JetBlue, which only last June pooh-poohed the idea, is now planning to open airport lounges at its two main hubs, New York's JFK and Boston Logan in hopes of luring premium passengers from competitors who already offer lounge access to their front-of-the-plane customers.
Only last June, JetBlue president Marty St George told The Points Guy that "Yes, people like lounges. Obviously, a lounge is better than no lounge ... lounges are also extremely expensive. The question is, are lounges [profit and loss] positive to do this big transatlantic lounge network? No."
Instead, JetBlue, which has struggled to return to pre-pandemic profitability was planning to concentrate on upgrading and expanding its Mint business-class product and possibly adding a first-class domestic experience onboard.
At 8,000 and 11,000 square feet, the new New York and Boston lounges will be among the smallest around; when they open in 2025 they will likely be limited to Mint passengers and JetBlue elite loyalty members. Some larger lounges add to income by allowing use by holders of programs like Priority Pass, but capacity makes that unlikely here.
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