JetBlue kicked off the year by launching a new elite credit card with perks that rival some of the best travel rewards cards on the market today. The JetBlue Premier World Elite Mastercard offers cardholders exclusive perks that you can’t get with any of the airline’s other cards. That includes complimentary lounge access, a variety of statement credits and new ways to earn TrueBlue points.

As part of the launch, JetBlue is also offering a generous bonus offer of 70,000 TrueBlue points and five tiles to help you reach Mosaic elite status faster this year. To qualify for the intro offer, you need to spend $5,000 on your new card and pay the annual fee within the first 90 days.

With TrueBlue points valued at an estimated 1.3 cents each, that sign-up bonus is worth over $900. Since TrueBlue loyalty program members earn one tile for every $100 on JetBlue flights or vacation packages, that five tile bonus will put you $500 closer to Mosaic elite status.

While the perks and bonus offer on the new JetBlue Premier Card look great, it’s worth noting that the airline’s newest card also comes with a $499 annual fee. That’s $400 more than its JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Business cards. With that dramatically higher fee, travelers need to do the math to figure out if the perks are really worth it.

The new JetBlue Premier Card offers exciting new perks for travelers

The latest addition to JetBlue’s credit card lineup comes with a slate of brand-new perks not offered on any of the airline’s lower-tier cards. One of the most noteworthy new perks is airport lounge access. Premier cardholders can get Priority Pass Select, a program that grants access to over 1,500 airport lounges around the globe. You’ll also get access to JetBlue’s new airport lounges in New York and Boston when they open in late 2025 and early 2026.

Lounge access aside, the new JetBlue Premier Card also comes with a $120 statement credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck so cardholders can get to their favorite airport lounges faster. Travelers can also earn up to $300 in statement credits on Paisly purchases each year. The travel booking platform allows you to book cars, hotels, vacation packages and more. Cardholders earn $50 in credits for each purchase of $250 or more on the travel booking site. So you would need to make six separate qualifying purchases to maximize that benefit.

Earn TrueBlue Points faster with the JetBlue Premier Card

For travelers who care more about racking up points toward free flights than lounge access, the elite credit card offers more ways to earn and redeem TrueBlue points. In addition to the 6x points JetBlue Plus and Business card holders earn on JetBlue purchases, Premier cardholders will also earn 6x points on Paisly purchases. That means you can enjoy that 6x point bonus on your hotel booking, car rental and other trip-related purchases rather than just your flight.

With the new card, travelers also have the option to redeem TrueBlue points for statement credits, effectively turning them into a cashback rewards program. While that perk is available on the JetBlue Plus card, there’s a $1,000 credit cap per year. The Premier Card has no limit.

JetBlue’s $499 Premier card – a good deal or too expensive?

While the new perks are nice, the JetBlue Premier Card also carries a $499 annual fee. That seems exorbitant when you consider that the credit card one tier down only costs $99 per year. The JetBlue Plus Card has many overlapping benefits with the Premier Card, including a 5,000-point bonus every year, a free checked bag and the ability to earn 6x points on JetBlue purchases.

The key benefits exclusive to the Premier card include the $120 Global Entry credit, up to $300 Paisly credit, the Priority Pass Select membership and the ability to earn 6x points on Paisly purchases.

For travelers who would make use of those perks, the value would be more than enough to offset the $499 annual fee. However, for less frequent fliers or travelers who aren’t interested in lounge access, sticking with one of the lower-tier cards may make more sense.

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The baggage fees at JetBlue are changing again. The airline raised its standard fees in February and added peak pricing in April. The latest change is good news for the folks that pay its Blue Basic fare. Starting September 6, 2024, Blue Basic flyers will be able to carry-on a bag and store it in the overhead bins at no charge. 

Before September 6, customers holding a Blue Basic ticket are restricted to 1 personal item that fits under the seat in front of you, like a purse, daypack, laptop bag or pet carrier. Any additional or larger carry-on bags brought to the gate will incur a fee and need to be checked. The fee is $65 for your 1st or 2nd checked bag and checking a third bag  will cost $180.

In case your wondering — checked bag fees are only refundable if the entire booking is cancelled prior to your scheduled departure.

Carry-on bags

Customers flying Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra and Mint (and Blue Basic for travel on or after Sep 6, 2024) can take one carry-on bag (space permitting) that fits in the overhead bin, plus a personal item like a purse, daypack, laptop bag or approved pet carrier, that fits under the seat in front of you.

If your bag exceeds the weight or size limits the fee is $65 for your 1st or 2nd checked bag and $180 for your 3rd bag. Carry-on bags must not exceed 22" L x 14" W x 9" H including wheels and handles, and personal items must not exceed 17" L  x 13" W x 8" H. 

