Next Evolution: Mint Class

Flying in Mint Condition

Despite being known as a purely coach carrier, JetBlue has been working to upgrade its image on some of its longer cross-country and international flights. The blue jets which once were filled entirely with rows of coach-equivalent seats are being renovated to accommodate a new first class style experience for those willing to burn some extra cash for creature comforts. The new class of seats has been dubbed Mint, per the Evolution Continues experience JetBlue has debuted today in New York City.

While this won't be the case for all flights, longer routes will enjoy the upgrade first and foremost, as mentioned in the new offer below:

JetBlue's new "first class" option.

Right now the only flights available with Mint tickets are flying from JFK to LAX in June of next year (6/15/14-6/18/14) so if you're ready to plan that far ahead, then this might be for you. While the flight will still offer the classic well-priced seats we all know and love, Mint is definitely going to cost a premium.

That's $189 for a normal seat, $741 for refundable, $499 for a Mint seat, and $999 for a refundable Mint seat. At $500, the first class option is still highly competitive compared to what many other airlines charge for this route - often times in the thousands of dollars quite regularly. And $189 is still keeping the price point low for those who value one of the things JetBlue does best - cheap and comfortable coach flights.

Even at a solid price though, what's a being one of the first people to fly Mint Class going to really get you?

For the upgraded ticket you'll be getting featured movies, enhanced food & beverage service, a second checked bag, expedited boarding and security and the cherry on top: a seat you can actually sleep in. Now, if JetBlue is able to make a Mint Class seat experience that is better than other carrier's, just as they do with coach, then I think this could be a real win for JetBlue and perhaps a class worth paying money to upgrade to even if I'm short on miles.

 It seems they're on their way to doing so already since the enhanced food service will feature tapas style food by Saxon + Parole and flyers will receive amenity packages from BirchBox - which sure beats the heck out of the "food" most other airlines have gotten used to selling us. Not a bad start and at a dangerously low price point to attract both business and leisure flyers, Mint could be the next game changer for JetBlue as it matures in the industry and keeps taking on the big carriers for more profitable routes. 

 - John

TrueBlue Points Discount

TrueBlue Points

Special Offer through October 26, 2013

Until October 16, TrueBlue is offering a bonus 50% of points on all points purchased in denominations greater than or equal to 5,000 as part of their charitable spirit:

Promotion for KaBOOM! and First Book.

This bonus seems good, but is it worth purchasing points to stock up?

5,000 pts

+

2,500 bonus pts

=

7,500 pts

$177.38

+

$0.00

=

$177.38

---

$0.035/pt

-

$0.012/pt

=

$0.023/pt

Since TrueBlue points are valued at (approximately) 1,000 pts = $10, even with the promotional value you're not coming out on top here. It's almost never worth it to purchase miles directly from any airline, this case being no exception. But, if you're just short of a trip and need to grab some miles fast - this would be a slightly better time to do it.

Have you ever found a time when it was a good deal to purchase points directly? Post about it in the comments and share.

 - John

Blue's News

What's New with JetBlue 

• JetBlue is in the process of upgrading its "Fly-Fi" to 12Mbps for each person on board, giving them the fastest Internet above 10,000 feet out of all the airlines.

• The Good Golf Classic , JetBlue's annual philanthropic fundraiser, is coming up soon in Bethpage, NY. It's also a chance to get the Bluemanity badge if you participate (1000 points).

• Some examples of interesting airport artwork...

• Finally, check out this video where JetBlue endorses a National Airline Policy and find out what that could mean for consumers:
  

Guide to Blue Badges - Part I

Introduction to Badges

One of the interesting aspects of JetBlue's loyalty program is the badge system. You can earn badges and levels much like in FourSquare and similar check-in apps by performing social media tasks, being a customer of partner companies, or just flying per usual. These can net you free points towards JetBlue flights and easily push you over the 5k or 10k needed for a free flight! I'll go over the basics to get you started in this post and later installments will be guides to getting the most free points possible.

Signing Up

Signing up is easy - just head to the JetBlue badges page and login with your TrueBlue account.

Getting Badges

Your first badges are going to be pretty easy - you can get over 1,000 TrueBlue points for just a few minutes of work! Here are the first badges you'll be earning to be 20% of the way towards a free flight:

The first badges that are available to earn.

The First Badges

There you go, 1050 points for just a few minutes of work. There are many more badges to be unlocked that I will cover later, but this will get you started and on your way to racking up those extra points. 

- John

A Blog for JetBlue Travelers to get Cheap Flights and Free Points

Why This Blog?

I'm a 20-something guy who loves to travel, but don't always have the means. I've researched for years about the best frequent flyer programs, credit card offers, and ways to scrape together extra points for the hobbyist traveler who can't spend a fortune. I've sought an airline with no frills, but still character. Great rewards, but not a tiered program that will take me a lifetime and an international career to qualify for. 

I've landed finally on JetBlue only to realize that unlike most other major airlines, there aren't any resources dedicated to JetBlue as a whole, most likely due to the airline's relatively young age. 

So this blog is going to keep track of updates, deals, bonuses, points, hacks, churning - you name it, as long as it has to do with JetBlue travel. I wanted to share everything I learn and find so others can find it useful as well. Stick around and sign up for the email list to keep on top of updates and new offers!

 - John