8 Best Ways To Redeem JetBlue TrueBlue Points For Max Value [2023]

Update: Some offers mentioned below for the JetBlue Card and JetBlue Plus Card are no longer available.

Though JetBlue might not give you a large number of options to redeem your points compared to American, United, and Delta, there are a still handful of great redemptions available.

In this article, I’ll describe the best ways to use your JetBlue TrueBlue points that will give you the highest value rewards.

If you’ve collected enough points through flying JetBlue, spending on your JetBlue credit card, or spending on a credit card that earns Membership Rewards points, read on for some options!

Table of contents

Earning JetBlue TrueBlue Points
The 8 Best Ways To Use Your JetBlue TrueBlue Points
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Earning JetBlue TrueBlue Points
The 8 Best Ways To Use Your JetBlue TrueBlue Points
Final Thoughts

Earning JetBlue TrueBlue Points

There are a few different options available to earn JetBlue TrueBlue points. The most conventional way to earn JetBlue reward points is through flying, but you’ll be able to earn more points a lot quicker through various credit cards. Below are all of the credit cards you can use to earn JetBlue points.

JetBlue Credit Cards

JetBlue has 3 co-branded credit cards that you can use to earn JetBlue points. These cards are provided by Barclays.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Credit Cards

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

If you’re a business owner, see our list of recommended Chase business credit cards.

Citi ThankYou Points Credit Cards

You can transfer Citi ThankYou Points to JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio.

You’ll need either the Citi Prestige® Card or the Citi ThankYou® Premier Card to transfer at that ratio. Citi ThankYou® Preferred cardholders, which otherwise cannot transfer points to airline miles, can transfer to JetBlue at 1:0.8 ratio.

Amex Membership Rewards Credit Cards

You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards to JetBlue at a rate of 1:0.8. Sometimes you can take advantage of promotional periods that bump up the transfer rate to 1:1.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

Business owners can review our list of recommended Amex business credit cards in our guide.

The 8 Best Ways To Use Your JetBlue TrueBlue Points

New York-based low-cost carrier JetBlue is the fifth largest airline in the United States, and TrueBlue is its frequent flyer program.

Similar to Southwest Airlines’ program, any seat on any JetBlue flight can be booked with points as long as it’s available to be booked with cash–no blackout dates! Points can be used on one-way and round-trip flights.

Redemption rates correlate to airfare prices, meaning the cheaper the fare, the fewer TrueBlue points required to redeem an award flight.

A unique feature of the TrueBlue program is that families can pool reward points into a family account. Most airlines allow just 1 account per person, but this option provides an opportunity to keep miles in a single account.

Upon enrolling in the option, family members can earn TrueBlue points more quickly.

The main benefit of doing this is not having to transfer points between accounts or pay fees associated with a member-to-member point transfer. One person designated as the head of the household manages point accumulation and can book award flights for anyone in the family.

I’ve compiled and highlighted some of the best travel redemptions available to book with your JetBlue points here; these are the options that will help you take your JetBlue points to the next level!

This isn’t a completely exhaustive list, but it does include a lot of options traveling to different regions in different classes of service.

Of course, there may be other great redemptions available. Depending on how and where you like to travel, you may have some other favorite award options; feel free to share these with us!

We will work to keep this information as up to date as possible; now onto the best ways to use JetBlue points.

1. Fly in Luxury Transcontinental With JetBlue Mint

Mint is JetBlue’s version of a premium cabin, and it’s available on transcontinental flights within the U.S. as well as on some flights to the Caribbean.

JetBlue Mint class includes fully lie-flat seats, some of which are suites that will be perfect for flyers who value personal space and look for a little more privacy in-flight.

As is the case with many elite travelers, Mint passengers have access to a priority check-in line, early boarding, 2 free checked bags, and a preferred baggage claim upon landing.

In-flight perks include free internet access (known as Fly-Fi on JetBlue flights), unlimited entertainment, tapas menu, and amenity kits.

Currently, Mint is offered on routes originating in Boston and New York (JFK) for travel to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Aruba, and Barbados. Future routes include Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, Las Vegas, and San Diego, as well as Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Maarten.

Here’s the complete route map currently available:

JetBlue Mint Routes. Image credit: JetBlue

All Mint seats are available for TrueBlue point redemptions.

Flight prices vary quite a bit for Mint, but the lowest price I was able to find for flights between JFK and LAX was 52,000 reward points one-way. It’s possible to fly Mint for less on the Boston to Aruba, route which starts at 39,400 points one-way.

Need Help Booking? Read our guide on how you can book JetBlue Mint Class using points

Hot Tip: Use The Platinum Card® from American Express to gain access to lounges through Priority Pass Select and Amex Centurion Lounges in order to make your trips more comfortable.

2. Use Your Points To Fly to the Forbidden Island of Cuba

JetBlue is among the few U.S. carriers that have been approved to operate to Cuba. In fact, JetBlue was the first U.S.-based carrier to operate a commercial flight to the forbidden island in almost 50 years. It turns out that flying to the island is also a great use of frequent flyer points!

JetBlue operates to 4 Cuban destinations: Camaguey, Holguin, Santa Clara, and Havana. Departures from New York City and Orlando fly to Havana only, while Fort Lauderdale serves all 4 Cuban destinations.

Please keep in mind that U.S. citizens are required to select one of the approved reasons for travel to Cuba, including family visits, journalistic activity, or official business, among others.

Hot Tip: Note: As of June 5, 2019, the United States is eliminating two main categories: people-to-people travel and educational purposes travel. This is a huge blow, as now it’s nearly impossible to visit Cuba for tourism.

It is possible to book a one-way ticket, but passengers must provide proof of onward travel upon check-in at the airport.

Using JetBlue presents great value for these flights in comparison to other U.S.-based carriers. For example, flights from New York (JFK) to Havana can be booked for as few as 5,500 TrueBlue points per leg or 11,000 round-trip.

Both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines charge 35,000 miles on a similar route; American Airlines requires 30,000 AAdvantage miles.

3. Use Your Points for Even More Space

Jetblue legroom visual — If you have Mosaic status with JetBlue, use your miles to upgrade to a seat with Even More Space. Image Credit: JetBlue

JetBlue elite flyers, known as Mosaic Members, can redeem their TrueBlue points for an upgrade from a purchased economy ticket to a premium economy seat with extra legroom.

Even More Space seats are those roomy seats located either in emergency exit rows or at the front of a plane that offers passengers 38 inches of pitch. In comparison, regular economy seats provide 32 inches.

In some markets, early boarding and access to overhead space are included with a purchase of an Even More Space seat.

Even More Space costs vary by route, beginning at $10 per leg and increasing based on the distance. Mosaic Members can upgrade their economy seat to Even More Space for just 800 TrueBlue points, so it’s a relatively good use of those miles.

4. Take a Trip With JetBlue Getaways Vacation Packages

You can book more than just airfare with your JetBlue points! All-inclusive vacation packages are available for booking via JetBlue Vacation Packages. Image Credit: JetBlue

JetBlue sells an array of vacation packages (air + hotel) to travelers who are looking for a getaway that doesn’t involve a lot of planning. Prices vary depending on the length of stay and lodging option included.

Most of these vacations depart from the East Coast: Boston, New York, and Fort Lauderdale. The best part is that you can redeem TrueBlue points toward one of these packages!

Passengers can select a cash and reward points option when browsing for the right getaway, allowing them to apply a combination of both toward a trip. Unfortunately, there’s no option to book a vacation package with TrueBlue points alone.

For example, booking January flights between Fort Lauderdale and Aruba with 3 nights at the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino comes to $1,357 per couple, or 22,600 TrueBlue points + $954 per couple when booked with the cash and points option.

This would net you a value of 1.78 cents per JetBlue point, which is pretty good value.

In another example, booking December flights between New York and Cancun with 3 nights at the Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen Resort comes to $1,148 per couple, or 25,600 TrueBlue points + $703 per couple using cash and points (a value of 1.74 cents per point).

Generally speaking, JetBlue Plus points are worth around 1.4 cents per point, so you’d be receiving 20-25% outsized value over the norm when spending points on JetBlue Getaways.

JetBlue Getaways include domestic destinations such as Daytona Beach, Las Vegas, and Walt Disney World. International destinations in the Caribbean include the Bahamas, Curacao, St. Thomas, and many others.

Hot Tip: If you’re booking a vacation with cash, be sure to use The JetBlue Card or The JetBlue Plus Card in order to earn more points while booking! You could even use an American Express card like the American Express Gold Card to earn points that are transferable.

5. Flights to the Caribbean (Starting at 11,000 Points Round-Trip)

Caribbean ocean — There’s so much to discover in the Caribbean, both above and below the sea! Image Credit: mycaribbeanlife.com.

