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If your New Year’s resolution is to travel more, you’ll want to be aware of any changes coming to airlines in the new year.
Many airlines are making big adjustments in 2025, including updated baggage fees, carry-on policies and general rules.
No matter what airline you fly, there’s likely to be an update that could affect your travels.
Here are some of the biggest changes coming to airlines in 2025:
Air Canada
Starting in January 2025, Air Canada will be implementing an extra charge for carry-on bags.
Basic-economy travelers who bring aboard carry-on luggage larger than a handbag or small backpack will be responsible for paying an additional fee. The fee will apply to flights within the Americas, according to the Miami Herald.
When checking in for a flight, passengers will be charged $25 for their first piece of carry-on luggage — which includes any bag with rollers or wheels as well as oversized backpacks that are often used abroad — and an additional $36 for a second.
Additionally, those who do not register their checked bags when checking in prior to arriving at the airport will be charged an elevated fee of $46 at the airport.
The airline will also start charging basic-economy flyers for changing their seats automatically assigned to them at check-in starting on Jan. 21. However, it is unclear what that fee will be.
American Airlines
New upgrades are coming to American Airlines in 2025 for AAdvantage members.
As airlines aim to keep their most frequent customers loyal, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom revealed after an earnings call what their plan is to do so — though it’s something they were planning to announce publicly in January, according to View From The Wing.
When addressing frustration among customers being unable to use their miles for upgrades, the airline’s Vice President of Revenue Engineering Marcial Lapp shared that they will solve this by treating miles like cash, allowing customers to purchase upgrades with miles as they would money — at a lower value of miles than it would be today.
“We are going to be launching upgrade offers with miles Q1 of 2025. So, that will happen relatively soon. And another great use of your miles, so for those customers that have those miles and want to use them, they’ll be able to do so. So, more utility better product,” he said, per View From The Wing.
An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed to the site, “We’re always looking for ways to give customers more certainty with their upgrades, including the option for an instant upgrade using miles as a form of payment, which we intend to offer in early 2025.”
Delta Air Lines
Starting in 2025, Delta Air Lines is giving its cabin interiors a major upgrade.
The “modern” new designs, coming to the widebody Airbus A350 early in the new year, will feature fresh seating materials, enhanced lighting, a renewed color palette, and new decorative motifs and signature branding, according to Delta.
The overhaul focuses on aesthetics and finishings, which means seats will be upholstered, carpets and floorings will be updated, and coverings on aircraft bulkheads and lavatory interiors will be changed out — but the inventory of physical seats and cabin layout will stay the same.
Delta said the transformation — including memory-foam cushions on widebody jets, breathable materials and lighting to elevate relaxation — is based on feedback and research from customers and employees.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines announced that it will begin offering first-class-style seating in an attempt to attract passengers willing to spend more, as well as boosting frequent flyer benefits.
The budget carrier hopes to offer first-class seating on all flights by late 2025, Frontier CEO Barry Biffle said, though it will require approval from regulators.
“There’s a percentage of our customers willing to pay more for comfort,” Biffle told Reuters. “These are affluent leisure customers who want a first-class seat.”
“This is really our answer,” he said. “We can produce the cheapest coach seat, but we can also produce the cheapest first-class seat as well.”
JetBlue
JetBlue will open its first-ever airport lounges in 2025, located at its main hubs in New York and Boston.
The “exclusive” lounges will start with an 8,000-square-foot lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport in late 2025, followed by an 11,000-square-foot facility at Boston Logan International Airport.
The amenity will be open to JetBlue credit card holders, Mint class customers on transatlantic flights as well as some other top-class frequent fliers.
“Eligible” customers may be able to purchase day passes, depending on space availability, and all customers will have the opportunity to buy an annual pass, JetBlue said. However, they did not specify how much the passes would cost.
The lounges will have cocktail and espresso bars, complimentary food and beverages, spaces to work with charging stations, and the highest-tiered loyalty customers can bring one free guest into the lounge.
Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy last month, which is sure to bring plenty of shake-ups in 2025.
In an open letter to travelers, CEO Ted Christie clarified that customers “can continue to book and fly” on Spirit as it undergoes structural changes.
The airline plans to operate its schedule as planned — however, it will also widely shrink as part of the restructuring.
Conor Cunningham, an airline analyst at Melius Research, wrote in a report shared with Travel + Leisure that Spirit is expected to shrink its schedule by another 30-35% next year.
Travelers should be aware that when booking flights on Spirit, changes to the schedule could potentially be made.
A flight that is currently on sale could be canceled — but if it is, Spirit is required to offer a full refund or provide other flight options to travelers.
