New JetBlue Premier Card: Credits, Lounge Access, $499 Fee

JetBlue is expanding its portfolio of credit cards, with the addition of the new $499-annual-fee JetBlue Premier World Elite Mastercard. The card opened to new applicants on Jan. 29, 2025, and it comes with premium benefits like airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit that can help defray that hefty annual fee — though the credit does come with some strings attached.

Annual fee: $499. ($150 for every authorized user.)

Limited-time sign-up bonus: 70,000 TrueBlue points and 5 tiles toward Mosaic qualification after spending $5,000 in the first three months of holding the card.

• 6 points per $1 spent on eligible JetBlue and Paisly purchases, including JetBlue Vacations. 

• 2 points per $1 spent at restaurants and eligible grocery stores. 

• 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. 

• Complimentary JetBlue lounge access for cardholders and one guest. 

• Earn up to $300 in annual statement credits for Paisly travel purchases, JetBlue’s online travel booking website. (You’ll get a $50 credit for each qualifying purchase you make of $250 or more, on up to six transactions per calendar year). 

• Priority boarding on JetBlue-operated flights.  

• First checked bag free for cardholders and up to three companions on the same reservation when you pay with your card. 

• 5,000 anniversary bonus points each year after your account anniversary and after you’ve paid your annual fee. 

• 10% points redemption bonus after you travel on a JetBlue-operated award flight. 

• Redeem points for a statement credit on purchases of $25 or more. 

• In-flight discounts like 50% off of eligible food and drink purchases on JetBlue-operated flights. 

• No foreign transaction fees.    

The card comes with some of the same travel perks that other premium travel cards offer. But its annual fee is steep for what you get in return.

While the JetBlue Premier card’s $300 travel credit can potentially help offset the cost of carrying it, that credit applies only toward purchases made through JetBlue’s online booking portal, Paisly. And unlike other premium cards with travel credits that are typically allotted without any caveats, the travel credit for the JetBlue Premier is awarded in increments and triggered only after you’ve spent a certain amount — you get $50 in credit for every $250 you spend, up to six times per year.

Plus, as of this writing, there’s no JetBlue-branded lounge available to visit. The company recently announced a plan to open its first two lounges starting in 2025, one at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and another at Boston Logan International Airport. But for now, the only lounges you’ll be able to visit are those in the Priority Pass network — a perk you can get on any number of cheaper travel cards.

Also, unlike some other travel cards with triple-digit annual fees, the card doesn’t bestow any automatic status, nor does it allow you to add authorized users at no additional yearly cost.

It’s also worth noting that the JetBlue Premier card earns the same ongoing rewards as the lower-tier JetBlue Plus Card, which also offers the same 5,000-point bonus every card anniversary, but for an annual fee of just $99.