JetBlue operates quite a multitude of flights to the Caribbean islands. Destinations include Antigua, Bermuda, Grand Cayman, Dominican Republic, and St. Lucia, to name a few. Most recently, JetBlue has added Cuba as a Caribbean destination.

Both United Airlines and Delta Air Lines currently begin pricing flights at 35,000 miles for a round-trip ticket from New York to Grand Cayman, while American Airlines requires 30,000 AAdvantage miles.

With JetBlue, travelers can find round-trip flights for 16,400 TrueBlue points, or about half of the mileage that flagship airlines charge for a similar flight (based on our research for December departures).

If you think about it, with the same number of miles as a flagship carrier requires, you can take 2 people to paradise on JetBlue instead of 1!

Prices during other times of the year can be even lower, dipping down to around 11,000 TrueBlue points round-trip.

In this case, the numbers speak for themselves: using frequent flyer program points on some routes can save you many, many miles!

Hot Tip: Sometimes unexpected things come up and you need to cancel your flight. Here’s our step-by-step guide to canceling your JetBlue flight.

6. Flights to South America (Starting at 30,000 Points Round-Trip)

JetBlue serves multiple destinations in South America, including Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena, Colombia, as well as Quito, Ecuador, and Lima, Peru.

Award redemptions to the northern South America region cost quite a bit on flagship carriers: 35,000 AAdvantage miles (round-trip ticket on American Airlines), 40,000 MileagePlus miles on United Airlines, and 45,000 SkyMiles on Delta Air Lines…and these are at the lowest award levels in economy class.

Flights to that region using JetBlue miles can be found for fewer than 15,000 each way, depending on the dates and departure cities. Of course, being flexible with travel times can help passengers maximize those redemptions even further!

Hot Tip: Before traveling internationally, you should consider the Global Entry program, which will offer you TSA PreCheck to speed up security on the way there plus Global Entry to more quickly clear customs on the way back!

7. Flights to Central America (Starting at 20,000 Points Round-Trip)

Costa Rican waterfalls — Fly into Liberia or San Jose, Costa Rica to get access to all of Costa Rica’s natural beauty! Image Credit: tour-costa-rica.com.

In addition to the Caribbean and South America, JetBlue serves destinations in Central America, including Cancun, Mexico as well as Liberia and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Award redemptions to Central America originating in the U.S. come to 35,000 miles for round-trip flights on United Airlines and on Delta Air Lines. American Airlines requires 25,000 AAdvantage miles during the off-peak dates and 30,000 AAdvantage miles for a MileSAAver redemption.

In comparison, JetBlue offers award flights to Costa Rica for between 10,000 and 15,000 TrueBlue points per leg, depending on the dates. Again, the number of miles required for a redemption depends on the ticket cost, so it pays to be flexible!

8. Flights to Alaska (Starting at 12,000 Points Round-Trip)

It isn’t widely known, but JetBlue operates seasonal flights from Seattle to Alaska between May and September. A round-trip flight to the last frontier can be booked for as little as 12,000 TrueBlue points depending on when you go.

American charges 15,000 AAdvantage miles per leg during the summer months and throughout the rest of the year. United lists its Saver Award level as 17,500 miles per leg. Interestingly enough, Delta has wide availability in the summer for just 14,000 SkyMiles round-trip. If you’re flexible on dates, JetBlue still presents the best value for your miles.

Final Thoughts

This post suggests some of the best ways to use TrueBlue points. Although in most cases reward points represent a fixed value, there are still great redemptions to be had when flying JetBlue.

As demonstrated earlier, a little flexibility and a bit of creativity can go a long way. You’ll be flying to incredible destinations at fraction of the mileage required with other airlines.

Happy redeeming!

The information regarding The JetBlue Plus Card, The JetBlue Card, The JetBlue Business Card, and Citi Prestige® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Daniel Ross

Frequently asked questions

What are JetBlue points?

JetBlue points are the points you will earn when flying JetBlue or from using their co-branded credit cards. JetBlue points can be used to book flights or vacation packages through JetBlue, among other options.

What are JetBlue points worth?

You can expect to redeem your JetBlue points for around 1-1.4 cents each. There may be cases when the value you derive from your points is outside of this range, so it’s always worth it to do a quick calculation before you redeem!

How many JetBlue points do I need to go to Hawaii?

In order to use your JetBlue points to fly to Hawaii, you will need to make use of JetBlue’s partnership with Hawaiian Airlines. It is not possible to book awards with Hawaiian Airlines online, so you will need to call JetBlue reservations at 1-800-JETBLUE.

