If you’ve accumulated JetBlue TrueBlue points, you might be wondering a simple question: How many JetBlue points do I need for a flight?
The answer is not super straightforward as JetBlue TrueBlue is a revenue-based program. In plain English, the points price usually moves with the cash price of a ticket. When fares are low, awards are cheap. When fares spike (holidays, school breaks, last-minute travel), the price for an award tends to rise right along with them.
That predictability is the upside. The trade-off is that “outsized” redemptions on JetBlue-operated flights are less common than in programs that still rely on traditional award charts.
In this guide, we’ll cover what TrueBlue points are typically worth, how to estimate the number of points you’ll need for a given flight, redemptions on partners (including United and Qatar), and the best ways to consistently get strong value when you redeem JetBlue points.
TL;DR: JetBlue TrueBlue is a revenue-based program, meaning the price in points for JetBlue-operated award flights usually moves with the cash fare. When fares are low, awards tend to be cheaper. When prices rise, award redemption rates typically rise as well. While ultra-cheap awards do exist, JetBlue awards can start as low as 800 points one-way during limited promotional pricing and off-peak periods.
For estimating redemptions, many travelers use a practical rule of thumb: points needed ≈ (cash fare ÷ 0.0135). TrueBlue can also be redeemed on partner airlines. In many cases, partner redemptions can unlock stronger value, especially when cash prices are high.
Update note: This post was last updated in December 2025.
What’s the Minimum Number of JetBlue Points You’ll Usually Need for a Flight?
JetBlue does not price most awards using a published award chart. Instead, the price in points generally tracks the cash fare. When a flight goes on sale for cash, the points price tends to drop, too. When demand pushes fares higher, awards typically become more expensive.
Nevertheless, there is an answer to the absolute minimum number of TrueBlue points you need to book a flight. JetBlue award flights start at just 800 points one-way. 800-point redemptions can be quite hard to find as these are promotional fares and are typically only available during the off-season.
Outside of these cheap promotional fares, JetBlue award flights typically start in the low thousands for shorter domestic flights. As a rule of thumb, 3,000 points is usually a good baseline for short-haul domestic awards. Longer domestic flights – including flights from coast-to-coast – usually start at just over 5,000 points.
If you’re looking to redeem TrueBlue points for one of JetBlue’s flights to Europe, you can expect the minimum amount of points to jump up to around 16,000 points.
How to Estimate the Points You’ll Need for a TrueBlue Award Flight
JetBlue’s TrueBlue program being primarily revenue-based is both a blessing and a curse. It’s somewhat of a blessing in that you can easily estimate how many points you’ll need for an award flight operated by JetBlue. If you want a quick “back of the envelope” estimate for JetBlue-operated flights, start with this:
Estimated TrueBlue points needed = (Cash fare ÷ 0.0135)
Here is how that looks in practice:
- $100 fare → about 7,400 points
- $200 fare → about 14,800 points
- $350 fare → about 25,900 points
This is not an official JetBlue formula, and you will see variation by route, timing, and fare type. This formula becomes less accurate when a ticket is extremely cheap or fairly expensive. Still, it is a practical way to double-check whether an award is priced reasonably.
Rule of thumb: If the cash fare is cheap, the price in points is usually cheap. If the fare is expensive, the number of points needed will reflect this high cash fare.
Up to 100,000 Bonus Points: You may be eligible for an elevated American Express welcome offer. Select new applicants can receive a welcome offer of up to 100,000 bonus Membership Rewards® points with the American Express® Gold Card after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months of opening an account.
Tip: American Express Membership Rewards can be transferred to JetBlue TrueBlue at a ratio of 250 Amex MRs points to 200 TrueBlue points.
Check Now to See If You Qualify for this Elevated Offer
*Referral offers vary by applicant and can change at any time. Offer may only be available through select referral links. Terms, conditions, and $325 annual fee apply.
The Two Types of TrueBlue Redemptions
It’s easiest to cluster JetBlue redemptions in two buckets:
- JetBlue-operated flights, where pricing is tied almost exclusively to cash fares.
- Partner-operated flights, where pricing can behave more like an award chart, or it can be dynamically priced in a way that does not mirror JetBlue’s own flights.
Redeeming Points for Flights on JetBlue
For flights operated by JetBlue, award pricing is usually consistent and offers very predictable value. This does however, mean there really aren’t any true “sweet spots.” This is why TrueBlue is often a favorite for travelers who want simplicity and availability.
