All information about the JetBlue Card has been collected independently by CardCritics™
JetBlue Credit Card Review: Perks and Points Without an Annual Fee
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Written by
Lee Huffman
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Edited by
Jasmin Baron, CCC™
Travelers who love to fly JetBlue but aren’t willing to pay a credit card annual fee can receive exclusive benefits with the Barclays JetBlue Card while earning points on everyday purchases. This airline credit card offers a modest welcome bonus and earns up to 3x points on purchases, but doesn’t include perks like free checked bags or priority boarding.
However, budget-minded travelers seeking a faster path to JetBlue Mosaic status can use the card to earn tiles toward elite qualification. Here’s a look at what the JetBlue Credit Card offers.
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Purchase and Balance Transfer APR
0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, your APR will be 19.49% – 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness. A 19.49% – 29.49% variable APR, based on your creditworthiness applies for purchases.
Intro Bonus
Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
Rewards
3X points on eligible JetBlue purchases
2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores
1X points on all other purchases
Recommended Credit Score
Good – Excellent
670 – 850*
Annual Fee
$0
CardCritics™ Opinion
The JetBlue Card is an affordable option for occasional JetBlue travelers who want to earn JetBlue TrueBlue points and receive benefits when flying the airline. The card has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees, and it earns 3x points on JetBlue purchases and 2x points at restaurants and grocery stores. This way, you can keep earning points toward a free flight, even if you don’t fly the airline regularly. But if you’re looking for meaningful day-of-travel benefits, such as free checked bags, you should consider one of the premium JetBlue cards, such as the JetBlue Plus Card or JetBlue Premier Card.
Our Critical Analysis:
JetBlue Card
- Earn up to 3x points on purchases
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Intro APR on balance transfers
PROS
- Small welcome bonus offer
- No travel protections
- Limited JetBlue benefits
- Few bonus categories
CONS
JetBlue Card Benefits
Although the JetBlue Card has no annual fee, it offers benefits and earning power that occasional JetBlue travelers will love. Here are a few of its best perks.
No Annual Fee
With no annual fee to hold the JetBlue Card, you can earn JetBlue points on everyday purchases without having to justify the expense.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Many no-annual-fee credit cards charge up to 3% on purchases made outside the U.S. Whenever I travel overseas, I pack a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. That way, I’m not surprised by extra charges when I return from my trip.
Welcome Bonus
New cardholders qualify for a welcome bonus: Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. With an average value of 1.35 cents per JetBlue point, this welcome bonus is worth about $135 in JetBlue travel. That might not seem like a lot, but on the JetBlue deals website, I found one-way flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to West Palm Beach (PBI), Boston (BOS) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) for 10,000 points or less.
Earn up to 3x Points
The JetBlue Card has limited bonus categories, but its highest earning power is 3x points on JetBlue, JetBlue Vacations and TrueBlue Travel purchases, including flights, fees, in-flight purchases and more. Booking eligible hotels and rental cars through its travel portal to complete your travel plan earns 3x points, rather than 1x points when booking directly with those vendors.
You’ll also earn 2x points on dining and grocery store purchases and 1x points on everything else. There are no limits to the number of TrueBlue points you can earn, and your points never expire. JetBlue’s Points Pooling option allows you to combine points with family and friends to book award travel faster than you can by earning points on your own.
Savings on In-Flight Purchases
If you’re hungry or thirsty on a JetBlue flight, you’ll get a 50% discount on your in-flight food and drink purchases with the JetBlue Card. I’m normally frugal about paying for in-flight drinks, but with a 50% discount when using my JetBlue credit card, the prices actually seem pretty reasonable. You’ll receive the savings as a statement credit after the transaction posts to your account.
Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
New cardholders receive a 0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, your APR will be 19.49% – 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness. A 19.49% – 29.49% variable APR, based on your creditworthiness applies for purchases.
There’s a balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Note that this offer doesn’t apply to purchases, and while an intro APR on balance transfers is helpful if you’re trying to save money on interest, it shouldn’t be the main reason you open the JetBlue Card. Plenty of the best balance transfer credit cards offer much longer intro APR periods — some up to 21 months.
