A wider view of the bar on the first floor of BlueHouse.
One of the social areas on the second floor. The lighting above the pod changes color based on the time of day.
One of the communal seating areas on the second floor.

JetBlue will open its first lounge to customers at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Dec. 18, although it doesn't want you to think of the space as a lounge. The airline said it's more like a home away from home in the airport.

"This BlueHouse experience shows you the core of what we want to accomplish: It's thoughtful design, it's real hospitality, and we're elevating the journey without losing that JetBlue personality," JetBlue's President, Marty St. George, told reporters during a press preview of the space on Wednesday. "As New York's hometown airline, it was only natural ... that the first BlueHouse is in New York."

The 9,000-square-foot space occupies two floors of JFK's Terminal 5, and its design is meant to evoke Art Deco pre-war New York City apartments.

New York-inspired art and finishes accent the facility, with some pieces on display created by JetBlue crewmembers.

Who can access the new JetBlue lounge?

According to the airline, the lounge has space for 140 guests and will be open to transatlantic Mint business class customers, Mosaic 4 TrueBlue members, and premium JetBlue credit card holders.

To earn status on JetBlue, customers accumulate "tiles" through spending: 1 tile for every $100 spent with the airline, and 1 tile for every $1,000 spent on one of its co-branded credit cards. JetBlue's elite loyalty members are called Mosaic, and there are four levels, with four being the highest. Mosaic 1 requires 50 tiles, and Mosaic 4 requires 250.

St. George said one of the main goals in determining access was to make sure every visitor had a line-free, relaxing experience every time they come in.

What's in the new JetBlue lounge?

For now, the lounge will serve only preprepared grab-and-go food, but will open its kitchen in February. In February, limited-access day passes for some customers will also be available for purchase, subject to space availability.

Designers of the lounge told reporters that it was meant to have a variety of seating and kinds of spaces, so passengers who wanted to socialize and unwind would find what they needed, without disturbing those who were looking for a quiet place to work.

That's in line with what lounge designers have previously told me about the changing needs of today's lounge user. I wasn't surprised to see a variety of styles of seating, meant to offer opportunities for both secluded work and more lively socializing.

JetBlue will open its second BlueHouse in Boston in late 2026 and is considering other locations for future lounges, including Fort Lauderdale.

(Pro tip: When you enter BlueHouse New York, ask if you can check your mailbox for an extra treat.)

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: We checked out JetBlue's first-ever lounge. Here's who can get in.

Reporting by Zach Wichter, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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