How to redeem points with the JetBlue TrueBlue program in 2021

JetBlue TrueBlue is a relative newcomer to the points and miles world (compared to the legacy carriers, at least). The program was originally launched a year after the New York-based airline debuted in 2001 but received a major overhaul in 2009. Nowadays, the TrueBlue program is largely the same as it was after its 2009 revamp: You'll earn and redeem points based on how expensive a flight is. As of recently though, you can also earn TrueBlue points from flying American Airlines thanks to their new joint venture.

However, the program is now back in the spotlight thanks to the announcement of the London area service from New York-JFK starting in August 2021. We've already seen JetBlue shake up the transcontinental market with the introduction (and rapid expansion) of its Mint business class product.

It will be very interesting to watch the reviews come in on their new highly anticipated JetBlue mint suites that debuted in June of 2021. While initial offerings show mint to be incredibly overpriced with points for the few first months of service, we hope to award prices come down in the coming months.

Whether you're enticed by JetBlue's entry into the transatlantic market or more focused on shorter flights within the carrier's current route network, there are still a couple of quirks and features you should be aware of when earning and redeeming with the TrueBlue program. After publishing the complete guide to earning JetBlue TrueBlue points, we'll now shift gears and look at all of the ways to redeem points with the TrueBlue program.

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Redeem on JetBlue flights

Redeeming JetBlue TrueBlue points for the carrier's flights is simple: the more a flight costs in cash, the more points you have to redeem. This is great on flights within North America but means Jetblue's signature Mint product to London is quite unrealistic at over 200,000 TrueBlue points on most dates.

According to TPG's most recent valuations, you can expect to get roughly 1.3 cents of value per TrueBlue point. This being said, some flights may yield slightly better or worse value. However one thing to keep in mind, while you can purchase American Airlines flights and accrue miles/status on American Airlines operated flights, you can still only redeem your TrueBlue Points on Jetblue and a few other select partners.

To put this into some concrete examples, I priced out five different TrueBlue 'Blue' award tickets on the following routes:

• New York-JFK to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) on Aug. 21, 2021
• New York-JFK to London (LHR) Oct. 10, 2021
• Seattle (SEA) to Boston (BOS) on Jul. 20, 2021
• New York-JFK to Los Angeles (LAX) in Mint on Aug. 23, 2021
• Las Vegas (LAS) to Hartford (BDL) on Aug. 3, 2021
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Cancun (CUN) on Sept. 17, 2021

For each flight, I compared the price of the cash fare to the points rate and determined the value you'd get on each itinerary. Note that all the economy flights listed are priced based on Blue economy class. Here's a table with that information:

As you can see, JetBlue doesn't add any unusual taxes or fees to its domestic award tickets either. You'll only pay the standard $5.60 security fee each way when flying within the U.S. However, as the flight to Mexico shows, taxes and fees to JetBlue's international destinations can vary. Be sure to consider those out-of-pocket costs when searching for award tickets online.

Related: What is JetBlue elite status worth in 2021?

How to book a JetBlue award flight

Given the simple redemption scheme, the booking process is quite easy as well. Simply fire up JetBlue.com (or the carrier's mobile app) and enter your search criteria. Be sure to check the "Use TrueBlue Points" box at the top, though you can also easily switch between paid and award flights on the results page.

Select the flight and fare class you want, and then follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete your booking. It is also worth noting by hitting the 'Select New Dates' button, you can see a low fare map so that you can compare prices on different dates.

If you want to extend the value of your points even further, consider opening the JetBlue Plus Card. The card is currently offering a 60,000 point intro bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. In addition to the intro award bonus points and free checked bag, the card gives you 10% of your points back when you redeem them on a JetBlue-operated flight.

Even just a couple of award flights per year can more than cover the card's $99 annual fee.

The information for the JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: How to earn points in the JetBlue TrueBlue program

Redeem points on partner flights

JetBlue partners with a handful of different airlines, but at the time of writing this article, you can only redeem TrueBlue points on one of them: Hawaiian Airlines. Instead of using a revenue-based redemption model that ties the award rates to the price of an individual itinerary (like it does for JetBlue-operated flights), TrueBlue has a more standard, region-based award chart for these tickets:

Given these rates, JetBlue's Hawaiian Airlines award chart has the potential to be quite lucrative. Business-class flights from the West Coast to Hawaii run just 45,000 TrueBlue points one-way, making it a solid way to fly to the Aloha State in comfort and style. West coast is defined by Jetblue and Hawaiian as California up to Las Vegas (excluding Phoenix).

If you decide to book a Hawaiian Airlines award using your JetBlue points, you'll have to call JetBlue at 1-800-JETBLUE and tell the representative you'd like to book a Hawaiian Airlines award ticket. He or she will ask for your dates and help you find award space on a flight on or around your preferred travel dates.

Related: Hawaiian Airlines’ Boston to Honolulu on the A330 in first class

Redeem TrueBlue points for JetBlue Vacations

While you can't redeem TrueBlue points for hotels or rental cars, you can redeem them for discounts on JetBlue Vacations. Simply punch in your dates and destination and JetBlue will combine one of its flight itineraries with a hotel room for a discounted price.

While you can't redeem TrueBlue points for an entire JetBlue Vacation package, you can use them to discount one. This may not yield the best value for your TrueBlue points but can help you keep some cash in your pocket.

To check the value of these discounts, I priced out a nine-day trip from New York (JFK) to Punta Cana (PUJ) for Aug. 13-21. The cash price was $2,949.76 for flights for two travelers and an eight-night stay at Melia Caribe Beach All-Inclusive Resort.

On the other hand, Cash + Points bring the package down to 71,000 points +$2,055.76 with up to $700 off your next getaway with promotional discounts at the time of this booking.

In this case, your TrueBlue points are worth 1.2 cents each, which puts it in the same ballpark as a JetBlue flight redemption. So it's worth a look if you need a hotel room and a flight for your next vacation.

Related: The complete guide to JetBlue TrueBlue Dining

Bottom line

TrueBlue points are largely restricted to redemptions on JetBlue-operated flights, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Given the fact that award tickets are tied directly to ticket prices, there's less stress about squeezing value out of your redemptions. You'll typically get at least 1.3 cents of value per TrueBlue point you redeem. With hubs and focus cities across the country along with partnerships with the three major transferable point programs, JetBlue can be a great option for your next getaway.

Additional reporting by Andrew Kunesh.