mint travel on jetblue

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Now arriving on select flights Welcome to the suite life.

Introducing our freshest Mint yet. All suites. All aisle access. All the better to deliver our personalized, award-winning service. Featuring lie-flat seats and our exclusive Tuft & Needle sleep experience. Plus, the new front-row Mint Studio™ boasts the largest TV on a U.S. airline—and an extra seat and space to work, lounge and entertain. Available on all transatlantic and select coast-to-coast flights.

The leg rest on the extra seat in Mint Studio is temporarily disabled.

Your very own aisle-land.

Each Mint Suite™ offers direct aisle access, a sliding door for privacy, a fully lie-flat seat built with Tuft & Needle's T&N Adaptive® Foam cushions, a memory foam pillow and a customizable blanket.  

It’s all in the details.

A large 17” TV, plenty of in-suite power and wireless charging, and customizable lighting are just a few of the touches to help make the most of your time. And, with dedicated storage and nooks for shoes, a laptop and more, stowing and organizing your stuff is in the bag.  

Your own apart-mint.

The spacious front-row Mint Studio features all the bells and whistles of our new Mint suites, plus the largest TV (22”!) on a U.S. airline, a mirrored vanity, even more storage, and a guest seat and table—to work, lounge or entertain a fellow Mint traveler.

Win it for the long haul.

We’ve set a higher bar for transatlantic travelers seeking the best experience and a brilliant fare.

Routes Ready to fly Mint?

Enjoy our fresh take on premium travel to multiple cities across the U.S., Latin America, Caribbean, and all transatlantic flights.

On All Mint Flights Howdy, partners.

No cookie cutters here. Our curated partnerships create a journey that transports you in more than one way.

Delicious dining. Literally.

We’ve partnered with Delicious Hospitality Group to bring Manhattan hotspots Pasquale Jones, Charlie Bird and Legacy Records to Mint. With a choice of small plates for both your main and pre-arrival meals, dessert, and a custom playlist to go with your main meal, it’s like dining in NYC’s SoHo while being so high in the sky. All transatlantic Shut-Eye Service®️ flights leaving after 8:30pm feature a specially curated Savor & Sleep™ evening meal so you can dine and drift off to sleep sooner. 

Sip back and relax.

Our partnership with Delicious Hospitality also raises the bar on open bar, with an international artisan wine list curated by Parcelle and cocktails shaken on board inspired by the group’s specialty cocktail lounge Ada’s Place.  

Think small. Live large.

We continue to take our commit-mint to small businesses to new heights with both new and existing partnerships, like espresso-based drinks from Brooklyn Roasting Company, Maldon Salt and inflight flourishes like Tutto Calabria Chili oil, Natalie’s Juice, and more. Go behind-the-scenes with some of our new partners.

Lie-flat Seats & Suites Kick back (all the way back).

Each Mint seat and suite includes a fully lie-flat bed with Tuft & Needle® Adaptive foam cushions, complemented by a T&N-designed comforter and pillow, plus thoughtful touches that will have you on Cloud 9. For extra privacy, you can reserve an enclosed suite with its own door. 

Fly like nobody’s business.

Rated Best Regional Business Class in North America in 2019 by TripAdvisor travelers.

Inflight Entertainment Your living room. Only better.

Take content-mint to new heights with a 15" (or larger) TV, a plane-load of free on-demand movies and shows, live TV¹, curated content, plus meditation and sleepscapes from Open and more. Noise-isolating headphones from NYC’s Master & Dynamic will transform your Mint seat into an inflight theater.

Wi-Fi and Connectivity Cloud computing, literally.

Overnight flights buh-bye, red-eye. hello, shut-eye..

Mint’s Shut-Eye Service®️ is made for snoozing altitude, with a seat that transforms into a fully lie-flat bed, our Tuft & Needle® sleep experience, and little think-of-everything details like mood lighting and a Do Not Disturb button. When awake, our dining options make the most of your time, with a small plates menu and sweet treats before you retire, and a nutritious pre-arrival snack. All transatlantic flights leaving after 8:30pm feature a specially curated Savor & Sleep™ evening meal so you can dine and drift off to sleep sooner. 

The Mint Airport Experience Your airport dash, refreshed & redefined.

To the gate faster., on the plane faster., grab your bag faster. , ready for the royal treat-mint, faqs your questions, answered..

• Fly-Fi® and Live TV are not available on all flights operating outside of the contiguous U.S.
• At select airports.

