We calculate the shear η(T) and bulk viscosities ζ(T) as well as the electric conductivity σe(T) and heat conductivity κ(T) within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model for three flavors as a function of temperature as well as the entropy density s(T), pressure P(T), and speed of sound cs2(T). We compare the results with other models such as the Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (PNJL) model and the dynamical quasiparticle model (DQPM) and confront these results with lattice QCD data whenever available. We find the NJL model to have a limited predictive power for the thermodynamic variables and various transport coefficients above the critical temperature, whereas the PNJL model and DQPM show acceptable results for the quantities of interest.