United Airlines joins JetBlue in raising bag fees

Joining what could be a trend, United Airlines will increase the charge for checked bags by $5 starting this month.

The first checked bags for passengers traveling on United (Nasdaq: UAL) will be $35, up from $30, and the second bag will cost $45. 

The fee increase takes effect for tickets purchased Feb. 21 for domestic travel and for short-haul international travel to Latin American and the Caribbean for flights that occur after March 5, according to Bloomberg News. Travelers who bought their…