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UponArriving

JetBlue Mint Guide: Routes, Prices, and What To Expect [2023]

JetBlue Mint might be one of the most underrated premium products in the US.

It’s offered by an airline with a reputation for being a budget carrier but the Mint experience can be far from what you would expect based on that reputation.

In this article, I’ll give you an overview of JetBlue Mint. I’ll explain exactly what the product is, and go in to different things like the routes and prices as well as showing you what to expect when you’re actually flying it!

Table of Contents

JetBlue Mint overview

JetBlue Mint is the premium business class/first class product offered by JetBlue. It’s considered by many — including myself — to be one of the top ways to fly lie flat across the country (and now internationally).

So don’t let JetBlue’s reputation as a budget carrier deter you from trying out this product because your expectations might just be exceeded in a major way.

JetBlue Mint is a little bit confusing though because it comes in a few different forms. So to clear up some of the confusion, I’ll talk briefly about each of these below.

The older Mint product

The first Mint product is the older product that was announced back in 2013 and started flying in 2014.

You’ll mostly find this product on the A321 flying transcontinental and medium-haul flights across the US or to nearby international destinations, such as the Caribbean.

There are two versions of this product although you will find both versions on the same aircraft.

How is that?

Basically, the Mint cabin has two different types of seats.

One type is a fully enclosed suite, complete with a door and lots of extra space . Seriously, this seat feels like a throne when you’re sitting in it.

The other seat is a lie-flat seat that is side-by-side with another seat. It’s not a bad seat but it has very limited (practically nonexistent) storage and counter space compared to the suite.

On an A321, you’ll find four fully enclosed suites and 12 seats located side-by-side. So the rows alternate with a 2-2 configuration and a 1-1.

It’s really nice that the 2-2 seats have fully lie-flat seats. However, I would always go for the individual suites because it’s just a more comfortable and private flying experience. Also, you can select those seats for no additional cost (which was something that surprised me).

The newer Mint product

The newer Mint product was released in 2021 and it’s used for premium transcontinental routes, transatlantic routes, and on some routes to Latin America. You’ll find it on both the A321neo and A321LR (Long Range).

This newer Mint product also has a special type of seat called the “Mint Studio.” It’s located at the bulkhead row and has a lot of extra space, large 22″ TV, etc. You can even have a guest come and sit with you on your side seat. But the Mint Studio will cost you a little bit extra ($299).

The A321neo features 16 lie-flat seats, which includes 14 Mint Suites and 2 Mint Studios. You’ll have a lie-flat bed that extends all the way to 6’8” and a 17.1” TV screen. The A321LR is going to offer you an identical seat but the cabin will feature 22 Mint Suites and 2 Mint Studios.

JetBlue Mint video review

JetBlue Mint Pricing

Old jetblue mint.

We analyzed many routes and found that the average one-way price for JetBlue Mint was $1,548 .

If you search around long enough, you can find some for under $800 when flying across the country such as between Miami (MIA) and Los Angeles (LAX).

For example, on a recent flight from Miami to Los Angeles that we took , we flew Mint for about $730, which I consider to be great value given the level of the product.

It is possible that you could find even better deals. For example, there have been deals where the prices are almost comparable to economy prices.

So if you’re flexible with your travels you can always just sit back and wait until you hear news of a JetBlue Mint sale.

New JetBlue Mint

The new JetBlue Mint is obviously going to be a more expensive option because of the locations that it flies between.

The average Mint price from New York (JFK) to London (LGW) was $3,564 and from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) it was $3,640.

If you wanted to fly the new JetBlue Mint on a transcontinental route, the prices are a good deal cheaper.

The average transcontinental route from New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) came in at $1,703 and it’s even possible to find these for under $1,000 if you’re lucky.

Just like with the old Mint product, you can find flash deals for the new one. I’ve seen deals for the new JetBlue Mint product going for under $2,000 round-trip between New York and London! So keep your eyes open.

JetBlue Mint Routes

Below is a breakdown of the JetBlue Mint routes as of spring 2023. (We will regularly update these routes but if you ever see spot a need to make a change just let us know!)

You’ll notice that the major hubs are Boston and New York as JetBlue has a strong East Coast presence. With that said, they do serve the West Coast at major airports like LAX and SFO.

In addition, it’s possible to get to places in the Caribbean like St. Lucia (UVF) and St. Maarten (SXM) with Mint.

In terms of the transatlantic routes, JetBlue is starting off with routes to London and Paris and I imagine that they will be expanding to other routes overtime. T he routes below include both the old and the new product.

