Dad and Son Buy $7,000 Sky-Hopper Pass to Achieve Eternal Free Bags

KEY POINTS

•Steve Carroll and his son Jackson flew to 25 unique JetBlue cities to earn Mosaic status lasting 25 years.
•They completed the challenge by December 8, after spending about $7,000 and taking 35 flights including tough 12-minute JFK layovers.
•Despite government shutdown cancellations and weather delays, they used hacks and community support to finish early and secure perks.

Meet Steve Carroll, a New York nurse practitioner who spent about $7,000 and took 35 flights with his 10-year-old son Jackson, all to snag 25-year Mosaic status and 350,000 JetBlue points. Starting June 25, they zigzagged the US from Nantucket breakfasts to Orlando dinners with airport lunch pit stops, including a 12-minute layover at JFK that somehow didn’t implode. Not even a government shutdown in November and a 5-flight cancellation could stop their epic hustle. Along the way, flight hacks, a secret '25for25.ai' planner, and an unofficial Facebook group made them air-bound road warriors aiming for free bags, drinks, and class upgrades until Jackson turns 35. JetBlue’s 25th birthday apparently crowned Steve the ultimate JetSet Dad, while most of us are stuck trying to redeem one measly airline mile.