JetBlue overhauls TrueBlue loyalty program with main new perks and 4 standing tiers

Editor’s word: This publish was up to date with new particulars.

JetBlue Airways has overhauled its TrueBlue loyalty program. The brand new, hotly anticipated frequent flyer program now makes use of “Tiles” as a standing metric, amongst different adjustments. Don’t fret: It’s excellent news for many flyers.

The New York-based service’s up to date TrueBlue program brings adjustments to the perks you obtain for flying and transacting with JetBlue and its companions.

The revamped program additionally consists of advantages for rare flyers, new Mosaic elite tiers and far more. It’s price mentioning that JetBlue isn’t presently making any adjustments to the way you earn or redeem factors, together with the redemption charge and the no-expiration coverage.

Right here’s every little thing it’s essential to know concerning the adjustments.

Tiles are the brand new standing metric

American Airways has Loyalty Factors. United Airways has Premier qualifying factors. Now, JetBlue has Tiles.

Traditionally, you earned standing in JetBlue’s program by accumulating Mosaic qualifying factors or by hitting a cobranded bank card waiver.

With the revamped program, you now must accumulate Tiles to earn standing. (The naming conference is kind of considerate — many tiles create a mosaic, the title of JetBlue’s elite tier.)

Vacationers can accumulate Tiles in two methods:

• Earn 1 Tile for each $100 on qualifying JetBlue spending, which incorporates flights, JetBlue Holidays packages, Paisly by JetBlue bookings, JetBlue charges, JetBlue add-ons (reminiscent of seats) and American Airways-operated flights.
• Earn 1 Tile for each $1,000 spent on a cobranded JetBlue bank card. In contrast to the earlier program, this consists of all playing cards, reminiscent of these issued internationally.

You earn Tiles for eligible actions between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of every 12 months. In 2023, members started incomes Tiles for exercise on Jan. 1, regardless that this system did not formally launch till Could 10. Extra particulars concerning the transition are under.

As you earn Tiles, you unlock advantages and elite standing in this system.

At first look, it’s clear that JetBlue has reconsidered the way it defines engagement with the airline. JetBlue will now measure your exercise throughout a number of channels, not simply flying, in your standing journey.

The airline has considerably expanded the power to earn perks from bank card spending. You’ll even be rewarded for transacting with different components of the airline, together with by means of bundle bookings and by paying ancillary charges.

In a approach, Tiles are fairly much like American’s new Loyalty Factors, which you’ll earn by means of many actions, not simply flying.

• Group B boarding.
• Precedence safety.
• One free drink (beer, wine or liquor) per flight.
• Two occasions the factors for a JetBlue Holidays bundle (one-time use).
• 5,000 TrueBlue factors (price $65, in keeping with TPG’s valuations).

Be aware you could’t decide the identical perk a number of occasions as you hit extra milestones. If you happen to don’t choose a profit, JetBlue won’t routinely select one for you.

“We need to watch out about … we don’t need to select for a buyer what their choice could be,” Chris Buckner, JetBlue’s new vice chairman of loyalty applications and partnerships, mentioned in an interview with TPG.

Your chosen perk(s) expire Dec. 31 within the following 12 months after you earn them. So, in case you earned 20 Tiles in 2023, you’ll take pleasure in your two chosen advantages by means of Dec. 31, 2024. You may make your choice at any time earlier than the perk expires.

The introduction of perks earlier than incomes standing is a serious growth for airline loyalty applications. The power to pick a profit or two simply from spending $1,000 or $2,000 on JetBlue makes the airline’s program some of the rewarding for informal flyers.

In fact, the perks aren’t practically as profitable as these you’d obtain from incomes standing, however one thing is definitely higher than nothing.

It’s price noting that these new advantages come on the expense of the Go Lengthy, Fortunate 7 and Take 3 bonuses, which had been traditionally out there to all members. They are going to be retired on the finish of the 12 months.

“We truly had fairly low engagement on these bonuses. So we haven’t truly heard a variety of buyer suggestions on that. And once more, that additionally allowed us to reinvest into a few of these different wonderful perks that we’re capable of present,” Buckner mentioned when requested about these bonuses.

“So we predict it’s going to be a extremely large win for patrons,” he added.

4 tiers of Mosaic standing

Final 12 months, JetBlue launched a second tier of Mosaic standing, dubbed Mosaic+. That extra tier, as a result of expire on the finish of the 12 months, was a sign of issues to come back in this system.

As of Could 10, JetBlue now presents 4 tiers of Mosaic standing. Every degree is known as Mosaic, however the perks related to every tier fluctuate.

To earn standing in 2023 and past, you’ll must accrue the next variety of Tiles between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of a given 12 months:

• Mosaic Stage 1: 50 Tiles (equal to $5,000 in JetBlue spending or $50,000 in JetBlue card spending or a mixture of each).
• Mosaic Stage 2: 100 Tiles (equal to $10,000 in JetBlue spending or $100,000 in JetBlue card spending or a mixture of each).
• Mosaic Stage 3: 150 Tiles (equal to $15,000 in JetBlue spending or $150,000 in JetBlue card spending or a mixture of each).
• Mosaic Stage 4: 250 Tiles (equal to $25,000 in JetBlue spending or $250,000 in JetBlue card spending or a mixture of each).

Including extra Mosaic ranges aligns JetBlue’s elite program with lots of its main opponents.

The variety of flyers spending $25,000 a 12 months with JetBlue (to realize Mosaic Stage 4) is, undoubtedly, significantly decrease than that of Delta or United. Nevertheless, not less than JetBlue will provide extra perks than ever earlier than for individuals who do resolve to go all-in with the airline.

