How to Use JetBlue Travel Bank (& Other Things to Know About It)

Allowing free cancellations and flight changes up until the day before departure on all fares other than the cheapest Blue Basic, JetBlue has a lenient cancellation/flight change policy compared to many other airlines. The only caveat is that the fare is returned in the form of a travel credit managed using the airline’s Travel Bank system rather than in cash.

Continue reading to learn more about how to use JetBlue Travel Bank. First, though, let’s start by looking at the difference between canceling a JetBlue flight and getting a refund.

Canceling and Refunding a JetBlue Flight Is Not the Same

When booking a JetBlue flight, you will be able to choose from four different fare types: Blue Basic, Blue, Blue Extra, and the equivalent of business/first class – Mint.

The three “Blue” economy class fares differ in the level of service included. For example, the Blue Basic fare does not include a full-size carry-on and advance seat selection, and the Blue Extra fare offers free same-day changes as compared to the Blue Basic and Blue (and Mint) fares where same-day changes come at a cost of $75.

Another thing that differs is the ability to cancel a flight free of charge. As mentioned in the introduction, JetBlue is fairly flexible in this regard, allowing flights booked in all fares other than the Blue Basic fare to be canceled for free. The value of the canceled flight is put into the passenger’s Travel Bank in the form of future travel credit.

It is important to note, however, that the travel credit is only valid for 12 months from the date of the original booking, needs to be used for travel on JetBlue, and cannot be refunded to the original form of payment – i.e. you cannot get what you paid for your flight back in cash.

Instead, the ability to refund a flight to the original form of payment is offered as a separate option when booking a flight. While this “refundability” can cost as little as $71 extra on top of a $168 Blue economy class flight from Newark to Los Angeles, it can cost as much as $2,883 extra on top of a $658 Mint flight from New York JFK to Los Angeles.

What Is JetBlue Travel Bank?

JetBlue Travel Bank is a system that the airline uses to manage travel credits.

While it can be used in conjunction with JetBlue’s True Blue frequent flyer program, one does not have to be a member in order to use it. Instead, just like when I had to cancel a JetBlue flight last year, if you are not a member of JetBlue’s frequent flyer program, a Travel Bank log-in information will be automatically generated for you when you cancel your flight.

You can then use that log-in information to check your Travel Bank balance and transactions on the system’s dedicated website as well as to pay for flights on JetBlue’s main website.

How to Use JetBlue Travel Bank

Luckily, using JetBlue Travel Bank credits is very easy – you simply have to follow the regular booking process on the JetBlue website.

First, you enter your travel details after which you choose from the list of available flights and fares. Then you will go through a couple of screens where you can add various options to your flight, choose seats, and input passenger details. Finally, you will reach a “Review & Pay” screen where you will enter your credit card details.

On this screen, there is also a “Travel Credit” section that you click on and expand. Here, you will have the option of accessing your travel credit either by logging into your True Blue frequent flyer account or into your Travel Bank account.

Once logged in using either method, you will see the balance you have available in your Travel Bank and will be able to enter the amount you want to apply toward the flight you are booking. In other words, you do not have to use all your credit at once. With the credit applied, you can proceed with finishing the reservation as usual.

After you complete a booking that uses your Travel Bank credit, the transaction will appear in the statement on the Travel Bank website. You will also get a confirmation email detailing the Travel Bank transaction in addition to the standard booking confirmation email.

JetBlue Travel Bank Credit: Common Questions

Lastly, here are some questions I was asking myself when dealing with JetBlue Travel Bank and that you might be wondering about too.

When Does JetBlue Travel Bank Credit Expire?

In the past, JetBlue Travel Bank credit used to be valid for 12 months from being issued – i.e. from the time you canceled a flight. Starting on March 8, 2023, however, the rules worsened and now the credits are only valid for 12 months from the date of the original booking regardless of when you canceled your flight and they expire after that. The only exception is credit issued for flight delays and other reasons out of your control.

It’s worth knowing that while you need to use the credit before it expires, you can use it to book a flight in the future, past the credit’s expiration date.

I found it nice that I got an email from Travel Bank two weeks before the expiration of my credit as it allowed me to give it away before it expired. Otherwise, I would have just forgotten it since I wasn’t in the process of planning a trip to the US.

Can JetBlue Travel Bank Credit Be Refunded to a Credit Card?

Unfortunately, while JetBlue is very generous when it comes to changing flights or canceling flights to then use the value of the flight for a different flight, the Travel Bank credit cannot be refunded to a credit card or in any other way. It can only be used for buying JetBlue tickets.

More or less the only way to get a JetBlue flight refunded to a credit card is by adding the “refundability” option when booking. The only exception is if you book your ticket at least seven days before departure and then cancel within 24 hours. In that case, you will get a full refund regardless of the type of fare you book.

Can JetBlue Travel Bank Credit Be Transferred to Another Person?

JetBlue Travel Bank credit cannot be transferred to another person’s account. In fact, even when you cancel multiple passengers’ flights on the same booking, it will be issued for each passenger separately.

This combined with the fact that you cannot use multiple Travel Bank accounts for the same booking means you would, for example, not be able to use credits received for canceling a family trip toward a single more expensive ticket just for one person.

That said, while the credit cannot be transferred, it does not need to be used to book a ticket for the same person the credit was issued to. As such, you could use it to book a ticket for someone else or give the log-in to someone who has use for your credit that you have no use for – like I did with mine.

Summary

JetBlue has a more generous flight cancellation policy than many other airlines, allowing most tickets to be canceled and the value of the flight to be provided in the form of credit for future purchases. This credit cannot be refunded to a credit card and instead has to be used with JetBlue.

The credit is managed through JetBlue’s Travel Bank system and is really easy to use.