As I mentioned above, Blue Basic ticket holders traveling before Sep 6, 2024 are limited to one free personal item and will have to pay to check all other bags. There are exceptions. Flyers who have added a pet to a Blue Basic booking will be able to board with both a personal item and their approved pet carrier.

Other exceptions include:

• Mosaic members (who get a carry-on bag and early boarding with all fares)
• Travelers on a JetBlue transatlantic flight (including connecting flights)
• Travelers that are combining a Blue Basic fare with an Even More Space seat (on all legs, if connecting)
• Active U.S. military
• Unaccompanied minors 

Checked bags

Your checked bags must conform to size and weight restrictions or be subject to fees for overweight and oversized items. Checked bags can not exceed 62" in overall dimensions (length + width + height) or 50 pounds. Peak-season pricing applies to checked bags during high-traffic periods. 

You can add up to two checked bags anytime, from during the booking to when you arrive at the airport. Additional bags or any items that would incur an additional fee, in addition to any checked bag fee, can be added to your booking starting 24 hours prior to departure or at the airport. 

If your fare does not include checked bags, you’ll save money by paying in advance on jetblue.com or the JetBlue app. This applies to the first 2 checked bags and you'll save $10 on each checked bag when you add them at least 24 hours before departure. 

There are some specific checked bag exceptions that travelers going to Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Guyana, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago and U.K./Europe should be aware of before departing. 

If you are buying an extra seat you may check additional bags, based on the fare option for that extra seat. However, the allowance for a personal item and carry-on bag does not increase.

One nifty way to avoid checked bag fees is to sign up for the JetBlue Plus credit card. The card currently offers 50,000 bonus TrueBlue miles for new cardholders and a $99 annual fee.

Peak pricing schedule

Peak-season pricing for checked bag fees applies to bookings made on or after 3/22/24 for travel during peak travel and high-traffic periods including Presidents’ Week, Thanksgiving and Winter holidays and peak spring and summer travel seasons. Off-peak pricing would apply to all other travel dates and to all bookings made before 3/22/24.

If you booked your travel before 3/22/24, you would pay off-peak pricing, no matter when you are traveling as long as you don’t make any changes to your booking. Voluntary changes would effectively create a new booking date, and the new bag fees would be in effect.

Peak-season pricing for checked bags applies to travel booked on the following dates: 

In 2024: 4/11-4/29, 6/20-9/3, 11/21-12/2, 12/19-12/31  

In 2025: 1/1-1/6, 2/13-2/24, 4/3-4/28, 6/19-9/2/25, 11/20-12/1/25, 12/18-12/31/25

Baggage fees in the Americans and Caribbean

Baggage fees for transatlantic flights

Stollers, wheelchairs, scooters and other assistive devices

Strollers, crutches, wheelchairs or other assistive devices will not count towards your carry-on or checked bag limit, however, they are subject to carry-on size and weight restrictions. If the assistive device or stroller is to too big to fit in an overhead bin, it will be gate-checked. You may also request to pick it up at bag claim.

JetBlue transports most types of personal wheelchairs including folding, collapsible or non-folding manual wheelchairs, battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters. However, JetBlue will accept battery-powered wheelchairs and mobility aids as checked items only.  

JetBlue provides dimensions of the cargo bin doors for each type of aircraft used. You can check to see if your wheelchair can be safely transported on your flight. You can find the type of aircraft that will be used for your flight during booking on the flight results page, or under "My Trips or Manage Trips" on jetblue.com. Be prepared for possible changes as the aircraft they use are subject to change. 

Here are the dimensions of the various cargo bin doors:

• A321 — 73” x 80”
• A320 — 73” x 80"
• E190 — 28"
• A321 LR — 73” x 80”
• A220 — 33” x 46.75”

Adding a wheelchair to your reservation. When booking your flight complete a Special Service Request form. When you reach the shopping cart, you will click: Next - Traveler Details. Under the Additional Information section located at the bottom of the Traveler Details section, you will click the plus (+) sign that says: I require wheelchair assistance and you can indicate what type of assistance you require by checking one of the available options. And don't forget to add a Special Service Request form at some point before you check-in. 

Adding a wheelchair to your booking after your flight is booked is easy. Visit the Manage Trips page and select the "Traveler Details" link at the top of the page. Click on the plus (+) sign that says “Add special service requests” ay the bottom of the page and select the ‘I require wheelchair assistance’ option and indicate what type of assistance you require by checking one of the available choices.

Upcharges for oversized or overweight baggage

Before you pack, make sure your bags meet the airline's checked bag size dimensions and weight requirements. You will incur an additional fee for checked bags that exceed 62" in overall dimensions (length + width + height) or 50 pounds.

