JetBlue just raised its checked baggage fees (again)—what travelers need to know

The cost of air travel seems to just keep going up, up and away, and a new JetBlue announcement is only the wallet-busting latest: The major American airline has officially raised its checked baggage fees for the second time this year alone, which means all of those winter getaways and holiday travel you have planned for the coming weeks just got significantly pricier. 

Beginning with tickets purchased on or after November 3, the cost of a checked bag for standard economy fares on routes within the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean will now cost between $50-$70 for your first piece of luggage—up from $39-$49 during the most recent price hike, which occurred this past March—and between $70-$85 for your second. Want to go ham and bring a third suitcase, or more? That'll cost you a cool $200 each. 

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Those new fees will include both off-peak and peak travel periods, including high-traffic holidays like the notoriously busy Thanksgiving weekend. (The Sunday after Turkey Day routinely holds the record as the single busiest airport day of the year.) Planning ahead, though, can save you at least a few bucks: Save up to $15 on each of your first two checked bags when you add them before check-in (at least 24 hours before departure). 

Members of Mosaic, JetBlue's loyalty program, as well as JetBlue Plus, JetBlue Business, and JetBlue Premier cardmembers will continue to be able to check bags for free, the airline assured.  

The reason for the increased baggage fees? Well, it's seemingly the reason for every price hike these days: Oil costs. The ongoing war with Iran, which began in late February, has triggered widespread increases in air-travel costs throughout the industry, from flight fares to jet-fuel surcharges to, yes, checked baggage prices. 

“We’re adjusting checked bag fees to help offset rising fuel and operating costs," JetBlue said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “This helps us keep our base fares competitive while giving customers the choice to pay for a checked bag only if they need one.”

The good news? We're so far into the year that it's unlikely that JetBlue will be raising their fees again before 2027. But in this day and age of air travel, unfortunately anything's possible.