Unlocking elite status lets you enjoy a variety of perks that can make your travel more comfortable and more rewarding. But status varies from program to program. Different programs offer different perks within different tiers. It’s hard to make sense of it all. Exactly how much value can you get out of elite status? And is it even worth pursuing?
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In this guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at JetBlue and its elite status benefits to help you decide if you should pursue JetBlue Mosaic.
JETBLUE PLUS CARD
The JetBlue Plus Credit Card has an offer for 40,000 TrueBlue bonus points when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days. We value these points to be worth around $520.
This is a card designed for the JetBlue loyalist. With the 40K welcome bonus, you can begin earning and redeeming points for award flights, seat upgrades, and more. Read our guide to the TrueBlue program for more information on how to use these points. One of the great features of the TrueBlue program is that its points never expire. You can earn and redeem at your own leisurely pace.
The JetBlue Plus card rewards members with 6x points on JetBlue spending, 2x points on dining and grocery purchases and 1x points on everything else. It also offers a variety of value-added benefits, like 5,000 anniversary bonus points, one free checked bag for you and up to 3 companions, and a 50% discount on eligible inflight purchases.
Other card benefits include a $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacation package of $100 or more, Mosaic elite status after you spent at least $50,000 on purchases, and the ability to pool your points with other members at no extra cost.
There are no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $99 for this card.
JetBlue Mosaic Elite Status Overview
The JetBlue TrueBlue frequent flyer program has one elite status: Mosaic. There are three ways to qualify:
- Earn 12,000 base flight points and fly 30 segments within one calendar year.
- Earn 15,000 base flight points within one calendar year.
- Spend $50,000 in one calendar year on the JetBlue Plus or JetBlue Business card.
Get three base flight points for every dollar spent on JetBlue flights. So, you’ll need to spend $4,000 on airfare to earn 12,000 base points, and $5,000 to earn 15,000 base points.
With Mosaic status, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:
- Qualification bonus
- Points bonus
- Take 3 and Lucky 7 bonuses
- Discounted seat upgrade awards
- Free checked bags
- Priority airport services
- Inflight beverages
- Waived change/cancellation fees
- Dedicated customer service line
JetBlue Mosaic Elite Status Value ($1,785)
The one and only elite status tier in the JetBlue TrueBlue program is Mosaic status. For the purpose of our analysis, we’ll assume you earned 18,000 base points with a $6,000 total spend ($0.125/mile cost).
Qualification bonus ($195). Enjoy a one-time 15,000-point bonus when you reach Mosaic status. We estimate that to be worth $195 based on our most recent valuation.
Points bonus ($234). Earn 6 points for every dollar spent on JetBlue flights. That’s 3 points more per $1 compared to non-status members. Based on a $6,000 total spend, you’ll earn an additional 18,000 points (worth $234).
Take 3 and Lucky 7 bonuses ($156). Earn a few more bonuses when you complete a certain number of paid JetBlue flights, partners not included. Take 3 gives you 5,000 bonus points when you fly three round-trip flights, and Lucky 7 awards you 7,000 bonus points after seven roundtrip flights. In total, you’ll earn 12,000 points, which we value at $156.
Discounted seat upgrade awards ($100). Redeem your points for Even More Space seats at a great rate. JetBlue’s regular coach seats have generous legroom compared to other carriers, so you’ll think Even More Space seats are a luxury.
Free checked bags ($250). Get 2 free checked bags for you and others traveling on the same itinerary. Use this perk with Blue and Blue Basic, JetBlue’s two lowest fares, because they don’t include checked bags. JetBlue charges $30 for your first bag and $40 for the second bag. Note: You get one free checked bag for you and your travel companions with JetBlue Plus.
Priority airport services ($200). Enjoy priority check-in, security and boarding at dozens of JetBlue airports. Although not the most valuable perk out there, it’s nice to have when you’re cutting it close to departure.
Inflight beverages ($150). Enjoy unlimited inflight beverages, including alcoholic ones, for the entirety of your flight. At $6 to $9 a pop, you could be saving a lot depending on how much you consume. Note: The JetBlue Credit Card gives a 50% discount on inflight beverages.
Waived change and cancellation fees ($400). Change or cancel your JetBlue flight without any fees, at any time (except Blue Basic tickets). Most other carriers only offer this perk to top-tier elites and only on award tickets. Note: This offer extends to your travel companions as well.
Dedicated customer service line ($100). Access the priority phone line. Also not the most valuable perk out there, but it’s nice to have when faced with a large-scale weather event.
Is JetBlue Mosaic Elite Status Worth It?
Based on our analysis above, is JetBlue Mosaic worth pursuing? Only you can answer that question, because it depends on your travel style and needs. That said, below are a few questions you should ask yourself to help you decide:
- Does JetBlue fly to where you want to go? Mosaic status isn’t worth going for if you don’t fly with JetBlue regularly. Check JetBlue’s service from your home airport and see how easily you can get to your choice destinations.
- Do Mosaic benefits matter to you? It doesn’t make sense to work for Mosaic status unless the perks are worth the push.
- How often do you travel? If you’re not a frequent flyer, then Mosaic status won’t be worth it. The benefits only apply when you travel. So, if you don’t use your perks the value of Mosaic drops.
- Do you prioritize price and convenience? Will you use JetBlue even when it’s not the cheapest option? Or the most convenient one? In other words, would you book a JetBlue flight with one stop over a cheaper, nonstop flight with Frontier Airlines? If you’re not willing to trade price and convenience for status perks, then JetBlue Mosaic won’t be worth it for you.
- Could you get the same perks with a credit card? As we mentioned earlier, the JetBlue Plus Card offers a variety of elite-like perks that might cover all your needs, and for only a small annual fee. Plus, you earn Mosaic status with the card when you spend $50,000 in one year. If you’re down with paying an annual fee, or you plan on spending over $50,000, then there’s no need to earn your way to Mosaic status.
Our Methodology
Our analysis on the value of JetBlue Mosaic is just one of the many ways to calculate status worth. Each person places their own value on each benefit, so you might very well come up with different numbers.
One person might always pay to sit in Even More Space seats, so they won’t put much value in discounted seat upgrade awards. Another might only make travel plans that are set in stone, so waived change or cancellation fees aren’t worth much to them. As such, feel free to play with the numbers we used until they make sense to you.
Our value estimates are based on perks you would enjoy after having already achieved Mosaic and qualifying each year thereafter. If you’re new to the JetBlue TrueBlue program, you won’t get any benefits from the first 12,000 or 15,000 points it takes for you to unlock Mosaic status.
In order to tie in values to Mosaic benefits, we need to determine a certain amount of flying and a corresponding amount of spending. For all our analyses on elite status, we assumed the following:
- You earned 20% more base points than the minimum required for earning status.
- You take at least 7 roundtrip paid flights per year.
Like we’ve stated before, feel free to adjust our numbers to match your travel patterns.
For this particular analysis we value TrueBlue points based on our most recent valuations, which is $0.013 apiece.
Bottom Line
JetBlue TrueBlue only offers one level of elite status: Mosaic. If your home airport has a big JetBlue presence, having Mosaic status could make your travel experience more rewarding and more enjoyable. We hope this post helps you decide whether or not JetBlue Mosaic is right for you. For additional reading, see our tips for the best ways to use TrueBlue points.
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