JetBlue’s new premium credit card has launched — should you jump on board?
2025 is shaping up to be the year of the premium travel card. With a premium Alaska Airlines card on the horizon and rumors of an incoming top-tier Citi card, competition in this market is strengthening.
JetBlue is planting its flag in this space with the launch of the JetBlue Premier World Elite Mastercard® issued by Barclays. With a $499 annual fee, the card is positioned as the premium option for JetBlue loyalists.
Whether it's a good fit depends on how much you fly JetBlue. So, let's look into the new product to see if you should apply.
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.
Welcome bonus
New JetBlue Premier cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus points and 5 Tiles toward Mosaic elite status after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening.
According to TPG's January 2025 valuations, those JetBlue TrueBlue points are worth $910.
The JetBlue Business Card has a more modest $99 annual fee, with a welcome bonus currently offering just 10,000 fewer points, so we would've expected a higher bonus for the Premier's launch.
The five Tiles you'll receive as part of the welcome bonus get you 10% of the way to Mosaic status, which requires $50,000 in spending in a calendar year. It seems that the five Tiles included in the welcome offer are earned through regular spending rather than as a separate bonus, as per the terms and conditions:
"Earn 70,000 bonus TrueBlue points and 5 tiles after spending $5,000 on purchases. ...The bonus TrueBlue points will be reflected on the billing statement after you have qualified to earn the bonus. Please allow 1-2 weeks for the tiles and 4-6 weeks for the bonus TrueBlue points to be deposited into your Membership account."
If you get this card and want to enjoy Mosaic status through the end of 2026, you'll need to spend an additional $45,000 on this card in 2025.
The information for 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.
Card benefits
For a card with a $499 annual fee, the JetBlue Premier needs to come out of the gate with strong perks for its cardholders — and it struggles to do so.
For starters, the card has a $300 annual statement credit — but it's only applicable toward Paisly purchases. Paisly is JetBlue's travel portal, through which you can book hotels, car rentals and activities.
This credit is difficult to maximize given that it is offered as six separate $50 credits and you must spend at least $250 in a single transaction to trigger each $50 credit.
The card offers a Priority Pass Select membership, which many other premium cards do — but with two guests instead of the one that the Premier card offers.
The card also offers access to JetBlue's recently announced lounges at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) — expected to open in late 2025 — and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) — the opening date of which is unknown — for the cardholder and one guest.
JetBlue lounge access is a key perk of the card. However, with lounge openings often subject to delays, it's worth noting that cardholders won't have access to these lounges for most of this year. Given this, some may wonder if it would have made more sense to launch the card closer to when the lounges open.
Cardholders receive an up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit every four years, which is common on cards of this calibre.
Additionally, they can add authorized users for a (quite high) fee of $150 each.
Other notable benefits include:
- Group A priority boarding (for you and up to four companions on the same reservation)
- A first checked bag free on JetBlue-operated flights (for you and up to three companions on the same reservation)
- A 10% points rebate on award redemptions on JetBlue flights
- A 50% inflight food-and-drink discount
- 5,000 anniversary bonus points
For semifrequent JetBlue flyers, the JetBlue Plus Card is the better choice, as it offers the perks in the list above for a much more palatable $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.
Earning rates
Cardholders will earn 6 points per dollar spent on JetBlue and Paisly purchases, 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Sound familiar? That might be because it has the same earning structure as the JetBlue Plus Card. The only difference is that the JetBlue Premier card earns bonus points on Paisly purchases.
In our opinion, at the very least, the JetBlue Premier should have offered 8 points per dollar spent on JetBlue and Paisly purchases. That would make the $499 annual fee more tolerable for JetBlue loyalists.
Cardholders can also earn 1 Tile toward Mosaic status with every $1,000 spent on the card. That means you'll need to spend $50,000 on the card to hit the first level of Mosaic status through card spending alone.
Application restrictions
Note that those who currently have or have previously had the JetBlue Plus Card are not eligible for this welcome bonus. Rather, Plus cardholders are encouraged to log into their Barclays account to see if there is an upgrade offer.
If you don't have the Plus, you should be OK to apply for this card, as Barclays has relatively lax application restrictions compared to the other issuers.
Bottom line
If you're a die-hard JetBlue loyalist — especially one based in New York or Boston — this card is worth considering. However, it may be worth holding off on applying until the carrier's lounges open later in the year to get maximum value from the first year of having the card. That said, the welcome bonus might be lower later on.
If you're a semifrequent JetBlue flyer, we think the JetBlue Plus Card offers much better value for a lower annual fee — especially if you already have Priority Pass access through another card.
If JetBlue isn't one of your primary airlines, a general travel rewards card or another airline's cobranded card is the way to go.
Related: The best premium credit cards: A side-by-side comparison
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
*Reserve cardmembers will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more.Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.Earn up to 125,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$650Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
*Reserve cardmembers will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more.Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees