JetBlue has increased its fees for checked baggage, the carrier confirmed Tuesday.
The fee for a first checked bag for Blue, Blue Basic, Blue Extra and EvenMore seats within the U.S., Latin America, Caribbean and Canada now is $49 off-peak and $59 peak for bags checked within 24 hours of departure. The prior fees were $45 and $50, respectively. Customers who check bags more than 24 hours in advance receive a $10 discount.
Second checked bags now cost $69 for off-peak and $79 for peak for within 24 hours of departure, up from $60 and $70, respectively. The $10 discount still applies for bags checked more than 24 hours before the scheduled departure.
While not directly citing rising fuel prices as a trigger for the higher fees, JetBlue in an email statement said that "as we experience rising operating costs, we regularly evaluate how to manage those costs. … Adjusting fees for optional services used by select customers, such as checked baggage, allows us to continue offering more competitive fares."
The carrier also noted that TrueBlue Mosaic loyalty program members will continue to be allowed one free checked bag for Mosaic 1 status-level members and two free checked bags for Mosaic 2, 3 and 4 status-level members. In addition, JetBlue Plus, JetBlue Business and JetBlue Premier cardmembers will continue to receive their first bag checked for free. Mint passengers are allowed two free bags that weigh up to 70 pounds.
Will other airlines follow JetBlue's lead? The last time several U.S. carriers raised their baggage fees was in early 2024. JetBlue also was the first carrier to differentiate between peak and off-peak baggage fees.
So far, prior to JetBlue's changes, American Airlines increased its checked-bag fees on Feb. 18. The first checked-bag fee remained the same at $40, but the second-bag fee was rasied to $50 from $45. There remains a $5 discount if bags are checked online. The increase applies to flights within and between the U.S. Canada, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and between those regions and Mexico, the Caribbean (excluding Cuba and Haiti) and Central America (excluding Panama).