JetBlue's checked bag fee just went up again, and this time it's landing right before the busiest travel weeks of the year. For tickets bought on or after Nov. 3, the first checked bag now costs $50 each way if you pay ahead, and as much as $70 if you wait until the airport on a busy day. It's the second time JetBlue has raised its bag fees this year. Fly round trip with two bags over the holidays and you could be looking at more than $300 just for your luggage.
What You'll Pay Now
JetBlue's new prices depend on two things: when you pay, and whether you're flying on what it calls a peak day. Peak days are the ones everyone wants, like major holidays, spring break and much of the summer, so Thanksgiving and Christmas trips almost certainly count.
Pay more than 24 hours before your flight and your first bag costs $50, or $55 on a peak day. Wait until the last 24 hours or the airport counter and it jumps to $60, or $70 on a peak day. A second bag runs $70 to $85 depending on the same two things. These prices are each way, so a round trip doubles them. Flights to Europe cost more, with the first bag starting at $80 each way on JetBlue's cheapest fares.
JetBlue says the increase helps offset higher fuel prices and operating costs, and it's not hard to see why it's squeezing every dollar right now, given JetBlue's money problems.
How to Pay Less (or Nothing)
The easiest win is timing. Add your bag online more than 24 hours before you fly and you'll save $10 to $15 on your first bag each way, which is real money for a family of four heading home for the holidays. Think of it as a procrastination tax you can skip.
If you booked before Nov. 3, you're in luck. Those tickets keep JetBlue's old bag prices, so don't let the headlines scare you about a trip you've already booked.
Some people don't pay at all. Passengers in Mint, JetBlue's lie-flat business class, get a free checked bag, and so do JetBlue cardholders and top-tier frequent flyers with Mosaic status. If you fly JetBlue a few times a year and always check a bag, the credit card can pay for itself fast.
And if you're traveling during the busiest days to fly this Thanksgiving, it might be worth asking yourself the oldest question in travel: do you really need to check that bag?
