JetBlue Airways is again with its second price hike for checked bag charges in only a matter of months.
This time, the New York-based service is quietly including a brand new demand-based pricing mannequin for checked luggage.
JetBlue’s new peak and off-peak checked bag pricing construction is already dwell; it took impact March 22 with no discover supplied by the service.
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This information was first reported by NerdWallet and later confirmed by TPG with a service spokesperson.
Along with charging completely different costs primarily based on while you buy your checked bag — luggage added earlier than the check-in window are as much as $10 cheaper — the service will now cost extra for luggage when touring throughout a so-called “peak” interval.
You will discover the complete desk of JetBlue’s up to date checked bag charges under, however the service will now cost as a lot as $70 for a checked bag — an industry-leading worth that resembles one thing you’d possible discover on an ultra-low-cost service.
Throughout peak journey instances, JetBlue will cost a further $5 for the primary checked bag and a further $10 for a second checked bag for all flights inside the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. Observe that the primary worth within the desk under represents the price of a checked bag bought greater than 24 hours earlier than departure.
| Fare | Off-peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Blue, Blue Primary, Blue Further | First bag: $35/$45 | First bag: $40/$50 |
| Second bag: $50/$60 | Second bag: $60/$70 | |
| Blue Plus | First bag: Included | First bag: Included |
| Second bag: $50/$60 | Second bag: $60/70 |
JetBlue defined the speed hike to TPG with the next assertion.
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The price of transporting luggage has gone up considerably as a consequence of elevated wages and better gas prices, and we stay unprofitable since COVID. Whereas we do not like rising charges, we’re making these changes to assist get our firm again to profitability and canopy the elevated prices. By adjusting charges for added companies that solely sure clients use, particularly during times of highest demand for restricted house within the cargo maintain, we are able to maintain base fares as little as attainable and guarantee buyer favorites like seatback TVs and high-speed Wi-Fi stay free for everybody.
For transatlantic flights throughout peak journey instances, a primary bag stays included for all fares besides Blue Primary. JetBlue is rising the primary checked bag for Blue Primary clients by $5 and rising the second checked bag by $10 for all clients.
As for what’s thought of a peak time interval, JetBlue explains on its up to date web site that “peak-season pricing applies to checked luggage throughout high-traffic intervals, together with Presidents’ Week, Thanksgiving and Winter holidays, and peak spring and summer time journey seasons.”
Translating that description to numbers reveals that JetBlue’s peak pricing applies to just about half of the yr. Over the course of the subsequent one year, JetBlue is charging larger bag charges on 158 days.
The longest stretch of peak pricing applies from June 2 to Sept. 3, which covers primarily your complete summer time season. Even if you happen to’re touring on a quiet Tuesday or Wednesday in the summertime, count on to pay extra for a checked bag.
The total record of peak journey dates consists of April 11-April 29, June 20-Sept. 3, Nov. 21-Dec. 2, Dec. 19-Jan. 6, Feb. 13-Feb. 24, and March 3-March 28.
JetBlue’s Mosaic elite clients, in addition to these touring in Mint enterprise class, will nonetheless get pleasure from two free checked luggage throughout journey. These with the JetBlue Plus Card can even proceed to obtain their first checked bag totally free.
Whether or not different airways match JetBlue’s up to date pricing construction is anybody’s guess, however as we have been reminded over the previous few weeks, the airline {industry} largely ascribes to the “monkey see, monkey do” mantra.
Earlier this yr, Alaska Airways and JetBlue quietly up to date their checked bag charges. Just a few days later, American Airways, Delta Air Strains and United Airways shortly matched the elevated pricing.
Most of the carriers defined that these updates had been being made to regulate to inflationary pressures.
In February, when JetBlue raised checked bag charges for the primary time this yr, the service shared an almost equivalent assertion to the one which it gave TPG on Monday.
In latest weeks, JetBlue has been working laborious to return to profitability now that the Spirit Airways merger is useless. The service has launched new seat charges, raised checked bag charges (twice) and realigned its community to return to profitability.
Under you may discover a desk evaluating the up to date checked bag charges for home flights on the key U.S. carriers. Observe that when two costs are introduced, the decrease one is charged for getting the bag earlier than the check-in window opens.
| Airline | First bag | Second bag |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airways | $35 | $45 |
| American Airways | $35 or $40 | $45 |
| Delta Air Strains | $35 | $45 |
| Frontier Airways | Varies | Varies |
| JetBlue | As much as $50 | As much as $70 |
| Southwest Airways | Free | Free |
| Spirit Airways | Varies | Varies |
| United Airways | $35 or $40 | $45 or $50 |
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