JetBlue Mint experience

Below, I’ll give you an idea of what the JetBlue Mint experience is like.

I’ll focus on the older Mint product since I have not personally experienced the new one yet. But as soon as I do, I’ll be sure to update this section!

Check-in and baggage allowance

Whenever you arrive at the airport, you will have your own dedicated check-in desk. This should help you avoid longer lines if you need to check a bag or work out some other type of issue.

This line is also available for Mosaic members, which are the JetBlue elite members.

It’s one of the easier premium check-in experiences because unlike some airlines that have multiple lines for different elite members, there’s just one place to go for all elites/premium flyers.

Anyway, if you’re checking bags you’ll be allowed two checked bags of up to 70 pounds each, which is the standard for premium seats in the US. Of course, you also get to bring your carry-on and one personal item with you.

Priority security

With Mint, you can also sometimes take advantage of priority security which could help you get to the security checkpoint quicker. However, when flying first or business class in the US, I just rely on CLEAR and TSA Pre-Check.

Lounge access for Mint?

Unfortunately, JetBlue does not have a lounge network like the legacy carriers do.

Personally, I feel like at some point JetBlue is going to enter the lounge game, especially now that they are serving transatlantic flights. And that’s just not me speculating — there is some evidence that they have plans in the works.

I think JetBlue will be able to deliver a lounge product or airport dining experience at a really high level, although balancing their low costs with the expenses of a high quality lounge may not be so easy. We’ll see how it plays out.s

During boarding for your JetBlue flight , you will be the first to board right after pre-boarding. There should be a priority line for Mint and Mosaic members and that is where you will line up.

Just be aware that sometimes JetBlue may be using a boarding area of a different airline, such as British Airways, so your boarding signs may look a little different. You’ll still get priority though.

Your seat or suite

Depending on the type of seat you were able to choose, you will either be in a 2-2 or 1-1 configuration.

If you are in a 2-2 seat you will have less extra space but will still have a fully lie flat seat. If you are in the window seat, then you will have to hop over the person next to you to get aisle access.

As you can tell from the photos below, there is limited space between you and the other passenger so it could get a little bit awkward but the middle divider does provide some level of privacy.

However, if you have selected one of the amazing suites then you will have tons of extra space including extra compartments for storage and counter space. It’s actually a great workstation with three power outlets in addition to USB ports.

With one quick push of a button, you can close the suite door and have a much more private flying experience.

If you want to get extra comfortable, you can play around with the inflatable seat cushions which can provide you with enhanced lumbar support. They also have a massage function which works pretty well. All of these can be controlled from a small panel located on your armrest which I found to be pretty responsive and easy to use.

While the 15″ screens on JetBlue Mint were in need of updating (mostly for just lacking high definition and responsiveness on the touchscreen), the Master & Dynamic headphones issued were high-quality and did a solid job of canceling out the background noise. Just make sure that you request them if you need them because they won’t be waiting for you at your seat like some other airlines.

Another area where JetBlue does not skimp is the bedding. I think the Tuft & Needle pillow they issued me was one of the best I’ve ever been given in business class!

One thing that surprised me on my recent JetBlue Mint flight was the service.

I have not flown a lot of Mint flights so I don’t know if the service is always that great, but on my flight from MIA to LAX, I experienced some of the best service I’ve ever had on a flight.

And that’s coming from someone who has flown on most of the top of international first class products, including Singapore, Lufthansa, Emirates, Etihad, etc.

The main crewmember had anticipatory service down to perfection and was extremely professional and personable. I honestly could not have asked for a better flight attendant and that was something that really surprised me!

Dining and drinks

Another thing that was a pleasant surprise was the dining.

Pre-departure beverages will come out promptly during boarding and we even received multiple refills while waiting for the cabin to complete boarding.

If you’re a drinker you can go for one of the complementary alcoholic beverages known as the “Mint Condition” which consists of Bombay Sapphire gin or Tito’s handmade vodka, ginger, lime, cucumber, mint. (They also have a non-alcoholic version of this special beverage.)

You can check out their drink menu here .

As for the dining, back in 2020 JetBlue partnered with Delicious Hospitality Group to deliver their catering. So you’re going to receive quality dining from the same people who have brought you highly rated NYC restaurants like Legacy Records, Charlie Bird, and Pasquale Jones. 

In the morning flight out of Miami, I enjoyed a pretty amazing Charlie Bird breakfast with avocado toast, crêpes, and delicious maple bacon. Compared to the breakfasts that I have had flying first class on American, Delta, and United, this was easily the best.

