A JetBlue Airways Airbus A321 airplane departs from Los Angeles International Airport en route to New York on Oct. 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Carter | Getty Images
JetBlue Airways is raising bag fees as jet fuel prices soar amid the Iran war.
Airfare has climbed for routes around the world since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. The higher fees for checked bags are the most recent sign of airlines passing steeper fuel costs down to U.S. consumers. Jet fuel is airlines’ biggest expensive after labor.
Fuel prices for Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York averaged $4.57 a gallon last Friday, up nearly 83% since the day before the war began, according to data from Argus, published by industry group Airlines for America.
“As we experience rising operating costs, we regularly evaluate how to manage those costs while keeping base fares competitive and continuing to invest in the experience our customers value,” JetBlue said in a statement to CNBC.
When an airline raises fees, competitors often follow. American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines didn’t immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
