Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card vs JetBlue Plus
Side-by-side comparison
| Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card | JetBlue Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | $99 |
| Welcome offer | 40,000 miles | 70,000 bonus points |
| Dining | 2x | 2x |
| Groceries | 2x | 2x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $382 | $382 |
| Points type | Locked to Avianca LifeMiles | Locked to JetBlue TrueBlue |
| Network | American Express | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card | JetBlue Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 40,000 miles | 70,000 bonus points |
| To earn it | $3,000 in 90 days | $1,000 in 90 days |
| Est. first-year value* | $683 | $1,083 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $283 | $383 |
The JetBlue Plus wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card | JetBlue Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes | None |
| Annual credits | None | ~$100/yr (2 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
On perks and redemptions, only the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card gets you into airport lounges; the JetBlue Plus carries the heavier credit stack (about $100 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card earns about $382 a year in rewards and the JetBlue Plus about $382, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The JetBlue Plus charges $99, but carries about $100 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the JetBlue Plus delivers more total value, about $50 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it carries more in annual statement credits. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the JetBlue Plus currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.