Overweight baggage. Baggage that weighs 51 lbs (23.13 kg) to 99 lbs (44.91 kg) incur an additional fee of  $150 per bag. For transatlantic flights the fee is $150/£120/€140. Be aware that bags that exceed 70 pounds (31.75 kg) are not accepted on transatlantic flights. 

Oversized baggage. 63" to 80" (including wheels and handles) will result in a $150 per bag fee. For transatlantic flights the fee is $150/£120/€140. 

Sports equipment. If you are on your way to enjoy in some outdoor activities you won't necessarily pay extra to transport your equipment. Golf clubs, skis, snowboards, skimboards and fishing rods count as one checked bag and can be added to your booking at any time. 

While the equipment is only subject to any checked bag fees for the fare purchased, it will not incur additional or oversized bag fees if it’s within weight limits. You can learn more about JetBlue's sports gear policies & fees on their website.

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I just had one flight left to book on a multi-city trip to Europe when I got stumped: I couldn't figure out how to get home. All I needed was to get from Paris to New York, but the one-way ticket prices at places like United and Delta were over $1,000 and I didn't have airline or credit card points to play with. 

There were some European budget airline options, but I hadn't flown on any of the available airlines and so didn't feel like I could trust the seat comfort, food options or how much it'd cost to check the large suitcase I knew I was bringing. But then I saw something interesting: a nonstop from CDG to JFK by JetBlue, for half the price of the other American airline flights. 

Most people I talked to have been surprised to hear I was flying home on JetBlue, so I figure it's my duty to spread the news. Yes, indeed, JetBlue has transatlantic flights, at generally good prices, especially through the summer. 

Where do JetBlue's Europe flights go?

JetBlue's transatlantic flight era started in 2021, when they began offering service from New York City's JFK to London's Heathrow. That expanded to include flights between New York and London-Gatwick as well as between Boston and London. 

The expansion of itineraries has just continued over the last few years. Now, JetBlue has flights between the U.S. and Amsterdam, Dublin, Edinburgh and Paris, in addition to London. In late May, JetBlue announced even more transatlantic flights, with a daily flight between JFK in New York and Edinburgh Airport in Scotland through Sept. 30, 2024. 

These are nonstop flights, but only if you can fly direct from Boston and New York. Otherwise, you'll have to connect within the U.S. 

At their earnings call in April, JetBlue said unit revenues were up more than 25% year-over-year in transatlantic performance. "We are currently serving what we believe are sort of the top underserved markets for JetBlue out of Boston and New York. So we'll look to continue doing this," CEO Joanna Geraghty said, emphasizing that some transatlantic markets are seasonal. 

How are the JetBlue transatlantic fares and costs?

Generally speaking, they're alright.

When JetBlue first announced the New York-Paris route last year, tickets started at $479 round-trip, per Business Insider, while American Airlines and Delta Air Lines' round-trip costs were over $600. But that was a low fare to kick-off the route, and fares are typically higher than that. 

Taking a look at the travel website Google Flights, prices on JetBlue are comparable to Delta or United round-trip this summer between New York and Paris. On that route, though, there is a major different if you're in my position looking for a one-way flight from Paris to New York. Taking a look at a Saturday in August, a one-way flight from American Airlines is $1,135; from United is $1,397; from Delta $1,594. But the JetBlue flight is $888. 

In my experience, I bought two seats from Paris to New York on JetBlue and upgraded us to "Blue Extra" with additional legroom for less than what I would've paid for one seat at basic fare on United. 

JetBlue also has a card, akin to a travel rewards credit card, that gets you points for travel. Kiplinger readers are fans, ranking it among their favorites in this year's Readers' Choice Awards for airline credit card rewards programs. 

How are JetBlue's transatlantic flights?

The JetBlue transatlantic routes are flown on Airbus A321LR and A321neo aircraft. The A321LR has 114 seats and 24 suites, which, JetBlue says, "means more personalized attention, more personal space (instead of more persons in your space), and less hassle boarding and deplaning." 

If you've flown JetBlue before, you have an idea of what to expect. The airline usually has relatively spacious seats and promising food options. JetBlue took first, second and third place for customer satisfaction in the categories of first/business class, premium economy, and base economy, respectively, in the J.D. Power 2023 North American Airline Satisfaction Study.

Again, speaking anecdotally, my Blue Extra seats were so spacious the stranger sitting next to me exclaimed excitedly when she sat down. My husband is tall and thus usually cramped on airplanes, but he was more than comfortable on the JetBlue flight. 

In terms of food, there are regular meal services as well as a "pantry" of snacks available at any time. There are headrest televisions with plenty of entertainment options, as well as power outlets at seats. You can pick your meal option using the headrest console. 

