Airlines Air Canada, WestJet and JetBlue raise their baggage fees in the same week.
As if flying wasn’t already expensive enough, traveling is now going to cost a bit more depending on your airline carrier. On Monday JetBlue revealed their new baggage fees for checked bags. Customers who booked tickets before August 27th, 2018 paid $25 for the first checked bag that weighed 50 pounds or less, $35 for the second bag and $100 for the third and each additional bag. Anyone who booked after that date will now pay $30 for the first bag, $40 for the second and $150 for the third and each additional bag. The low-cost airline is now the first U.S. major carrier to increase their baggage fess to $30.
Photo courtesy of JetBlue
However, that’s not all JetBlue is price gouging for. In addition to the high new baggage fees, the airline has also increased the cost of their change fee from $150 to $200.
But there’s some good news for JetBlue passengers who don’t fly economy. They won’t be paying the additional cost in those high baggage fees. The airline’s “Blue Plus” fares include the price of the first checked back and its premium “Blue Flex” fares waive the fees for the first two pieces of checked luggage.
Now Canadian carriers Air Canada and WestJet have bumped up their baggages fess as well. Economy passengers will shell out $30 for the first checked bag, $50 for the second, but the price for the third and fourth bag is $100.
The steep hike in baggage fees comes on the heels of rising jet fuel prices that cut into the profit margins of the busy summer season, when Executives see this as a way to make up costs.
It’s unclear what other major American airlines like Delta, United and American Airlines will do with their baggage fess, but for now, if you want to get around paying baggage fees, SouthWest still allows two free checked bags.