baggage policy pages listed below. Last verified 2026-06-10

When baggage benefits actually matter

Family travel

A waiver that extends to companions changes the math much faster than a solo-only benefit. That is why the traveler-count column matters more than the card's brand tier by itself.

Repeat bag patterns

These benefits are most relevant when the trip pattern regularly includes a first checked bag. They matter less when the traveler usually stays carry-on only or pays mostly second-bag and overweight charges instead.

Annual fee range

Current annual-fee ranges in this page run from $70-$395 on Alaska, $99-$595 on American, $150-$695 on United, and $150-$650 on Delta.

If you want to test a specific trip pattern instead of reading the benefit table in the abstract, use the free checked bag math tool. It models first-bag savings only and excludes points, lounge access, credits, and bonuses.

Important restrictions

Alaska

Published free-bag language requires the flight to be paid for with the eligible card.
The benefit applies to the cardholder and up to 6 guests on the same reservation.
This is a first-checked-bag benefit, not an overweight or oversized waiver.

American

Benefit is tied to domestic American Airlines itineraries, not every partner or long-haul itinerary.
Companions must be on the same reservation as the eligible primary cardholder.
This is a standard first-bag benefit, not an overweight or oversized waiver.

United

United requires the primary cardmember's MileagePlus number on the reservation.
In this model, the ticket must be purchased with the eligible card for the bag benefit to apply.
The benefit applies to standard checked bags, not overweight or oversized bags.

Delta

Reservation must include the Basic Card Member's SkyMiles number.
Delta publishes this benefit for flights booked with the card and checked in with Delta.
Codeshare flights and passengers already receiving a free checked bag through fare, status, or military eligibility are not covered by this benefit line.

Related references: checked baggage fee reference, Basic Economy traps, and the airline fee pages for Alaska, American, United, and Delta.