Charles H. Miller
Barclaycard and JetBlue have come-up with two cards for frequent JetBlye fliers. One of them isn’t free, but includes more sign-up bonus points along with additional perks. However, both come with a rather acceptable APR, ranging from 12.24% to 25.24%, which is kinda novel for a travel-focused credit card. And the same goes for the introductory APR that isn’t a common feat for these sort of products. Let’s look into details…
Highlights
- Sign-up bonus of 10,000 / 30,000 points
- Anniversary bonus of 5,000 points with the JetBlue Plus Card
- 50% savings on in-flight purchases
- 0% intro APR for balance transfers posted to the account within the first 45 days for 12 billing cycles; after that it goes to 12.24%, 20.24%, or 25.24%
- No annual fee / $99
How JetBlue Cards Work?
Points: Get 3x or 6x (JetBlue Plus Card) points for each dollar spent on JetBlue purchases; 2x points per dollar spent at restaurants and grocery stores; and 1x point per dollar on all other purchases. There are no limitations on the number of points you can earn, and points do not expire. Once earned, points can be redeemed for award flights with one-way flights available for as few as 3,500 points. Also, under the TrueBlue program, family members can merge and share their points as part of the Family Pooling feature that “covers” 2 adults and 5 children. Those with the JetBlue Plus Card can earn 10% points back each time you redeem, as well as a statement credit of $100 after purchasing a Getaways vacation package of $100 or more with their card.
Sign-up bonus: If you spend $1,000 with your card within the first 90 days, you get a bonus of 10,000 (JetBlue Card) or 30,000 (JetBlue Plus Card) points.
Usage bonus: If you spend $50,000 or more with your JetBlue Plus Card per year, you receive one year’s access to TrueBlue Mosaic benefits that include free first and second checked bags, a bonus of 15,000 points (when you qualify), complimentary access to expedited security lines, early boarding, and complimentary alcoholic beverages. TrueBlue Mosaic usually requires 30 segments plus 12,000 or 15,000 base flight points within a calendar year.
Anniversary bonus: The JetBlue Plus Card awards 5,000 bonus points each year after your account anniversary.
In-flight perks: 50% savings on in-flight purchases such as beverages, meals, and JetBlue movies. With the JetBlue Plus Card, your first checked bag on JetBlue flights is free.
APR: 0% introductory APR on balance transfers made within your first 45 days of opening the account for 12 billing cycles. After that, the APR goes to 12.24%, 20.24%, or 25.24%.
Annual fee: The JetBlue Card has no annual fee, while the JetBlue Plus Card costs $99 per year.
Costs
- 0% intro APR for balance transfers posted to the account within the first 45 days for 12 billing cycles; after that it goes to 12.24%, 20.24%, or 25.24%
- 3% Balance Transfer Fee (minimum $5)
- $0 Foreign Transaction Fee
- $0 / $99 Annual Fee
Pros
- Sign-up bonus that is in either case worth a round trip. With the JetBlue Plus Card, you get enough points for at least 3 round-trip tickets, which will easily pay off the annual fee this card incurs.
- Earning bonus points on restaurants and groceries is not common with airline-branded cards. We like the fact that this card will earn us points even while spending money elsewhere (than the airline’s website).
- In-flight savings of 50% – a rather generous offering since that discount with other airlines typically sits somewhere in the 20-25% range.
- 10% redemption and anniversary bonuses that come included with the JetBlue Plus Card. They had to add something extra to justify that annual fee. And we like ’em for that.
- No foreign transaction fee – makes you want to use this card on both the U.S. soil and while traveling abroad.
Cons
- Limited flight benefits – there’s no priority boarding or discounted airport lounge access included.
- Annual fee with the JetBlue Plus – we understand why it’s necessary, but we don’t like it anyway. 😉
Head to Head Comparison
Will JetBlue Cards Work For You?
As we commonly say when reviewing airline-branded credit cards, the answer is YES if you happen to use that airline often. If you fly JetBlue more than often, you should get the more premium version of the card, the JetBlue Plus, and rack even more points while buying your tickets, groceries and other stuff. The annual fee that comes included with this card is easy to justify with the lucrative sign-up bonus that is worth at least 3 round-trip flights, or perhaps 4. But even the “free option” (the regular JetBlue Card) offers a neat set of benefits to its owners.
