JetBlue’s Guide to Blue Basic

You want to travel cheaply? Basic economy fares promise to get you there for a fraction of the cost of regular economy tickets. They do not include all the benefits such as carry-on baggage, seat selection, standard boarding, and seat selection. JetBlue Airways’ basic economy fare Blue Basic promises you to get to your destination. However, it does not offer much else.

Let’s look at Blue Basic with JetBlue. How to book this type ticket and how to get great value for Blue Basic.

What’s Blue Basic on JetBlue?

Blue Basic tickets are a great way to get a basic experience. However, they will still be in economy class.

What to Expect with a Blue Basic Ticket:

• Baggage allowance: Only Blue Basic passengers are allowed to bring a personal item. Travelers heading to London or the UK are not permitted to bring a personal item. You can bring both your personal item and your carry-on bag on transatlantic flights.

• Boarding : Basic customers board the plane first, after everyone else.

• Check in: Blue Basic customers will use the economy checkin line.

• Economy class seats can be up to 18.4 inches in width, but this will depend on which aircraft you are flying. Seat pitch can be between 32 and 34 inches. Blue Basic customers can pay for a seat prior to check-in.

• Baggage Delivery: Basic passengers will receive their bags at the same time they get other economy class bags.

• Food – JetBlue passengers get free snacks and beverages when they fly with JetBlue.

• Cancellations and changes: Blue Basic fares do not have a cancellation fee, unlike JetBlue’s other seats. For flights to North, Central America, and the Caribbean, you’ll be charged $100 and $200 respectively. You’ll be charged a $75 fee for same-day changes, which is similar to other JetBlue fares.

How do I book a Blue Basic JetBlue flight

Blue Basic tickets can be purchased on all JetBlue flights. These tickets can be booked with either cash or points.

To begin, navigate to JetBlue.com’s homepage.

You can then enter the desired flight route and date. You can also select the box “Use TrueBlue Points span” if you are using points.

The results of your search will then be displayed. By default, they will display Blue Basic pricing.

Please note that JetBlue partners American Airlines. Blue Basic is not available on these flights.

You can switch the search results to the left side to find other types of fares. This page allows you to compare Blue Basic with Blue Plus, Blue Extra and Blue. You can also see the pricing for each tier.

After you have selected your flight, you will be prompted with a notice which explains all restrictions regarding Blue Basic tickets. Before you can proceed with your booking, you will need to agree.

Next, you will be asked to complete the checkout process. Here you’ll confirm your flight details and enter your traveler information.

You can also select seats, check your bag, choose priority security screening, or add a pet reservation.

Each of these options comes with an additional charge. As shown in the following example, the amount you pay for a particular seat assignment will vary depending on where you are sitting.

After you have selected and declined the options, you can pay for your ticket and book it.

What’s the difference between JetBlue Basic & Blue?

JetBlue Blue Basic and Blue fares have many differences, but the most important is the ability to cancel or change your ticket. JetBlue Blue Basic fares are $100 to modify for flights within North America or Central America. Blue fares are free to be modified for all other routes.

There are other differences:

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  Blue Basic tickets do not allow carry-on bags (except for flights from London), but Blue fares will allot one regardless of the route.
  

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  Advanced seat selection costs an additional fee for Blue Basic fares. It’s included with Blue Basic fares.
  

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  Blue Basic tickets are last.
  

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  Blue Basic tickets earn 1 TrueBlue Point per dollar and 1 TrueBlue Point as part of the online booking bonus. Blue fares above are eligible for 3 TrueBlue points per $1 in either case.
  

Similarities between both fares:

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  Both tickets include one personal item but no checked bag.
  

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  Both charges a $75 fee to have standby or same-day switches made.
  

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  Blue Basic and Blue fares include expedited security access via the airline’s Even More Speed program.
  

How to Get a Great Value on JetBlue Flights

You’re probably interested in getting a great price if you book a Blue Basic flight. There are many other options to get value from JetBlue. These include transferring points, earning elite status and looking at other fares.

JetBlue uses dynamic pricing for its reward flights. The number of points that you can redeem for a flight will directly correlate with the cash price. Finding a low-cost cash flight is your best option for great value, whether you’re using TrueBlue points or cash.

Flexibility is crucial to do this, as well as knowing when to search for cheap fares. NerdWallet research has shown that flying midweek is more affordable than taking a weekend getaway, and you can save even more by booking further in advance.

JetBlue has three flexible point currencies that it partners with, making it easy to earn lots of TrueBlue Points. When it comes time to transfer them to JetBlue, each currency has a different value.

These partners offer multiple points-earning cards and the following welcome offers:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve(r), Earn 80,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Chase Ultimate Rewards (r ).</span): This is $1,200 towards travel

•  

• Citi Premier(r), Card Get 80,000 ThankYou(r), Points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred(r), Card: You will earn 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. Chase Ultimate Rewards (r ).</span): Get $750 towards travel

• American Express(r), Gold Card: You will earn 60,000 Membership Rewards(r), points after you spend $4,000 with your Card on eligible purchases within the first 6 month of Card Membership. These terms and conditions apply.

Sign up for one or several of these Travel Cards to get enough points to earn an award ticket on JetBlue.

JetBlue only has one permanent elite status tier: Mosaic. JetBlue elite status holders receive an array of benefits including complimentary checked bags, premium seats, and bonus points on flights.

This is a list of perks that Mosaic elite members receive when they fly JetBlue:

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  Two checked bags for free.
  

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  Free carry-on bag.
  

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  Extra 3x points on JetBlue flight.
  

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  No in-flight alcohol charges
  

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  One-day Even More Space Seat, if Available.
  

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  Access the Even More Speed security lanes.
  

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  Early boarding, and a dedicated board lane.
  

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  No fees for same-day standbys and changes.
  

The pain of flying in basic economic is almost eliminated by JetBlue’s elite status. However, you will still need to pay for seat selections more than 24 hours before departure.

Even More Space is an add-on that you might consider if you are already looking to pay for a seat on your Blue Basic ticket. These tickets offer extra legroom and many other benefits that are particularly useful for basic economy passengers.

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  Carry-on bag included.
  

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  Early Boarding.
  

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  Access to overhead bins early.
  

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  Speed Security Lane.
  

These Even More Space seats are available on all JetBlue flights, but the price will vary depending upon your flight.

Blue Basic JetBlue, recapped

Blue Basic is not for everyone. It’s affordable, but it comes with a few restrictions. It does not allow you to carry a bag and it is prohibited from boarding last. There are also fees for changing or cancelling your ticket.

There are still ways to get good value from basic economy tickets, especially for JetBlue elite members. You can also buy an Even More Space ticket to get a few perks. Just make sure you find a low-cost flight to maximize your value.

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