LONG ISLAND CITY , N.Y., June 30 (UPI) -- JetBlue, once one of two remaining holdouts allowing free checked bags, announced it will begin charging a fee for the first checked bag beginning Tuesday.
The new policy, which leaves Southwest Airlines as the only major U.S. carrier offering free checked luggage, calls for a $20 to $25 fee per one-way trip for passengers who purchase the lowest "Blue" fare option.
The company said customers can avoid the charge by booking a "Blue Plus" fare that is usually about $15 more than the lowest-fare ticket. "Blue Flex" seats and and first-class "Mint" fares allow two free checked bags. JetBlue announced the new policy in November but withheld details until Tuesday.
"Fare options will provide our customers the choice between three branded fares, with the first designed for customers who do not plan to check a bag," JetBlue executive vice president Martin J. St. George told analysts in April.
JetBlue said the $20 first-bag fee applies to bags checked online or at a kiosk. A $25 fee applies to bags at a check-in counter. A second checked bag will cost $35.
The fees apply only to new bookings. Existing reservations still get one free bag.