I'm not the only person impressed by these JetBlue transatlantic flights: Business Insider's travel reporter Joey Hadden called it "the best long-haul flight I've taken," while Kyle Potter at Thrifty Traveler said JetBlue Mint is "my new favorite way to fly to Europe."

So if you're heading to Europe this summer, keep an eye out for those JetBlue options.

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As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.

Less than two months after JetBlue raised fees on checked bags, travelers must now pay even more to check a bag if they fly during a peak travel date.

If you check a bag more than 24 hours before departure, you will pay $35 for the first bag and $50 for the second bag, according to JetBlue’s Bag Info website. However, if you fly on a peak travel date, you will pay $40 for the first bag and $60 for the second bag.

If you check a bag within 24 hours of departure of your JetBlue flight, you will pay $45 for the first bag and $60 for the second bag. And these prices jump to $50 for the first bag and $70 for the second bag if you fly on a peak travel date.

The new fees were first reported by CNBC. When asked for comment on the addition of peak travel pricing, JetBlue told CNBC that the change was made to “keep base fares as low as possible and ensure customer favorites like seatback TVs and high-speed Wi-Fi remain free for everyone.”

When are JetBlue's peak travel dates?

For bookings on or after March 22, peak-season pricing for checked bags apply to the following dates:

• April 11 to 29, 2024
• June 20 to September 3, 2024
• November 21 to December 2, 2024
• December 19, 2024 to January 6, 2025
• February 13 to 24, 2025
• April 3 to 28, 2025

All other dates would be off-peak pricing, JetBlue said.

How to check your bags for free on JetBlue

There are two tricks to getting a free checked bag, or two, on JetBlue flights. 

First, you can become a JetBlue Plus Cardmember, which includes one checked bag per flight. A second bag will cost you $50 if you check it more than 24 hours before departure on an off-peak date, or $60 on a peak travel date.

Second, you can join JetBlue’s loyalty program and rack up 50 tiles to reach the Mosaic 1 level, which comes with the benefit of two free checked bags. 

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Stocks posted solid gains for a second straight day on Thursday, even as preliminary data showed the U.S. economy contracted 0.9% in the second quarter.

The latest report from the Commerce Department marks back-to-back quarterly declines in gross domestic product (GDP), and sparked a whirlwind of recession chatter on Wall Street.

"Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP meets our humble definition of a recession," says Dan Eye, chief investment officer at financial advisory firm Fort Pitt Capital Group. "But we agree with the view that labor market strength and a well-positioned consumer limits the severity of the economic contraction." Eye adds that the market sees lower odds of a third 75 basis-point rate hike (a basis point is one-one hundredth of a percentage point) at the Federal Reserve's September meeting and is beginning "to price in interest rate cuts as early as February 2023."

Earnings were also in focus today. Meta Platforms (META) plummeted 5.2% after the Facebook parent said revenue declined 1% year-over-year in the second quarter to $28.8 billion – below what Wall Street was expecting. The company's earnings also came up short, as did its current-quarter revenue forecast.

"This is the first quarter ever that META is reporting declining revenue growth from a year ago," says David Wagner, portfolio manager at financial advisory firm Aptus Capital Advisors. "You couple this with the fact that guidance is substantially lighter than expected is why the stock is lower." Wagner adds that "given the market's focus on profitability, we like the fact the company has slowed down egregious spending in products that appear to be black holes."

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Ford Motor (F), on the other hand, jumped 6.1% after the automaker said Q2 operating income nearly tripled on a year-over-year basis to $3.7 billion. F also hiked its quarterly dividend by 50% to 15 cents per share.

The major indexes managed to shake off some early morning weakness to finish near their session highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1% to 32,529, the S&P 500 Index rose 1.2% to 4,072 and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.1% to 12,162.

Other news in the stock market today:

• The small-cap Russell 2000 gained 1.3% to 1,873.
• U.S. crude futures fell 0.9% to settle at $96.42 per barrel.
• Gold futures jumped 1.8% to $1,750.30 an ounce.
• Bitcoin soared 4.5% to $23,798.25. (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.)
• Spirit Airlines (SAVE) rose 5.6% after the discount airline said it ended merger talks with Frontier Group Holdings (ULCC, +20.5%), instead accepting the $3.8 billion buyout offer from JetBlue Airways (JBLU, -0.4%). "The companies will have an uphill battle convincing regulators that this deal should be approved," says Chris Pultz, portfolio manager for alternative investment firm Kellner Capital. "The Biden administration has been vocal about competitiveness in the airline industry, and this will not be looked upon favorably."
• Qualcomm (QCOM) sank 4.5% after the wireless technology company gave current-quarter guidance that fell short of the consensus estimate, citing a "challenging macroeconomic environment." This overshadowed QCOM's higher-than-expected earnings of $2.96 per share and revenue of $10.9+ billion for its fiscal third quarter. Still, Argus Research analyst Jim Kelleher maintained a Buy rating on the tech stock. "QCOM has slightly outperformed peers during the tech sector selloff, reflecting the enduring strength of its silicon products and IP portfolio, and in our view continues to offer exceptional value," he says.