JetBlue now publishes a Hawaiian Airlines award chart on its website. Award tickets are priced zone-by-zone, so the longer the flight, the more you’ll pay for an award ticket.

How many JetBlue points do I need to go to Europe?

It is not possible to use your JetBlue points to fly to Europe.

Are JetBlue points taxable?

The short answer is no. The IRS and Tax Court decided to treat frequent flier miles, including JetBlue TrueBlue points and mileage awards, as nontaxable.

How do I transfer JetBlue points to airlines or hotels?

JetBlue points cannot be transferred to other airlines or to hotels.

Who are JetBlue partners?

JetBlue partners with a handful of airlines, but some airlines are only partners in terms of being able to earn miles. You can earn JetBlue points while flying with the following airlines:

Of these, it is only possible to redeem your JetBlue points for flights on Hawaiian Airlines (in addition to JetBlue operated flights of course).

How can you earn more JetBlue points?

You can earn JetBlue TrueBlue points easily by using The JetBlue Card, The JetBlue Plus Card, or any credit card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points.

There are more than 10 Membership Rewards credit cards: the American Express Gold® card, The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express, and more!

When do JetBlue points post in your account?

The length of time it takes for JetBlue points to post in your account depends on how they were earned.

If you earn points from your JetBlue credit card, those should post within 3 days of your statement closing date as long as your account is current.

Transfers from American Express Membership Rewards can take up to 48 hours to complete, but are usually instant.

Points earned from flying JetBlue can take up to 14 days to be added to your account, while flights on partners can take up to 30 days.

When do JetBlue points expire?

JetBlue points don’t expire.

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About Caroline Lupini

Caroline Lupini always enjoyed traveling, but it became her goal to do as much as possible after a 3-week trip around Europe in 2011. In March 2014, Caroline left her job and embarked on nearly full-time travels. As a frequent traveler, frequent flyer miles have played a large role in planning her trips. Caroline has enjoyed discovering the ins and outs of how to maximize different types of miles, hotel points, and transferable points currencies.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

