I guess I'm in the minority... I fly all the time and absolutely LOVE Delta. There are plenty of airlines that charge per bag now, it's not a trend they started. Ticket fees are much lower than they used to be, but gas prices arent'. They are a business, not a charity and have to make money somehow.
Be careful with that "I'll just check it at the gate" mentality.. I think I'd rather check it when I get there, than have TSA go through it for 30 minutes and risk missing my flight.