The Best Cheap ETFs We Can Find

Stock market gains from the past two days have brought some relief to investors, but worries over a potential recession will likely keep the roller-coaster ride going for the time being. Still, "investors should stay invested through the volatility and try to navigate into areas of the market that are more likely to provide downside protection in the volatile months ahead," says Gargi Chaudhuri, head of iShares investment strategy.

To weather the storm of a turbulent market, economic slowdown risks and high inflation, she says investors should gain exposure to "companies with strong balance sheets and the ability to pass on higher costs to consumers," which could help cushion a portfolio.

For that, there are plenty of single-stock plays for investors to choose from, like these companies with pricing power or these steady dividend growers. For those who want broad diversification, consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – which allow investors to build a core portfolio or make tactical moves across a basket of assets. But with thousands of ETFs to choose one, it can get overwhelming. Here, we've narrowed the list down to 20 of our favorite funds, which we call the Kip ETF 20. The exchange-traded funds featured here offer a variety of strategies for investors, at low costs to boot.

Karee Venema was long F as of this writing.

The potential for the U.S. to slip into recession was the topic du jour Monday as stocks kicked off the week with a wobbly, uneven session.

Over the weekend, former Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein told CBS' Face the Nation that recession was "a very, very high risk factor." That opinion was met by a number of other calls Monday morning.

Wells Fargo Investment Institute, for instance, says "our conviction is that the chances of an outright recession in 2022 remain low" but believes odds are growing that 2023 could see an economic contraction. UBS strategists say the chances are different depending on where you look – their global economists say "hard data" points to a sub-1% chance of recession over the next 12 months, but the yield curve implies 32% odds.

"There's no crystal ball to predict what's next, but historical trends can come into play here. With the [S&P 500] closing 15% below its weekly record, there's only been two times in the past 60-plus years that the market didn't fall into bear territory after a similar drop," adds Chris Larkin, Managing Director of Trading at E*Trade. "This doesn't mean it's bound to happen, but there is room for potential downside."

Larkin says to keep an eye on major retail earnings this week – which will kick off in earnest with Walmart's Tuesday report – to get a pulse check on the American consumer.

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Monday itself was a fairly quiet affair. Exxon Mobil (XOM, +2.4%) and Chevron (CVX, +3.1%) were among a number of plays from the energy sector (+2.7%) that popped after U.S. crude oil futures jumped another 3.4% to $114.20 per barrel.

Twitter (TWTR, -8.2%) shares dropped after Tesla (TSLA, -5.9%) CEO Elon Musk spent the weekend questioning how much of Twitter's traffic comes from bots. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said the move feels more like a "'dog ate the homework' excuse to bail on the Twitter deal or talk down a lower price." TWTR stock has now given up all its gains since Musk announced his stake in the social platform.

The major indexes finished an up-and-down session with mostly weak results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to eke out a marginal gain to 32,223, but the S&P 500 declined 0.4% to 4,008, while the Nasdaq Composite retreated 1.2% to 11,662.

Also worth noting: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will file its quarterly Form 13F soon. Check back here tonight as we examine what Buffett has been buying and selling.

Other news in the stock market today:

• The small-cap Russell 2000 closed out the session with a 0.5% dip to 1,783.
• Gold futures gained 0.3% to settle at $1,814 an ounce.
• Bitcoin was off 1.6% to $29,551.92 (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.)
• JetBlue Airways (JBLU, -6.1%) ramped up its hostile takeover attempt of Spirit Airlines (SAVE, +13.5%) on Monday, urging SAVE shareholders to vote against a buyout offer from fellow low-cost air carrier Frontier Group Holdings (ULCC, +5.9%). JBLU last month offered to buy Spirit Airlines for $33 per share – a premium to the $21.50 per share ULCC offered in February – but SAVE's board of directors rejected the bid citing concerns over regulatory approval. JBLU followed up in early May with an "enhanced superior proposal," including paying a $200 million, or $1.80 per SAVE share, reverse break-up fee should regulators block the deal.
• Warby Parker (WRBY) fell 5.3% after the eyeglass maker reported a loss of 30 cents per share in its first quarter. This was much wider than the per-share loss of 3 cents the company reported in the year-ago period and missed the consensus estimate for breakeven on a per-share basis. Revenue of $153.2 million also fell short of analysts' expectations. WRBY did maintain its full-year revenue guidance of $650 million to $660 million. "We remain cautiously optimistic on shares as WRBY continues to show ability to grow the top line, open new stores, and is recession resistant as a lower cost option for non-discretionary spend," says CFRA Research analyst Zachary Warring (Buy). "We see the company leveraging SG&A to become profitable in the second half of 2022."

