Jetstar increase cost of last-minute checked baggage

It’s time to get out of the habit of adding last-minute checked baggage at the airport with Jetstar.

As of today (Aug 15) the discount carrier has jacked up it’s checked baggage fees for domestic travellers.

And if you’re one to decide late if you want to add checked bags, well you could be waving goodbye to the idea of a ‘budget’ trip.

If you arrive at the airport for a domestic flight and want to check in luggage that hasn’t been pre-booked, you’ll be charged $60 for the privilege, up from $50.

And if your checked bag weighs more than 15kg, you’ll also have to pay $15 for each extra kilo.

That means for a suitcase weighing 32kg (the heaviest it can be) you’d be paying over $300 to check it in!

RELATED: Is Jetstar really the worst airline in the world?
RELATED: Carry-on baggage and 17 other ways airlines rip you off

“This won't affect most of our customers as the majority tend to pre-book baggage when they book their flight on Jetstar.com,” a Jetstar spokesperson said.

Research done by finder.com.au backed this up showing that rates are much for affordable if you pre-book your baggage – starting at $15 for Jetstar.

That’s a quarter of what you’ll pay at the airport.

If you want a silver lining, Tigerair has even more aggressive prices and price hikes, after increasing them in December.

Checked baggage that’s not pre-booked can cost $75-$90 depending on how long your domestic flight is. And if you have excess weight, prepare to pay between $20-25 per kilo.

At those prices you’re almost better off booking a more expensive ticket with Qantas or Virgin that includes free checked baggage.

Want more celebrity, entertainment and lifestyle news? Follow Be on Facebook,Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.