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.
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