Why I love JetBlue’s new overpriced and exclusive lounge passes

Zach Griff

3 hours ago

ZACH GRIFF

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Two months after opening, JetBlue is now selling day passes to its first-ever airport lounge — and they don’t come cheap.

BlueHouse, as the airline calls it, debuted at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Dec. 18. A second BlueHouse location is slated to open in Boston later this year.

Until now, access to BlueHouse has been limited to just three categories of travelers. That’s changing as JetBlue looks to further monetize the space.

JetBlue introduces BlueHouse day passes

Effective immediately, JetBlue is selling one-time passes to access BlueHouse.

That said, this isn’t a free-for-all. Even if you’re willing to pay, you need to either be a Mosaic elite member or traveling in Mint business class.

Here’s how the pricing breaks down:

Mosaic 1 and Mosaic 2 members: $79 per person
Mosaic 3 members: $59 per person
Mint travelers (on non-transatlantic routes): $59 person

Eligible travelers can bring guests, but each guest must purchase an additional day pass.

As a reminder, complimentary BlueHouse access is already available to the following passengers (with additional guests priced at $39 each):

Mosaic 4 members + 1 complimentary guest
JetBlue Premier World Elite Mastercard® cardmembers + 1 complimentary guest
Transatlantic Mint customers (with no guest)

BlueHouse is expensive and exclusive

JetBlue — yes, the airline with just one lounge that doesn’t even offer a proper food service — now offers the most expensive and exclusive lounge day pass in the industry.

Aside from Delta (which, thankfully for crowd control, doesn’t sell day passes), every other major U.S. airline sells lounge day passes to all passengers, not just elites or premium-cabin flyers.

For comparison, United charges $59 for a day pass, Alaska charges $65, and American charges $79. While JetBlue technically matches American’s top price point, its pass is far more restrictive.

I love this, but is it sustainable?

When JetBlue introduced BlueHouse, it promised that its lounges would never be overcrowded. There wouldn’t be a line to get inside, and once inside, you’ll always find a seat.

“The most important thing for us is not to make it overcrowded,” said airline president Marty St. George at the opening.

If you’ve visited an airport lounge during a peak travel day recently, you know how rare that kind of promise has become. In many cases, the terminal itself can feel more relaxing than the lounge.

Given that backdrop, JetBlue’s pricing and restrictions don’t surprise me. And frankly, I love them.

Am I a buyer at $59 or $79 per passenger? Absolutely not, at least not until BlueHouse gets a real kitchen. (I could be convinced if my flight were delayed by a few hours, or if I had a corporate expense account picking up the tab.)

Still, there will almost certainly be travelers willing to pay these prices. And those who do will likely enjoy a calm, uncrowded space, which is precisely the point.

The bigger question is whether this model is sustainable. JetBlue hasn’t posted a profit since 2019, and lounges are supposed to be one of the levers that help the airline get back into the black.

Maybe tight access controls will push more travelers toward JetBlue’s $499-a-year Premier credit card. Perhaps it’ll nudge some flyers into Mint or higher Mosaic tiers.

It’s too early to tell.

In the meantime, you’ll find me roaming around Terminal 5 saying hi to my 2,369 friends who also completed the airline’s viral 25-for-25 challenge.

Zach Griff Author

Zach Griff is a travel expert who’s covered airlines, loyalty programs, credit cards, and travel tech for nearly a decade. He’s visited 60+ countries and regularly shares his insights across Instagram, TikTok and X — and at From the Tray Table.

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1 comment

Jason says:

February 5, 2026 at 3:04 pm

At $79 it’s a nonstarter—that’s just to spur lower level elites to (re)consider the card. If you’re flying B6 enough to be elite the card probably makes sense…

At $59 it’s possible I’d try it once for novelty’s sake on a Mint trip, but probably not without hot food on offer. I can get to T5 pretty quick from T4, so’d probably just do CapitalOne or hit up a bar in T5.

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