Airline Review + Airport Lounge: JetBlue + JetBlue Rooftop Lounge, 31 October 2015

JetBlue had a $31 airfare deal on 1 October, for almost all flights on 31 Oct, including trans-continental flights. I jumped on the deal, and got a flight from JFK – SEA for $31, which is an amazing deal.

The last time I flew JetBlue, I took it from SEA-LGB-LAS, and I left with a really good impression of JetBlue. So, how did this flight compare? The planes are now older, but JetBlue still has a lot going for it.

I departed from JFK Terminal 5, i.e. the JetBlue Terminal. They only have an Airspace Lounge (complimentary with Amex Platinum or Black card, or per entry for a fee), and the JetBlue rooftop lounge. The latter is complimentary, and mainly it’s an outdoor space for people to get some fresh air. This is also good for flyers with pets, as they have a mini dog run for four-legged flyers.

The flight itself. The comfortable leather seats are now a little worn, but have above average legroom at 34″. Aside from the older planes, I’d say that generally, JetBlue has a lot of positives going for it:

• Free wifi: They offer free wifi on planes with wifi. I have never paid for or tried Gogo wifi on other carriers, but they advertise their free wifi as fast enough to stream Netflix. When I was using it, I could multi-task quite a bit. They also offer paid premium wifi for those who require more speed.
• Complimentary refreshments: One of my pet peeves about the complimentary refreshments of other airlines is the limited amount of beverage, and the lack of choice of snacks. It usually works out to a tiny plastic cup of soda, and a little bag of pretzels. JetBlue has a selection of brand-name snacks, which are substantial in size, and they generally give a full can. For caffeine, they offer dunkin donuts coffee.
• IFE: They stream live TV for free. Just be sure to bring your own earphones if you don’t want to pay $5 for it.

Overall, although the plane was older, I really enjoyed my 5-hr transcontinental flight from JFK to SEA.