JetBlue usually announces status match and challenge offers for its TrueBlue loyalty program every year. This year, they announced it in mid-July and enrollment ends on August 14th, 2017 at 11:59pm eastern. That’s this Monday night, so if you’re considering enrolling, I would do it by then!
If you have status with a qualifying airline, you can enroll in the status match, which gives you TrueBlue Mosaic status until December 31, 2017. At the same time, you’ll be registered for the challenge, which gives you 90 days for the opportunity to re-up Mosaic status through the end of 2018.
If you don’t have status, you can still qualify for the challenge only, but you won’t have Mosaic status for the time-being.
You can enroll in the status match and/or challenge on JetBlue’s website by providing your proof of existing status with a competing carrier. Eligible status includes:
- Virgin America: Elevate Silver or Gold
- Alaska Airlines: Mileage Plan MVP Gold or MVP Gold 75k
- American Airlines: AAdvantage Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum
- Delta: SkyMiles Medallion Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond
- Southwest Airlines: Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred or Companion Pass
- United: MileagePlus Premier Silver, Gold, Platinum or Premier1K
Whether or not you status match is a personal decision, but I know of several people who have done the status match almost every year it has been offered, so it doesn’t seem like it’s a “once-in-a-lifetime-only” offer. That can always change in the future, but it isn’t their policy at the moment.
If you decide to go for the challenge, you’ll have 90 days to earn 3,750 base flight TrueBlue points, which is basically like saying you have to spend $1,250 on JetBlue flights before taxes/fees and fly them within that 90-day period.
I’m considering completing this challenge with some upcoming flights I’ve yet to book, and so I have delayed signing up for the promotion until the bitter end so that I can have until mid-November to try and qualify for Mosaic status in 2018. Signing up later means that my 90 days starts later!
I’m considering using this as an opportunity to fly JetBlue Mint from New York to Los Angeles. Mint fares on that route can be had for as cheap as $559 each way, but that includes taxes and fees. A $559 fare is actually only about $506 in base ticket prices, so the cheapest Mint round-trip will get you to just over 3,000 base flight TrueBlue points. You’ll need another ~$300 in total fares to get you over the hump. Expect to have to spend about $1,500 total in domestic fares if you want to qualify for Mosaic status.
Mosaic status normally requires 15,000 base flight points ($5,000 pre-tax spending) or 12,000 base flight points + 30 segments ($4,000 pre-tax spending + 30 segments) over a calendar year to qualify.
While status does not come with things like upgrades, remember that JetBlue Mosaic status has some other cool perks, including waived change and cancellation fees for Mosaic members and others on the same itinerary. As someone who values flexibility, I think that’s a huge plus. Having Mosaic status opens up a great way to keep great value out of FlexPerks points in 2018.
