JetBlue Targeting Virgin America Flyers for Points Match
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – JetBlue Plus Card
Update: A Virgin America representative reached out with a reminder that earlier this year, the carrier targeted JetBlue Mosaic members with a status match to Virgin America Gold status.
Earlier this year, Alaska Airlines announced that it was going to be purchasing Virgin America — beating out JetBlue for the Virgin America brand. Needless to say, JetBlue wasn't thrilled about not getting Virgin America — first, it targeted "JetBlue virgins" by giving away 500 free flights, and now it's offering Virgin America Elevate members a TrueBlue points match.
If you're a Virgin America Elevate member with a points balance in your account, you can send a screenshot of that balance to pointsmatch@jetblue.com by July 4 to be eligible for the JetBlue TrueBlue points match. In your screenshot, you must capture your first name, last name and points balance in order to be eligible. In your email to JetBlue, make sure to include your TrueBlue number.
If you're deemed eligible (JetBlue will email you if you're officially enrolled), you must fly one round-trip flight with JetBlue before August 31, 2016, in order to get the points. If you successfully complete the round-trip flight, you'll get the same amount or more TrueBlue points than are currently in your Elevate account.
The TrueBlue points you earn will not count toward Mosaic status with JetBlue, and your round-trip flight with JetBlue must be a revenue ticket. If you successfully complete the match, the TrueBlue points will be posted to your account within 4-6 weeks.
It's worth mentioning that you could maximize this offer by transferring your SPG points. If you transfer 40,000 Starpoints (worth $1,000 based on TPG's most recent valuations) to Virgin America, you'll get 50,000 Elevate points with the two 5,000-point bonuses from SPG (worth $750-$1,150). Assuming you have at least 1 point in your Elevate account before this transfer, those Elevate points will be matched to 75,000 TrueBlue points if you fly one round-trip with JetBlue (worth $750-$1,050). Effectively, your $1,000 investment of Starpoints could be worth $1,500-$2,200 with this promotion.
If you have Elevate points with Virgin America and will be flying JetBlue before the end of August, there's no reason not to sign up for this promotion. If you're on the lower end of one of the Elevate points levels, you'll be awarded far more TrueBlue points. You can also increase your stash of JetBlue TrueBlue points by signing up for the JetBlue Plus Card. It currently has a sign-up bonus of 30,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. Even if you fly JetBlue only a couple of times a year, TPG recommends getting the card for its 6x points on JetBlue purchases, 2x points at restaurants and grocery stores and 1x points on all other purchases.
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