JetBlue Is Charging More for a Checked Bag Depending on When You Fly

You could pay an extra $5 to $10 for your checked bag on JetBlue if you fly during peak travel dates.

Suitcases tied on top of a car.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Less than two months after JetBlue raised fees on checked bags, travelers must now pay even more to check a bag if they fly during a peak travel date.

If you check a bag more than 24 hours before departure, you will pay $35 for the first bag and $50 for the second bag, according to JetBlue’s Bag Info website. However, if you fly on a peak travel date, you will pay $40 for the first bag and $60 for the second bag.

If you check a bag within 24 hours of departure of your JetBlue flight, you will pay $45 for the first bag and $60 for the second bag. And these prices jump to $50 for the first bag and $70 for the second bag if you fly on a peak travel date.

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The new fees were first reported by CNBC. When asked for comment on the addition of peak travel pricing, JetBlue told CNBC that the change was made to “keep base fares as low as possible and ensure customer favorites like seatback TVs and high-speed Wi-Fi remain free for everyone.”

When are JetBlue's peak travel dates?

For bookings on or after March 22, peak-season pricing for checked bags apply to the following dates:

  • April 11 to 29, 2024
  • June 20 to September 3, 2024
  • November 21 to December 2, 2024
  • December 19, 2024 to January 6, 2025
  • February 13 to 24, 2025
  • April 3 to 28, 2025

All other dates would be off-peak pricing, JetBlue said.

How to check your bags for free on JetBlue

There are two tricks to getting a free checked bag, or two, on JetBlue flights. 

First, you can become a JetBlue Plus Cardmember, which includes one checked bag per flight. A second bag will cost you $50 if you check it more than 24 hours before departure on an off-peak date, or $60 on a peak travel date.

Second, you can join JetBlue’s loyalty program and rack up 50 tiles to reach the Mosaic 1 level, which comes with the benefit of two free checked bags

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Joey Solitro
Contributor

Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.