JetBlue increases fees for checked bags

JetBlue will increase fees for checked luggage, starting with flights booked on or after Monday. 

The airline will now charge $30 for the first checked bag, the first of the major U.S. airlines to charge customers that price, according to the company’s website.

The fee for a second checked bag is $40, up from $35, and a third piece will cost flyers $150, up $50 from the previous cost.

“As a matter of good business, we routinely review and adjust our ancillary pricing to ensure a healthy business,” JetBlue spokesperson Doug McGraw told FOX Business in a statement.

Other U.S. airlines – United, Delta and American – all charge $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for the second, while the rate for the third checked piece of luggage varies depending upon the airline. Southwest Airlines, the world’s largest low-cost carrier, allows customers to check two pieces of baggage free of charge.

Charges for bags that are considered oversized, in that they don’t meet the dimensions or weight restrictions, have also climbed for customers on JetBlue. Those with bags over the limit(s) will be charged $150, a $50 increase from the previous fee.

Fees for some specialty items, like bicycles and kitesurfing equipment, for example, will also increase. There is no additional charge or oversized fee for golf bags, as long as they meet JetBlue’s standard weight limitations.