If JetBlue is selling a seat on a flight, you can book that seat with points. This means that, when booking TrueBlue awards for flights operated by JetBlue, you don’t have to wait around to see if award space will open up.
Most valuations put JetBlue points around 1.3 to 1.4 cents each when redeemed for flights operated by JetBlue. If you hold a JetBlue co-branded card with a points rebate benefit, the value of your redemptions can effectively increase.
Here are some sample JetBlue award redemptions available over the next few months:
| Route | Points Required | Cash Fare ($) | Value per Point (Cents) | Fare Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Atlanta (ATL) | 800 | $25 | 3.13 | Blue Basic |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to New Orleans (MSY) | 1,000 | $28 | 2.80 | Blue Basic |
| New York (JFK) to Boston (BOS) | 3,000 | $54 | 1.80 | Blue Basic |
| New York (JFK) to Phoenix (PHX) | 4,900 | $79 | 1.61 | Blue Basic |
| Denver (DEN) to Boston (BOS) | 5,700 | $89 | 1.56 | Blue Basic |
| San Francisco (SFO) to Charleston, SC (CHS) via New York (JFK) | 8,300 | $132 | 1.59 | Blue Basic |
| New York (JFK) to London-Heathrow (LHR) | 12,100 | $229 | 1.89 | Blue Basic |
| Boston (BOS) to Amsterdam (AMS) | 18,600 | $189 | 1.02 | Blue Basic |
Related: Review of JetBlue’s Mint “Throne” Business Class Seat
What About JetBlue Mint Awards?
Mint redemptions follow the same basic principle as economy redemptions: a higher cash fare means more points are required to book that flight. As the days of $499 Mint fares are, for the most part, long-gone, Mint award redemptions now require a large TrueBlue balance, especially during peak season.
However, Mint awards can become far more compelling when JetBlue offers the product on shorter leisure routes. In those cases, you may find that Mint awards are far more reasonable.
Here are a few sample Mint award flights available in the coming months:
| Route | Points Required | Cash Fare ($) | Value per Point (Cents) | Fare Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (JFK) to Phoenix (PHX) | 34,800 | $520 | 1.49 | Mint |
| Boston (BOS) to Bozeman, MT (BZN) | 37,900 | $499 | 1.32 | Mint |
| Boston (BOS) to St. Thomas, USVI (STT) | 38,900 | $499 | 1.28 | Mint |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Phoenix (PHX) | 40,200 | $599 | 1.49 | Mint |
| Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) | 63,200 | $1,758 | 2.78 | Mint |
| Boston (BOS) to Amsterdam (AMS) | 79,000 | $1,099 | 1.39 | Mint |
| New York (JFK) to London-Heathrow (LHR) | 266,000 | $2,958 | 1.11 | Mint |
Related: Here’s How To Make JetBlue’s Mint Class Cocktail
 |
Get through airport security faster with CLEAR+. Not sure if CLEAR is right for you? Sign-up now and receive 2 months of CLEAR+ at no charge.
|
Redeeming JetBlue Points on Partner Airlines
Partner awards are where TrueBlue can become more interesting. JetBlue allows TrueBlue members to redeem points with eight partner airlines. Nearly all partner award flights can be booked online, while some may require additional steps depending on routing and availability.
There are two important dynamics to understand before you start planning a partner redemption:
- Partner pricing does not always mirror cash fares the way JetBlue-operated pricing typically does.
- Some partner itineraries price by segment, meaning connecting itineraries can cost more because each leg is priced separately.
As of late 2025, JetBlue’s partner network has expanded in a few notable ways, including the ability for TrueBlue members to redeem points for flights on United Airlines through the Blue Sky venture. JetBlue also made it so that you can book award travel on Japan Airlines directly on jetblue.com.
New: Redeeming TrueBlue Points for United Flights
JetBlue and United’s “Blue Sky” venture allows TrueBlue members to both earn and redeem points for United-operated flights. This is a major win for the TrueBlue program, as it greatly increases the potential awards available to members.
That said, early award pricing hasn’t been fantastic. In most cases, United redemptions require more TrueBlue points than travelers might expect considering JetBlue’s relatively cheap short-haul awards.
