JetBlue Blue Basic Fares: What Are The Restrictions, And Is It Worth It?

Back in 2019, JetBlue introduced Blue Basic, which is the carrier’s version of basic economy. In this post, I’d like to take a look at these fares. What restrictions are there when booking JetBlue’s basic economy fares, and are these tickets worth it?

JetBlue’s basic economy fares can represent a pretty good value, and are certainly competitive with what’s offered by Delta, which is JetBlue’s biggest competitor in many markets. Separately, I’ve covered similar fares offered by Alaska, American, Delta, and United.

What is basic economy, and why does it exist?

Basic economy was introduced many years back as a way for major US airlines to better compete with ultra low cost carriers, like Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit, etc. At least that was the claim, with the idea being that basic economy comes at a lower cost, but with more restrictions.

Basic economy is ultimately a tool for airlines to better segment the market. Those looking for the cheapest fares might book JetBlue basic economy fares rather than a competitor, while the airline hopes that most consumers are willing to “buy up” to more expensive fares, which come with fewer restrictions.

Airline revenue management is quite an art, and it’s all about getting as much revenue as possible from each customer. Basic economy fares are a major part of that.

Restrictions with JetBlue Blue Basic fares

If you’re shopping for a JetBlue flight and see a Blue Basic fare, should you consider booking it? Let me go over the major restrictions of these kinds of fares.

Before I do, let me mention the things that aren’t different about basic economy fares compared to regular economy fares. Most significantly, JetBlue basic economy fares do include a full size carry-on bag, just like what all other economy passengers receive.

Furthermore, basic economy passengers get the same perks once onboard, including things like seat back entertainment, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. However, other than that, the differences are significant. Now let’s talk about what is different with these fares…

Blue Basic fares offer limited points earning

JetBlue basic economy fares offer limited points earning in the TrueBlue frequent flyer program:

• When booking one of these fares, you earn 2x TrueBlue points per dollar spent directly with JetBlue
• JetBlue’s more expensive fares offer 6x TrueBlue points per dollar spent directly with JetBlue
• I value TrueBlue points 1.3 cents each, so to me, you’re giving up around a 5.2% return

Note that JetBlue basic economy fares count toward Mosaic elite status the same way as any other flights. You earn elite status based on how many tiles you rack up, and you earn one tile per $100 in qualifying spending with JetBlue. This includes all types of JetBlue fares.

Blue Basic fares have seat assignment restrictions

Those booking JetBlue basic economy fares can’t assign seats for free at the time of booking. So here’s how that works:

• JetBlue basic economy allows you to assign seats at no cost up to 24 hours before departure; you can actually select your seat at that point, rather than just being assigned a seat at random, and not having the option of changing it
• More than 24 hours before departure you can pay to assign a seat, ranging from a standard seat, to an EvenMore seat (JetBlue’s extra legroom economy), though the cost to assign an EvenMore seat is higher than it would be on a more premium fare
• This policy also applies to JetBlue Mosaic members, so they don’t get free seat selection on these fares

Blue Basic fares come with last group boarding

When traveling on basic economy fares, JetBlue passengers can only board with the last boarding group, which is ordinarily Group F. However, note that if you have JetBlue Mosaic status, then you can take advantage of your normal early boarding privileges.

Blue Basic fares provide limited ticket flexibility

Nowadays JetBlue no longer has change fees on most kinds of tickets, meaning that if you need to cancel a ticket, you’ll be issued a credit that you can apply toward a future reservation.

The one exception is on basic economy fares, which don’t have the same flexibility. However, the good news is that it’s not a full-on use it or lose it situation. Instead, you can apply the value from your JetBlue Blue Basic fare toward another ticket, with the following penalties:

• There’s a $100 penalty for changing a Blue Basic fare for travel within North America, Central America, and the Caribbean
• There’s a $200 penalty for changing a Blue Basic fare for travel to or from Europe

Blue Basic fares offer limited Mosaic perks

If you have JetBlue’s Mosaic elite status, it’s worth understanding that Blue Basic fares limit your benefits. As mentioned above, you’re still eligible for priority boarding. However, on Blue Basic fares you’re not eligible for EvenMore seats or preferred seats on a complimentary basis, and you’re also not eligible for same day flight changes.

So these fares are particularly punitive for elite members, since you’re forgoing some of the most valuable elite perks on these fares.

Are JetBlue Blue Basic fares worth it?

The answer is obviously “it depends.” There are lots of factors here, like how much cheaper a basic economy fare is, if you have Mosaic status, how much you value flexibility, etc. The thing about JetBlue basic economy fares is that I find that it’s usually not that much more expensive to “buy up” to a higher fare (at least in terms of the absolute amount).

For example, taking a random New York to Boston flight, I see basic economy available for $69, which is $25 cheaper than the standard economy fare.

Taking a random New York to London flight, I see basic economy available for $235, which is $100 cheaper than the standard economy fare.

Regardless of how often you fly JetBlue, basic economy fares primarily restrict your ability to assign seats in advance for free, reduce your points earning, and give you limited ticket flexibility. However, for most people that’s not going to be a huge deal.

The thing about JetBlue basic economy fares is that it’s easy enough to recreate a standard economy experience. You can buy an EvenMore seat when booked on one of these fares, and then you get priority boarding and more.

The catch is that assigning an EvenMore seat is more expensive on a basic economy fare than a regular economy fare. The difference isn’t necessarily huge, but it is noticeable. For example, let’s look at the same JetBlue flight from New York to Boston. Below is the seat map when booking a Blue fare (non-basic economy).

Below is the seat map when booking a Blue Basic fare (basic economy).

As you can see, EvenMore seats are $10 more expensive on a Blue Basic fare than a Blue fare. So you’re saving $25 on a Blue Basic fare, but then you pay an extra $10 to get an EvenMore seat, lowering your savings to $15. For that you earn fewer points, less ticket flexibility, etc.

Bottom line

JetBlue offers basic economy fares in the form of its Blue Basic fare bundle. These fares have reduced ticket flexibility, offer less points earning potential, offer last group boarding, and limit Mosaic elite perks.

While there are ways to get around some of these restrictions, I tend to think that really eats into the value of these fares, since the premium to buy up from a Blue Basic to Blue fare is typically minimal. In particular, these fares are probably worth avoiding if you have elite status.

What’s your take on the value proposition of JetBlue basic economy fares?