JetBlue Premier Card* vs. JetBlue Plus Card*
You don’t necessarily need to shell out the big bucks to access JetBlue benefits. The JetBlue Plus Card* comes with a lot of the same benefits you may love on the JetBlue Premier. Both cards earn at the same rate. They also come with identical checked bag benefits, discounts on in-flight food and beverage purchases, 10% point rebates and 5,000 anniversary points. You’ll even earn Mosaic tiles from card spending at the same rate.
The cards primarily differ in two ways: First, the Plus card does not offer airport lounge access. Secondly, the potential to earn statement credits is different on the Plus card. Instead of earning credits for eligible Paisly purchases, you can earn up to $100 in statement credits when spending $100 or more on a JetBlue Vacations package. Though that’s a smaller credit, it may be easier to earn—it only requires one purchase rather than being doled out in increments.
JetBlue Premier Card* vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® costs a little more than the JetBlue Premier, but it builds in far more flexibility. The Sapphire Reserve’s $300 travel credit applies to any travel booked on the card, and Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be redeemed at 1.5 cents per point—or 50% more value— when booking through Chase Travel (sometimes outperforming the value of TrueBlue points). You can also transfer Ultimate Rewards to TrueBlue—and other partner programs—to book through the airline at a 1:1 ratio.
The Sapphire Reserve also includes airport lounge access, a credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees every four years, and extensive trip protections. Where it falls short is on JetBlue-specific perks. You won’t receive any free checked bags, award flight rebates or Mosaic status extras. However, many travelers may view the flexible rewards and travel credit as more valuable benefits.
JetBlue Premier Card* vs. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
If your only priority is entering airport lounges, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees) is a more affordable option. The Venture X provides strikingly similar airport lounge access through Priority Pass™ and Capital One Lounges (after enrollment), but the card’s annual fee is $100 less than the JetBlue Premier, and there’s no additional fee for authorized users. That’s a nice discount, though at the expense of giving up JetBlue Mosaic earnings and in-flight benefits.
The Venture X has a major advantage when it comes to earning rewards, as its base rate of 2X miles is twice as good as the JetBlue Premier’s. It also offers an anniversary mileage bonus of 10,000 miles (again, double what JetBlue offers). It includes a $300 credit toward Capital One Travel purchases, which is easier to earn than the potential Paisly credits. Miles can be transferred to JetBlue, but at a poor rate. You’re likely better off paying with miles to book JetBlue flights through Capital One Travel.