Traveling with an Illness
Communicable Diseases
At JetBlue, the health and safety of our customers and crew are our highest priorities. We follow all applicable guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other public health authorities to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases onboard our aircraft.
A communicable disease is an illness that can spread easily in close environments, such as an aircraft cabin, and may pose serious health risks to anyone impacted by the disease or illness.
In most cases, customers with a communicable disease or infection will not be denied travel. However, if a customer is determined by the U.S. Surgeon General, CDC, or a local, state, or federal public health authority to have a disease that poses a direct threat to others onboard, we may be required to deny transport in accordance with public health directives.
You may be eligible for a five-year travel credit extension if you meet one the following communicable disease criteria, as outlined by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
- If you are advised by a licensed medical professional not to travel to protect your health during an officially declared public health emergency, and:
- Your ticket was purchased before the public health emergency was declared.
- You are scheduled to travel to or from the affected area during the public health emergency.
- Your medical professional has completed our form advising you not to travel.
- If a government entity has prohibited your travel or required you to quarantine for more than 50% of your trip (excluding travel dates) due to a serious communicable disease, and:
- Your ticket was purchased before the public health emergency was declared.
- Official documentation of the quarantine order issued by a government authority is required.
- A licensed medical professional has advised you not to travel because you have, or are likely to have contracted a serious communicable disease and your travel would pose a direct threat to the health of others, regardless of whether a public health emergency has been declared, and:
If you believe your situation meets the criteria above, please contact Customer Support before your scheduled departure. A form will be emailed to you to complete and submit your documents. Requests will be reviewed for eligibility and, if approved, may qualify for a travel credit valid for five years.
Feeling too sick to fly?
We're sorry you can’t join us for your upcoming trip. Here’s a list of options to get you back on track:
- Rebook your flight to reschedule your trip. No change or cancellation fees apply (unless you have a Blue Basic fare), so go ahead and reschedule your flight.
- If you booked your flight through JetBlue, make changes to your reservation through Manage Trips.
- If you booked through an online travel site or a travel agency, please contact them directly for assistance.
- To manage a flight included with a JetBlue Vacations package, call 1-844-528-2229 for assistance.
See more details in the Frequently Asked Questions section below.
Did you purchase trip insurance? Check your policy to see what benefits are offered for illness.
Bring travel insurance along on your next trip.
Protect your trip with travel insurance to enjoy peace of mind and enhance your experience. JetBlue has been proud to partner with Allianz Partners for over a decade because they’re the gold standard in the travel insurance and assistance industry.
Frequently asked questions
Death in the family or illness
No change or cancellation fees apply (unless you have a Blue Basic fare), so go ahead and reschedule your flight.
- If you booked your flight through JetBlue: Make changes to your reservation through the Manage Trips.
- If you booked through an online travel site or a travel agency, please contact them directly for assistance.
- To manage a flight included with a JetBlue Vacations package, call 1-844-528-2229 for assistance.
- No change or cancellation fees apply (except with the Blue Basic fare). The Blue Basic cancellation fee cannot be waived.
- If you do have a Blue Basic fare and you purchased trip insurance, your provider should help cover any cancellation costs.
- To manage a flight included with a JetBlue Vacations package, call 1-844-528-2229 for assistance.
- Blue Basic fares can't be changed, but can be cancelled.
- Blue Basic cancel fees will apply if you cancel your reservation.
- If you purchased trip insurance, your provider should help cover any cancellation costs.
- Although tickets are non-transferable, you can cancel the reservation. The money goes to a travel bank credit that can be used to book a new reservation for anyone.
- There are no change or cancellation fees (except with the Blue Basic fare).
- To manage a flight included with a JetBlue Vacations package, call 1-844-528-2229 for assistance.
Learn more about how to get assistance during travel, including a wheelchair escort.
Partner airline questions
You must cancel with the airline that created your booking. In this case, go to Manage Trips to cancel your flight through JetBlue.
- Log into your Travel Bank account
- Request your JetBlue Travel Bank ID on jetblue.com.
- Select the Book Now option on left panel
If you didn’t log into your Travel Bank account first, and have already started your booking:
- You’ll have the option to use any travel credits you have in your Travel Bank once you get to the payment screen.
- You’ll need your TrueBlue or Travel Bank login credentials to access your funds at that point.
- Fees or taxes may have been removed from the original amount. Request a receipt for more information.
- Also, depending on your fare and situation, you may have been issued travel credits rather than a full refund.
Trip Insurance
My trip insurance requires confirmation of my ticket being non-refundable.
- To find non-refundable confirmation, go to your original trip confirmation email and look for the “NON REF” notation to prove your flight was non-refundable.
- Most airfares are non-refundable unless you specifically choose a refundable fare.
- If you don’t see the notation or don’t have your email, request a receipt.
- If your flight has not been flown or canceled, go to Manage Trips, click the Details dropdown and you should see your flight information with a note that says the flight is refundable. Non-refundable fares do not have this note.