For an airline that started as an all-economy carrier shuttling folks mostly on secondary routes around the U.S., JetBlue sure has banked hard toward the premium market. The airline introduced its much-admired Mint business class back in 2013, wowing customers with some of the first suite-style airplane seats complete with closing doors. In the interim, JetBlue has continued to upgrade its in-flight amenities for fliers up front with menus from famous chefs and bespoke bedding from the likes of Tuft & Needle. For the first time since Mint’s launch, the airline today revealed two new versions of its business class seats, both of which look stunning. Passengers will find the new fixtures aboard the airline’s forthcoming Airbus A321LR jets, which will go into service on the JetBlue’s first transatlantic route between New York and London. Here are the details.
The JetBlue Mint Suite
The A321LR is a narrowbody aircraft with a single aisle that is designed to fly medium- and long-haul routes, including many between the U.S. and Europe. JetBlue’s version will have 24 Mint suites, which will be a version of Thompson Aero Seating’s Vantage SOLO seat laid out in an angled 1 – 1 pattern, with just a single seat on either side of the aisle in each row. What’s more, each of these seats will have a door that slides shut for more privacy, complete with mint-leaf patterning.
JetBlue tapped Tuft & Needle, the bed-in-a-box pioneers, to create adaptive foam cushions and breathable covers for the seats so passengers can enjoy a more comfortable and temperature-regulated sleep experience. Each seat will be upholstered in vegan leather, and will include an adjustable 17-inch Thales AVANT seatback entertainment screen, wireless charging capabilities, two AC adapters for in-seat power, and stowage areas for laptops, shoes, and handbags, including a wide shelf for devices. Travelers should also be able to surf the airline’s free high-speed Wi-Fi in flight.
Among the décor touches, which JetBlue refers to as “residential,” will be flannel-covered privacy dividers, wood-grained table patterns, textured concrete lampshades, and mood lighting,
The JetBlue Mint Studio
Kicking the luxury up another level will be the new so-called Mint Studio. These will basically be two extra-large installments comprising the front row, and will be marketed and sold as a separate product from the Mint Suite.
JetBlue claims Mint Studio will have the most space in a premium experience and the largest lie-flat bed on any U.S. carrier. Aside from that, the main differences seem to be that there will be an extra side table “for added productivity,” according to JetBlue, and a guest seat that can accommodate an additional Mint passenger after the plane reaches cruising altitude – say, if you wanted someone to join you for a drink or a snack. The Thales AVANT seatback screens will also be larger in these seats, measuring up at 22 inches.
“We put our heart into this redesign of Mint,” said JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer, Joanna Geraghty, “and were inspired by our original vision of offering customers an exceptional experience at a lower fare – which is what JetBlue is all about.”
Although there is no word yet on pricing or exact launch dates for the new Mint, presumably this is JetBlue’s bid to disrupt the lucrative New York-London route business-heavy market, just as the airline did when it began flying Mint between New York and the West Coast several years ago. While the introduction of a new all-suites business-class cabin might have by itself to do so, the prospect of relatively inexpensive fares makes this new all the more exciting.
It’s also worth noting that, although the new Mint Suite and Mint Studio will launch on JetBlue’s new services between New York and London this summer, fliers will find a 16-seat version on a limited number of flights between New York and Los Angeles sometime later in 2021, too. So if your travel plans don’t include any international jaunts, you might be able to check them out on a transcontinental journey instead.