If your goal is maximizing the value per TrueBlue point, you will want to compare:
- Using TrueBlue points on JetBlue flights
- Using MileagePlus miles on United flights
- Paying cash and saving points for a later redemption
Here are a few examples of TrueBlue awards for flights operated by United over the next few months:
| Route | Points Required | Cash Fare ($) | Value per Point (Cents) | Fare Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago (ORD) to St. Louis (STL) | 11,900 | $210 | 1.76 | Economy |
| Chicago (ORD) to St. Louis (STL) | 30,000 | $284 | 0.95 | Business (Domestic First Class) |
| San Francisco (SFO) to Charleston, SC (CHS) via Washington-Dulles (IAD) | 36,800 | $151 | 0.41 | Economy |
| Newark (EWR) to Sao Paulo (GRU) | 40,000 | $473 | 1.18 | Economy |
| Washington-Dulles (IAD) to London-Heathrow (LHR) | 44,900 | $384 | 0.86 | Economy |
| Newark (EWR) to Frankfurt (FRA) | 44,900 | $654 | 1.46 | Economy |
| San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) | 55,000 | $528 | 0.96 | Economy |
As this is still a relatively new partnership and JetBlue has stated that it will only be fully launched sometime in 2026, making sense of these awards is somewhat of a challenge. If this is going to be the long-term pricing for United awards, the value is not going to be great. However, we’re crossing our fingers that award pricing will become a bit more reasonable as this partnership progresses.
High-Value Partner Uses: Where TrueBlue Can Punch Above Its Weight
While JetBlue-operated awards tend to be consistent and pegged to the cash fare, partner awards are a bit different. This is particularly true when you can book premium cabins at a price that does not scale with a very expensive cash fare. As partner award rates tend to be more fixed than JetBlue flights, there are opportunities in which you will get a ton of value from your JetBlue points when booking with partner airlines.
In addition to United Airlines, JetBlue allows TrueBlue members to book award flights on the following airlines:
- Cape Air
- Condor
- Etihad Airways
- Icelandair
- Japan Airlines
- Qatar Airways
Here are some sample JetBlue partner award redemptions available over the next few months:
| Route | Points Required | Cash Fare ($) | Value per Point (in Cents) | Partner Airline / Fare Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (JFK) to Saranac Lake, NY (SLK) | 12,000 | $110 | 0.92 | Cape Air / Economy |
| Toronto (YYZ) to Frankfurt (FRA) | 19,000 | $302 | 1.59 | Condor / Economy |
| Washington-Dulles (IAD) to London-Gatwick (LGW) via Reykjavik (KEF) | 29,000 | $395 | 1.36 | Icelandair / Economy |
| New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) | 34,000 | $620 | 1.82 | Condor / Premium Economy |
| Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo-Haneda | 34,900 | $543 | 1.56 | Japan Airlines / Economy |
| New York (JFK) to Doha (DOH) | 39,000 | $733 | 1.88 | Qatar / Economy |
| London (LHR) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) | 69,000 | $2,359 | 3.42 | Etihad / Business |
| Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) | 79,900 | $3,295 | 4.12 | Japan Airlines / Business |
| London (LHR) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) via Doha (DOH) | 83,900 | $3,045 | 3.63 | Qatar / Business |
Related: Review of Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Business Class
What Happened to Hawaiian Airlines Partner Awards?
As a result of the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue ended its partnership with Hawaiian Airlines. This means that since September 30, 2025, TrueBlue members have been unable to use their points for award travel on Hawaiian.
Does JetBlue Have an Award Chart?
No. JetBlue does not have an award chart. As already mentioned, for flights operated by JetBlue, award pricing is mainly tied to the cash fare.
For partner redemptions, pricing behaves as it there was an award chart. However, even for partner awards, JetBlue does not publish an award chart. The result is that some partner awards can be far more attractive than JetBlue-operated awards if you are aiming for premium cabins or long-haul itineraries.
Does JetBlue Charge Fees on Award Tickets?
JetBlue itself does not impose any carrier surcharges on award tickets. However, like other airlines, JetBlue award tickets still include taxes and fees that you will need to cover when using your points. The good news is that on domestic U.S. itineraries, this comes out to just $5.60 per segment.
On some international flights including to popular destinations in Mexico, you will also need to cover government-imposed taxes. Outside of Europe, these taxes are usually pretty insignificant.
International Taxes and Fees
International award tickets can carry higher taxes and fees depending on the country, airport, and route. Some destinations are notably more expensive from a tax standpoint, and this can change what your “free” flight really costs out of pocket.
On flights departing Europe, some countries like the United Kingdom and France impose rather hefty taxes sometimes exceeding $300 when booking premium cabins. But to clarify, these are not fees imposed by JetBlue.
Related: How Many American Airlines Miles Do You Need for a Free Flight?
