UPDATE: View from the Wing reports that JetBlue has not changed the terms of the promotion and will fully honor the deal even for those who transfer points.
Dan’s Deals has reported that JetBlue may have retroactively changed the terms of their Points Match promotion. Dan’s Deals reports that several people have been denied registration into the JetBlue Points Match promotion purportedly because they transferred points into Virgin America rather than earning those points through flying. One person reported that a JetBlue phone agent told him that they have added a clause “that the points must have been earned via Virgin America flights” (but that clause is not listed online).
At this point, there is not enough data to know if this is really happening or perhaps a mistake by a few people who have been reviewing Points Match applications.
For general details about the Points Match deal, please see: The Ultimate Guide to JetBlue’s points match deal.
How would they know?
Take a look at the example screenshot that is on JetBlue’s own website for this promotion:
The above example image was developed by JetBlue to show exactly what to send them to prove the number of points in your Virgin America account. There is no mention in this image of how John Smith got those 21,500 points, but if I were to guess I’d say that he probably transferred 43,000 points from Amex or Citi (since both transfer 2 to 1).
I’m confident that JetBlue doesn’t have the ability to check information about how got your Virgin America point balance. So, if they deny your request because you transferred points, you probably sent them a screenshot that included recent activity:
What to do?
If you haven’t yet submitted your request to enroll in the points match promotion, then simply make sure to send only the required screenshot and not the recent activity information. Also, it’s probably a good idea to make sure that your account has a number of points other than exactly 50,001 (transferred from SPG, for example); or 50,100 (transferred from Amex); or 50,500 (transferred from Citi).
If you have already submitted your request, then hold tight and hope for the best. Most people (including me) have reported success in enrolling despite transferring points into Virgin America.
If you receive a denial, call and make it clear that the terms did not state anything against transferring points to Virgin America. If necessary, demand to speak to a supervisor. Ultimately, Dan’s Deals recommends filing a complaint with the US Department of Transportation. He writes:
If you transferred points to Virgin America and have been denied you should file a complaint immeditately with the US DoT and explain exactly what happened. Be sure to explain that you transferred points to Virgin America based on JetBlue’s published terms of the promotion and that the transfer can’t be reversed. Include screenshots of the promotion terms as well as denials from JetBlue.
In case it gets that far, here are the current terms (as of 6/30/2016 4:23pm ET):
Terms & Conditions
*This offer is available to new or existing TrueBlue members. To qualify, members must send an email including their TrueBlue number and a picture of their Elevate® account dashboard showing first name, last name, and points balance to pointsmatch@jetblue.com by 7/4/2016, await receipt of an email to confirm registration for the promotion and then book new roundtrip flights operated by JetBlue and completed all travel by 08/31/2016. Number of points awarded will be based on Elevate® points balance evidenced by submitted proof. Proof is subject to verification. TrueBlue number must be provided at the time of booking. Offer can only be redeemed one (1) time by any individual. Points awarded in conjunction with this promotion are considered bonus points and do not count towards earning Mosaic status. Offer does not apply to non-revenue travel; is not valid on flights operated by airline partners; is not valid in connection with any Getaways vacation packages, cruises, or any other product or service and may not be combined with other special offers. In the event you cancel your reservation or change your reservation so that it no longer complies with the terms of this offer, you will not receive any of the promotion bonus points. TrueBlue points will be awarded within 4-6 weeks after round-trip flight. Offer can be cancelled or modified at any time. TrueBlue Terms and Conditions apply.
And here is a screenshot of the offer:
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My wife and I each transferred 40,001 SPG points to our newly created Virgin America Elevate accounts (to get 50,001 Virgin points). My screenshot showed that my account was only a day old (hers did not), but we did not include the recent activity portion. It was a few days wait, but we got the registration confirmation emails without any problem.
Registered for TrueBlue and Elevate at 8:30pm Pacific last night. Transferred 40001 points from SPG 9pm last night. Points were in Elevate at 8am. Emailed Jetblue at 8:15am. Registration confirmation email from JetBlue arrived at 9:55am.
wow that’s hella fast. congrats Rob
Took about 72 hours for my approval message to arrive. I transferred points from SPG (30K). Although my screenshot did NOT show the recent activity (i.e. that they were transfer points), it DOES show 0 credits and 0 segments under “status,” so it would not be hard to deduce that it was a transfer.
Oh my, there I go, defending JetBlue, and my wife informs me that she too received a bizarre denial notice a few hours ago (48 hours after sending). Her message is worded as follows:
“You are not registered for #GoForthWithJetBlue Points Match.
The points balance proof you provided doesn’t meet the requirements of the promotion. If you would like to try again, please resend a screenshot that includes all of the information as shown below.”
(That’s it — there’s NOTHING below that….. no indication of what was needed or missing) This is simply unacceptable conduct on the part of an no-name indicated jetblue representative….
