JetBlue Review feature image

JetBlue Review

With hundreds of destinations across North America, Europe, and South America, JetBlue is one of the most appealing airlines out there.

JetBlue was originally founded in August 1998 by David Neeleman. They took after Southwest Airlines, whose approach to low-cost travel was appealing to many travelers.

However, JetBlue wanted to stand out from Southwest by offering many other amenities, including a TV at every seat and in-flight entertainment on every airplane. Its award-winning service makes it one of the top airline choices worldwide, especially in the USA. 

I’d accumulated tons of points through purchases using my JetBlue Plus credit card, which enabled me to fly on several flights around the USA. That’s free travel!

Here I’ll tell you how I got on as a JetBlue customer, from TrueBlue membership to their credit card, and the JetBlue flight itself.

Snapshot Verdict

JetBlue is one of my favorite airlines, thanks to all the perks I receive from being a TrueBlue member and traveling with my JetBlue Plus Credit Card. With more than 100 destinations around the world, JetBlue makes it easy to travel. 

Their Mosaic Status offers travelers many perks like premium boarding and free checked bags. The more money you spend on your JetBlue credit card, the faster you earn points for free flights. 

If you’re a Basic Blue member, you get a personal item only, no changes, no checked bag, cheapest fare. 

With Blue status, you have free carry-on, free changes, and same-day switches.

And if you’re Blue Extra, you unlock early boarding, same-day switches, free carry-on, and a checked bag.

JetBlue makes traveling easy for everyone at competitive, fair prices, thanks to its point system and credit card options. 

Where You Can Fly JetBlue Airlines

You’ll find JetBlue in more than 100 destinations worldwide.

In California, they cover Los Angeles, Burbank, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Ontario, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose.

In Colorado, JetBlue flies to Denver and Steamboat Springs.

You can also fly to Nashville, Tennessee; Providence, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; Glacier Park, Montana; Seattle, Washington; San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix; Virgin Islands, Vancouver, Canada; Guatemala City, Guatemala, Liberia, Costa Rica, plus dozens more. 

My Experience Flying JetBlue Airlines

I flew from Denver to Boston, Boston to New York (LGA), and New York (JFK) to Denver via Boston with JetBlue. I had a relatively pleasant experience flying the airline, even though the weather delayed my first two JetBlue flights. 

Denver To Boston

The first flight I took was a red-eye (a night flight that arrives by the morning) from Denver to Boston. While I usually avoid taking red-eyes solely because I like my sleep, I had to be in Boston early in the morning, so it was my only option.

I got to Denver airport around 9:15 PM for an 11:15 PM flight. Security was quick, and I was at my gate an hour and a half early.

JetBlue Denver to Boston airport checkin

A few hours before my flight’s departure, I received a text message from JetBlue saying my flight was delayed by half an hour. But half an hour later, they texted me again, saying the flight was back on schedule.

Even though the back and forth was frustrating, I appreciated JetBlue’s transparency and efforts to keep us passengers fully updated.

Before we were scheduled to begin boarding, staff announced that our flight was delayed again. This was because it was hailing the size of golf balls, and it wasn’t safe for the flight to take off.

The passengers on the plane who had just arrived also had to stay on the airplane until the storm passed. Once it was safe enough to disembark, the staff cleaned the airplane and prepared it for boarding. 

We left one hour later than our scheduled departure but arrived in Boston less than an hour later than the scheduled arrival time. All in all, we were about 45 minutes late, which was fine.

That meant I could sleep a little bit later on the plane! They handed out snacks and drinks during the flight. I chose salted popcorn for a snack, and despite the turbulence, I slept for most of the flight.

Denver to Boston snack popcorn in front of entertainment system on flight

The flight attendants were friendly and helpful throughout the flight, and even complimented the bag I bought in Peru.

Despite the delay I had a very positive experience with JetBlue, and there isn’t a lot they could’ve done about the atrocious weather. JetBlue did an excellent job with communication and did their very best to keep us fully informed throughout.

Boston To New York (LGA)

A few days later, I flew from Boston to New York on JetBlue. This second aircraft was an Embraer 190, which has 2×2 seating, and was a first for me. The plane was old – perhaps as old as the early 2000s! 

The flight was delayed by about 30 minutes because of stormy weather in New York. Still, JetBlue did a great job of informing passengers about the delay ahead of time and keeping us updated throughout. 

Eventually, we boarded. I had the window seat and spent most of the short flight sleeping despite the hour-and-a-half flight time. The flight attendants were friendly and attentive, making the short flight enjoyable. 

New York (JFK) To Denver – Via Boston

My flight from JFK to Boston took an incredible 37 minutes! When I glanced at the in-seat screen and saw the flight time, I didn’t believe it initially, though our early arrival confirmed it.

JFK to Boston in-flight

My flight from Boston to Denver was comfortable, spacious, and on a brand-new airplane. However, they didn’t assign my seat when I checked in online.

This was instead assigned once I was at the gate and I’d handed them my ticket. They gave me seat 1D, which meant I had the first row and an aisle seat – my favorite seat on any airplane, and one I’d always recommend!

Midway through the flight, they handed out snacks. An adorable dog was in the row to my left. JetBlue allow small cats on dogs on board – the rules are that they must be in an FAA-approved pet carrier that can comfortably fit underneath the seat in front.

