Effective for tickets purchased today, JetBlue is adding a checked baggage fee. If you purchased a ticket before today you will still get a free checked bag.
They now also have 3 tiers of fare types:
If you buy the least expensive Blue fare then your first checked bag will cost $20 online or at an airport kiosk, or $25 with a check-in agent.
The Blue Plus fare is the sweet spot if you know you’ll be checking a bag. It currently adds $14-$15 to the cost of the lowest fare but includes a free bag.
The Blue Flex fare adds about $100 to the cost of a Blue fare, but includes 2 checked bags and free cancellations.
The cost of a 2nd bag is $35 if you don’t buy a Blue Flex fare.
JetBlue has a very mediocre mileage program, but has won over passengers by not nickel and diming for TV, snacks, WiFi, and baggage. Will this change affect your future travel plans?
And you have to wonder, how long Southwest can continue to offer 2 free bags now that everyone else has crossed over to the dark side?
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23 Comments On "JetBlue Adds Checked Bag Fee"
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Any word on whether the jetBlue American Express card will offer a free checked bag?
That card is being discontinued, so highly unlikely.
Perhaps when the new Barclays JetBlue card launches it will offer a free bag.
BH I booked my tickets yesterday!!
now just like any other airline !
there not different -not cool!
notice how they made it $20 and not $25-so now they can still advertise lowest bag fees..
dan is barclays going to have free bag with new jet blue card?
Very sad day (relatively speaking of course), people use jetblue and pay more for convenience, now they are almost the same as everyone else. soooo annoying.
Didn’t know the JBlue Amex was being discontinued. I’ve been a loyalist since before I was in the game. I’m obviously disillusioned with them since I started collecting points but they’ve still offered some good cash fares from NYC to southern FL a route which I frequently fly. I’ve always just calculated total cost… Don’t know how much this will effect my using them for cheap and quick (read: carry-on only) flights to PBI.
Southwest won’t last long, they devalued their points twice in recent history. This is probably the next step.
the southwest ceo said about a year ago that eventually they won’t be able to compete with 2 free bags and they also change their branding from “2 bags always fly free” to 2 bags fly free
Dan the Amex JetBlue is being discountinued what happens to all those points a person accumulated while using that card?
@Jay: stays in your jet blue account
@ Jay
My points are “swept” monthly into my Jblue account so I assume they will continue to reside there.
When I know I am checking bags I add $25 per passenger. If jetblue or a few bucks more after the $25 then the competing airline then I’d book with jetblue. Now that they will charge for bags I will just go with the competitor.
@Chaim:
Time will tell. But for now southwest is numero uno in my book.
Looks like the Delta/Amex card is the best way to go. Delta has good prices for the NYC/Florida run and with the Delta/Amex card you get first bag free.
Does a car booster seat count as a checked Bag?
Hopefully Southwest will actually be more tempted to keep the free bags so they have bragging rights as the only airline.
Whats the best card to replace Jetblue card with for millage purposes? I already have the Delta Amex and Chase Sapphire preferred. Any clue when the Jetblue card will be cancelled?
Thanks,
I think Southwest will keep the free bags or at least keep 1 free bag but I think they’ll keep 2. They are making decent profits and the stock is doing well while giving 2 free bags. JetBlue has a lot of pressure from investors to get more fees so they either wanted bag fees or less leg room (to add more rows per plane).
Dan, do you think Amex will offer a high sign up bonus on the JetBlue credit card before it switches to Barclays? It seems to me this would make sense like Barclays did with the US Air card last year. Then they could just convert the JetBlue cards to some regular Amex. I’m hoping they’ll do this and then I can get the sign up bonus for both Amex and Barclays. JetBlue points are good to have if you live in the NYC area. They have a hub at JFK and also have some flights from LGA, EWR, & HPN.
rep told me that on getaway packages you still get free luggage
i recommend jet blue all the time, now they will just be like any other airline… btw american allows a free bag regardless if u booked the tickets on the card or not… thats a plus…
Dan, you once quoted some small print somewhere that mentioned southwest having two free suitcases at least until the end of 2015. At the time you commented about it…
Do I still get free snacks and tv on JetBlue?
@Eli: I don’t mean to argue but I experienced first hand this last Pesach that American only offers a free bag if you purchased the airline ticket with the credit card and the name on the ticket and card account match. If they don’t, they will charge. Delta, however, does not care. Even for someone else traveling with you (i.e. as spouse) and they are not on the same reservation, they will not charge the other person. American will.
@Yosef:
False.
American could care less if you used the card.
The only thing that matters is the AAdvantage number with the credit card must be properly attached to the reservation.