Check Out Europe's Dividend Royalty

If you're seeking out more stable opportunities amid an uncertain U.S. market … well, the rest of the world is admittedly looking pretty shaky, too. But that doesn't mean there aren't a few morsels worth a nibble.

BCA Research notes that while there's negative news around the globe, "European benchmarks already discount a significant portion of the negative news." And looking ahead, inflation there is expected to peak over the summer "as the commodity impulse is decelerating" – that should help stagflation fears recede and help European shares.

Graham Secker, Morgan Stanley's chief European and U.K. equity strategist, chimes in that his firm remains "overweight [European] stocks offering a high and secure dividend yield."

We've previously highlighted our favorite European dividend stocks, which on the whole tend to produce higher yields than their U.S. counterparts.

But we'd also like to shine the spotlight on Europe's twist on an American income club: the Dividend Aristocrats. The S&P Europe 350 Dividend Aristocrats have somewhat different qualifications than their U.S. brethren, but in general, they've proven their ability to provide stable and growing dividends over time.

Read on as we look at the European Dividend Aristocrats.

U.S. stocks opened the day in negative territory and losses accelerated as the session wore on.

Earnings remained in focus, and several of today's reactions were negative. General Electric (GE), for instance, spiraled downward 10.3% after its results. While the industrial conglomerate beat on the top and bottom lines in its first quarter, CEO Lawrence Culp warned the company is "trending toward the low end" of its full-year guidance as it continues "to work through inflation and other evolving pressures."

JetBlue Airways (JBLU), meanwhile, shed 11.4% after the air carrier's plans to reduce capacity growth in the short term offset a narrower-than-expected first-quarter loss. JBLU's post-earnings decline pressured fellow airline stocks, with Alaska Air Group (ALK, -4.6%), Southwest Airlines (LUV, -3.0%) and Delta Air Lines (DAL, -3.2%) all finishing notably lower.

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The selling was broad-based, with consumer discretionary (-5.1%) and technology (-3.7%) the two hardest hit sectors. Only energy gained ground, adding 0.1% as U.S. crude futures climbed 3.2% to $101.70 per barrel.

At the close, the Nasdaq Composite was down 4.0% at 12,490 – its worst day since September 2020 – the S&P 500 Index was off 2.8% at 4,175 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 2.4% lower at 33,240.

Other news in the stock market today:

• The small-cap Russell 2000 gave back 3.3% to 1,890.
• Gold futures gained 0.4% to settle at $1,904.10 an ounce.
• Bitcoin retreated 5.9% to $37,918.63. (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.) "Bitcoin was tentatively back above the $40,000 level as Wall Street became more optimistic with the long-term outlook for cryptocurrencies after reports that Fidelity Investments will allow Bitcoin into 401(k)s," says Edward Moya, senior market strategist at currency data provider OANDA. "Bitcoin reversed lower as risk aversion returned to Wall Street; Russia's suspension of gas supplies to Poland sent risky assets, including Bitcoin, sharply lower."
• Sherwin-Williams (SHW) jumped 9.4% after the paints and coatings retailer reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.61 per share and revenue of $5 billion, both figures higher than analysts were expecting. SHW also reaffirmed its full-year guidance for adjusted earnings of $9.25 to $9.65 per share. "Our team delivered results in line with our expectations in an environment characterized by strong demand, ongoing cost inflation and choppy raw material availability that improved meaningfully in the final weeks of the quarter," said John Morikis, CEO of Sherwin-Williams, in the company's earnings release.
• United Parcel Service (UPS) slipped 3.5% after the delivery giant reported earnings. In its first quarter, UPS recorded adjusted earnings of $3.05 per share and revenue of $24.4 billion, higher than consensus estimates. The company also reiterated its full-year guidance, though CEO Carol Tome cautioned that we're not likely to see the same kind of e-commerce growth witnessed during the pandemic going forward. Argus Research analyst John Eade (Buy) said weakness in the stock represents a "buying opportunity," and that the company "remains well positioned to benefit from a number of positive trends."

What Wall Street's Saying About Social Media Stocks

One notable decliner in today's trading: Twitter (TWTR). Shares retreated 3.9% to $49.68– one day after the company's board of directors approved Elon Musk's $44-billion, or $54.20 per-share, buyout of the platform.

