Three New JetBlue Barclaycard Credit Cards Now Available – Bonus Of Up To 30,000 Miles

Barclaycard, JetBlue & MasterCard have partnered to offer three new jetBlue co-branded credit cards:

• JetBlue Card
• JetBlue Plus Card
• JetBlue Business Card

Existing personal American Express cardholders will be product change to a product that will no longer be offered on March 21st at 6AM and business cardholders will be product changed to the new Barclaycard business card product. Below is a comparison chart of these four cards, followed by our review of each card.

JetBlue Rewards Card (Only Available To Existing American Express Cardholders)

If you already have the JetBlue American Express card, you’ll receive the following card on March 21st (you’ll probably receive it before then, but you won’t be able to activate it before then)

• Card earns at the following rates:
  • 4x points per dollar spent on jetBlue purchases (previously 2x points)
  • 2x points per dollar spent on restaurants and groceries (previously 1x point)
  • 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Annual fee of $40
• 5% uncapped rebate on all points you redeem (not previously offered)
• No foreign transaction fees (previously 2.7%)
• 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases like movies, cocktails and food
• $50 statement credit each & every time you book a jetBlue vacation
• Mastercard World Elite Benefits (previously standard American Express benefits)
• If you’re transitioned from American Express you’ll also receive a $100 one time companion discount when you spend $500 with the new card by June 30th.

The JetBlue Card

Direct link to card

• Card earns at the following rates:
  • 3x points per dollar spent on jetBlue purchases
  • 2x points per dollar spent on restaurants and groceries
  • 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• No annual fee
• Sign up bonus of 10,000 JetBlue points after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days
• 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases like movies, cocktails and food
• No foreign transaction fees

The JetBlue Plus Card

Direct link to offer

• Card earns at the following rates:
  • 6x points per dollar spent on jetBlue purchases (previously 2x points)
  • 2x points per dollar spent on restaurants and groceries (previously 1x point)
  • 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Annual fee of $99 (not waived first year)
• Sign up bonus of 30,000 JetBlue points after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days
• Free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to three companions on the same reservation when you use your JetBlue Plus Card to purchase tickets on JetBlue-operated flights
• Earn 5,000 bonus points every year after your account anniversary
• 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
• No foreign transaction fees
• $100 statement credit after you purchase a Getaways vacation package with your card
• 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies

JetBlue Business Card

Direct link to offer

• Card earns at the following rates:
  • 6x points per dollar spent on jetBlue purchases (previously 2x points)
  • 2x points per dollar spent on restaurants and groceries (previously 1x point)
  • 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Annual fee of $99 (not waived first year)
• Sign up bonus of 30,000 JetBlue points after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days
• Free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to three companions on the same reservation when you use your JetBlue Plus Card to purchase tickets on JetBlue-operated flights
• Earn 5,000 bonus points every year after your account anniversary
• 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
• No foreign transaction fees
• $100 statement credit after you purchase a Getaways vacation package with your card
• 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases including cocktails, food and movies

Can I Product Change To One Of These New Cards If I’m An Existing American Express Cardholder?

Current JetBlue Card from American Express customers whose accounts are converted to the new JetBlue Rewards Card on March 21 will have the option to change to one of the new cards. You’ll need to call to request a product change & Barclaycard does not do a hard pull for product changes. You’ll be able to request this product change when those product conversions officially go through on or after 6 a.m.ET, March 21, 2016.

How Much Are JetBlue Points Worth?

Redemption of JetBlue points are tied to the cash value of a ticket and other factors. The range you can get is between 0.97¢ and 1.89¢ per point, with an average of 1.41¢ per point. Wandering Armean has a good post (although a bit dated now, the information itself is still spot on from my limited research) that I’d strongly recommend reading to understand better.

What Does Mosaic Status Entitle You To?

You can get mosaic status with JetBlue by spending $50,000 or more in a card member year on either of the Barclaycard JetBlue cards that carry the $99 annual fee or by flying 30 segments plus 12,000 base flight points within a calendar year or earning 15,000 base flight points within a calendar year. Mosaic gives you the following benefits:

• JetBlue change and cancellation fees will be waived for Mosaic members and others on their itinerary
• You and others on your itinerary can check both the first and second bag for free – no matter which fare option you chose! (card already gives you first checked bag free)
• 15,000 bonus points upon qualifying for Mosaic
• Cut down on the time it takes to get to your gate with complimentary access to an expedited security line
• Early boarding
• Earn an additional 3 TrueBlue points per dollar on your JetBlue flight, for at least 9 points per dollar if you book on jetblue.com
• Access to a dedicated Customer Service Line available 24/7
• Enjoy complimentary alcoholic beverages onboard

Our Verdict

I think most people that hold the current American Express card will find value in upgrading to the plus card, the annual fee is an extra $59 a year but for that you get 5,000 anniversary points (worth $48.5 to $94.5), an extra 5% back when you redeem your points, free checked bags, an extra 2x points on JetBlue purchases & mosaic if you spend more than $50,000 per year on the card.

In terms of whether signing up for the new cards makes sense, it really depends. I don’t think the no annual fee card makes sense, because even at their maximum valuation 10,000 points is only worth $189. In terms of the $99 annual fee card, it really depends on the value you can get from the points and whether you fly JetBlue anyway. At best you’d be paying a $99 annual fee and getting up to $567 in value (not accounting for the 10% in points you’d get back, that would add another ~$57 or so), at worst you’d be paying a $99 annual fee and only getting $267 (again not account for the 10% back in points which would add another $27).

For people that fly with JetBlue, these cards are a no brainer. For everybody else, the decision is much more difficult. But I really like the direction Barclaycard has taken with these new cards, what are your thoughts? Will you be applying? Let me know in the comments below.