That mentioned, as you climb the elite ranks, the advantages aren’t as profitable as these you’d obtain with the most important U.S. airways, as you’ll see under.

Mosaic Signature Perks

Once you earn Mosaic standing, you’ll take pleasure in a set of advantages included along with your membership. These “Mosaic Signature Perks” largely resemble Mosaic’s historic advantages, with some notable adjustments.

Be aware that the Mosaic Signature Perks come along with the Perks You Decide that you just accumulate in your journey to hitting 50 Tiles.

Once you earn 50 Tiles, you’ll turn out to be a Mosaic member and earn the next advantages:

• Mosaic boarding.
• Two free checked baggage.
• Free beer, wine and liquor.
• Free Even Extra Area seats at check-in.
• Free same-day switches.
• Precedence safety.
• Devoted check-in areas.
• Precedence assist line and precedence chat.
• Complimentary upgrades on Heathrow Specific.

Once you earn 100 Tiles, you’ll turn out to be a Mosaic Stage 2 and earn the next advantages along with all Stage 1 perks:

• Free Even Extra Area seats throughout reserving.

Once you earn 150 Tiles, you’ll turn out to be a Mosaic Stage 3 and earn the next advantages along with all Stage 1 and a couple of perks:

• 4 “Transfer to Mint” certificates that provide complimentary upgrades from core to Mint.

Once you earn 250 Tiles, you’ll turn out to be a Mosaic Stage 4 and earn the next advantages along with all Stage 1, 2 and three perks:

• Two extra “Transfer to Mint” certificates.
• 4 complimentary seats on Blade helicopter transfers between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) or Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR).

You need to use these “Transfer to Mint” certificates to substantiate a business-class seat on an economic system fare. The variety of certificates required to improve your flight will fluctuate by flight. JetBlue wasn’t prepared to supply any extra specifics about this perk, together with when you may apply these vouchers.

• 20-Tile bonus (that may be gifted to a different member).
• 15,000-point bonus (price $195, in keeping with TPG’s valuations).
• Mint Suite precedence (arriving later in 2023).
• Pet payment waiver.
• $99 assertion credit score on the JetBlue Plus Card and the JetBlue Enterprise Card.
• FoundersCard Blue membership.

The knowledge for the JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Enterprise playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

You possibly can solely select a perk as soon as yearly, so you may’t theoretically fill up on 15,000-point bonuses in case you cross a number of Mosaic tiers.

Beforehand, all Mosaics acquired a 15,000-point bonus when incomes or requalifying for standing. Now, you may customise your expertise by selecting the perk(s) you worth most.

Identical to Perks You Decide earlier than Mosaic, your chosen perk(s) expire Dec. 31 within the following 12 months after you earned them. So, in case you earn 100 Tiles in 2023, you’ll take pleasure in two advantages by means of Dec. 31, 2024. You may make your perk choice at any time earlier than your standing expires.

Some choices are fairly attention-grabbing and distinctive, particularly the pet payment waiver, which might present plenty of worth for Mosaic members who ceaselessly journey with pets. (JetBlue expenses a $125-per-flight pet payment.)

The Mint Suite precedence profit can be an attention-grabbing one. JetBlue’s previous Mint product is organized in an alternating 2-2 and 1-1 configuration. Savvy vacationers know to pick one of many 4 non-public “suites,” which supply extra storage, direct aisle entry and sliding doorways.

Traditionally, JetBlue hasn’t charged additional for these seat assignments as a result of compliance points with the Individuals with Disabilities Act. They’re at all times among the many first seats to be chosen, so this could possibly be a fantastic profit for Mosaics who ceaselessly fly the previous Mint.

JetBlue hasn’t but disclosed what number of seats it’ll block and when the blocked seats could also be launched to different vacationers.

Another advantages, just like the FoundersCard membership or $99 assertion credit score, don’t appear to be that rewarding.

The power to get or present 20 Tiles could possibly be an attention-grabbing decide, particularly in case you or a cherished one are inching nearer to a standing threshold. Be aware that these bonus Tiles are awarded within the 12 months by which they’re picked, so they may theoretically offer you a head begin on requalifying for standing the next 12 months.

2023 transition brings a singular alternative

With this system’s launch, all journey and bank card spending from Jan. 1, 2023, onward has been transformed into Tiles. If you happen to’ve flown already flown sufficient to earn a perk, it is now out there for choice.

Present Mosaic standing has additionally been transformed into an equal tier. JetBlue computed your 2022 earnings and year-to-date progress in 2023, and it awarded you with a Mosaic tier equal to both one, whichever is larger.

Bank card enhancements

Along with the brand new program, JetBlue can be making some (minor) updates to its cobranded bank cards that’ll launch with the brand new program.

JetBlue Plus Card members now take pleasure in a brand new function referred to as “Factors Payback.” This enables them to redeem factors to pay themselves again from purchases of $25 or higher, as much as a most of $1,000 yearly. Factors redeemed for purchases will seem as an announcement credit score towards their account stability.

JetBlue Enterprise Card members now additionally obtain Group A boarding on JetBlue-operated flights.

This system offers JetBlue a protracted runway to develop its community and develop its footprint amongst vacationers in lots of key markets. It comes because the airline is within the technique of buying Spirit and because it seeks to win a lawsuit introduced by the Division of Justice towards the Northeast Alliance with American.

Most flyers, even the occasional ones, will profit from the brand new program. Nevertheless it’s not totally excellent news — you’ll want to learn our winners and losers evaluation on JetBlue’s new program.