Another week, another lounge opening … but this one's special because it's a first.
JetBlue announced Thursday that its very first airport lounge will open its doors in Terminal 5 at its New York City (JFK) hub next Thursday, Dec. 18. The airline hinted it would throw its hat into the lounge wars with spaces in New York and Boston (BOS) just over a year ago – a key part of the carrier's turnaround plan after years of financial struggles. A Boston lounge is expected to open early next year.
But the JFK lounge – dubbed a “BlueHouse” is up first, and it looks like a winner. At 9,000 square feet spread across not one but two floors, it's sizable though not exactly massive. And it leans into Art Deco design with plenty of gold finishes, deep blue with the occasional pop of pastel colors, and old school New York touches like a wall of early 1900s mailboxes stuffed with small gifts for visitors.
There's a dedicated game room for tiny travelers, and Wi-Fi and power outlets are available at virtually every seat for everyone else. Drinks are a big emphasis, from handcrafted cocktails and locally brewed beers to barista-made coffee and chai. Yet dining shies away from the typical buffet line setup, instead focusing on grab-and-go items like bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwiches – a New York staple – for breakfast and chicken caesar wraps for lunch and dinner.
“BlueHouse helps make our flagship terminal feel more like home,” said Marty St. George, president of JetBlue. “It’s warm, comfortable, and elevated in a way that’s distinctly JetBlue, with the hospitality and thoughtful amenities our customers have been asking for.
Even at 9,000 square feet, it could be a recipe for overcrowding … like virtually every other airport lounge in the country these days. But JetBlue is incredibly restrictive about who it'll let in the doors.
Only customers with top-tier Mosaic 4 status, the airline's premium JetBlue Premier World Elite Mastercard®, or a transatlantic business class ticket flying JetBlue Mint Suites can get in for free. Guests cost another $39 a pop.
Starting sometime in February, the airline plans to begin selling “limited access passes” (read as: these likely won't be available if the lounge is full) to customers with lower tiers of Mosaic status and lower-tier JetBlue credit cards, as well as passengers flying Mint on other routes that don't cross the pond.
No matter your ticket type or what's in your wallet, you won't be able to get into JetBlue's lounge with a Blue Basic (basic economy) ticket, period.
The airport lounge wars are in full swing, and JetBlue is getting into the action late as it tries to turn around years of financial struggles. They're not alone.
Credit card companies are racing to open more of their own Chase Sapphire Lounges, Capital One Lounges, and Amex Centurion Lounges while other major airlines themselves build out more clubs. In the last year alone, Delta has opened four exclusive Delta One business class lounges at some of its biggest hubs.
Lounges are synonymous with “premium travel,” which is all the rage for airlines these days as carriers try to win over wealthier travelers who fly more frequently – and might be willing to spend more for a roomier seat.
For JetBlue, lounges were a sorely missing piece of the premium travel puzzle. The airline's Mint Suites flying across the Atlantic are outstanding, but there was nowhere for those high-paying passengers to relax before boarding the plane to London-Heathrow (LHR), Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), and an increasing number of European destinations – including Milan (MXP) and Barcelona (BCN) next year!
Bottom Line
JetBlue is finally ready to open its first lounge.
The carrier's first “BlueHouse” lounge is set to open next Thursday, Dec. 18 in New York City (JFK) while a second location is expected to open early next year in Boston (BOS).