News that the Tesla (TSLA) CEO is taking TWTR private has narrowed the field of social media stocks, but analysts are still upbeat about the few remaining primary players.

Case in point: S&P Global Market Intelligence pegs the average analyst price target for Facebook parent Meta Platforms (FB) – which joins Twitter on this week's tech-focused earnings calendar – at $315.51, implying 44% potential upside from current levels.

Today, we take a closer look at the social media stocks to watch post-Twitter and break down why Wall Street's pros are so bullish on the group. Take a look.

The major U.S. indexes continued to radiate anxiety on Wednesday heading into and after the afternoon release of the Federal Open Market Committee's most recent minutes.

At last month's meeting, Fed officials tentatively agreed to a quantitative tightening plan that would see the central bank sell off $95 billion in assets each month – $60 billion in Treasuries and $35 billion in mortgage-backed securities. Also, several FOMC members said 50-basis-point hikes to the Fed funds rate could be on the table to help curb inflation.

Stocks, which had largely headed lower all day, turned volatile after the minutes. While they ultimately finished in the red, they did so off the session's lows.

Mega-cap technology (-2.4%) and consumer discretionary (-2.6%) names including Microsoft (MSFT, -3.7%), Amazon.com (AMZN, -3.2%) and Tesla (TSLA, -4.2%) weighed heaviest on the Nasdaq Composite (-2.2% to 13,888). The S&P 500 (-1.0% to 4,481) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (-0.4% to 34,496) also finished lower.

"While the market has taken a bit of a breather anticipating an aggressive Fed posture, some fears may have been put to ease with the release of the minutes," says Mike Loewengart, managing director of investment strategy at E*Trade. "Half-point-basis point hikes are on the table, but that's where the buck stops – it's not guaranteed that half-point increases are the new norm.

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"And most predicted that a balance sheet plan would be rolled out, so the market might have already priced that piece in."

Other news in the stock market today:

• The small-cap Russell 2000 slid 1.4% to 2,016.
• Reports the International Energy Agency (IEA) will release 120 million barrels of crude oil from its reserves and data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) that showed domestic inventories unexpectedly rose last week sent U.S. crude futures tumbling below the $100 per-barrel mark (ending down 5.6% at $96.23 per barrel).
• Gold futures fell 0.2% to settle at $1,923.10 per ounce.
• Bitcoin plunged 4.9% to $43,755.65. (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m.)
• JetBlue Airways (JBLU) tumbled 8.7% after the airline made an unsolicited bid to buy fellow travel stock Spirit Airlines (SAVE, -2.4%) for $3.6 billion in cash. This comes after SAVE in February said it was merging with carrier Frontier Group (ULCC, -11.0%) in a deal valued at $6.6 billion – and one that was approved by both companies' boards of directors. In reaction, Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth downgraded JBLU to Market Perform from Outperform (the equivalents of Hold and Buy, respectively). "While there may be longer term merits to the deal, execution risk is greater than that of the proposed Spirit-Frontier merger with dis-synergies likely to precede any meaningful synergy benefits," Syth writes in a note.
• Rivian Automotive (RIVN) slid 5.0% even as the electric vehicle maker said it is on track to meet its annual production goal of 25,000 vehicles this year. This comes as the company delivered 1,227 vehicles in the first quarter, more than the 929 it delivered in all of 2021. "Given that its production rate should continue to increase in the coming months, we think investors might view its 2022 production guidance of 25,000 units as more achievable than they were previously, which suggests that perhaps the worst of Rivian's operational challenges are behind it," says CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson (Hold).

Retail Stocks Could Sing

Inflation might be hot, but so is the money burning a hole through consumers' pockets. The retail industry has been met with more than its fair share of difficulties, including rocketing input costs and supply-chain disruptions, which have only gotten worse amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

And yet, retail sales were up nearly 18% year-over-year in February. And the National Retail Federation's outlook for 2022 is for retail sales growth of between 6% and 8%.

"Despite all that's been thrown at them including inflation, supply-chain constraints, market volatility and significant geopolitical events, consumers remain able and willing to spend," says NRF chief Matthew Shay.

Broadly speaking, investors can get access to many of the retailers benefiting from this trend in the consumer discretionary and (to a lesser extent) consumer staples sectors.

But for a short list of some of the current top plays, consider these five retail stocks, each of which boasts a crowded Wall Street analyst bull camp and share-price upside of between 25% and 80%.

Each year we round up a list of fabulous freebies, valuable offers with few or no strings attached. This year's list is packed with more something-for-nothing deals than ever. Here are our favorite travel freebies, including free flight perks, free stuff on the road and free tour guides.

