If you’ve had a flight cancellation with JetBlue, you might have received a Jetblue Travel Credit. Understanding how to effectively use this credit is key to making the most of it. JetBlue offers the Travel Bank to manage these credits, essentially a digital holding space for your funds to be used on future flights or JetBlue Vacation packages.
Navigating the specifics of using your JetBlue travel credit can be tricky. This guide will provide you with all the essential information to confidently use your JetBlue Travel Bank account, minimize any potential issues, and ensure you don’t lose out on your travel funds.
Understanding the JetBlue Travel Bank
Most JetBlue fares offer flexibility when it comes to cancellations, allowing you to cancel without incurring fees. The primary exception is Blue Basic fares, which carry cancellation fees: $100 per person for routes within North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and $200 per person for all other routes.
This policy means that nearly every JetBlue ticket retains some value, provided you cancel before the scheduled departure. However, instead of a cash refund, canceled nonrefundable tickets are converted into a jetblue travel credit. This credit is automatically deposited into your JetBlue Travel Bank, linked either to your name or your JetBlue TrueBlue frequent flyer account. Your TrueBlue account also accumulates points from flights and spending on JetBlue credit cards.
Key Rules for JetBlue Travel Bank Credits
Like most airline travel credits, jetblue travel credit within the JetBlue Travel Bank comes with specific rules and limitations you need to be aware of to utilize them effectively.
Non-Transferable Credits with Flexible Usage
While jetblue travel credit itself is not transferable to another person, you have the flexibility to use it to book flights for others. This means you can use your credit to purchase tickets for friends, family, or anyone you choose.
The name on the ticket doesn’t need to match the Travel Bank account holder’s name, as long as the booking is made using your Travel Bank funds. You are not required to be traveling with the person whose ticket you are purchasing with your jetblue travel credit.
Limited Payment Methods
Jetblue travel credit can be applied to any type of JetBlue fare. However, a limitation arises when using it for taxes and fees on award tickets. In such cases, the credit must cover the entire amount due to a two-payment-method restriction per ticket. If one payment method is TrueBlue points, the other payment method (your Travel Bank credit) needs to cover all taxes and fees.
This restriction is particularly relevant when changing award tickets. JetBlue’s change process involves canceling the original ticket, redepositing points, and booking a new one. While points are instantly returned to your TrueBlue account, taxes and fees are refunded as jetblue travel credit into your Travel Bank, not back to your original payment method. If the new flight has higher taxes and fees, you cannot supplement your Travel Bank credit with another payment method. You’ll need to cover the additional cash portion separately.
12-Month Expiration Policy
Jetblue travel credit in the Travel Bank has a firm expiration date: 12 months from the original ticket booking date. This is the date you initially purchased your ticket, not your flight date or cancellation date, meaning the usable period is often less than a full year.
Keeping track of this date is crucial to ensure you use your jetblue travel credit before it expires.
JetBlue TrueBlue Travel Bank
If you are a JetBlue TrueBlue member, your Travel Bank balance, including your jetblue travel credit, is easily accessible within your account. Image Credit: JetBlue
Hot Tip: The expiration applies to booking a new flight, not completing travel. JetBlue’s schedule extends nearly a year in advance, so you can use your jetblue travel credit for future travel plans. Just ensure you book the flight before the credit’s expiration date.
Acceptable Uses for Your JetBlue Travel Bank
Jetblue travel credit within the Travel Bank is designated for specific uses, primarily related to air travel with JetBlue:
- Airfare and Taxes: For JetBlue-operated flights booked via jetblue.com or the JetBlue mobile app (iOS, Android).
- Award Flight Taxes and Fees: To cover taxes and fees on JetBlue award flights, provided the jetblue travel credit balance is sufficient for the entire amount.
- JetBlue Vacations Packages: For the airfare component of a JetBlue Vacations package.
- Airfare Increases on Changes: To cover any fare difference when changing a flight booking.
However, jetblue travel credit cannot be used for ancillary fees like checked baggage, pet fees, seat selection, or other travel-related charges. Essentially, its use is limited to forms of airfare for yourself or others.
Checking Your JetBlue Travel Bank Balance
Upon canceling a JetBlue flight, a Travel Bank account is automatically created if you don’t already have one. This account is linked to your JetBlue TrueBlue account if you are a member. To check your balance, simply log into your TrueBlue account on the JetBlue website and find the Travel Bank section in the account menu, usually located in the upper right corner.
For those without a TrueBlue account, login details for your Travel Bank are sent in two separate welcome emails after cancellation. One email contains a temporary password that must be changed within 48 hours. Use these details to log in to your Travel Bank account to view your balance and expiration date of your jetblue travel credit.
If you can’t locate these emails or have issues with the temporary password, JetBlue’s Login Lookup Form can help retrieve your login information.
Redeeming Your JetBlue Travel Bank Credit
Using your jetblue travel credit for a cash booking is straightforward. Search for your desired flight on the JetBlue website or app as usual.
During the payment process, you’ll be prompted to log in to your TrueBlue account (if not already logged in) to access and apply your Travel Bank credit, or to log in directly to your Travel Bank using the credentials provided by JetBlue.
JetBlue apply Travel Bank credit
You can easily apply your jetblue travel credit from your Travel Bank when booking flights directly through JetBlue’s website or mobile app. Image Credit: JetBlue
You are not required to use the entire jetblue travel credit balance at once. If your new ticket is cheaper than your credit amount, the remaining balance stays in your Travel Bank for future use. You can also choose to apply only a portion of your credit. Any remaining balance after applying your jetblue travel credit can be paid using a major credit card.
When booking with points, you’ll have the same option to use your Travel Bank credit towards the taxes and fees, remembering that the credit must cover the full amount due to the payment restrictions.
Extending JetBlue Travel Bank Credit Expiration
Unfortunately, extending the expiration date of jetblue travel credit is not possible. While you can book flights far into the future, the booking itself must be made before the 12-month expiration from the original ticket purchase date. Even JetBlue Mosaic elite status doesn’t grant exceptions to this policy.
Furthermore, unlike some airlines, if you use your jetblue travel credit to book a new flight and then cancel that flight, the credit retains its original expiration date. If that date has passed, the credit is forfeited.
This policy is less flexible than some other airlines. Many airlines will reset the expiration date upon booking a new flight with a credit and then canceling, and some, like Southwest, offer travel credits with no expiration dates. This highlights the importance of being mindful of expiration dates when holding jetblue travel credit.
Final Thoughts
Using your jetblue travel credit from the Travel Bank is generally seamless when booking with cash or when the credit fully covers award ticket taxes and fees. The integration into the booking process simplifies redemption. However, the 12-month expiration from the original booking date necessitates careful tracking to avoid losing your credit.
Remember, if you cancel a booking with multiple passengers, each passenger will receive their own jetblue travel credit in separate Travel Banks. Therefore, maintaining organized records of logins and TrueBlue accounts is crucial to manage all credits effectively and ensure no value is left unused.
