Is JetBlue Blue Fare Worth the Extra Cost? Find Out!

Are you booking a trip with JetBlue Airlines but not sure which fare to select? You can easily get confused looking at the Blues lined up on the page: Blue Basic, Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, and Mint.

For a quick introduction, Blue Basic is a basic economy fare, while Blue, Blue Plus, and Blue Extra are standard economy fares, and Mint is JetBlue’s premium class fare. This wide range of JetBlue fare categories caters to everyone’s flying needs, whether you are going on a long vacation or just want a weekend getaway.

Before we dive into JetBlue’s fare matters, let’s talk about the airline’s in-flight experience. It is one of the biggest budget airlines and the only carrier that offers free Wi-Fi, movies, drinks, and snacks across all seats, no matter what class you are flying in. JetBlue gives you a super amazing in-flight experience, independent of what you have spent on the ticket.

With all that said, let’s quickly review the JetBlue Blue Fare category, its benefits, in-flight services, and how it compares with other Blue ticket classes.

JetBlue Blue Ticket: Key benefits

Now, what are all the things you can do with a JetBlue blue ticket?  Aside from an affordable fare class, you get immense benefits that enrich your flying experience. Here’s a peek:

Baggage Allowance

You can bring one free carry-on bag and personal items with you on all flights. Travelers traveling to Europe or the UK get one free checked bag and a second bag at a $100 price. For other domestic US flights or flights to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, you get the first piece of luggage checked at $35 and the second bag at $50. If you have more than two bags, you have to pay the additional fees.

Free Seat Selection

You do not have to pay for the seat selection as it is already available in the Blue ticket. However, if you are purchasing the Basic Blue fare, you will have to pay an additional fee to select the seat of your choice in advance.

Food & Drinks

Complimentary snacks like chips and granola bars are available to all passengers. Free drinks include non-alcoholic beverages like juices, Pepsi, coffee, and tea. Alcoholic beverages like wines and spirits are available, but they are not free, and one must be over 21 to purchase them. But if you are traveling transatlantic, then you can get them at no cost.

Free Entertainment 

All JetBlue-operated flights give access to free Wi-Fi, live television services, and music content to all its passengers. Plus, seat-back screens save you from getting bored in-flight with non-stop entertainment. Depending on the aircraft type, you can watch the latest blockbusters, featured titles, and free TV shows. People who are not interested in entertainment can use the Fly-Fi—JetBlue’s free, high-speed Wi-Fi for browsing and surfing. 

Flight Cancellation

There is no fee for canceling your Blue ticket reservation before the flight’s departure. But you need to cancel your ticket online at jetblue.com. Canceling it through a phone call or chat will incur a nonrefundable fee of $25.

Flight Switches

Blue fares are eligible for same-day switches in cities where multiple flights are available per day. For confirmed same-day switches, you have to pay a $75 fee without paying a fare difference.

TrueBlue Points

On booking a JetBlue Blue ticket, you earn 3 TrueBlue points on each dollar spent. These TrueBlue points never expire, so they can be redeemed for any JetBlue flight or hotel & flight package at any time. 

JetBlue Blue vs. Blue Basic

The main difference between JetBlue Blue and Blue Basic fares is in same-day flight switches, cancellations, and seat selection.

• Blue Basic does not allow same-day switching or standby and does not include seat selection.
• In case you have booked a Blue Basic and now change your mind about your trip, then:

• For flights to and from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, you need to pay $100 per person for cancellation charges.
• For other routes, the cancellation fee is $200 per head.

• You earn 1 TrueBlue point and 1 TrueBlue online booking bonus per dollar on a Blue Basic ticket.
• Free checked bags for UK/Europe flights are not there in the Blue Basic class. 

JetBlue Blue vs. Blue Extra

As the name suggests, Blue Extra Fare offers more benefits than Blue Fare. 