This lovely canine was larger and taking up the middle seat, so I’d assume he or she was a service dog – and a wonderful one at that.

Service dog onboard JetBlue flight

We ended up landing in Denver an hour early. I’m unsure if the winds were on our side or it was just good luck, but both flights left on time and landed much earlier than expected.

I was one of the first people off the airplane and didn’t have to worry about catching the last bus leaving Denver Airport! My favorite kind of flight, and top marks for JetBlue.

Meals On Board

JetBlue offers free onboard snacks, like fried plantain chips and low-calorie popcorn, for short-haul and medium-haul flights. Its in-flight food menu varies depending on where you fly. 

For example, flying from Dublin, you’ll get farro salad, pea soup, chicken, and cavatelli. You’ll get a chicken grain bowl from Edinburgh, ginger garlic tofu, snap peas, and a citrus fennel salad. An Eastbound shuteye within America serves cucumber salad, panini, and wild mushrooms with cold-pressed fresh squeezed juice. 

Mosaic Status

With Mosaic Status, which you can earn through purchases with a JetBlue credit card, you’ll get tons of flight perks. This includes priority boarding, two free checked bags, free inflight wine, beer, and liquor, same-day flight switches, priority security, and dedicated check-in at a Mosaic desk.

You’ll also get perks like a pet fee waiver to invite a small cat or dog on board for free, a one-time statement credit for JetBlue Credit Cards (instead of an annual fee), and 15,000 bonus points for your TrueBlue balance.

Entertainment On Board

JetBlue is the only USA airline with entertainment seatback screens on every flight. You’ll get live TV, music, and movies with unique content.

If you forget your headphones, you can purchase them onboard the JetBlue flight. You’ll get featured movies every month, ranging from movies like Madame Web, Wonka, and Dune: Part Two, depending on which direction you’re flying in.

JetBlue inflight entertainment

Not all flights have touch-screen-enabled TVs, but on the ones that do, you’ll get dozens of movie titles, full seasons on-demand, and in-seat charging, with the option to rewind and fast-forward. You’ll find this facility on most aircrafts, including A320 Restyled, A321, A220, and A321 LR.

The E190 and A320 Classic aircrafts do not have touchscreen. They’ll have at least three featured titles, and free TV shows are available through live TV only.

Checking A Bag

Checking a bag costs roughly $40, depending on your chosen fare. If you select Blue Extra, you’ll get a free checked bag.

Additionally, if you have a JetBlue Plus credit card to purchase your flights, you’ll get a free checked bag when purchasing a flight using your TrueBlue points.

Tip

It’s worth buying a checked bag online when buying your flight, since purchasing it at the airport will cost more. For example, if you have two checked bags, you’ll save $10 when purchasing them online rather than at the airport.Â

If you have a third checked bag, you can only purchase it at the airport or during check-in. For transatlantic flights, the third checked bag costs $200. For any other route, the third checked bag costs $125, and the fourth checked bag costs $150 per bag. 

Paying For Seats

Seats on JetBlue Airlines cost $20-$75, depending on where you sit on the plane. The more desirable seats in the front will cost more than the seats in the back. Typically, I never pay for seats when I fly, and rely on luck to get a decent seat! 

How To Book With JetBlue Airlines

Booking on the JetBlue website is easy – just enter your departure and arrival airport and desired departure date. You can select the box to use your TrueBlue points if you’re a member.

You’ll get to choose between three different fares and can select based on your desired flight price.

Blue Basic

You’re limited with Blue Basic, but it’s a good option if you travel light. You’re not allowed to have a carry-on, only a personal item. Changes are not allowed, and you can cancel for a fee.

You’ll be one of the last groups to board the plane. If you don’t mind waiting and traveling light, this is an excellent option. 

Blue 

With Blue Fare, you’ll get a free carry-on bag, advanced seat selection, and no changes. It’s more expensive than Blue Basic, but you get more perks.

Blue Extra

With Blue Extra, you’ll get early boarding, expedited security, and free changes and cancelations with same-day switches. It’s the priciest choice, but you’ll get the most perks.

I recommend choosing the Blue fare, since you’ll get a reasonable price with decent perks without having to travel light or break the bank.

Once you’ve chosen your fare, you’ll be asked to enter your traveler details. Depending on the fare you select, checked bags cost around $40. Then, you can choose to purchase seats or not. 

The Core JetBlue seating also offers legroom, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and seatback entertainment. Their Even More Space option has earlier access to the overhead bins, plus expedited security lanes to get you to your flight faster. 

Verdict On JetBlue Airlines

For one of the most affordable airlines that won’t break the bank, JetBlue is a great choice, with more than 100 destinations. They offer three different fares, and you can select one that best suits your budget.

For me, flying from Denver to Boston, Boston to New York, and New York to Denver was a seamless, wonderful experience. Yes, there were delays, but none of which JetBlue could be blamed for, and they managed it perfectly. The snacks, entertainment and staff were all brilliant, especially for the cost.

Every JetBlue flight offers entertainment and snacks, no matter how long or short your flight is. JetBlue is a cost-effective way to travel worldwide and reach your destination safely, soundly, and comfortably. 

Similar Posts