JetBlue raises baggage fees for second time this year; first checked bag now costs at least $50

US airline JetBlue has raised its checked baggage fees for the second time this year, making it more expensive for travellers to check luggage just as the busy holiday travel season gets underway.

The new fees apply to tickets purchased on or after November 3. Most economy passengers flying within the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean will now pay at least $50 each way for their first checked bag, up from $39 previously.

The price is higher during peak travel periods, including Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. Passengers who pay at least 24 hours before departure will pay $55 for a first bag during peak periods, while those who wait until the final 24 hours will pay $60 during off-peak periods and $70 during peak periods.

At the start of the year, the first checked bag on most economy domestic JetBlue flights cost $35 during off-peak periods. That was before the war on Iran started in late February with US-Israeli strikes and sent jet fuel prices swinging.

The fee for a second checked bag has also increased, starting at $70 each way during off-peak periods and $75 during peak travel. Passengers checking a second bag at the airport can pay as much as $85.

JetBlue, which has its flagship terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, previously raised checked baggage fees in March. That increase helped set off a broader round of baggage fee hikes among major US airlines, including Delta, United, American and Southwest.

The airline said in the spring that the increases are intended to help offset higher operating costs while allowing it to keep its base fares competitive. The Associated Press sent the airline emailed requests for comment on Wednesday on the latest fee increases.

The war with Iran remains unresolved, keeping traffic largely restricted through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil supplies. The disruption has kept jet fuel prices elevated.

JetBlue executives said last week during the airline's third-quarter earnings call that demand has remained resilient even as fares have risen in response to higher jet fuel prices. The airline said its average fuel price reached $3.91 per gallon in the summer, up 57 percent from a year earlier, and is expected to climb to $4.64 during the final three months of the year, up 85 percent from the same time last year.

Some travellers, including eligible co-branded credit card holders and members of JetBlue's loyalty programme, can still check bags for free.