JetBlue Card vs. JetBlue Plus Card: Maximize Your Points

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JetBlue — known as New York’s hometown airline — began serving passengers in 2000, and by the end of 2013, it had grown to become the fifth-largest passenger carrier in the U.S. based on revenue passenger miles. It now offers an average of 800 daily flights to 82 destinations in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.

If you frequently fly JetBlue, you might consider applying for one of the JetBlue Barclaycards the airline offers. You can choose between the JetBlue Card and JetBlue Plus Card — each of which comes with its own pros and cons. Keep reading this JetBlue credit card review to find out if one of the JetBlue travel reward credit cards is best for you.

JetBlue Card Comparison Review

The JetBlue Card and the JetBlue Plus Card both offer multiple TrueBlue points for JetBlue purchases and restaurant and grocery purchases, and a single point for all other purchases. These TrueBlue points can be used toward one-way and round-trip Award Flights, with no blackout dates. They can also be used for magazine and newspaper subscriptions, JetBlue vacation packages and flights on Hawaiian Airlines. 

You’ll also receive bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days, and receive additional benefits such as in-flight savings and fraud liability protection. What distinguishes the two cards is that the JetBlue Plus Card offers more points and benefits, but it does charge an annual fee, whereas the JetBlue Card does not.

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Interest Rates

Both the JetBlue Card and JetBlue Plus Card offer a 0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of the account opening. After that, a variable APR will apply: 17.74%, 21.74% or 26.74%, based on creditworthiness. The cash advance APR for both cards is 26.99%.

Annual Fees

There is no annual fee with the JetBlue Card. The JetBlue Plus Card has a $99 annual fee but also offers double the TrueBlue rewards on JetBlue purchases and has more cardholder benefits.

Rewards

The JetBlue Card rewards cardholders with three TrueBlue points for every $1 spent on JetBlue purchases, while the JetBlue Plus Card awards six TrueBlue points for every $1 spent on JetBlue purchases. Both cards give two TrueBlue points for every $1 spent at a restaurant or grocery store, and one TrueBlue point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Find Out: How We’re Using Travel Rewards for an All-Inclusive Spring Break

JetBlue Plus Card and JetBlue Card Sign-Up Bonus

When you open a JetBlue Card, you’ll earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. There’s an even bigger sign-up bonus with the JetBlue Plus Card: 40,000 bonus points after paying the annual fee and spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.

Other JetBlue Card Perks

With both cards, there is no foreign transaction fee and fraud liability protection comes standard, so you will be completely protected against the unauthorized use of your card. In addition, cardholders of either JetBlue credit card get 50 percent off eligible in-flight purchases of cocktails and food. 

JetBlue Plus Card members also receive additional perks: a free first checked bag for the primary card member and up to three companions on JetBlue-operated flights; an annual $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more; and 5,000 TrueBlue bonus points earned annually at each account anniversary.

JetBlue Card Pros and Cons

With the JetBlue Card, you’ll earn rewards points that can be used to travel on future JetBlue flights. Plus, you’ll pay no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, get complimentary fraud liability protection and enjoy a 0% introductory APR.

The main disadvantage to this card is that it is really only useful if you fly JetBlue or Hawaiian Airlines often. Points can only be used for flights on these two airlines or newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

JetBlue Plus Card Pros and Cons

The JetBlue Plus Card gives you all the same perks as the JetBlue Card, but you’ll earn double the reward points on JetBlue purchases, and you get additional perks including free checked bags and annual bonus points.

The major disadvantage of the JetBlue Plus Card compared to the JetBlue Card is that you do have to pay a $99 annual fee. And as with the JetBlue Card, the perks of this card are only applicable to people who are frequent flyers on JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines — both of which do have roomy coach seats.

The Bottom Line

If you fly JetBlue or Hawaiian Airlines frequently, it could be worth it to sign up for one of the JetBlue credit cards. When deciding between the two cards, be realistic about how often you fly: If you fly on JetBlue enough that earning double the points on JetBlue purchases will quickly pay for the $99 annual fee, it might make sense to go for the JetBlue Plus Card. If you’re unsure, stick with the JetBlue Card, as you’ll still earn TrueBlue points with every purchase without having to pay an annual fee.

Click through to learn about the nine different travel rewards cards available from American Express.

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This content is not provided by the companies mentioned. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by JetBlue or Barclayscard.

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