United℠ Gateway vs JetBlue Card
Side-by-side comparison
| United℠ Gateway | JetBlue Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | Up to 40,000 bonus miles | 10,000 bonus points |
| Dining | 1x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1x | 2x |
| Gas | 2x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $320 | $382 |
| Points type | Locked to United MileagePlus | Locked to JetBlue TrueBlue |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | United℠ Gateway | JetBlue Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Up to 40,000 bonus miles | 10,000 bonus points |
| To earn it | $1,000 in 3 months | $1,000 in 90 days |
| Est. first-year value* | $720 | $482 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $320 | $382 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the United℠ Gateway is ahead by roughly $238, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the JetBlue Card earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the United℠ Gateway after about 5 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the United℠ Gateway. Planning to keep it for years? The JetBlue Card pulls ahead.
*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 | United℠ Gateway | JetBlue Card |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
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.
Both are no-fee airline cards, so it comes down to which airline you fly, United or JetBlue.
The United Gateway is a free way to bank United miles with no annual fee, though it lacks free bags. The JetBlue Card earns TrueBlue on JetBlue and everyday categories. Free United miles vs free JetBlue points.
Pros and cons
- 2x on United, gas, and transit, no annual fee
- A free way to earn United miles
- Star Alliance award access
- An intro-APR offer
- No free checked bag or lounge access
- Miles locked to United
- Modest earning
- 2x on JetBlue, dining, and groceries, no annual fee
- A free way to earn TrueBlue
- Points don’t expire, no blackout dates
- Simple
- No free checked bag (that’s the Plus card)
- Points locked to JetBlue
- Little value if you don’t fly JetBlue
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Airline | Depends | United vs JetBlue. |
| Everyday categories | Split | United Gateway’s gas/transit vs the JetBlue card’s dining/grocery. |
| Annual fee | Tie | Both $0. |
| Free bag | Neither | Both no-fee tiers skip the free bag. |
| Best for | Depends | United flyers vs JetBlue flyers. |
The verdict
If you fly United and want a free card, the Gateway banks miles with no fee, a fine low-stakes way into United.
If you fly JetBlue, the JetBlue Card does the same for TrueBlue with dining and grocery earning. Both free, so pick the airline you fly, and note neither includes a free checked bag.