JetBlue All You Can Jet Promotion
Back in 2009 and in 2010 JetBlue used to sell All You Can Jet Passes good for unlimited travel.
JetBlue is offering 3 people an all you can jet pass for unlimited travel on Jetblue flights for a year. Winners will be drawn on 3/8. You can fly to anywhere JetBlue flies systemwide without limits, blackout dates or capacity controls! Plus you can bring a free companion with you as well! Sounds awesome, right?
There are some big caveats though:
- You’ll have to enter via Instagram and delete all of your past Instagram pictures!
- If you win you will get a 1099-MISC for $20,000. That will mean a big tax bill unless you manage to successfully dispute the value of the prize.
- You’ll need to pay taxes for each flight segment and if you no-show or fail to cancel a booked flight for you and/or your companion more than 24 hours in advance you’ll be charged $150 per person.
Note that instead of deleting all of your Instagram photos you can also archive them so that you can recover them and your likes after the contest. The winner will be chosen at random, not based on photo quality of the entry.
You can’t fly in Mint class and you won’t earn points for flights.
An upper middle class family in NYC may have a 48% combined federal, state, and local marginal tax rate, which could mean that the pass may cost them $9,600 in extra taxes. Of course that price will vary based on income and where you live, but one thing it won’t be is free. I wish companies would compensate the winner in cash for some of the taxes that will be owed on prizes like this.
You can try to dispute the value of the pass based on what you actually use it for, though that valuation may also open a can of worms.
But with JetBlue rumored to be starting flights to Transatlantic destinations like London soon, maybe the tax hit will make sense? Though you’ll also owe about $200 in taxes for a flight like that…
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25 Comments On "JetBlue’s All You Can Jet Promotion Has Big Caveats, Will You Enter?"
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Why can’t u just do it with a brand new (empty) Instagram account?
If you are picked and they see that you opened a new account and have an old account, they might disqualify you.
Why do they care what pictures you have that you need to delete them
Im not a 15 year old girl so the Instagram deleting is the least of the issues.
This pormotion is too much hassle if you were to win. Wish they would bring back the option to actually “pay” for it
Well if I do decide to enter this contest, I guess my never having ever signed up for Instagram will have paid off…
It’s not just the Mint seats, you also can’t get even more space seats.
Dan, It was nice hearing you on Zev Brenner’s show last night. Even though I’ve never met you, from your tone of voice you sound like a really nice guy. B”H your fame hasn’t gotten to your head. Keep up the great work.
Thanks 🙂
Shkoiach……
Missed this. Where can I listen?
1099-MISC for $20,000 so jet blue can deduct this as an expense. What a cheap way of saving taxes…if you give something just give it all the way…
Yes a multi billion dollar corporation ran a huge contest just to save 15k in taxes.
My friend you don’t understand how it works, all there referrals & other promotion receives 1099 therefore ending up with huge tax savings.
Dan, appreciate all you do and the menschlach way you do it. Can you post a link of you on the Zev Brenner show? Thanks
I will ask for one.
thanks
Where can I hear a recording of the show?
I’d heard about this but hadn’t considered the tax implications. Thank you so much for pointing that out!
I would enter but I still feel guilty for contributing to Eastern Airlines demise. In the early 80’s we bought a 21 day unlimited travel. We criss crossed the lower 48’s, Mexico and the Caribbean. Even got bumped and got a free hotel. We took 18 flights in 21 days all timed around meals. It felt like we traveled as much as Austronaut Frank Boreman, then CEO of Eastern.
A couple of years back when I won the Marlboro Ranch trip (https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=50893.0) they sent me a check to cover the extra taxes their 1099 will incur. Was really awesome to have won a trip with zero dollars out of my pocket.
and single guys who dont file taxes yet and still live at home? why do they have to file?
Well then you’ll have to file because JetBlue is considering it as $20k income. Though if that’s your total income for the year, your tax bill will be significantly less. I’d estimate 20% range.
Is anyone else wondering the real reason JetBlue’s big focus is on everyone taking down all their pictures from Instagram, and not just – as I’ve read on a news website – “to make space for pictures of all the future adventures,” which sounds like a pretty dumb reason to remove “memories” of past adventures, and life in general?
Well isn’t it a great advertisement for them? Imagine if all the people you follow just start deleting all their Instagram pics?!