JetBlue will finally open its first airport lounge, called BlueHouse, at New York JFK later this month. For an airline that has long offered a premium inflight product but no premium ground experience, this is an important step forward.
First Look: JetBlue BlueHouse Lounge At New York JFK
BlueHouse will open on December 18, 2025, inside Terminal 5, directly past security and across from Gates 526 and 527. The space covers roughly 9,000 square feet and is spread across two levels. JetBlue describes it as a residential-style lounge meant to feel more like a comfortable family room than a traditional airline club. Early photos show warm wood textures, soft lighting, mixed seating zones, all meant to evoke a Manhattan apartment.
What stands out immediately is the food menu, which is still in its infant stages, but may leave travelers disappointed if they are expecting Mint-quality entrees in the lounge. As Zach Griff note, JetBlue does not (yet) have a kitchen in its lounge. While it is working to build one, food selections will be in disposable grab-and-go containers and include items like parfaits, fruit cups, salads, and wraps. Better than nothing, but also not very exciting.
The beverage menu, however, includes a full bar with cocktails, wine, and beer, plus barista-made espresso drinks (from Joe Coffee), tea (from Steven Smith Teamaker), chai, matcha (from Brooklyn’s Dona), and cold brew.
Access And Amenities – Crowd Concerns?
Access rules will be fairly tight during the initial months. JetBlue is reserving entry for the following groups:
- TrueBlue Mosaic 4 members, who may bring one guest, with additional guests priced at 39 USD each
- JetBlue Premier Cardmembers, also with one guest and 39 USD per additional guest
- Mint customers traveling to or from Europe, who may purchase guest access for 39 USD
Beginning in February 2026, additional categories of travelers will have the ability to purchase limited passes, including Mosaic 1 through 3 members, holders of the JetBlue Plus and JetBlue Business cards, and non-transatlantic Mint travelers. JetBlue also plans to offer annual BlueHouse memberships, though details on pricing have not been released.
Frankly, that concerns me. This is a fairly small lounge space and I can imagine it becoming very crowded, very fast. I think the initial entry restrictions make sense: opening it up to so many additional travelers will simply backfire. I hope JetBlue has carefully thought this true…
Inside the lounge, travelers will find high-speed Wi-Fi, plentiful power outlets, dedicated quiet zones, work counters, family-friendly seating clusters, and a covered terrace space looking toward the TWA Hotel area. The seating mix is deliberately varied, designed to accommodate solo travelers, small groups, and families.
CONCLUSION
BlueHouse represents a long-awaited shift for JetBlue. Mint has been competitive for years, often exceeding the business class soft product of legacy carriers, but the lack of a lounge always felt like a noticeable gap in the experience. With the opening of BlueHouse in JFK, JetBlue finally adds a premium ground component that aligns with its inflight ambitions. The drink menu looks excellent, the design is thoughtful, and the initial access rules make sense given the size of the space and the airline’s loyalty strategy.
I look forward to visiting the lounge soon. If JetBlue delivers here, BlueHouse could immediately become one of the most pleasant airport lounges at JFK, but we’ll have to see how well JetBlue does in controlling the crowding.
The next BlueHouse lounge will open in Boston in 2026.
Is it just me, or does the design look astoundingly similar to a Chase Lounge.
I thought this lounge would be limited in how good it is given the size constraints, but I changed my mind after visiting the Chase/Etihad lounge at IAD yesterday, which is only 5k sq ft across two floors. It was still able to have a bar, buffet, food to order with a QR code, and showers. I hope that the JetBlue lounge in BOS has food to order when it opens
That’s a good comparison – let’s hope you are correct.
I like it; looking forward to trying it out in 2026. Wish they’d open at BOS (planned), LAX, FLL, etc. Long-overdue at T5; should’ve had something like this ever since they started Mint. Should include all Mint, not just TATL.
This seems like a nice outstation lounge, but yeah, for a hub it’s small. I was surprised that transcon Mint passengers didn’t have access but with only 9000 square feet. I get it.
It looks like this will be a nice start for B6 at JFK… Best of good luck to JetBlue while “bringing humanity back to air travel!”
I think the $39 charge for additional guests is a pretty fair (even cheap) price if you need to pay for someone else. Especially compared to other lounges which are usually around double that.
And yeah, I agree with pretty much everyone else, all Mint should be included.
Agreed.
Love the vibes! (As a teenager would say)
And, as a pre-teen would say… “6-7!!”
Is it not really uncompetitive to not include JFK-LAX/SFO? AA, DL and UA all offer lounge access on those flights.
Looks like they went a bit far with their blue theme.
Southwest just announced a lounge in Honolulu.
Looks like the lounge wars have started outside the Big Three.
Wonder what other locations for WN.