Atlanta, GA
Checking bags at the Atlanta airport? It just got more expensive
How global conflicts can disrupt your flight — even if you’re not headed there
International conflicts and foreign policy shifts can reshape air travel overnight — forcing longer routes, driving up costs and causing sudden cancellations or delays.
Air travel is back to normal as spring break season brings tens of thousands of travelers to airports across the country.
But now, passengers hoping to check bags for their trips are going to have to pay more with this airline.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is increasing the fees for checked luggage starting Wednesday, April 8. The new fees will apply on any tickets purchased on or after Wednesday, but not to tickets purchased before this date.
Here’s what to know.
New pricing for checked bags with Delta
A price hike on the fee for checked bags with Delta will be applied to domestic and certain short-haul international flights, like those in and around North America, according to Delta Air Lines. Long-haul international bag pricing will not change.
A Delta spokesperson told USA TODAY the changes were “part of Delta’s ongoing review of pricing across its business and reflect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics.”
Your first checked bag will now be $45 and your second checked bag will be $55, both prices are a $10 increase from the previous fee. There is a $50 increase in price for the third checked bag, now reaching $200.
Delta premium cabin customers, elite frequent flyers and those with co-branded credit cards will keep their free checked bag benefits.
Why are airlines increasing prices?
Delta is now the third airline to announce increase bag prices this spring, following United Airlines and JetBlue. United will honor a lower price for passengers that pre-pay, and JetBlue will have slightly different prices based on whether it’s a peak travel time or not, like spring break season.
The conflict in the Middle East is driving up the price of jet fuel, and travel experts are encouraging people who anticipate flying over the summer to consider purchasing their tickets now before the price of flights also increase. This is also likely a primary driver in the increased bag prices.
A two-week ceasefire was announced Tuesday, but it’s unclear how long it will take for oil and gas prices to come down in the United States.
The airlines are also coming off of a period of chaos inside the airports as TSA agents went weeks without pay as part of a partial government shutdown. While the airlines are not responsible for airport security, many passengers missed their flights waiting in exceptionally long lines, and any flight delay only added to the network of issues.
Irene Wright is following the partial government shutdown and Iran conflict’s impact on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Find the Atlanta Connect reporter on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
Atlanta, GA
Man arrested in deadly northwest Atlanta shooting
ATLANTA – A 29-year-old man is accused of murder after a Saturday night shooting in northwest Atlanta.
What we know:
Xavier Postell was arrested on Sunday in connection with the fatal shooting on Allen Temple Ct NW.
Postell was taken to the Fulton County Jail and booked on a murder charge.
Atlanta police officers were called to reports of a person shot on Allen Temple Ct NW around 8:45 p.m.
When they arrived, they found a man who had been shot. He was rushed to Grady Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
What we don’t know:
Police have not released the name of the man who died. Investigators are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and what led up to the violence.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Atlanta Police Department.
Atlanta, GA
Falcons land new No. 2 CB, slot WR in PFSN’s 7-round mock draft
Atlanta was projected to take San Diego State CB Chris Johnson in Round 2.
Like the other 31 NFL teams, the Atlanta Falcons are ramping up their scouting ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team hosted two local prospects on pre-draft visits. Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst and Georgia defensive lineman Christen Miller met with the team in Flowery Branch.
Hurst and Miller are both potential targets for Atlanta due to their current draft projections and the team’s needs. The Falcons are reportedly focusing on the wide receiver and defensive tackle positions. However, pre-draft visits and insider intel have little bearing on what actually happens during the draft.
In fact, there’s a decent chance that the team will go in a completely different direction than most draft analysts anticipate. The Falcons have other needs at cornerback, offensive tackle and linebacker, which some could argue are equally as pressing.
PFSN analyst Alec Elijah released a new seven-round mock draft in which the Falcons make all five of their current picks without any trades. In Round 2, the team lands a new No. 2 cornerback in San Diego State’s Chris Johnson.
Round 2, Pick 48: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
“Beyond A.J. Terrell, the Falcons have been searching for consistency at corner, particularly from defenders who can stay glued to receivers in coverage,” wrote Elijah. “With the way the board has played out, landing San Diego State’s Chris Johnson would be a strong boost to the secondary, giving Atlanta a reliable running mate opposite Terrell.”