43 comments

Tina June 2, 2018
Can I use my JetBlue points for a hote or a car rental.?
Reply
- Michael McHugh June 2, 2018
  Hi Tina
  Refer to the “Take a Trip with JetBlue Getaways Vacation Packages” for using your points for a hotel. JetBlue does not currently offer an option to use points for a car rental.
  Reply
cathy gorman August 14, 2018
If you choose to get an Amazon card – would a $50 card cost 50,000 points?
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton August 15, 2018
  According to their website, JetBlue points cannot be redeemed for gift cards. https://trueblue.jetblue.com/web/trueblue/how-it-works-using-points
  Reply
Sam Gilbert August 27, 2018
If JetBlue points are used to book a flight, are JetBlue points still earned for the flight?
Reply
- Alex Miller August 28, 2018
  Sorry Sam, unfortunately not!
  Reply
Shirley Robillard November 6, 2018
Can true blue points be redeemed for Gift Cards to restaurants? I have a friend and she gets gift cards thru the airline she flies.
Reply
- Alex Miller November 8, 2018
  Hi Shirley – they cannot be used for gift cards at this time. But you can earn additional points when dining: https://truebluedining.com/
  Reply
gary November 23, 2018
can I use points for a BLUE ticket and pay the $35 for a checked bag?
Reply
- Stephen Au November 25, 2018
  Hey Gary,
  Yes, you can use points for the ticket and pay the extra fee for the checked bag.
  Reply
- Meri February 13, 2021
  Is there another airline that is currently flying between Portland and Long Beach or Los Angeles that will honor JetBlue points since they recently stoped flying there?
  Reply
  - Jarrod West February 15, 2021
    Hi Meri,
    As of now, the only other airline where you would be allowed to use JetBlue points is Hawaiian Airlines but they do not fly those routes either.
    Reply
  - Mark January 14, 2022
    How do I find out how many points I have accumulated? Thanks
    Reply
    - Jarrod West January 14, 2022
      Hi Mark,
      You should be able to see how many points you have when you log in to your JetBlue account on the JetBlue website or mobile app.
      Reply
Your Two Cents January 11, 2019
Mint is a BAD redemption option for TrueBlue points: economy redemptions tend to run in the 1.4-1.5 cpp range, while Mint redemptions are significantly below that, getting you less value for your points.
Reply
- Stephen Au January 11, 2019
  Hey Dillon,
  There are lots of people who aren’t interested in flying economy. JetBlue Mint is and continues to be one of the best ways to fly domestically in business class. We list the best ways to redeem point not because of their CPP return, but because of the incremental benefit that people have on their travel goals and plans. Thanks for your contribution! We appreciate the feedback.
  Reply
EAS March 1, 2019
Can you use JetBlue points to pay for a portion of the flight and use cash for the rest?
Reply
- Katie Seemann March 11, 2019
  Hi EAS,
  If you are booking a JetBlue Vacation, you can split your payment between cash and points. But, I don’t think there is a way to do that when you are just booking a flight.
  Reply
Ron August 14, 2019
Outdated info about redeeming with Hawaiian – Jetblue now publishes an award chart.
Reply
- Andrew Kunesh August 15, 2019
  Thanks for the heads up, Ron! We’ve confirmed that this is correct and have updated the article accordingly.
  Reply
Rhoda Pelliccia September 5, 2019
My husband and I traveled with JetBlue. He has passed away.😢 Can I have his rewards transferred to my JetBlue account?
Reply
- Andrew Kunesh September 6, 2019
  Hi Rhoda, very sorry for your loss. You can move your husband’s TrueBlue miles to your account by using JetBlue’s family pooling feature. Essentially, you can create a family pool, link both of your TrueBlue accounts, and his points will be moved to your account. Let us know if this helps. Thanks!
  Reply
Alex October 13, 2019
Say a flight costs 26,000 points and I have 25,000. Am I able to use all my existing points toward that flight and pay whatever difference or must I have over the point value to be allowed to redeem?
Reply
- Jarrod West October 13, 2019
  Hi Alex,
  You must have all of the points required in order to book an award ticket with JetBlue. If you are a bit short from the amount you need, you can always purchase some extra points directly from JetBlue.
  Reply
  - Phyllis October 6, 2021
    You can now pay for a flight in both points and cash.
    Reply
Jane May 19, 2020
I know if I flew Emirates, I can earn Trueblue points. Can I use Trueblue points to book an Emirates flight? Since they are partners.
Reply
- Jarrod West May 21, 2020
  Hi Jane,
  No. You can earn and redeem Skywards miles on JetBlue flights, but you can’t use any points you’ve earned with the JetBlue TrueBlue program to book flights with Emirates.
  Reply
Angie September 4, 2020
Can I use true blue points to upgrade seats?
Reply
- Jarrod West September 4, 2020
  Hi Angie,
  Yes, you can use your TrueBlue points to upgrade seats on a paid ticket. Thanks for reading!
  Reply
  - LB December 27, 2022
    Just wanted to update this info, you can use points to buy even more space seats ONLY if you are a TrueBlue Mosaic member. I asked a JetBlue representative that exact question today and that is the answer I received.
    Reply
Linda IANNELLA May 1, 2021
Can you purchase merchandise with JetBlue points?
Reply
- Linda IANNELLA May 1, 2021
  I remember years ago you had a booklet with tv or ther things
  Reply
- Jarrod West May 3, 2021
  Hi Linda,
  You cannot redeem JetBlue points for merchandise at this time.
  Reply
Dee July 14, 2021
Can I book my entire family’s tickets using my JetBlue points?
Reply
- Jarrod West July 14, 2021
  Hi Dee,
  Yes, you can book travel for as many people as you want using your JetBlue points.
  Reply
kristina Landry-Turck July 17, 2021
I got a credit card application while I was on a JetBlue flight and received the card. Can I get the flight points for myself and my family attached to my new card for that previous flight?
Reply
- Jarrod West July 19, 2021
  Hi Kristina,
  Yes, if you call the number on the back of your JetBlue card they should be abe to get the points for your previous flight added to the account.
  Reply
Helaine Lender November 20, 2021
I’m using points to pay for a ticket. Can I purchase an extra legroom seat? or use points as well? please advise.
Reply
- Jarrod West November 22, 2021
  Hi Helaine,
  Yes, you can pay with cash or points for an extra legroom seat if you’d like.
  Reply
Eric A November 26, 2021
Can I use points to upgrade seats on partner airlines or only on JetBlue flights?
Reply
- Jarrod West November 29, 2021
  Hi Eric,
  They can only be used on JetBlue flights.
  Reply
Sylvia Padilla May 31, 2022
How can I apply for the credit card with a Puerto Rico address? There is no state initials in the application form for Puerto Rico.
Reply
- Chris Hassan May 31, 2022
  Hi Sylvia,
  At the moment I don’t think that Barclays is accepting applications from residents of Puerto Rico. However, there is a JetBlue card available from Banco Popular.
  Reply