JetBlue Launches A Surprisingly Weak Premium Card, Is It Worth It Anyway?

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JetBlue launched its first premium credit card today, the Barclays JetBlue Premier card.

It has a 70K points+5 tile signup bonus for spending $5,000 in 90 days.

Bizarrely, the signup bonus isn’t available to anyone who has or previously had the JetBlue Plus card!

The Premier card carries a whopping annual fee of $499 and $150 for each authorized user card.

Most of the card’s benefits are surprisingly similar to the $99/year Plus card:

• Both cards earn 6 points per dollar on JetBlue purchases
• Both cards earn 2 points per dollar on restaurants and eligible grocery stores
• Both cards earn 1 point per dollar on everyday purchases
• Both cards offer 1 tile for every $1,000 spent.
• Both cards offer 5,000 bonus points every card anniversary
• Both cards offer a 10% points rebate on JetBlue operated award flights.
• Both cards offer a 50% rebate on food and drinks on JetBlue flights
• Both cards offer 0% foreign transaction fees.

Both cards offer the first checked bag free for the cardmember and up to 3 companions. No additional bags are offered on routes and fares that include a free checked bag. The difference here is that authorized users on the Premier card will also get the first checked bag free for the cardmember and up to 3 companions, while that’s not the case on the Plus card. Free bags for authorized users are something that Alaska Airlines offers, but most airline cards do not.

That’s a nice benefit, though I wish 2 bags were included, as United does on their premium cards. It also means that if you have more than 4 passengers, you’ll need to book them on multiple reservations, as only 4 people can receive a free bag per reservation.

The main benefit of the Premier card is lounge access.

Both primary and authorized users can access JetBlue lounges with 1 companion for free. Of course, it would help if there were JetBlue lounges, as currently, they don’t exist. But Barclays is actually funding the building of lounges in order to make the Premier card a success. A JFK lounge will open in late 2025, followed by a Boston lounge.

Both primary and authorized users can access Priority Pass lounges with 1 companion for free. Best of all, Priority Pass restaurants are included, and many of those offer credits for to-go options.

Primary cardholders “get up to $300 in statement credits on Paisly travel purchases per calendar year.” Sadly, that’s not nearly as lucrative as it sounds as you will actually get 6 annual $50 off $250 JetBlue Paisly credits, which probably isn’t too valuable for more people. Additionally, any non-prepaid travel isn’t eligible for credits.

Primary and additional cards will get a $120 Global Entry/PreCheck credit every 4 years.

Primary and additional cards will also get Group A boarding on JetBlue flights for themselves and up to 4 companions.

Is that worth $499/year?

Probably not for most people. Other airlines with premium cards have much larger lounge networks and offer more compelling card benefits and credits.

More surprisingly, this card offers no points-earning or tile-earning benefits over the much cheaper Plus card.

The lack of a signup bonus for anyone who ever had a Plus card is egregious as well.

It also doesn’t help that JetBlue points are not very valuable, with terrible point values for premium cabins and a general lack of award bargains compared to other programs.

But if you really value JetBlue lounge access or Priority Pass restaurant access highly, it may be worthwhile.

Beware that the Priority Pass restaurant access can change at any time, as we have seen most other cards remove that benefit due to its high costs for the issuer.

Even if you do value having lounge access in JetBlue’s fairly miserable JFK terminal, I certainly wouldn’t apply for the card before JetBlue lounges are operational.

Will you signup for the Barclays JetBlue Premier card? What are your thoughts on the offering?