For our complete list, see Fabulous Freebies 2014.

Domestic airlines are stingy with giveaways, but some airlines still offer a few freebies for fliers. Southwest lets you check two bags for free -- that can save you $120 per person round-trip when compared to Delta, for instance -- and JetBlue lets you check one bag free (plus gives you access to free TV, satellite radio and all-you-can-eat snacks.) American, Delta, United and US Air also allow the first and sometimes second bags to fly free to most international destinations.

Traveling with kids? You deserve even more freebies. Children under age 2 can fly domestically on most major airlines, or ride Amtrak, free of charge when they sit on a paying adult’s lap. Also, watch for kids-cruise-free and kids-ski-free promotions, and ask the cruise or resort in advance about free supervised kid programs so you can have some much-needed grown-up time.

If you have to fly, you may as well earn extra credit for it. Sign up for the airline’s frequent flier program to accumulate points toward free flights and other goodies.

See the “Program Guide” at WebFlyer.com for the lowdown on each airline’s rules. Or, use the Head2Head feature to compare both airline and hotel loyalty programs.

You’ll pay about $15 at the post office to get your picture taken for your passport. Instead, take your photo with your own digital camera, then upload it to ePassportPhoto.com, which will help you size it properly before printing on your home printer. The best part: You can redo your picture as many times as you like. After all, who wants to get stuck with a bad photo for the next ten years?

Prepare for your international getaway with the free foreign language lessons online at FSI-language-courses.org. Or go to Openculture.com for a list of lessons around the Web that you can download to your MP3 player. Your public library may also offer courses or software to help you prepare for your travels.

You can find free breakfasts at a number of hotel chains, and we aren't just talking coffee and bagels. Country Inns & Suites, Homewood Suites, SpringHill Suites and Holiday Inn Express are just a few chains that offer a hot morning meal. Some hotel chains, like Marriott’s Residence Inn or Embassy Suites by Hilton, hold nightly receptions with free heavy appetizers or light dinners.

Oh, and don’t forget to grab the famous free chocolate chip cookies when you check in at a Doubletree. Visit Priceline.com for a searchable list of hotel freebies, including free parking and Wi-Fi.

Parents can save even more on hotel costs by booking hotels where kids sleep and eat free. Choice Hotels allow children 18 and younger to stay free when sharing a room with their parents or grandparents. Kids 19 and younger stay free in their parents’ room at Holiday Inn Hotels, while up to four children aged 12 and younger eat free off the hotel restaurant’s kids’ menu.

Don’t you hate it when you pay for a flight, and then the price drops? Enlist the help of Yapta.com, which tracks your flight’s price after you buy your ticket. If the fare drops, it will notify you and help you collect a refund or travel vouchers from the airline. (Note: Yapta only kicks in if the price drop exceeds the ticket-change fee you’d be obligated to pay.) Yapta does the same for hotels too. For rental cars, try AutoSlash.com.

To get a real feel for a city when you’re traveling, team up with a local. The Global Greeter Network organizes volunteers in several cities worldwide to show you around, give you the inside scoop and answer your questions. Tours can last a couple hours, and there’s a strict no-tipping policy.

Prefer to explore at your own pace? Browse the free audio walking tours available for download at iTunes.com, Audisseyguides.com and iAudioguide.com. You can also search the Web for walking tours of your destination. In our simple search, we found free audio tour downloads from Boston and Chicago to Dublin and Jerusalem.

By simply carrying a credit card, you may be entitled to some cool travel freebies. Many airline, hotel and travel rewards cards offer no foreign transaction fees, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital one Venture Rewards. Some also offer free rental-car insurance, and some will cover the cost of your vacation if you have to cancel your trip. Call your card issuer to find out what perks you qualify for.

Some airline rewards cards offer one free checked bag, lounge access or both.

Anyone interested in visiting a U.S. national park should plan their trip around the system's free admission days. The National Park Service holds a number of these events throughout the year, like on Presidents Day Weekend and Veterans Day. Find the complete list here.

You can also have free fun in many cities by checking out free museums, or looking out for free museum days. Also, Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day Live partners with museums across the country to make them free for a day. Just visit the website to get your free ticket.

Avoid hotel fees altogether by house swapping or house sitting, couchsurfing, or farming.

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) allows travelers to stay and eat free on an organic farm in exchange for a few hours’ help each day. (The only cost is a small fee to join WWOOF.) Similarly, engaging in a house sit or exchange allows you to stay in homes all over the world for just the cost of a membership.

More adventurous types can arrange to sleep on a local’s couch (or guest bed) for free through Couchsurfing.com. Just create an online profile, and look for available crash pads in your destination.