How to Maximize JetBlue Points for Award Travel
Because JetBlue-operated redemptions are generally tied to cash fares, most “sweet spots” come from timing rather than finding the hidden gems in an award chart. The simplest way to improve your results is to redeem TrueBlue points when JetBlue fares are discounted. Still, there are a few other ways to make the most of your JetBlue TrueBlue points when redeeming them for flights.
Book When JetBlue’s Flights Are on Sale
JetBlue is known for running promotions especially on its domestic flights. When a route goes on sale for cash, the award price drops as well. This is one of the most consistent ways to stretch TrueBlue points on JetBlue-operated flights. But, this does mean you’ll need to be flexible and rarely will you find any good deals during the peak summer travel season.
Stay Flexible on Dates and Times
That said, if you can travel off-peak or mid-week, you will often see lower cash fares, which means fewer points needed.
Use TrueBlue for Partner Award Redemptions
Partner awards can sometimes deliver much higher value for your points than if you were to redeem them exclusively for flights operated by JetBlue. This is especially true for premium cabin awards. When you can book a high-cash-price business class ticket at an award rate that does not scale with cash fares, TrueBlue becomes a powerful frequent flyer program.
While in theory these super lucrative premium cabin partner awards exist, they can be quite challenging to find. The carriers with the greatest amount of premium cabin award space include Condor, Icelandair, and even Japan Airlines. On the other hand, business class award space on Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and United is usually quite scarce.
Tip: If you are unable to find partner award availability in premium cabins, it may be worth it to give the TrueBlue service desk a call to see if you can’t track down space as some awards may not pop-up online.
Related: Sleeping Through a Flight in Qatar Airways QSuites
Topping Off Your JetBlue TrueBlue Balance
One of the advantages of JetBlue’s TrueBlue program is that it’s pretty easy to close a small points gap when you’re just short of an award redemption.
JetBlue Co-Branded Credit Cards
The most straightforward option for many travelers is earning points through everyday spending. JetBlue co-branded credit cards can accelerate your balance quickly. In addition to earning bonus points on JetBlue purchases, these cards often include features like points rebates on award bookings, which can effectively stretch your balance further once you redeem.
TrueBlue Transfer Partners
Another flexible option is transferring points from eligible transfer partners. JetBlue partners with several major programs allowing travelers to move points into their TrueBlue account when they need a top-up. Occasionally, you can even score a bonus on points transfers. It’s during these bonus promotions that points transfers make the most sense. Here are some of the programs from which you can transfer points to your JetBlue account:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Capital One
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Citi ThankYou Rewards
- Wells Fargo Go Far Rewards
Buy JetBlue Points
For travelers who are close to a redemption and value speed and convenience, purchasing points directly from JetBlue can also make sense in certain situations. Buying points at full price is rarely a good deal, but it can be useful when JetBlue runs promotions or when the alternative is paying cash for an expensive ticket. In those cases, purchasing a small number of points to unlock an award flight can be a reasonable trade-off, particularly if it saves a meaningful amount of money on the booking.
Tip: If you only need a small number of points to reach an award, it can be worth pricing out a top-off during a promotion.
- Buy JetBlue points here with up to 130% bonus points. (Ends December 31, 2025)
TrueBlue Points Pooling
Finally, JetBlue’s points pooling feature makes it easier for families and friends to reach a redemption faster. Pooling allows multiple members to combine their points into a shared balance, which can be especially helpful if points are spread across several accounts with modest balances. For many travelers, this is one of the simplest ways to “top off” an account without transferring or buying points at all.
 |
Only a few tiles short of the next Mosaic status? Buy as few as 1 or as many as 144 tiles. Terms & Conditions Apply
|
The Bottom Line
If you are wondering how many JetBlue points you will need for a free flight, the most accurate answer is that it depends on the cash fare. The number of points needed for a flight operated by JetBlue usually rises and falls alongside the price of the cash fare. For some, this makes TrueBlue one of the easier programs to plan around because you are rarely stuck waiting for “saver” space to appear and award pricing is predictable.
For many travelers, that predictability is the real value proposition. Where TrueBlue can become more interesting is when redeeming points for flights on partner airlines. While partner awards are not always the easiest to find, they are also where TrueBlue can deliver serious value.
If you want reliable redemptions and you value availability over hunting for unicorn deals, JetBlue points can be excellent to keep on hand. If you are chasing maximum value from premium cabin awards, you will want to turn to one of JetBlue’s eight partner airlines.
What are your favorite ways to redeem your JetBlue TrueBlue points for flights?
