JetBlue has unveiled its first-ever airport lounge, BlueHouse

JetBlue Airlines“The first airport lounge since I started flying nearly 26 years ago is here, inspired by a New York City apartment — but bigger.

The 9,000-square-foot lounge, called BlueHouse, is scheduled to open Dec. 18 at 5 a.m. ET at the airline’s main hub in Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

With the new space, JetBlue joins the ranks of larger carriers such as Delta Airlines And credit card companies such as Chasing, American Express and Capital One In the industry’s endless battle for customers who are willing to spend more to travel. She’s not alone in joining the race. Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Wednesday that the carrier is “actively pursuing” a network of airport lounges.

JetBlue plans to open another BlueHouse at its Boston hub next year.

JFK’s two-story lounge is designed in an Art Deco style with free Wi-Fi, open seating and fast-casual New York standards, such as bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast and pastrami on rye later in the day, the airline said. Drink providers include Joe Coffee and Greats of Craft beer bar chain.

The lounge’s cocktail partner is the Please Don’t Tell bar, and just like the speakeasy East Village restaurant, not everyone can get in.

Here’s who he is:

• Customers booked a business class cabin via JetBlue’s Atlantic Mint. They can bring one free guest and each additional visitor is $39.
• JetBlue’s Premier holders MasterCard Credit card, which can also bring in the first guest for free and charge $39 for each guest thereafter.
• Mosaic 4 elite frequent flyer status holders, in the top tier of JetBlue’s loyalty program.

The airline plans to sell passes to lower-tier members, customers flying cross-country in the Mint cabin and other credit card holders and lounge members starting in February, but the airline has not disclosed pricing.

Customers traveling on basic economy tickets are not eligible for free admission or one-time passes, JetBlue said.

BlueHouse seats 140 people, making it smaller than the spaces offered by some of its larger competitors, although it has a smaller network.

New York-based JetBlue has spent months pruning unprofitable routes and redeploying its planes to better position itself for upscale leisure travel and return to profitability.

The airline recently entered into a partnership with United Airlineswhich does not fly from JFK but operates a huge hub in Newark, New Jersey.