Barclays and JetBlue concern a portfolio of co-branded bank cards, together with two private playing cards and one enterprise card. On this submit I wished to offer a evaluation of the cardboard portfolio, and below what circumstances it is sensible to choose up a JetBlue bank card.
JetBlue Credit score Card Fundamentals For February 2024
On this submit I wished to focus totally on the JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Enterprise Card, since these are the premium JetBlue playing cards that supply essentially the most perks. The playing cards have a whole lot of overlap, but additionally some minor variations, so I’ll spotlight these as we go alongside.
JetBlue Credit score Card Annual Price
Each the JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Enterprise Card have an annual price of $99. There’s no value so as to add further customers to the cardboard. That is roughly in keeping with the annual charges on most mid-range airline bank cards, which generally have an annual price of slightly below $100.
JetBlue Credit score Card Signal-Up Bonus
In the mean time the JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Enterprise Card have totally different sign-up bonuses for brand new cardmembers:
- The JetBlue Plus Card is providing 60,000 TrueBlue factors after spending $1,000 inside the first 90 days
- The JetBlue Enterprise Card is providing 50,000 TrueBlue factors after spending $1,000 inside the first 90 days, plus 10,000 factors after including an worker card and having them make a purchase order within the first 90 days
I worth TrueBlue factors at ~1.3 cents every, to offer you a way of how a lot worth you would get from these bonuses. These are fairly good bonuses for these playing cards, although we’ve seen greater bonuses on each playing cards up to now. For those who can wait, I’d in all probability advocate doing so till there’s an even bigger bonus once more.
See this submit for the final restrictions in relation to getting authorized for Barclays bank cards.
JetBlue Credit score Card Rewards Construction
Each the JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Enterprise Card supply wherever from 1-6x factors per greenback spent:
- Each playing cards supply 6x TrueBlue factors for JetBlue purchases
- The JetBlue Plus Card gives 2x TrueBlue factors on restaurant and grocery retailer purchases, whereas the JetBlue Enterprise Card gives 2x TrueBlue factors on restaurant and workplace provide retailer purchases
- Each playing cards supply 1x TrueBlue factors for all different purchases
Based mostly on my valuation of TrueBlue factors, I’d say that’s a stable return for JetBlue spending, however in any other case there are way more compelling playing cards on the market. The first motive you’d wish to spend on this card is with a view to earn Mosaic standing, as I’ll clarify beneath.
JetBlue Credit score Card Perks
The first motive you’ll wish to contemplate the JetBlue Plus Card or JetBlue Enterprise Card is due to the perks you may get. Some advantages you get only for having the cardboard, whereas different advantages you get for placing spending on the cardboard. These perks are equivalent between the non-public and enterprise variations of the cardboard, so let’s go over the small print.
Anniversary Bonus Of 5,000 Factors
Yearly in your account anniversary, you’ll obtain 5,000 TrueBlue factors. As talked about above, I worth TrueBlue factors at 1.3 cents every, so to me these factors are price ~$65. That recoups many of the card’s annual free proper there.
10% Refund On JetBlue Award Redemptions
Whenever you redeem your JetBlue TrueBlue factors for an award flight, you’ll obtain 10% of your factors again as a bonus. For instance, for those who redeemed 20,000 factors, you’d get 2,000 factors deposited again into your account. The bonus will sometimes submit to your account 4 to 6 weeks after you’re taking your award flight. There’s no restrict to what number of factors you may get again by way of this methodology.
Free First Checked Bag On JetBlue
Cardholders can obtain a free first checked bag for themselves and as much as three companions on the identical reservation once they use their card to buy a ticket. JetBlue expenses $35 one-way for a checked bag, so for those who had been 4 individuals every touring roundtrip with a checked bag, you would save $280 on a single journey. That’s large.
50% Inflight Financial savings On JetBlue
It can save you 50% on inflight purchases of meals and alcoholic drinks when paying together with your JetBlue Plus Card or JetBlue Enterprise Card. This probably gained’t prevent a whole lot of {dollars} per yr, but it surely might add up.
