JetBlue Airways announced it will open its first airport lounges in its over two decades of operations as it plans to attract the high-end fliers, marking a shift in low-cost airline's business strategy.
According to its press release, JetBlue would be opening lounges at the New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport Terminal 5 in late 2025 and follow it up with another lounge in Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) Terminal C.
"Customers have asked for a JetBlue lounge for years and we can't wait to unveil our take in New York and Boston," said Marty St. George, the president of the airline company in a statement.
"Lounges have become an essential offering for the growing numbers of customers seeking premium experiences, and JetBlue's lounges will further boost the value of our TrueBlue loyalty program as we expand our portfolio of JetBlue credit cards," he added.
Aside from the lounges, it also partnered with Barclays to launch its new "premium" credit card. The airline seems to have taken cue from other carriers like American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines, which have seen billions in their income stream by offering customers good credit card deals, NBC News reported.
JetBlue noted that the lounges may soon be accessed by customers who would be having soon-to-be-announced premium credit card. Those who booked in the business class of JetBlue's Mint trans-Atlantic travel could likewise access the said area.
The airline would be offering its select passengers with an 8,000 square foot lounge at the Terminal 5 of the JFK Airport in New York. It is slated to open late next year but exact dates have not yet been disclosed. A much-bigger lounge at 11,000 square feet will be opened soon after for JetBlue passengers at the Terminal C of Logan International Airport in Boston.
The company has deferred procurement on new Airbus jetliners in a measure to cut costs and return to profitability. It also reduced the routes this year and has been looking for means to deploy aircrafts that have its Mint cabin feature.
Jayne O'Brien, head of marketing and customer support of the company, told CNBC that at the outset, passengers on other Mint routes like those in transcontinental flights will not be eligible to enjoy the lounges.
"We want to be very thoughtful about how we step into this," she said, underscoring that the company does not want to disappoint customers in case they could not get in the lounge because of being too crowded.
It is not only JetBlue Airways that has been going out of its way to further attract customers. Other airlines have also been overhauling their lounges to reel in big-spenders and accommodate bigger groups.
For instance, Delta Airlines launched its first Delta One lounge at the JFK Airport after complaints of long lines at its Sky Club lounges surfaced. The new lounge caters only to the highest-level cabin customers and a number of "invite-only" elite members of its SkyMiles program.
American Airlines and United Airlines also have these dedicated lounges for travelers in top cabins.
