United Airlines, for instance, recently offered a $119.40 round-trip fare, taxes included, from Los Angeles to San Francisco. If you were to check two bags both ways, your luggage charges would total $120. It's no cheaper on the rest of the so-called Big Five airlines — American, Continental, Delta and US Airways — which, like United, last month increased checked-luggage charges in the U.S. to $25 each way for the first bag and $35 for the second.

Brace for more increases this year, said Jay Sorensen, an airline consultant based in Shorewood, Wis. "We will see these fees tied to length of flight," he predicted. "If you travel across the country, why should the fees be the same as for a one-hour flight?"

Here's how to avoid the extra fees:-

Choose another airline: In the States some airlines don't charge for baggage

Pay in advance: You mostly pay less for bag fees when done online

Pack less: Use carry on under certain weight limits preferable

Join the club: First, Business & sometimes full economy fares exempted from bag charges

What about shipping: Often shipping bags is more expensive than checked bags