JetBlue’s first-ever airport lounge, BlueHouse, has been open for a little more than a month at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Entry rules are tight, as the carrier hopes to avoid the overcrowding that’s become a staple at so many airport lounges.
From the outset, JetBlue is limiting BlueHouse access to its top-tier elite status members, premium credit card holders and passengers flying to Europe in its lie-flat seats.
However, starting this week, the airline will begin allowing some of its other customers to buy their way into the club on a one-time basis.
Spoiler: Don’t expect to be eligible for a BlueHouse day pass if you’re flying in a coach seat on a short flight from New York City to Buffalo. The airline is only offering paid day passes to lower-level elite members and lower-tier credit card holders, as well as passengers flying in one of its Mint seats on shorter-haul flights.
Here’s the rundown of what to know.
Who can enter JetBlue's lounge
First things first, here's a quick reminder of how to get access to JetBlue’s BlueHouse lounge. These policies apply to the carrier’s Terminal 5 location at JFK and will be in effect when its Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) outpost opens later this year.
Flyers who can gain access include:
- Top-tier Mosaic 4 elite status members
- TrueBlue members who carry the JetBlue Premier Card, which has a $499 annual fee
- Passengers flying to Europe in the airline’s Mint cabin
One important restriction to know is that the airline does not allow any passengers flying on its Blue Basic (basic economy) fares to enter BlueHouse. So, if you’re a Mosaic 4 or Premier Card holder, you may want to think twice about purchasing that no-frills ticket.
The information for the JetBlue Premier 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.
Among U.S. airlines, only Delta Air Lines has a comparably strict lounge policy when it comes to basic economy.
Read more: JetBlue announces Barcelona, Milan as 2 newest European destinations
JetBlue lounge day passes
Starting this week, other JetBlue flyers will have some chances to purchase one-time passes to BlueHouse.
Here’s who can purchase access passes and how the pricing shakes out:
| Customers | One-time pass price | Eligible guests |
|---|---|---|
| Mosaic 3 elite members | $59 per person | Same |
| Mosaic 1 and 2 elite members | $79 per person | Same |
| Nontransatlantic Mint passengers | $59 per person | Same |
| Starting later this week: Cardholders with the JetBlue Plus Card or the JetBlue Business Card | $79 per person | Same |
The information for the JetBlue Plus Card and the JetBlue Business 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.
JetBlue lounge guest policy
As we reported in December, guest policies for passengers who get complimentary BlueHouse access differ based on the customer:
- Mosaic 4 and JetBlue Premier Card holders get one free guest. Fees for subsequent guests are $39 per person.
- Transatlantic Mint passengers must pay $39 per eligible guest.
Again, though, no passengers flying on a Blue Basic fare can enter JetBlue’s lounge.
Also, any customer entering the lounge must have a same-day boarding pass for a confirmed JetBlue flight.
Related reading:
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- Best airline credit cards
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- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
