JetBlue Just Changed Its Bag Fees Again — This Time With Peak and Off-peak Pricing

02.04.2024 - 19:13 / travelandleisure.com / Airlines

JetBlue increased baggage fees for the second time in a couple months, introducing a new peak and off-peak pricing structure.

Going forward, the airline will charge passengers $50 for a first checked bag and $70 for a second when traveling during peak times, according to the airline. The new price applies to customers checking a bag within 24 hours of their departure and traveling on the airline’s Blue, Blue Basic, or Blue Extra fares within the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, or Canada.

The new pricing structure, which went into effect on March 22, marks the second baggage fee increase for the airline, which quietly raised prices in February.

Peak season pricing applies to travelers flying from:

Travelers who fly to those same locations during off-peak times and check a bag within 24 hours of their departure will pay $45 and $60 for their first and second checked bags, respectively, in line with the raised February prices.

Passengers who check a bag more than 24 hours before their departure can save $10 on the fee.

The prices are even higher for transatlantic flights when traveling on a Blue Basic fare and checking a bag within 24 hours of a departure, starting at $70 for a first checked bag and $115 for a second during peak times. Customers flying on a Blue, Blue Plus, or Blue Extra fare receive their first checked bag for free.

“The cost of transporting bags has gone up significantly due to increased wages and higher fuel costs, and we remain unprofitable since COVID. While we don’t like increasing fees, we are making these adjustments to help get our company back to profitability and cover the increased costs,” a spokesperson for JetBlue told Travel + Leisure. “By adjusting fees for added services that only certain customers use, especially during periods of highest demand for limited space in the cargo hold, we can keep base fares as low as possible and ensure customer favorites like seatback TVs and high-speed Wi-Fi remain free for everyone.”

JetBlue isn’t alone in recently raising checked bag fees. United Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines have each increased the cost for checking a bag.