Naturally, my wife is appealing….. reminding them that her actual screenshot sent DID included EVERYTHING requested in the original promotion details. (her name, account #, and Elevate point balance)
My faith hangs in the balance. *tic
(from DDs)
Update #3: JetBlue has officially confirmed to me that they will be fully honoring this promotion.
Update #2: I haven’t heard anything back officially from JetBlue, but several DDFers who did receive denial emails and were told in their original phone calls that the promo terms were changing have been able to HUCA and get registered over the phone.
I also called JetBlue several times and the reps all confirmed that the program is still going and that you actually can book 2 one-way tickets and you can book travel before being registered, as seen in writing here. So be sure to take advantage the JetBlue sale ending tonight.
Greg, thanks very much for the alert on this — the report via Dan’s Deals. Yet check for multiple very encouraging updates there tonight…. Looks like we have a false alarm…. and even actually some really good news…..
that we can fly two one-way JetBlue flights to qualify, and that the reservations can be made even before confirmation of enrollment in the program received (rather than just a conventional roundtrip)
See this note especially: http://i.dansdeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/30161712/jetblue.png
(I see I have barely an hour to make reservations — if I want to take advantage of current fare sale)
36 hours and no response yet. Uh oh.
Even in the screenshot they can tell that there was no flight activity bec. for many people there is no segments or credits associated with flying
I’m assuming that the flight activity shown is just for this year. If so, you could have earned your points in prior years, right? Unless your screenshot shows that you are a new member (some show that, some do not)
Regarding the “member since” date, my account shows it in the “rewards” column like the poster above mentioned, and my VX account is only two days old, so no mystery about how I got my 50K+ points. I looked around the website for a different account view that still looked like the example but did not have the “member since” date, but I could not find anything similar. Am I missing something?
Given the confirmation that JB is honoring the promo and not excluding people who transferred points, I don’t think there is much risk of being denied, and i think this screenshot is more compliant than others that only have the point balance in the upper right corner of the screen.
Sorry to rain on anyone’s parade, but this is in the T&C’s. The last line that says
“Offer can be cancelled or modified at any time”
is being invoked, maybe.
Again, you guys are assuming the worst, presuming that JetBlue is as bad/nasty as the usual airline crap out there.
JetBlue is not American Airlines, nor Spirit, nor Delta, etc….. Yes, this company is built on low cost flying, AND also on really decent customer experience, for EVERYBODY, not just the arrogant snobs (and point hustlers) in 1st.
Even if they screwed up on this promotion being more generous than they realized, (and I doubt that) it would be quite outta character for JetBlue the company to try to pull a Trump and weeezle out of the deal. They may be based in NYC — but they don’t act like it…. they won me over long ago…..
That said, I too am waiting for them to “prove my faith well founded.”
Unlike “John”, real ones say ” member since” with a date right next to the account number. So, if it says yesterday’s date, it’s obvious.
Mine doesn’t say member since next to the account number or anywhere else. It looks just like the JetBlue one.
WRONG — cut the scaremongering snark. Yes, the date of membership shows up on screen after you first log on. Click on account after logging in, then see what you’ll have — a screen (a very REAL one) very similar to the model suggested by JetBlue itself. (without an indication of the date joined, or flights taken or pending)
My account summary does state “Member Since” in the Rewards column (to the right of the account number). Perhaps that entry is omitted in freshly opened accounts.
Still waiting since Monday to hear back from Jetblue 🙁
This is the problem with many promotions. It sounds great at first, then the airline or hotel chain sees it may be used in a way they didn’t intend, and they start back-pedaling and changing rules – and in the end instead of this being a great way to get people flying JetBlue (in this case) maybe it will put people off entirely.
If I had loaded up miles to VX Elevate just for this promo and then JetBlue refused to come up with the points – guess which airline I would use (after Southwest)? Not JetBlue for sure.
And I have a trip I must book for BOS and JetBlue flies direct for me but I can’t (don’t want to) book it until I get an OK on these miles … I am turning a bit sour on this. If I don’t get them I’ll just go on Southwest which takes much longer.
Welcome to Apple Pay, Discover fans!
(although they did ultimately honor the original terms, for those who took the chance!)
Initially I sent a screenshot in Microsoft Word as an attachment and they replied saying that it was not in the format they wanted and that I should send it again. So I re-sent it as a .png looking just like they asked – and now no answer at all – same for wife.
I am worrying they’ll say they never received anything ….
I’d bet that they’re just overwhelmed with submissions. I expect it will take a while
I transferred 40,100 SPG points last night, had 50,100 Elevate points this morning, sent the email to Jetblue and was approved within a couple of hours today.
Hmm, mine was sent earlier than that.
[…] Please also see: Is JetBlue denying Points Match to those who transfer points? Here’s what to do… […]