MISTAKE! (The Good Kind)

Great news! I made an error in my last post that worked out perfectly. When our SJU-EWR flight had a mechanical, and we flew standby to JFK instead, I thought we had lost the EWR unique destination credit. I was wrong.

How IRROP Credits Actually Work

Most airlines, including JetBlue, credit your loyalty account based on your original ticketed route when there's an IRROP. Since our flight change was involuntary due to a mechanical, JetBlue's system still shows the original SJU-EWR segment in our account.

We got full credit for points, Tiles, and—most importantly—the unique destination even though we physically flew to JFK!

This is standard practice for involuntary changes. The key difference is voluntary vs. involuntary switches—mechanical issues and operational disruptions maintain your original ticket benefits.

Bottom line: We actually completed our 20 unique destinations as planned! I can't guarantee this always works, but another 25 for 25 challenger we met this weekend confirmed that they had a similar experience. Great news for future challengers to keep in mind.

Sorry for the confusion—our chalkboard tally is off, but we're right on target!

Four More Destinations

We completed four unique destinations over five efficient flights.

JFK to PWM (Portland, ME): The flight was routine, but the hotel shuttle drivers made the trip memorable. Both drivers to and from the Courtyard were incredibly passionate about Maine, sharing stories about why they love living there. Their enthusiasm was infectious. We only had time for a quick overnight, then back to JFK. If you do have time, here is a link to late-night food and drink options in Portland.

JFK to ACK (Nantucket): A short flight and our first ramp deplane instead of a jetbridge. Met some wonderful fellow challengers, including a retired West Chester police officer who introduced us to this community—thank you, Mel lsa! Meeting interesting 25 for 25ers continues to be one of the best parts of this challenge.

Note: Quick turnaround, but you do have to go through TSA security again. Only 3 people ahead of us, so no issue.

ACK to LGA (LaGuardia): Instead of returning to JFK, we flew to LGA to pick up that new destination, then took an $80 Uber to JFK for our next flight. Yes, the license plate was really PITTBULL 🤣 . The 30-minute ride was well worth it for the extra unique airport.

Note: There are no trains, and public transportation options are limited, such as buses that take up to two hours to reach JFK from LGA. Uber is the best option.

JFK to ATL (Atlanta): This gave us destination #24 (ignore our chalkboard count, as we thought it was only #23). Delayed 90 minutes when a passenger wanted to deplane after pushback, forcing air traffic to reassign our routing and requiring additional fuel. No problem for us, but I assume JetBlue wasn't happy.

Almost There!

We're incredibly close to our goal. This Saturday, we will finish with a quick turn. This adventure started four weekends ago, and we're about to complete the challenge. Lots to reflect on and look forward to—but we'll save those stories for next week!

Happy travels, everyone!