Earn Tiles Toward JetBlue Mosaic Status
The JetBlue Card offers a fast track to JetBlue Mosaic elite status by awarding 1 tile for every $1,000 spent on the card. This is a nice boost for travelers who are close to qualifying for the next level of status, or who want to earn it from credit card spending alone.
For example, Mosaic 1 status requires earning 50 tiles in a calendar year, so you could spend $50,000 on the JetBlue Card to reach this level.
JetBlue Card Drawbacks
Although the JetBlue Card offers some valuable benefits to cardholders, there are drawbacks you need to know about before applying for the card.
Small Welcome Bonus Offer
A welcome bonus of just 10,000 points doesn’t get you very far. While you only need to spend $1,000 within the first 90 days to unlock the bonus, it’s not enough to book most round-trip flights (or even many one-ways) or multiple tickets to cover your family.
If you’re looking for a big welcome bonus, consider one of the JetBlue credit cards that charges an annual fee, such as:
- JetBlue Plus Card: Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days ($99 annual fee)
- JetBlue Premier Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points + 5 tiles after spending $5,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days ($499 annual fee)
No Travel Protections
When using the JetBlue Card to book flights, hotels or rental cars, you won’t receive protection on those purchases. The card doesn’t come with trip delay, cancellation or interruption insurance, nor does it include baggage delay or rental car coverage.
If these benefits are important to you, consider a travel credit card that includes these protections. Here’s our roundup of the best credit cards with travel insurance.
Limited JetBlue Benefits
Normally, airline credit cards are packed with perks that increase the value of flying with the airline. While the JetBlue Card earns tiles toward JetBlue elite status and offers 50% off in-flight purchases, it doesn’t provide priority boarding, free checked bags or other benefits that airline cards with annual fees include.
The free checked bag benefit is one of the reasons why I chose the JetBlue Plus Card over this no-annual-fee version. With JetBlue charging at least $39 for your first checked bag, you can justify the JetBlue Plus Card’s $99 annual fee after just a couple of round-trip flights.
Fewer Bonus Categories
The card earns 3x points on JetBlue purchases, but the only other bonus categories are dining and groceries, where you can earn 2x points. All other purchases earn just 1 point per dollar. For occasional JetBlue travelers who only travel once or twice a year, the bonus categories don’t help much.
For this to be an everyday spending card, I’d like to see more bonus categories, like gas stations and drugstores, to help you maximize your rewards.
Who Is the JetBlue Credit Card Best For?
The JetBlue Credit Card is best for people who want to earn points toward JetBlue flights but don’t fly the airline often enough to justify paying an annual fee. This card earns up to 3x points per dollar spent, including 2x points on dining and groceries, which are two high-spend categories for most households.
New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus with relatively minimal spend. While many travel credit cards require spending $3,000 or more in the first three months, you only need to spend $1,000 within 90 days. This low level of required spending is good for people who don’t spend a lot each month or have other rewards credit cards with higher earning power.
Even if you don’t fly JetBlue frequently, your JetBlue Card spending can help you earn Mosaic elite status faster — but is JetBlue Mosaic status worth it? Achieving elite status can improve your travel experience and encourage you to choose JetBlue more often when booking, but if you’re not loyal to the airline, it may not make sense to earn.
You’ll also get 50% off in-flight purchases (as a statement credit), which can really add up when traveling as a family. I’m much more willing to splurge on in-flight drinks or say yes to my kids’ requests to order something because of this discount.
Is It the Right Card for You?
The JetBlue Card is a solid airline credit card for the right people. Here’s who would benefit the most from it:
- Travelers who want to earn JetBlue points
- People who don’t want to pay an annual fee
- International travelers who want to avoid foreign transaction fees
- Foodies who want bonus points on dining and groceries
Alternatives to the JetBlue Credit Card
The JetBlue Card can offer excellent value since you can earn unlimited JetBlue TrueBlue Points without paying an annual fee. However, it isn’t the best card for every traveler. Here are a few no-annual-fee travel credit cards you should consider before applying.
