Between 2018 and 2023 American, Delta, United, Spirit and Frontier brought in $12.4 billion in seating fees, including for seats with extra legroom.

Summary

Between 2018 and 2023, major airlines collected $12.4 billion in seating fees, with United surpassing checked bag fee revenue in 2023.

The Biden administration has prioritized eliminating junk fees, including seat selection fees, which have become a significant source of revenue for airlines.

Budget airlines Spirit and Frontier have been criticized for paying gate agents to enforce bag policies and collect fees.