The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
Why the JetBlue Plus Card remains firmly in my wallet
Nick Ewen is TPG's editor-in-chief and helps readers leverage credit cards (he has more than 25 of them) and loyalty programs to travel more for less. He's been at TPG for over 11 years.
March 18, 2025 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
The article details why the author continues to keep a specific airline credit card despite only flying the airline a few times per year.
Key benefits highlighted include annual points bonuses, a rebate on redeemed points, free checked bags for the cardholder and companions, and discounts on inflight purchases.
The author calculates receiving over $300 in value from these perks in the past year, far exceeding the card's modest annual fee.
The value of these benefits depends on individual travel patterns and proximity to the airline's major hubs.
What to consider
The card's perks are most valuable for travelers who frequently fly the airline or live near its major airports.
Benefits like free checked bags and inflight discounts may be less relevant for those who travel light or rarely make onboard purchases.
Point values are based on TPG's March 2025 valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of how to calculate the real-world value of travel card benefits to inform your own card retention decisions.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
I currently have more than 20 different travel rewards credit cards. Some of these are great for everyday spending, while others offer valuable perks that can make my travel experience less costly or more comfortable — or both. Most carry annual fees, including some hefty ones. Every time one comes up for renewal, I crunch the numbers and make sure it's worth keeping the card for another year.
One card that has made the cut for several years now is the JetBlue Plus Card.
Here's why I continue to carry this card in my wallet — even though I only take a handful of JetBlue flights each year.
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.
Barclays first introduced three new JetBlue credit cards back in March 2016, and I quickly jumped on the opportunity to make my travels with the carrier even more rewarding.
I live in South Florida, about halfway between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), two airports with significant JetBlue operations. The carrier also flies to several cities out of Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), which is my closest departure gateway.
But JetBlue is appealing for a number of other reasons, too. I love the ability to pool points with my wife and daughter. Plus, the inflight experience for our frequent hops to the New York area is solid — including free Wi-Fi, unlimited snacks and complimentary DirecTV.
We also get to use the fantastic Sapphire Lounge at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) whenever we fly home, thanks to my Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see ).
I even tried JetBlue Mint for the first time last year, and it was terrific. I'm still hoping to snag a good price on a Mint flight to Europe, as JetBlue now serves six destinations from the East Coast. And there's a lot more to come — including the airline's first-ever airport lounges and a new domestic first class.
The $99 annual fee on my JetBlue Plus Card just posted, so I analyzed the previous year of card membership to see just how much value I got from the card. Ultimately, I wanted to see if the card should stay in my wallet.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
And not surprisingly, the answer was a resounding yes.
While I personally don’t utilize the perk of spending my way to Mosaic status, and I don't use the card for everyday purchases, there are many other benefits that carry tremendous value for me, namely:
Points bonuses
10% of my redeemed points back
Free checked bag on JetBlue fares
50% discount on inflight purchases
Let’s break this down by each benefit to show you the total value I got from the card in the past year.
Bonuses
When you first open a new credit card, the welcome bonus should virtually always cover the card's annual fee (and then some). The JetBlue Plus Card is no exception, as new cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
Based on TPG's March 2025 valuations, this haul is worth an excellent $945.
Of course, the welcome bonus only applies to the first year of card membership, and I am long past that point, so I won’t include it in my calculations. However, there’s another bonus awarded to cardholders in year two and beyond: 5,000 points on (or around) their anniversary date.
JETBLUE
Again, using TPG’s valuations, these points are worth around $68, so without ever setting foot on a JetBlue plane, you’re already covering over two-thirds of the card’s $99 annual fee.
Value: $68
10% of my redeemed points back
Another fantastic perk of the JetBlue Plus Card is that on every award ticket you book, you’ll get 10% of those points back as a credit to your TrueBlue account. While the FAQ indicates that this will take four to six weeks, I typically see the rebate post to my account within a week of completing the trip.
Here’s a list of how many points I got back during this past year of card membership:
October 2024: 1,610 points on a flight from PBI-LGA for my wife
December 2024: 1,780 points on a flight from LGA-PBI for me
If you do the math, I’ve kept 3,390 points in my account simply by carrying this card at the time of redemption, a savings of $46 (based on TPG's valuations).
What makes this benefit even better is that it doesn’t matter who is actually flying; anytime points are redeemed out of the TrueBlue account of the primary cardholder, the bonus will apply. In addition, since I am also the primary TrueBlue member in a pooled family account, all of the points I spend (including those contributed by my wife and 10-year-old daughter) are eligible for this rebate.
Value: $46
Free checked bag on Blue fares
Last year, JetBlue updated its pricing for checked bags on domestic and short-haul international flights. Now, the first bag added at least 24 hours before departure during off-peak dates starts at $35. However, this can climb as high as $50 if you wait until check-in opens and travel on a peak date.
WUNDERVISUALS/GETTY IMAGES
But not for those with the JetBlue Plus Card, as you and up to three companions on your reservation can get your first checked bag for free.
This really came in handy when traveling from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in early April. We had a total of three checked bags as we were flying home from a 10-day vacation in the Philippines. I checked one, my wife checked one and my daughter checked one — for $0 out of pocket.
In addition, I also checked a bag on two flights I took by myself from New York back to Florida — one in October and another just last month.
With those trips, that was five checked bag fee waivers, saving us $175.
Value: $175
50% discount on inflight purchases
The fourth and final benefit that helps me justify keeping the JetBlue Plus Card is the 50% discount it offers on inflight purchases, including alcoholic drinks and EatUp snack boxes. This discount is applied automatically, generally on the day the charge posts to your card account. I used this perk twice over the last year:
October 2024: One EatUp box ($5 savings)
February 2025: Two cans of wine ($11 savings)
Value: $16
Total value from the JetBlue Plus Card
So given this activity, here are the totals for my past year of card membership:
Anniversary points bonus: $68
10% points back: $46
Checked bag: $175
Inflight discounts: $16
When you add these together, I’ve enjoyed $305 of value in this past year alone simply by carrying the card in my wallet. When you consider that the annual fee is just $99, it’s clear that I’m getting my money’s worth.
While the numbers make the card a no-brainer for me, it’s important to note that this analysis may not be as simple for others.
For starters, I have many options for flying on JetBlue, with dozens of nonstop destinations from three different airports within 90 minutes of my house. Readers in New York, Boston, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale have a comparably extensive route map.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
However, many other airports have much more limited service, including the following hubs of other major carriers:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): Two nonstop destinations
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): Zero nonstop destinations
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD): Two nonstop destinations
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): One nonstop destination
Denver International Airport (DEN): Two nonstop destinations
The card may not present such a strong value proposition if you live near any of these airports.
Finally, be sure to consider whether the other perks deliver actual value. If you only travel with a carry-on bag, you won't get much value out of the checked bag fee waiver. And if you never make inflight purchases, the 50% discount may also be irrelevant.
Bottom line
Every travel rewards credit card appeals to different profiles of travelers, and for me, the JetBlue Plus Card has offered tremendous value year in and year out. Based on my calculations, keeping the card in my wallet for the long run is worth my while — even though I'm only taking a few JetBlue flights each year.
While this card may not be the best one for you, hopefully this post has given you a framework to use as you evaluate whether to keep other cards beyond the first year.
