How to adjust your JetBlue fare when prices drop

Finding the perfect time to book your flight can be tricky. You aim for the best price, but you also want to avoid waiting too long and seeing fares increase. Without a magic insight, it’s impossible to know exactly how low prices will go or if you're securing the best deal at that moment.

The good news is that for many JetBlue fares, if the price decreases, you're not necessarily stuck with the higher amount you initially paid. Whether you used JetBlue TrueBlue points or bought your ticket outright, you might be eligible to recover the difference.

How to adjust a flight paid for with cash

Booking a paid JetBlue flight using cash or TrueBlue credits offers various fare classes, some of which allow for easier repricing. For nonrefundable Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, and Mint fares, changing your flight incurs no fee. If you find a lower fare, you'll follow the standard procedure for changing your JetBlue flight, but instead of selecting a new flight, you'll choose the same one you're already booked on.

When you select the same flight, the price difference will be shown. After completing the "changing" process, this difference will be credited back to your JetBlue Travel Bank account, valid for 12 months from the original ticket date, and usable for future flights for any passenger.

For those who booked a Blue Basic fare, the process differs. With a Blue Basic fare, changes aren't permitted, so if the fare drops, you'll need to cancel and rebook your flight. Remember, canceling a Blue Basic fare comes with a fee, which you should weigh against the fare difference: $100 for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and $200 for other routes.

Upon canceling your flight, you'll receive a credit for the total fare minus the cancellation fee. You can then apply this credit to rebook at the lower fare. Note that using the full credit means you'll lose credit card travel insurance coverage, so it's advisable to charge at least a dollar to maintain full benefits.

How to adjust a flight booked with points

Adjusting a flight that you booked with points is a simpler task. Since there’s no Blue Basic fare option available when using points, all point-based flights can be modified without the need for canceling and rebooking.

You’ll want to "change" your flight to the one you’re currently scheduled on. There’s no charge for changing a flight booked with points, and if the fare decreases, the points difference will automatically be credited back to your JetBlue account.

An important caveat

JetBlue frequently offers fare sales, so it’s common for flight prices to drop. However, there is one instance where you won’t be able to change your flight and receive the fare difference back.

JetBlue frequently offers sales where a coupon code is necessary to access the discounted fare. This code can only be applied to new flight bookings, not to existing reservations.

This applies to both point bookings and cash reservations, although some promotions may only be valid with specific payment methods. While you can still adjust your flight in this scenario, you’ll need to cancel and rebook instead. Though this process takes a bit longer, it’s worthwhile to secure a lower fare.

JetBlue Mosaic status

Regardless of your JetBlue status, the process for repricing a fare remains the same. Previously, having JetBlue Mosaic status offered special benefits, but that is no longer the case. Now, all members can repricing their fares under the same conditions.

Key takeaways

Travel can be costly, but having the flexibility to secure the best fare is invaluable. This lets you book your flight promptly—especially during peak times when schedules are released—while keeping an eye out for price drops throughout the year.

All members should regularly check their JetBlue flights, as the airline won't automatically adjust your fare. Make it a habit to check daily, especially during JetBlue fare sales.