Johnson would be an intriguing choice in Round 2 if he’s still on the board at pick No. 48. Last season, Johnson recorded four interceptions and a Pro Football Focus grade of 91.6 (92.4 coverage grade). He’s currently rated as the 46th overall prospect on PFF’s 2026 big board.
In the later rounds of PFSN’s mock draft, the Falcons added Boise State guard Kage Casey, Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson, Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan III and Ole Miss offensive tackle Diego Pounds.
Thompson is a wildly productive slot receiver who recorded 1,054 receiving yards on just 57 catches (18.5 yards per catch) last season. Atlanta needs more depth, particularly in the slot where Olamide Zaccheaus is the only established player.
As for Keenan and Pounds, both could fill depth/developmental roles in Atlanta next season. Check out all five Falcons picks in PFSN’s mock draft below.
Falcons’ picks in PFSN’s 7-round mock draft
- Round 2, Pick 48: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego St.
- Round 3, Pick 79: G Kage Casey, Boise St.
- Round 4, Pick 122: WR Brenen Thompson, Miss. St.
- Round 6, Pick 215: DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama
- Round 7, Pick 231: OT Diego Pounds, Ole Miss
The 2026 NFL Draft is just two weeks away, starting on April 23. The Falcons’ first pick won’t come until the second round (pick No. 48 overall).
Atlanta, GA
Braves News: Atlanta destroys Cleveland, Sean Murphy update, short-term pitching plans
The Atlanta Braves are off to a very strong start in 2026, and they are certainly more enjoyable to watch than they were at the beginning of last season. At 9-5, the Braves are in their rightful spot at the top of the NL East, and they managed to do it with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II dealing with rotten luck when it comes to batted ball luck. At least both managed to go deep on Friday.
With Martin Perez set to take the mound on Saturday (fingers crossed that that isn’t a disaster), here is a look at some of the news around the Braves as we get into the weekend.
Braves News: Atlanta annihilated the Guardians on Friday while Jose Suarez struggled again
Most of the news from Friday’s game was great. Bryce Elder continued to defy logic and throw a decent game, although he wasn’t as efficient as we had seen. Acuña Jr., Harris, and Matt Olson all went deep, and the offense carried the Braves to an 11-5 win.
However, not all of the performances were good. After going 0-4, new addition Mike Yastrzemski saw his average to start the season drop to .190 and his OPS drop to a paltry .592. We also got a clear look at why Jose Suarez shouldn’t be on Atlanta’s roster for much longer, as he gave up three earned runs in less than an inning of work.
Braves News: Start of Sean Murphy’s rehab got pushed back a few days
Fans have been eager to see when Sean Murphy would return, and it looked like it could be very soon when the news broke that he was set to begin a rehab assignment in Gwinnett on Friday. Murphy has been out since last September, recovering from hip surgery.
However, Murphy’s debut got pushed back a few days, but not because he had a setback. According to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman, Murphy has some sort of family matter to attend to this weekend and needed to postpone his rehab assignment until Tuesday. Hopefully, everything is okay.
Braves News: Don’t expect Atlanta to call up Didier Fuentes or JR Ritchie very soon
There were rumblings on the internets that the Braves would be calling Didier Fuentes back up to the majors in the next week. If Reynaldo Lopez’s suspension was going to actually make him miss a start, or the Braves would mercifully cut bait on Suarez and/or Perez, that would make a lot of sense to do.
However, it doesn’t sound like such a move will happen in the next week. According to another report from Bowman, the Braves’ pitching plan is pretty set for the next week or so, and it keeps everyone on their usual schedule or gives them an extra day of rest. If Fuentes and JR Ritchie keep pitching well down at Triple-A, we probably won’t have to wait much longer to see them get their chance.
-
Atlanta, GA1 week ago1 teenage girl killed, another injured in shooting at Piedmont Park, police say
-
Georgia5 days agoGeorgia House Special Runoff Election 2026 Live Results
-
Pennsylvania6 days agoParents charged after toddler injured by wolf at Pennsylvania zoo
-
Arkansas2 days agoArkansas TV meteorologist Melinda Mayo retires after nearly four decades on air
-
Milwaukee, WI6 days agoPotawatomi Casino Hotel evacuated after fire breaks out in rooftop HVAC system
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoFighting Illini begin Final Four preparations in Indianapolis
-
Technology1 week agoAnthropic essentially bans OpenClaw from Claude by making subscribers pay extra
-
Austin, TX5 days agoABC Kite Fest Returns to Austin for Annual Celebration – Austin Today