I’ve heard mostly good things about the dining on other JetBlue Mint flights so I think that you can count on a quality meal when you fly JetBlue Mint.

JetBlue likes to keep things fresh so they are constantly changing up the menu every couple of months. If you want to check out the menus you can do so here .

Amenity kits

Another way that JetBlue surprised us is that they issued us two separate amenity kits.

The first amenity kit had items like an eye mask, earplugs, toothpaste tablets, and toothbrush, while the second Wanderfuel amenity kit had various items like pain cream, moisturizing eye gels socks, lozenges, and lip balm.

I appreciated all the unique freebies and also liked how they utilized sustainable packaging as sometimes amenity kits feel very wasteful to me.

You’ll be able to enjoy free Wi-Fi on your flight.

I found the Wi-Fi to be easy to connect to and relatively fast which allowed me to get work done and be pretty productive. The fact that the Wi-Fi is free and reliable is a major plus for Mint in my book.

I know a lot of people don’t pay too much mind to the lavatory but if you’ve ever had to go quite often on the plane, it helps to know what to expect. There is a lavatory at the front of the cabin and one just behind.

But what’s great is that there are two lights at the front of the cabin that will tell you which ones are open so you can easily get up and go when you need to and not play a guessing game.

Priority luggage

It’s not uncommon when flying first class to be offered priority luggage.

This means that your bag will be among the first to hop off the plane and it will cut down on your waiting time (and potentially stress and worry about the location of your bag).

The problem with this is that a lot of times the priority luggage tag basically means nothing. I understand that sometimes things happen and you can’t always count on it to work the way it is supposed to. But with some airlines, it’s like that tag is essentially meaningless 90% of the time.

However, on my first experience with JetBlue our bag was the second one to come out which was very impressive. Obviously, there was a little bit of luck that went into it but it was great to see the priority luggage perk actually mean something.

Overall, I can’t say enough great things about JetBlue Mint. It’s an amazing feeling whenever your expectations are exceeded in a major way and that was the case when I flew JetBlue Mint.

I can’t recommend the experience enough so if you have been on the fence about booking your first flight with JetBlue Mint, I’d highly recommend that you give them a shot!

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

I saw a comment somewhere else saying the throne seats on the older mint don’t incur an extra charge to book because of ADA guidelines. Basically in place so that disabled people that would need the throne seat can book it too without extra charge.

Thats’s very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

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JetBlue Mint: Your Guide to Flying First Class

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Does JetBlue offer a first-class flying experience? Kind of — and it’s not too shabby an option, either. However, if you’re looking for seats specifically labeled “first class,” you may have a hard time finding them; the airline calls its premium seats “JetBlue Mint."

Depending on the flight, there are additional tiers of JetBlue Mint seats that are even fancier. Some flights offer Mint Suites, which gives you a private suite complete with a sliding door. And in the even bigger Mint Studio, there’s enough room for two people.

So what is it like to fly in first class on JetBlue? Is JetBlue Mint really worth it? We break it all down for you in this guide to JetBlue's first class.

What JetBlue Mint seats are like

When flying first class on JetBlue, expect a lot of space: You’re getting a fully lie-flat seat that’s 6 feet 8 inches long. The seats even have cushions with adjustable firmness and a massage feature.

The seat will include a 15-inch (or larger) TV fully-loaded with free on-demand movies and shows, live TV and other entertainment, including meditation and digital newspaper access.

A view of JetBlue’s Mint Suites. Photo courtesy of JetBlue.

With suites

On some flights, your JetBlue Mint seat is actually an entire suite, which includes a tilting 17-inch seat-back screen, wireless charging capabilities, a phone ledge, in-seat power and small-item stowage.

JetBlue Mint Suites launched in June 2021 on a limited number of flights between New York and Los Angeles, with 16 fully lie-flat, private suites with a sliding door for every Mint customer. Later in 2021, JetBlue will introduce a 24-seat layout on its Airbus A321 Long Range aircraft, which service flights between New York-JFK and both London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.

Those suites are placed in a herringbone configuration. You’ll find 24 private suites on the transatlantic version and 16 on the transcontinental one.

A view of JetBlue’s even-larger Mint Studio. Photo courtesy of JetBlue.

