Great news for folks who like JetBlue!
Barclaycard has shared the details about their 3 new JetBlue credit cards.
You can choose from the JetBlue card (no annual fee), JetBlue Plus Card (better earning and a higher sign-up bonus), or JetBlue Business Card cards.
I’ll share what I know about the cards and whether you should consider applying!
Three New Barclaycard JetBlue Cards
Link: Barclaycard JetBlue Plus
Link: Barclaycard JetBlue
Link: Barclaycard JetBlue Small Business
The JetBlue cards used to be issued by AMEX, but these new cards are MasterCards issued by Barclaycard. That’s good news because it means they’ll be more widely accepted.
And the new cards have chip-and-PIN technology, which is useful in Europe! Plus, you won’t pay foreign transaction fees, so these are great cards to use overseas!
Why Folks Enjoy JetBlue
I don’t usually fly JetBlue because I use Southwest points and my Companion Pass. But I have friends who are fiercely loyal to them! They love the extra legroom in coach, free snacks & in-flight Wi-Fi, and live TV.
Plus, JetBlue points don’t expire and there are never blackout dates on award flights. And you can pool your points with family members!
JetBlue not only flies domestically, they have a number of destinations in the Caribbean including the the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. And I recently let you know they’ve added a route to Ecuador that makes it easier to get to the Galapagos Islands.
And you can use JetBlue points to fly on Hawaiian Airlines.
Here are the details for each card.
1. JetBlue Plus Card
With the JetBlue Plus, you’ll get:
- 30,000 JetBlue points (worth ~$420 in JetBlue flights) after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the 1st 90 days of opening your account
- 5,000 JetBlue points (worth ~$70 in JetBlue flights) each year on your account anniversary
- 6 JetBlue points per $1 you spend on JetBlue purchases
- 2 JetBlue points per $1 you spend at restaurants and grocery stores
- 1 JetBlue point per $1 you spend everywhere else
- Free 1st checked bag for cardholder and up to 3 companions on the same reservation when you use your card to pay for your ticket
- 50% discount on eligible in-flight purchases like cocktails, food, and movies
- 10% of points back when you redeem them
- Annual $100 statement credit when you purchase a Getaway Vacation Package for $100 or more
- Earn JetBlue Mosaic elite status each year after spending $50,000 or more on purchases (free 1st and 2nd checked bag, early boarding, free alcoholic beverages)
- No foreign transaction fees
The $99 annual fee is NOT waived for the 1st year.
If you’re a frequent JetBlue flyer, the free checked bag perk, anniversary point bonus, 50% discount on in-flight purchases, $100 statement credit on vacation packages, and 10% redemption point rebate can easily make up for the annual fee.
2. JetBlue Card
The JetBlue Card has NO annual fee. But the sign-up bonus is lower, there’s no anniversary bonus, and you won’t earn as many JetBlue points on spending.
You’ll get:
- 5,000 JetBlue points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the 1st 90 days of opening your account (limited-time offer)
- 3 JetBlue points per $1 you spend on JetBlue purchases
- 2 JetBlue points per $1 you spend at restaurants and grocery stores
- 1 JetBlue point per $1 you spend everywhere else
- 50% discount on eligible in-flight purchases like cocktails, food, and movies
Cardholders do NOT get a free checked bag. So it could be worth signing-up for the JetBlue Plus card if you fly JetBlue often and check bags!
That said, it’s unusual to find a no-annual-fee card that doesn’t add foreign transaction fees. So this could be a good choice for folks looking for a free way to avoid these fees when they travel!
3. JetBlue Business
The JetBlue Business card has almost identical features to the JetBlue Plus card:
- 40,000 JetBlue points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the 1st 90 days of opening your account
- 5,000 JetBlue points (worth ~$70 in JetBlue flights) each year on your account anniversary
- 6 JetBlue points per $1 you spend on JetBlue purchases
- 2 JetBlue points per $1 you spend at restaurants and office supply stores
- 1 JetBlue point per $1 you spend everywhere else
- Free 1st checked bag for cardholder and up to 3 companions on the same reservation when you use your card to pay for your ticket
- 50% discount on eligible in-flight purchases like cocktails, food, and movies
- 10% of points back when you redeem them
- Annual $100 statement credit when you purchase a Getaway Vacation Package for $100 or more
- Earn JetBlue Mosaic elite status each year after spending $50,000 or more on purchases (free 1st and 2nd checked bag, early boarding, free alcoholic beverages)
The $99 annual fee is NOT waived for the 1st year.
You’ll notice the small business card has office supply stores as a 2X category instead of grocery stores.
This is a small business card, but you don’t need millions in revenue to qualify.
JetBlue points are worth ~1.4 cents each, so that’s like getting ~2.8 cents per $1 you spend (or 2.8% back) in the 2X categories!
Remember, Barclaycard typically doesn’t approve folks for more than 1 or 2 cards per year. And they like to see you using your existing cards before extending you new credit.
What If You Already Have an AMEX JetBlue Card?
Folks who currently have the old American Express JetBlue card will have their card converted to a Barclaycard JetBlue Rewards MasterCard.
Cardholders will receive their new cards in the mail by mid-March, and can start using their cards on March 21, 2016.
There’s no sign-up bonus for this card because it’s not open to new applicants. Existing cardholders will get:
- A one-time $100 companion discount after spending $500 on purchases by June 30, 2016
- 6 JetBlue points per $1 you spend on JetBlue purchases
- 2 JetBlue points per $1 you spend at restaurants and grocery stores
- 1 JetBlue point per $1 you spend everywhere else
- 50% discount on eligible in-flight purchases like cocktails, food, and movies
- 5% of points back when you redeem them
- Annual $50 statement credit when you purchase a Getaway Vacation Package for $50 or more
The $40 annual fee is NOT waived. And there’s no free checked bag.
But this is a better card than the old AMEX version, because it no longer charges foreign transaction fees.
Note: JetBlue will still be an American Express Membership Rewards transfer partner.Bottom Line
You can now apply for the new JetBlue card, JetBlue Plus card, and JetBlue Business MasterCards from Barclaycard.
The sign-up bonus on the JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Business is 30,000 JetBlue points (worth ~$420 in JetBlue flights) after you spend $1,000 in the 1st 90 days of opening your account. The annual fee of $99 is NOT waived for the 1st year. I especially like the free checked bag perk.
With the no-annual-fee JetBlue card, you’ll earn 5,000 JetBlue points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the 1st 90 days of account opening. This is a limited-time offer.
All 3 cards have chip-and-PIN technology and NO foreign transaction fees.
If you fly JetBlue frequently, these are good cards to consider! Remember, Barclaycard is strict about approving more than 1 to 2 applications per year, so choose your cards wisely.