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JetBlue is raising its checked baggage fees to $30

JetBlue is raising its checked baggage fees to $30

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JetBlue Plane At John F. Kennedy International Airport
Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images

After being one of the last airlines to let customers check a bag for free, JetBlue is now raising its prices for all checked baggage. The first checked bag is now $30, up from $25, making it one of the highest fees in the industry. A second checked bag fee has also been raised by $5 to $40, while a third checked back will cost $150, up from $100.

The fee increase will go into effect for tickets booked after August 27th, as outlined on JetBlue’s website:

Image: JetBlue

Airlines have been raising baggage fees in order to offset higher fuel prices and maintenance costs. Following JetBlue’s lead, today, Air Canada and WestJet have also raised their first checked bag fees to $30 and second checked bags to $50.

Major US carriers like American, Delta, and United are still charging $25 for first checked bag fees, but given the trend of rising ancillary fees, it’s likely they may follow suit. In an effort to sell more tickets and boost revenue with other nickel-and-diming tactics, those three airlines have launched “basic economy” fares over the past few years that restrict passengers from preselecting their seats and charging for overhead carry-on luggage space. These additional fees helped the airline industry generate $60 billion worldwide in 2017. Most recently, American Airlines announced that it would reverse some of the restrictions on basic economy fares, allowing passengers access to overhead bin storage starting on September 5th.