JetBlue fare options get a new setup before BlueFirst launch
JetBlue is replacing Core with Main and adding Base, Standard and Flex choices across cabins as it prepares domestic first class.
By Maya Okafor · Markets Writer
· 3 min read
JetBlue fare options are getting a reset, and that matters for travelers and investors watching how airlines squeeze more revenue from each seat. JetBlue Airways is changing the choices customers see when they book, including a lower-cost, more restrictive option for its coming domestic first-class cabin.
The airline’s new booking flow starts with the seat experience. Customers will first choose among Main, JetBlue’s economy cabin; Even More, its extra-legroom seats; and BlueFirst, the domestic first-class product JetBlue plans to introduce later this year, according to the company.
After choosing the cabin, travelers will pick a fare type: Base, Standard or Flex. A fare type is the rule set attached to a ticket. It determines items such as seat selection, refund method, change fees and loyalty-point earnings, even when the physical seat may be in the same cabin.
What are JetBlue’s new fare options?
JetBlue’s Base fare is the cheapest option in the new structure, according to the airline. It includes a carry-on bag, but does not include seat selection. If a traveler cancels, the refund comes as a travel credit, and JetBlue will charge a fee to change or cancel the booking. Customers buying Base fares earn 1 TrueBlue loyalty point for every $1 spent.
Standard includes seat selection and removes change and cancellation fees, though travelers still have to pay any difference if the new fare costs more. Standard tickets earn 3 TrueBlue points per $1 spent.
Flex includes the Standard benefits and adds a more valuable refund rule: money goes back to the original form of payment, according to JetBlue. For travelers, that is the main difference between getting airline credit and getting cash or card credit back.
The overhaul also retires the “Core” label JetBlue currently uses. Economy fares will instead sit under the Main category. Even More will remain the airline’s extra-legroom section and will include earlier boarding and priority airport screening, according to JetBlue.
How does BlueFirst fit into the change?
BlueFirst is JetBlue’s planned domestic first-class seat, and the airline has not announced a launch date beyond saying it is slated for later this year. The new fare setup means BlueFirst will have the same Base, Standard and Flex choices as Main and Even More, including a more restrictive Base option at the front of the plane.
JetBlue is treating Mint differently. Mint is the airline’s lie-flat business-class product used on longer routes, including cross-country flights and service to European cities such as Paris, London and Milan. JetBlue said Mint will offer only Standard and Flex fares, leaving out a Base version for that cabin.
That is a different approach from United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which CNBC reported launched basic-style business fares this year. CNBC also reported that United said this month it will charge a premium for a blocked middle seat on some aircraft.
For investors following JetBlue, the fare redesign is another sign that airlines are dividing cabins into more price points as travelers keep paying for more comfort and perks. JetBlue is scheduled to report results Tuesday.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
