JetBlue has unveiled plans on Thursday morning to build new airport lounges at two of the busiest airports in the U.S.. This move from the low-cost airline is a crucial one in order to take some market share from more popular airlines.

JetBlue's Moving In

JetBlue is set to build its first two airport lounges starting next year. The first lounge is set to open at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 5 in late 2025. Another lounge is slated to be open at Boston Logan International airport some time after.

These new lounges will be exclusive to a select group of JetBlue customers. To access these lounges, travelers must either purchase a Transatlantic Mint flight, attain the highest level in JetBlue's TrueBlue loyalty program (Mosaic 4), or sign up for JetBlue's new premium credit card. According to JetBlue's press release, those that qualify for lounge access will be able to bring one guest with them for free, but additional guest passes can be made available for purchase.

Each lounge is set to provide travelers with three different "areas": A bar, office, and lounge:

• The full-service bar will serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. 
• The office will provide free Wi-Fi and private workstations for travelers to work from using laptops and other devices. A coffee bar will also be available within this area.
• The lounge will have cozy seating areas for travelers to relax and converse with others. Complimentary food and drinks will also be served here.

The new lounge at the JFK airport will have a size of 8,000 square feet. The Boston lounge is planned to be even larger, at 11,000 square feet in size. Both lounges will heavily feature JetBlue's branding, with elements of the color blue providing a very calming atmosphere ideal for both rest and productivity.

In conjunction with these new lounges, JetBlue is introducing a new premium card and new perks for the TrueBlue program. Details of JetBlue's new card have yet to be unveiled at this time. For loyalty members, however, they can gain lounge access for either achieving "Mosaic 4" status or earning a "Move to Mint" certificate that can be redeemed towards a Mint flight upgrade. 

JetBlue Vs. The World

President of JetBlue Marty St. George had this to say in Thursday morning's press release:

“Customers have asked for a JetBlue lounge for years and we can’t wait to unveil our take in New York and Boston. 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.”

With JFK and Boston airports serving over 60 million and 40 million passengers each year, respectively, new lounges can certainly increase JetBlue member enrollment.

JetBlue has had a stellar month of big announcements to further push the brand to the forefront. In addition to being the official airline of the Boston Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, and New England Patriots, JetBlue has signed a deal with the New York Islanders NHL team to be their official airline as well. JetBlue has also recently extended loyalty benefits to customers that also fly with Cape Air.

Company policy also changed on September 6 that made carry-on bags free across all classes.

JetBlue is certainly making waves in the air travel industry, and along with yesterday's Alaska-Hawaiian merger, there is plenty of competition on the horizon for Delta, United, Southwest, and American.