JetBlue Just Raised Bag Fees Again. Here Is How to Pack and Book Around It
New York's hometown airline now charges at least $50 for a first checked bag, and up to $70 on peak dates. If you are flying home for the holidays, plan ahead.
Photo: Michał Parzuchowski / Unsplash.
If your holiday plans include a JetBlue flight and a suitcase full of gifts, the trip just got more expensive.
JetBlue raised its checked bag fees for the second time this year, just weeks before Thanksgiving. The new prices apply to tickets bought on or after November 1 for most economy passengers flying within the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The airline points to rising fuel and operating costs.
The new prices
First checked bag
- At least $50 each way, up from $39
- $55 during peak travel periods (like Thanksgiving and the winter holidays) when you prepay at least 24 hours before departure
- $60 if you wait until the final 24 hours during off-peak periods
- $70 if you wait until the final 24 hours during peak periods
Second checked bag
- From $70 off-peak and $75 peak
- Up to $85 if you pay at the airport
Why this hits New York hard
JetBlue is New York's hometown airline, and for a lot of our families it is the airline home. Every December, flights out of JFK to Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Juan and across the Caribbean are packed with travelers carrying gifts, clothes and supplies for relatives. A two-bag trip there and back can now add well over $200 per person before you even buy a snack.
How to beat the fees
Pay early, not at the gate. The difference between prepaying more than 24 hours out and paying in the final 24 hours can be $15 a bag each way. Add your bags when you book or as soon as your plans are set.
Know your dates. Peak periods cost more. If you can fly a day earlier or later, check whether your dates fall outside the peak window.
Check your card. Many airline credit cards include a free checked bag for the cardholder and companions. If you fly JetBlue several times a year, run the math on whether the card pays for itself.
Consolidate. One full bag costs less than two half-empty ones. Weigh it at home so you are not repacking on the floor at JFK.
Compare the total fare. A cheaper base ticket on one airline can cost more once bags are added. Price the full trip, bags included, across carriers before you book.
Ship the heavy stuff. For big gift hauls going to the Caribbean, compare the cost of a courier or shipping service against a second or third checked bag.
The bottom line
Bag fees are now part of the ticket price, whether airlines advertise them that way or not. Plan your bags the same day you plan your flight, and the holidays will cost a little less.
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Sources: WBAL: JetBlue raises checked baggage fees again ahead of holiday travel · Yahoo Travel: Major US airline slaps holiday travelers with a new $70 baggage fee