(interesting)
Why I've never flown JetBlue
Today in the Sky reporter Ben Mutzabaugh is on vacation. Instead of its usual format, Today in the Sky will appear as a column until he returns on Dec. 17.
I have never flown JetBlue. Not once.
It has nothing to do with the carrier's service. I hear the experience on a JetBlue flight far exceeds anything I get on a typical flight on one of the so-called major carriers (American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways).
Still, I find myself unwilling ditch my usual carrier — United — for even a single flight on JetBlue.
What has me so loyal to United that I won't even give JetBlue a try? The answer is simple: frequent-flier miles.
Yes, JetBlue has a frequent-flier program of its own, but I don't think it would do me much good. United's, however, keeps me hooked regardless of the luxuries to be found on JetBlue.
Here's why: JetBlue uses a points system. You get 2 points for a short flight, 4 points for a medium-length flight and 6 points for a long flight. Double those points if you buy your tickets on JetBlue's Web site. A free ticket is awarded at 100 points.
For example, if I fly round trip between Washington and Oakland (considered a long flight), I get 24 points if I buy my ticket online. Between Washington and Fort Lauderdale (a medium flight), I'd get 8 points for a round-trip flight bought online.
United, on the other hand, awards mileage the way most major carriers do — based on actual mileage flown, with a minimum of 500 miles per flight. If I fly from Washington to New York, I get 1,000 miles for round-trip travel. If I fly from Washington to San Francisco, I get roughly 5,000 miles for a round-trip itinerary. Book online, and the airline adds 1,000 bonus miles.
And there's another big difference between the programs: Expiration dates.
JetBlue's points expire after a year; if you haven't accumulated your 100 points in 365 days, no free ticket for you. United's miles never expire, as long as you have account activity at least once every three years. (Other major carriers have similar policies.)
If I fly between Washington and California four times in a year, I'll get 96 points from JetBlue, if I book online. So close, but not enough points for a free ticket. And if I don't fly any more that year, those miles are gone for good.
Conversely, if I fly United from Washington to San Francisco just once in a year, I earn about 6,000 miles if I book on the airline's Web site. I may not fly United again for another year, but those 6,000 miles remain in my account.
So, I take two flights to San Francisco the next year — now my account is up to 18,000 miles. That's about one cross-country flight away from a free ticket, and I have the luxury of taking that next trip anytime within the next three years.
As it turns out, I actually flew between D.C. and California three times last year. I would not have qualified for a free JetBlue ticket, and those trips would have been wasted in regards to my mileage account. But I did make two of my three California trips with United and its codeshare partner US Airways — earning about 13,000 miles in the process.
And what did those 13,000 miles get me? Remember, my United miles don't expire as long as my account is active. So, those 13,000 miles — combined with other trips and mileage bonuses I've accumulated during the last three years — were enough to push my account to 50,000 miles, which I redeemed for a flight to Europe on United's Star Alliance partner Austrian Airways.
I'm already planning my next trip — this time to San Francisco. Should I take a chance and fly JetBlue, hoping that I'll earn enough points this year for a free ticket? Or, should I just fly United (or one of its partners), knowing that those miles will sit in my account indefinitely.
Hmm … I'll ponder it while I'm in Vienna.
Why I've never flown JetBlue
Today in the Sky reporter Ben Mutzabaugh is on vacation. Instead of its usual format, Today in the Sky will appear as a column until he returns on Dec. 17.
I have never flown JetBlue. Not once.
It has nothing to do with the carrier's service. I hear the experience on a JetBlue flight far exceeds anything I get on a typical flight on one of the so-called major carriers (American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways).
Still, I find myself unwilling ditch my usual carrier — United — for even a single flight on JetBlue.
What has me so loyal to United that I won't even give JetBlue a try? The answer is simple: frequent-flier miles.
Yes, JetBlue has a frequent-flier program of its own, but I don't think it would do me much good. United's, however, keeps me hooked regardless of the luxuries to be found on JetBlue.
Here's why: JetBlue uses a points system. You get 2 points for a short flight, 4 points for a medium-length flight and 6 points for a long flight. Double those points if you buy your tickets on JetBlue's Web site. A free ticket is awarded at 100 points.
For example, if I fly round trip between Washington and Oakland (considered a long flight), I get 24 points if I buy my ticket online. Between Washington and Fort Lauderdale (a medium flight), I'd get 8 points for a round-trip flight bought online.
United, on the other hand, awards mileage the way most major carriers do — based on actual mileage flown, with a minimum of 500 miles per flight. If I fly from Washington to New York, I get 1,000 miles for round-trip travel. If I fly from Washington to San Francisco, I get roughly 5,000 miles for a round-trip itinerary. Book online, and the airline adds 1,000 bonus miles.
And there's another big difference between the programs: Expiration dates.
JetBlue's points expire after a year; if you haven't accumulated your 100 points in 365 days, no free ticket for you. United's miles never expire, as long as you have account activity at least once every three years. (Other major carriers have similar policies.)
If I fly between Washington and California four times in a year, I'll get 96 points from JetBlue, if I book online. So close, but not enough points for a free ticket. And if I don't fly any more that year, those miles are gone for good.
Conversely, if I fly United from Washington to San Francisco just once in a year, I earn about 6,000 miles if I book on the airline's Web site. I may not fly United again for another year, but those 6,000 miles remain in my account.
So, I take two flights to San Francisco the next year — now my account is up to 18,000 miles. That's about one cross-country flight away from a free ticket, and I have the luxury of taking that next trip anytime within the next three years.
As it turns out, I actually flew between D.C. and California three times last year. I would not have qualified for a free JetBlue ticket, and those trips would have been wasted in regards to my mileage account. But I did make two of my three California trips with United and its codeshare partner US Airways — earning about 13,000 miles in the process.
And what did those 13,000 miles get me? Remember, my United miles don't expire as long as my account is active. So, those 13,000 miles — combined with other trips and mileage bonuses I've accumulated during the last three years — were enough to push my account to 50,000 miles, which I redeemed for a flight to Europe on United's Star Alliance partner Austrian Airways.
I'm already planning my next trip — this time to San Francisco. Should I take a chance and fly JetBlue, hoping that I'll earn enough points this year for a free ticket? Or, should I just fly United (or one of its partners), knowing that those miles will sit in my account indefinitely.
Hmm … I'll ponder it while I'm in Vienna.
