I spent $7,000 to fly with my son almost every weekend for a contest. We've unlocked awesome perks.

Steve Carroll and his son visited 25 unique JetBlue cities to lock Mosaic status for 25 years. He spent about $7,000 on the adventure and finished it in Fort Myers on December 8. He blazed creative routes, flying to Nantucket for breakfast, DC for lunch, and Orlando for dinner. This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Steve Carroll, a New York-based nurse practitioner who chased JetBlue's "25 for 25" challenge to earn 350,000 points and Mosaic status for 25 years by flying to 25 unique cities by December 31. It has been edited for length and clarity. Breakfast in Massachusetts, lunch in DC, dinner in Orlando, and back home by midnight. That was one of the epic days that my 10-year-old son and I flew for JetBlue Airways' "25 for 25" challenge . It was thrilling to plan and execute these trips, with layovers so tight we sometimes barely had time for a bathroom break. Finding a flourishing community chasing this challenge was one of the best parts. The promotion, created for JetBlue's 25th anniversary, is simple: Fly to 25 unique cities in the airline's network between June 25 and December 31, and you'll earn Mosaic 1 status for 25 years plus a lump sum of 350,000 points. There are some rules: You must connect your loyalty number to each flight; basic fares don't qualify; flights must be operated by JetBlue (not its partners, such as Cape Air); and only arrival airports count. Still, I realized it could be an unforgettable experience for my son Jackson and I. He already loves JetBlue (I think the TV screens do it for him), and his 100th and 200th flights ever were on JetBlue. Plus, Mosaic status until age 35 means he and his friends could enjoy the perks - like free bags, complimentary drinks, dedicated security and check-in, early boarding, and seat upgrades - on future spring break or summer trips in college. (Editor's note: You must be a Mosaic 3 member or higher to receive complimentary Mint upgrades and a Mosaic 4 for lounge access when JetBlue's open in late 2025.) The math also checked out. Completing the challenge earned each of us a reward of 350,000 points, at least $3,500 in travel apiece, plus the additional points earned from our flights. Combining the cash I paid plus the 100,000 JetBlue points I already had, the whole challenge cost around $7,000, but I was essentially reimbursed in points. I started the challenge already holding Mosaic, but securing long-term status now gives me more freedom to put everyday spending on other cards and build points with brands like Hyatt via Chase. JetBlue's new partnership with United Airlines also means I can tap into reciprocal benefits on United - an attractive perk since we live close to the airline's Newark, New Jersey, base. To maximize our time, we mostly flew on weekends and sometimes took up to five flights across a Saturday or Sunday. We took closer to 35 flights...

Preview: ~500 words