- American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card (an advertising partner): With 2x miles on American Airlines and grocery store purchases, the AAdvantage MileUp Card earns less than the JetBlue Card. Not only does it earn fewer rewards, but it also doesn’t earn bonus miles on dining. While it offers a larger welcome bonus with the same spending requirement, it charges foreign transaction fees and gives a smaller discount on in-flight purchases.
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: The Delta Blue Card also earns fewer miles on purchases and gives a paltry 20% off in-flight purchases, but it gives new cardholders twice as long to earn its welcome offer. It has no foreign transaction fees and offers rental car protection, extended warranty coverage and purchase protection, which the AAdvantage MileUp Card and JetBlue Card do not.
- United Gateway℠ Card: The United Gateway offers a more substantial bonus for new cardholders: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more. Followed by 19.74% – 28.24% Variable APR. The card includes rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty coverage, and you’ll receive two free checked bags on United flights after spending $10,000 in a calendar year.
Card Details From Barclays
- Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
- Earn 3X points on eligible JetBlue purchases, 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores and 1X points on all other purchases.
- Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire.
- 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases on JetBlue-operated flights
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
- No blackout dates. Redeem for any seat, any time on Jet-Blue operated flights.
- $0 Fraud Liability protection for unauthorized charges
How Does the JetBlue Card Stack Up Against Competitors?
Here’s how the JetBlue Card compares to competing no-annual-fee airline credit cards.
| Barclays JetBlue Card | Citi AAdvantage MileUp Card | Amex Delta Blue Card | |
| Annual Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Welcome Offer | Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days | Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. | Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. |
| APR | 0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, your APR will be 19.49% - 29.49%, based on your creditworthiness. A 19.49% - 29.49% variable APR, based on your creditworthiness applies for purchases. | 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.49% - 29.49% (Variable). A 19.49% - 29.49% (Variable) APR will apply for purchases. | 19.49%-28.49% Variable |
| Rewards Rate | 3X points on eligible JetBlue purchases 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores 1X points on all other purchases | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. | Earn 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 2X Miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases, and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. |
| Standout Features | 50% savings on JetBlue in-flight purchases Earn 1 tile toward Mosaic elite status for every $1,000 spent on the card | 25% savings on American Airlines in-flight purchases Earn 1 Loyalty Point toward AAdvantage elite status per dollar spent on the card | 20% savings on Delta Air Lines in-flight purchases Access to Delta Pay With Miles |
The information related to the JetBlue Card, JetBlue Plus Card, JetBlue Premier Card, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card and United Gateway℠ Card was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for this product.
For the Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Extended Warranty, and Purchase Protection on the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Frequently Asked Questions About the JetBlue Credit Card
How much is 50,000 points worth on a JetBlue card?
With an average value of 1.35 cents per point, 50,000 TrueBlue points are worth about $675 in JetBlue airfare. Some fare classes, such as Mint, may offer a lower value.
Which JetBlue card is the best?
JetBlue offers three consumer cards and one for small businesses. The no-annual-fee JetBlue Card is ideal for frugal travelers, and the JetBlue Plus Card easily justifies its $99 annual fee if you regularly check bags. The JetBlue Premier Card is best for frequent travelers who want airport lounge access and can use the flight credits to help justify its hefty $499 annual fee.
How many JetBlue points for a $300 flight?
At the average value of 1.35 cents per point, you’ll need to redeem around 22,000 points to book a $300 JetBlue flight.
Can I use a JetBlue Card at Costco?
Costco accepts Visa credit cards inside its stores and at its gas pumps. Since the JetBlue Card is a Mastercard, you can’t use it at Costco locations. However, you can shop at Costco.com with your JetBlue Card or any other Mastercard.
What’s the difference between a JetBlue Card and a JetBlue Plus Card?
The JetBlue Card has lower earning power and limited benefits, but it does not charge an annual fee. The JetBlue Plus Card charges a $99 annual fee, but it includes a larger welcome bonus, free checked bags, an anniversary bonus, and double the earning power on JetBlue purchases.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
*CardCritics™ references a FICO® 8 score, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when evaluating your application.