• You can get the same-day switch free of cost in Blue Extra. 
• Blue Extra gives you priority security at selected airports. Priority security screening using the expedited lane lets you reach the boarding gates faster, leaving behind the long waiting queues. 
• The Blue Extra Priority/Early Boarding feature lets you board the plane before general group passengers. This feature is not available on the Blue fare. 

Which Blue Fare is Best for Different Types of Travelers?

Choosing the right JetBlue fare depends on what type of traveler you are. Some of the things that you should take into account are :

Blue Basic for Budget Travelers

If you want to remain on budget and travel light with just a carry-on or personal item, and you are okay with no seat selection and general boarding, then the Blue Basic fare is for you.

Blue For The Casual Flyer

Blue lets you bring a carry-on, pick your seat, and board earlier. It’s a good middle ground if you like weekend trips or casual traveling.

Blue Plus For Those Checking Bags

If you have to check a bag, you should pick Blue Plus. It gets you one checked bag along with a carry-on and personal item. You can also use all the features of Blue Fare, like seat selection, no-fee cancellations, and more. 

Blue Extra For the Frequent or Business Traveler

Travelers who change their plans quickly can opt for Blue Extra. If you travel for business and your work requires flexibility or you do not have time to wait in airport lines, Blue Extra gives you early boarding and fast security lane access, making your business trip less stressful. 

How to Make the Most Out of JetBlue Blue Fares?

You can make the most out of JetBlue fares by earning JetBlue TrueBlue Points. Even if you are a light traveler, you can earn TrueBlue points on dining, shopping, and using credit cards. These points do not expire and can be used to book a future flight or a vacation package with JetBlue. 

JetBlue TrueBlue Points: 

Earning TrueBlue points is easy. You just have to join the TrueBlue program and book tickets online. The JetBlue TrueBlue program gives reward points when you book a flight with them, fly with a partner airline, use JetBlue credit cards, or spend with TrueBlue partners. 

Earning TrueBlue Points on JetBlue Flights:

• TrueBlue points are calculated on the price of the ticket and not on miles like other airlines. So, the cost of the ticket determines the number of TrueBlue points you can earn. 
• Next is the airfare class. Different blue fares give you a different number of TrueBlue points. 
• The third is the booking type. Booking tickets using JetBlue.com or the JetBlue app gives you 1 to 3 bonus points per dollar, depending on the ticket class. See the table below for reference:

Fare class	Base Points	Bonus Points
Blue Basic	1	1
Blue	3	3
Blue Plus	3	3
Blue Extra	3	3
Mint	3	3

Earning TrueBlue Points on Partner Airlines:

JetBlue has several partner airlines, including Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and more. However, the TrueBlue Points calculated on partner airlines depend on the distance flown instead of airfare.

Through JetBlue Credit Cards:

You can earn TrueBlue points using JetBlue credit Cards. Use them for traveling, dining, or everyday purchases like groceries to accumulate points faster. For current TrueBlue earning rates on JetBlue credit cards, head over to the JetBlue Credit Cards section.

With JetBlue’s Partnerships:

• You can earn additional points by spending on JetBlue’s partners. 
• Booking stays and vacations using Paisly gets you additional TrueBlue points.
• JetBlue Vacation Packages give you 6 points per $1 on airfare + 1 point per $1 spent on hotel, cruise, and car rentals. 

The best way to use JetBlue TrueBlue points is to book JetBlue flights. TrueBlue points land you in standard economy class, as you can not redeem them for Blue Basic. It seems like a win-win for all.

As listed in the above paragraphs, each Blue fare comes with its own bundle of travel benefits. Which Blue fare to select and what features to look for? All of it boils down to one question: What are your travel needs? You must consider your personal travel needs while selecting a fare type with JetBlue Airlines. JetBlue provides an elevated in-flight experience to all of its passengers regardless of the airfare, so no matter which Blue ticket you travel on, you are in for an excellent trip. 

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