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On February 1, 2021, JetBlue revealed an upgraded version of its very popular premium class, Mint.

The Old Mint Seat

Originally, JetBlue's current Mint class on the Airbus A321s was arguably one of the best domestic business class flying in the United States. The class featured a seating layout that alternated between 2-2 and 1-1 "throne seats." All seats were lie-flat, with power outlets and large inflight entertainment screens. The current Mint class is still considered one of the best domestic premium classes.

The New Mint Seat

However, with the new Mint seat comes an assortment of upgrades. For starters, the seats will all be in a 1-1 configuration, which means that there will be direct aisle access for all. Additionally, these suites will offer even more privacy than before, as each seat will have a sliding door. Other upgrades include a 17-inch entertainment screen, wireless charging, and more. The sleep experience has also been upgraded with JetBlue’s partnership with Tuft & Needle, a popular mattress brand.

Mint Studio

However, JetBlue didn’t just stop at changing their current Mint seat. They even added a new addition to Mint: Mint Studio. Mint Studio is essentially a larger version of the new Mint suite; currently, the plan is for each aircraft to have two Mint Studios. The new Mint Studio includes all the features of the new suite, but with a 22-inch personal entertainment screen, an extra table, an extra seat for a guest, and what JetBlue claims is the largest "lie-flat bed of any U.S. carrier."

JetBlue says that the “Transatlantic Mint product features and design elements, combined with the award-winning service from hospitality-trained Mint inflight crewmembers, will offer an elevated flying experience for a fraction of what other airlines charge for premium seats.” 

When is it Starting?

JetBlue’s new Mint class will be debuting on its transatlantic flights with the A321LR later this year, as well as some domestic transcontinental routes with the A321. It is worth noting that the transatlantic flights will have 24 seats, while the transcontinental flights will have 16 seats.

My Thoughts

JetBlue has once again, upped its game and set a new standard for domestic carriers across the United States. One must remember that this product is on a narrow-body aircraft, not a wide-body; if I didn’t know any better I would think that this was on a wide-body aircraft. In some ways, one could argue that flying transatlantic/transcontinental with this product on a narrowbody aircraft could be a better option than some products on wide-body aircraft. The emphasis on privacy and comfort coupled with modern design make this a very competitive product compared to other ones out there. However, the herringbone configuration does raise a few questions, as the table does seem a tad far from the seat and the windows are almost behind the seat. Nonetheless, this is an extremely competitive product, especially considering this is on a narrowbody aircraft. Mint Studio is a great addition, and in some ways, reminds me of a luxurious first-class seat shrunk for an A321. Additionally, JetBlue's service has been known as one of the best, especially its food. With this in mind, JetBlue's transatlantic service might just be one of the best products out there.

What do you think about JetBlue's upgraded Mint Product?

sources: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210201005507/en/