JetBlue Mint is one of the best business class seats flying to Europe and back, but the lack of lounge access for business class passengers before heading overseas was a glaring weakness. No more.
JetBlue announced Thursday it'll finally get into the lounge game, with plans to open its first-ever lounges at its hubs in New York City (JFK) and Boston (BOS). JetBlue's New York Lounge is first up, though that's not expected to open until late 2025 … with a Boston outpost coming “soon after.”
Who will be able to get in? JetBlue Mint business class passengers heading to Europe, flyers with top-tier TrueBlue Mosaic 4 status, and … travelers with a new premium JetBlue credit card, which the airline also announced on Thursday. Details about that upcoming card are scarce, but JetBlue says more information is coming soon.
Neither lounge will be massive by any means. Located in its Terminal 5 home, the lounge at JFK will clock in at just 8,000 square feet. The Boston lounge in Terminal C will be slightly larger at 11,000 square feet.
While there are no renderings of what these new lounges will look like, JetBlue says they'll incorporate the airline's “iconic blue brand elements” along with local and regional artwork, personal touches, and functional amenities. Each lounge will also have a full-service bar, a barista-manned coffee bar, private workspaces, multiple lounge areas, and complimentary food and beverages.
But tight restrictions could ensure JetBlue's lounges don't get overcrowded. Only the following passengers can get in the door:
- Cardholders with the new premium JetBlue credit card
- Flyers with top-tier TrueBlue Mosaic 4 status
- JetBlue Mint passengers flying across the Atlantic – not on transcontinental or other international routes like the Caribbean
If there's space in the lounge, JetBlue says passengers will be able to purchase day passes and additional guest passes. The airline also plans to sell an annual lounge membership, but gave no hints about the cost.
The airport lounge wars are in full swing, and JetBlue is getting into the action late as it tries to turn around years of financial struggles.
Credit card companies are racing to open more of their own Chase Sapphire Lounges, Capital One Lounges, and Amex Centurion Lounges while other major airlines themselves build out more clubs. Delta recently opened its first, exclusive business class lounge in New York City (JFK), with three more on the way in the coming months.
Lounges are synonymous with “premium travel,” which is all the rage for airlines these days as carriers try to win over wealthier travelers who fly more frequently – and might be willing to spend more for a roomier seat.
But the credit card business has been their financial lifeline for years, leading to the funny-but-true joke that U.S. airlines have become credit card companies with planes. Delta, for example, made nearly $7 billion in revenue from its relationship with American Express last year, dwarfing its $4.6 billion total profit for 2023.
With no lounges of its own and a lackluster credit card portfolio, both have been major weak spots for JetBlue. Killing two birds with one stone with a premium credit card that includes lounge access could be a key part of their turnaround plan.
JetBlue currently has three co-branded credit cards: a no-annual-fee JetBlue Card, the JetBlue Plus Card, and the JetBlue Business Card – all operated by Barclays. While some of those cards come with worthwhile perks like free baggage, JetBlue hasn't offered a premium credit card stuffed with extra benefits like other U.S. airlines.
Dedicated lounges at its Boston and New York hubs also solves one of the few shortcomings of the excellent JetBlue Mint Suites experience flying to Europe and back.
Read next: Our JetBlue Mint Suite Review from Boston to Amsterdam
Bottom Line
After lagging behind other U.S. airlines, JetBlue is finally opening its own dedicated airport lounges at its hubs in New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS).
Those lounges won't open until late 2025 at the earliest. And they'll be incredibly restrictive: Only Mint business class passengers flying overseas, top JetBlue status holders, and cardholders with an upcoming premium credit card will be able to get in the door.