After a few months without a bank, JetBlue and Barclaycard have presented the new JetBlue cards. The old cards were with American Express for a while and had grown somewhat stagnant in this travel rewards/bonus realm. With the switch to Barclaycard, there are some new things to look at plus we will look at who should get them and who should pass – for now.
Details About The New JetBlue Cards
There are 3 cards that were released today that you can apply for. Here is the breakdown:
This is the basic JetBlue card and as such as a more basic bonus with a $0 annual fee to go along with it.
- 10,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
- 3 points per dollar at JetBlue
- 2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
- $0 annual fee
- 50% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
The next one on the list is the Plus version. This is the more premium card and has more benefits than the regular card, and an annual fee to go with it (the old Amex JetBlue card’s annual fee was $40).
- 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
- 6 points per dollar at JetBlue
- 2 points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
- $99 annual fee
- 5,000 point anniversary bonus
- 50% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
- Enjoy all Mosaic benefits for one year after you spend $50,000 or more on purchases after your anniversary date
- Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption
- $100 statement credit after you purchase a Getaways vacation package with your card
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 3 companions
This is the business version of the Plus card above and matches the benefits across the board.
- 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days
- 6 points per dollar at JetBlue
- 2 points per dollar at restaurants and office supply stores
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
- $99 annual fee
- 5,000 point anniversary bonus
- 50% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
- Enjoy all Mosaic benefits for one year after you spend $50,000 or more on purchases after your anniversary date
- Get 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption
- $100 statement credit after you purchase a Getaways vacation package with your card
- First checked bag free for yourself and up to 3 companions
Should You Get One Of These Cards?
With JetBlue, it is much easier assigning value to the points because they are based on a revenue-based award program. They have some variation on certain routes and take a hit if you use them on the lowest fares because the minimum points you can use is 3,500 points, but it is still pretty general. It means that you should expect to see right around 1.5 cents per point in redemption value. Again, there are some factors that can cause you to get even more or a bit less but that is generally where it sits.
That means the basic card is worth about $150, the Plus version is worth a healthy $450, and the Business card is also worth $450. Those are very nice bonuses and I like that the premium cards come with anniversary bonuses as well as a 10% rebate on points used. With that perk, it makes the premium cards have about another $45 in value after redemptions are made (because of the 10% rebate).
While the premium cards have an annual fee, I think it can be completely justified if you currently fly on JetBlue or plan to fly JetBlue more. If you are a Mosaic (elite) member, you absolutely should have one of the premium cards to help you in your earning on spending. If not, you can spend your way to Mosaic status by putting $50,000 on your card in a year.
If you are not an elite member, the premium cards still have value with the first bag free. That is a huge help since they removed the free bag perk and can help the card pay for itself in just a couple of trips. The $100 credit for the Getaways package is helpful as well since those packages are not that expensive on some routes.
So, I would recommend either the Plus card or the Business card if you are interested in picking up a JetBlue bonus. Both of them look to be excellent.
But, Hold On!
There are a few things to consider. While the basic card lists the bonus as a Limited-time Offer, the other cards do not have that language. So, I don’t think they are going anywhere. Remember where we are in the credit card calendar. If you have less than 5 new accounts in the last 24 months (or will soon), I would absolutely wait for now to see what Chase may roll out in the next few months. Also, remember that this is Barclaycard issuing these cards. They were the first ones to really get strict with applicants who apply for a lot of cards. It has been a while since I have been approved with Barclaycard – and that is the only bank I can say that about (I guess US Bank as well but I just don’t have any interest in them right now. 🙂 ).
Also, consider where your travel priorities are right now. These cards have great offers and I love JetBlue, but you are not going to use these points for many international flights. Also, you are bound to the value of the ticket (which can be good for fare sales). If JetBlue is not the best option for you right now, just hold as there is not any big rush to obtain these cards right now.
All that being said, these are some nice offers and I am glad that Barclaycard has rolled them out. It is good to see JetBlue in the card field again and I hope to add one of them to my wallet at some point.
