JetBlue quietly raised checked bag fees by as much as $9 apiece on Monday, becoming the first major U.S. airline to make the move as skyrocketing fuel prices have carriers looking for ways to squeeze customers for more money.
The New York-based airline now charges at least $39 for a first checked bag – a $4 increase from the previous $35-a-bag standard. JetBlue's system for charging more for adding a bag as well as peak- and off-peak bag rates means some travelers will pay even more. Plus, fees for checking a second bag have all increased by $9.
Anyone who booked JetBlue flights and paid for bags before Monday is locked in at the previous price. As always, flyers with JetBlue co-branded credit cards and Mosaic status with the airline can get free baggage.
| Bag | Previous fee (pre-pay) | New fee (pre-pay) | Previous fee (at airport) | New fee (at airport) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First bag (off-peak) | $35 | $39 | $45 | $49 |
| First bag (peak) | $40 | $49 | $50 | $59 |
| Second bag (off-peak) | $50 | $59 | $60 | $69 |
| Second bag (peak) | $60 | $69 | $70 | $79 |
It's the second increase to JetBlue's luggage charges in two years … but the airline likely won't be alone for long. In the monkey-see, monkey-do airline industry, one airline raising fees is typically just the first domino to fall. That's exactly what we saw back in 2024, when virtually all the major airlines raised bag fees from $30 to $35 in a matter of months.
In a statement to CNBC, JetBlue specifically pointed to higher jet fuel costs as the reason for the hike.
“As we experience rising operating costs, we regularly evaluate how to manage those costs while keeping base fares competitive and continuing to invest in the experience our customers value,” the airline said. “Adjusting fees for optional services used by select customers, such as checked baggage, allows us to continue offering more competitive fares.”
Fuel is one of airlines’ biggest expenses, second only to labor. And jet fuel prices have nearly doubled since the beginning of the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, surging from roughly $2.40 a gallon a month ago to more than $4.60 a gallon on average, according to data from the Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index.
Airlines have already raised fares to compensate, with at least one major U.S. airline saying it was charging 15% to 20% higher fares. But raising existing fees – or creating new ones – is an even more effective lever for airlines to pull for a few reasons:
- Airlines have to pay a 7.5% excise tax on the fares they charge, but not on optional fees like baggage or seat assignments
- Those optional fees make airlines' co-branded credit cards – their real profit engines these days – even more alluring to consumers as a way to escape extra fees
- The last two decades of airlines unbundling fares and charging fees have proven that even when fuel prices decline, elevated fees remain unchanged
While an extra $4 to $9 per bag may not seem like much, luggage fees are big business. U.S. airlines collected more than $7.2 billion (with a b) on bag fees alone in 2024, according to federal data.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
