JetBlue Airways sent out an email announcing “enhancements” to its Mosaic elite status program before the end of the 2022 calendar year, but it doesn’t bode well for members of the loyalty program.
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JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic Changes
The loyalty program for JetBlue Airways, TrueBlue, sent out an update email on Friday that mostly applies to Mosaic members. Here is the email in full:
“Hi, Kyle.
Thanks, as always, for being a TrueBlue member. A lot has changed over the past couple years—including our first forays across the Atlantic and into Canada, a refresh of Mint, and our alliance with American Airlines (with reciprocal benefits for Mosaics). But one thing hasn’t changed—your loyalty is what keeps us flying high.
And, during 2023, we’re excited to be rolling out enhancements to the TrueBlue program that are designed to meet the needs—and exceed the expectations—of more of our customers, whether you’re an intrepid or occasional traveler. These include:
• Non-Mosaics can earn valuable perks.
• New ways to earn Mosaic status.
• Ability to customize your perks, so you can choose what’s most valuable to you.
• New perks for Mosaics, in addition to many of the current favorites.To make way for these exciting changes, Take 3, Lucky 7 and Go Long bonuses will end 12/31/22, and due to a system update, points redemptions for Mosaics to move from a regular Mint suite to Mint Studio® will end 11/30/22 (customers will still be able to make the move for a fee).
Rest assured, you’ll still be able to earn and redeem points for award travel. We can’t wait to share more details and dates as we get closer, and look forward to seeing you on board soon.
Yours TrueBlue-ly,
The TrueBlue Team”
The announcement comes amid the company fighting a lawsuit from the Department of Justice over the already approved Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines and ahead of Spirit’s shareholder vote with regard to becoming acquired by JetBlue. Shareholders are likely to vote FOR the acquisition but regulatory approval is another matter.
A Detail-Light Announcement
How do you say “these enhancements are not going to be good” without saying “these enhancements are not going to be good?” Send an email out at 5:01PM on a Friday with little to no details. The only clear indicators were benefits that were going away and booking outages. (emphasis below is mine)
“Take 3, Lucky 7 and Go Long bonuses will end 12/31/22″…
First of all, program bonuses ending is not really a big deal, I am surprised there wasn’t more marketing put into that or even language that would have made that clear in the first place. Why not this: “Reminder: There’s still time to take advantage of our three bonuses before the end of the year – Take 3, Lucky 7, and Go Long.” Saying that you have to end them to make way for exciting changes is odd.
“due to a system update, points redemptions for Mosaics to move from a regular Mint suite to Mint Studio® will end 11/30/22 (customers will still be able to make the move for a fee).”
Wait, so is this a system update and a temporary issue that causes Mosaic members to pay cash instead of points for this program feature? Does that mean it will come back or is it just over?
Let’s take a closer look at these non-announcements:
• “Non-Mosaics can earn valuable perks.
• New ways to earn Mosaic status.
• Ability to customize your perks, so you can choose what’s most valuable to you.
• New perks for Mosaics, in addition to many of the current favorites.”
To recap, infrequent flyers will be able to earn status in some sort of a status-lite type offering? There are new ways to earn but they won’t even preview what those are (these are definitely related to shopping and partners.)
The ability to customize perks is probably akin to Delta and American allowing elites to choose which benefits they want based on milestones rather than a set group of perks. In both of those other examples, however, the perks were diminished significantly – at American, Executive Platinums receive half of the systemwide upgrades they did before they were granted a choice.
Perhaps the most telling is that there will be new perks for Mosaics (again, without even hinting at what they might be) in addition to many of the current favorites. This means some of the perks are going away otherwise you wouldn’t have to specify that they won’t all be there.
Through this trash announcement (why say anything at all?) we have basically been warned in the least possible committed way that loyal customers of JetBlue’s rewards program should expect change without revealing anything about the new travel experience aboard JetBlue flights.
Cool.
Emboldened, Copycat?
JetBlue’s new best friend and Northeast Alliance partner, American Airlines, launched Loyalty Points earlier this year. On the initial announcement, I panned the change to the program because of how much more a brand-new member would have to spend (more than $27,000) to achieve top-tier status. I later recanted when it became clear just how easy it was to achieve status and earn Loyalty Points with partners.
Loyalty programs are simple, they give the promise of future value (at little cost to the carrier) for completing actions today. Partners buy those miles (at bulk discounts) to distribute to customers who make purchases. The more purchases made in connection with the program, the more points airlines sell, and the more profitable the airline is. Given American’s success, it’s no surprise JetBlue would want to emulate their program.
From what we can read between the lines, it seems that JetBlue is looking for ways to engage membership and grow their program both in net members and revenue in a way that may be a copycat of the current Loyalty Points program.
One high-ranking airline official noted that JetBlue may feel emboldened by its case with the DOJ, especially if it feels the case will be won. Will a successful outcome of the NEA trial mean increased requirements to earn Mosaic status, fewer rewards, or both?
Conclusion
I like the JetBlue flying experience when I am onboard. If I had more options to fly them, I might take advantage of more space seating, priority boarding, and start earning Mosaic qualifying points. I already get some of these benefits through the JetBlue Plus card I signed up for a couple of years ago, granting me free checked bags for me and my travel companions. That said, the reality is that this announcement is meant to tick a box that they told us something new was coming so we can’t complain when the changes materialize, and to take away the one benefit they listed outright. I think what would be refreshing is just saying “we are making changes to our loyalty program” and that honest approach would leave some to love how they benefit, and others to dislike it. But when it’s masked as “enhancements”, and virtually everything is a non-answer to questions we didn’t ask, it feels shady and prepares experienced frequent travelers for the worst.
All JetBlue accomplished was that they scared all of their loyal Mosaic customers by being every other airline that has feigned downgrades and higher requirements as “new benefits.” Once – just once – I’d love for a program head to not act like they are so clever and we are all mindless idiots who can’t see what they are doing.
What do you think? Will the program enhancements increase your satisfaction and participation with the program? Are notices like this useful to you? Do you think the timing of the release to foreshadow the brand isn’t confident about customer reaction to the changes?
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