Spend Your Approach To JetBlue Mosaic Elite Standing
The first motive you’d wish to contemplate spending cash on a JetBlue bank card is with a view to earn TrueBlue Mosaic elite standing. There are 4 tiers of Mosaic elite standing, with the next necessities:
- JetBlue Mosaic 1 requires 50 tiles
- JetBlue Mosaic 2 requires 150 tiles
- JetBlue Mosaic 3 requires 200 tiles
- JetBlue Mosaic 4 requires 250 tiles
For these not conversant in the idea of tiles, you earn one tile per $100 spent with JetBlue, and one tile per $1,000 spent on a JetBlue bank card. In different phrases, spending $50,000 on a JetBlue bank card would earn you Mosaic 1, whereas spending $250,000 on a JetBlue bank card would earn you Mosaic 4.
The advantages of Mosaic standing range primarily based on the tier. All Mosaic members obtain precedence boarding, free checked baggage, identical day flight modifications, precedence check-in, precedence safety, and devoted cellphone help. Then the extra perks range by tier, however embody every little thing from complimentary Even Extra House seating, to JetBlue Mint upgrades. See my information to JetBlue Mosaic elite standing.
Is The JetBlue Credit score Card Value It?
The JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Enterprise Card might completely be price making use of for and holding onto long run. A number of basic ideas:
- On the whole I wouldn’t advocate placing a lot spending on these playing cards, except you’re going for Mosaic elite standing, wherein case spending cash on these playing cards is your finest guess
- For those who fly JetBlue with any frequency, having one in every of these playing cards is nearly actually price it; the 5,000 anniversary bonus factors offsets many of the annual price, the ten% refund on award redemptions will earn you much more factors, after which the financial savings on checked baggage and inflight purchases will can help you come out means forward
I’ve a JetBlue bank card — I don’t fly the airline that always, besides, I at the very least break even on the cardboard, and a few years come out considerably forward.
What About JetBlue’s No Annual Price Card?
As you’ll be able to see, I’ve centered on JetBlue’s premium bank cards, the JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Enterprise Card. Nonetheless, there’s additionally the JetBlue Card, which is a no annual price private card. How does that card examine?
- The JetBlue Card gives a welcome bonus of 10,000 TrueBlue factors after spending $1,000 inside the first 90 days
- The JetBlue Card gives 3x factors on JetBlue purchases, 2x factors on restaurant and grocery retailer purchases, and 1x factors on every little thing else
- The cardboard gives 50% financial savings on inflight purchases
- The cardboard doesn’t supply anniversary bonus factors, an award redemption refund, a primary checked bag price, or the power to spend your method to Mosaic standing
Personally I really feel strongly that the premium playing cards are extra rewarding. At an absolute minimal, you would apply for the non-public premium card with the larger bonus, after which after a yr ought to be capable to downgrade to the JetBlue Card, if the JetBlue Plus Card isn’t doing it for you.
The Finest JetBlue Credit score Card Alternate options
On the subject of spending cash on bank cards, for many customers I feel there are a lot better choices than JetBlue’s card portfolio.
On essentially the most fundamental stage, you’ll be able to’t beat the rewards construction of the no annual price Citi Double Money® Card (evaluation). The cardboard is extraordinarily rewarding and versatile, because it gives 1% money again whenever you make a purchase order, and 1% money again whenever you pay for that buy. Rewards earned on this card may even be transformed into Citi ThankYou factors, to earn you journey rewards.
Why am I even viewing this as a competitor? As a result of JetBlue TrueBlue is a income primarily based frequent flyer program, and every level will get you at most 1.5 cents (or so) towards the price of a ticket on JetBlue. Why earn one TrueBlue level per greenback spent when you would earn the equal of two.0 cents again per greenback spent, which you would apply towards something?
Moreover, additionally remember the fact that JetBlue TrueBlue companions with main transferable factors currencies, together with Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Final Rewards, and Citi ThankYou. Subsequently you would additionally earn JetBlue TrueBlue factors with one of many following playing cards, that are amongst my favorites:
Backside Line
Barclays and JetBlue concern three co-branded bank cards, which have the potential to be profitable for individuals who fly JetBlue with any frequency. Specifically, the premium playing cards supply some implausible perks that I’d argue greater than justify the annual price. Between the anniversary bonus factors, award ticket refunds, 50% financial savings on inflight purchases, free checked baggage, and skill to spend your method to Mosaic standing, there’s a whole lot of worth available.
That being stated, I’d solely spend cash on these playing cards for those who’re going for Mosaic standing. In any other case there are way more rewarding playing cards for on a regular basis spending.
Do you have got a JetBlue bank card? In that case, how a lot worth have you ever gotten from the cardboard?
