JetBlue’s Bag Fees Keep Climbing – Starting at $50 Each Way

Yep, it’s that time again. JetBlue is raising the cost of checked bag fees again, this time starting at $50 for the first bag.

For all tickets purchased on November 3, 2026 and beyond, the new baggage fees will apply, and vary substantially depending on when you pay, and what fare class you are in. They are also continuing peak and off-peak pricing, with peak fees being $5-$10 extra depending on what you purchase.

One-way fares (within the U.S., Latin America, Caribbean and Canada markets) will run Main Cabin and EvenMore passengers $50 for their first checked bag, and $70 for the second. If you pay for bags within 24 hours of your flight, the first bag will be $60, with the second costing $75.

Transatlantic flights will also see a smaller bump, with the first bags going up by $5, and the second going up by $6 in all categories (peak and off-peak, and before or within 24 hours of check in).

Here are the peak periods defined below.

This is a comparison of the before and after, showing bag fees going up by $6 to $11 each way depending on what you purchase (for all flights except transatlantic).

Payment timing	Travel period	1st bag: old → new	2nd bag: old → new
More than 24 hours ahead	Off-peak	$39 → $50 (+$11)	$59 → $70 (+$11)
More than 24 hours ahead	Peak	$49 → $55 (+$6)	$69 → $75 (+$6)
Within 24 hours / airport	Off-peak	$49 → $60 (+$11)	$69 → $75 (+$6)
Within 24 hours / airport	Peak	$59 → $70 (+$11)	$79 → $85 (+$6)

JetBlue typically is the trendsetter when it comes increasing bag fees within the United States, and it wouldn’t be surprising if other carriers decide to follow suit, as has been the case every time bag fees went up in the past few years.

Besides dealing with rising fuel prices, JetBlue has been facing an upward financial battle, not turning a profit since the end of 2019. In their last quarterly financial report, they hope to report their first operating profit at some point in 2027. Some of the measures towards achieving this include the introduction of BlueFirst (domestic recliner first class seating), with these latest increases as another strategy.  

It looks like the carrier is banking on customers either upgrading their booked cabin or aiming for status, or just taking out a co-branded credit card, as many of the options offer the first checked bag free as a perk. Either that or we’ll see more customers trying to cram as much into their carry-on bags.

Other airlines could use cheaper checked bags as a selling point to steer customers clear of JetBlue, but that’s just not how today’s corporations work. We’ll most likely see them following suit, using the excuse of rising oil prices to justify the change. JetBlue themselves may also be hoping for the same, as increase fees across the board re-levels the playing field.  

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