With studios

Sit in the first row, and JetBlue will do you one better. Each of the aircraft outfitted with the Suites will also have two "Mint Studios" in the first row. Those are even larger than the Suites, featuring a 22-inch tilting seat-back screen (versus the 17-inch screen), an extra side table for added productivity and a guest seat that can accommodate an additional Mint customer during flight at cruising altitude.

What else you can expect when flying JetBlue Mint

You’ll get quite a few extra perks besides just more legroom and lie-flat seats when you fly JetBlue Mint. Here are some of the highlights:

A faster airport experience: With Mint, you’ll have access to a dedicated check-in queue and expedited security lane. You’ll have priority boarding, making you one of the first on and off the plane. Plus, it’s not just you who gets off sooner — your bags will too, thanks to a preferred bag claim carousel.

Your second bag checked free: Mint Customers get not only their first bag checked free, but the second checked bag free too (up to 70 pounds). This benefit is only accessible to Mint flyers and JetBlue Mosaic members. Otherwise, Blue Plus customers and JetBlue Plus card members get their first bag checked free, but will have to pay $45 for the second.

Premium food: The economy-class snacks were already pretty good on JetBlue, so it only makes sense that the food on a Mint fare is even better. While menus vary by flight, expect items like pineapple French toast or smoked trout for breakfast and ceviche or beef tenderloin for dinner. Before you go, you'll receive a bag of premium chocolate-covered cashews. Though, depending on who you ask, that might be a downgrade from the previous pre-arrival snack of a Milk Bar cookie.

Mixed drinks: Mint flyers are also offered wine and cocktails. Opt for the "Mint Condition" cocktail, named after the first-class cabin. This drink consists of Bombay Sapphire gin or Tito’s Handmade Vodka, ginger, lime, cucumber and mint. There’s even an alcohol-free version, too.

A sleeping kit by Tuft & Needle: Once onboard, you’ll receive a sleeping kit designed by Tuft & Needle, which includes a convertible blanket with built-in foot pocket, a memory foam-lined pillow with a pillowcase, an eye mask and earplugs.

How to book a seat in JetBlue Mint

Mint fare availability varies.

First off, don’t expect Mint fares to be available on every JetBlue flight; Mint is an option only on select cross-country domestic flights and international routes. If you’re taking a quick trip from, say, Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe, no Mint for you.

For fares with Mint

If your route does have a JetBlue Mint option, you’ll book as usual.

Simply search your route and choose JetBlue fare class you want. At the booking window, you’ll be able to toggle between options such as paying in dollars or TrueBlue points or booking nonrefundable versus refundable (which are typically more expensive) fares.

If you want to apply points to your fare but don’t have enough to cover the whole thing, here’s another bit of good news: JetBlue airfares, including those in Mint class, can be paid for with a combination of cash and TrueBlue points .

If you’re booking a class reservation for multiple people, you can’t put one person in Mint and someone else in a lower fare class. If you want Mint for you, but don’t mind leaving your buddies in Blue Basic, you’ll have to book them on a separate reservation.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

• 3 points per $1 with JetBlue.

• 2 points per $1 at restaurants and grocery stores.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

• 1 Mosaic tile per $1,000 spent.

• 6 points per $1 with JetBlue.

This card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be transferred to JetBlue on a 1:1 basis.

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

• 2 points per $1 on other travel.

This card earns American Express Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to JetBlue on a 2.5:2 basis.

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

» Learn more: Your guide to booking award flights on JetBlue

Can you upgrade to Mint after booking?

Yes, it’s possible to change your seat should you decide to upgrade to Mint later. But know that if you paid with points, you’ll have to use points to upgrade. Likewise, if you paid with cash or a card, you can only upgrade using that same payment method.

The bottom line

JetBlue’s first-class Mint experience rivals that of most other major airlines — and in some areas, outpaces the competition. With roomy lie-flat seats, semi-private suites, free meals and entertainment, and a speedy check-in and boarding process, if you’re willing to pay the price, the Mint experience is likely worth it.

There are no change or cancellation fees for Mint fares (there are also no change or cancellation fees for Blue and Blue Plus fares) on all routes. However, you will pay the difference if changing to a new, more expensive flight. You’ll also owe $75 for same-day switches, though you won’t have to pay a fare difference in that case. However, same-day switches are free for Mosaic members.

Flying Mint entails tons of first class-level benefits, such as a sleeping kit (which includes a pillow and convertible blanket), use of noise-isolating headphones and fully lie-flat seats.

As far as the airport experience, you’ll breeze through with a dedicated Mint check-in queue and expedited security lane, priority boarding and a preferred bag claim.

Essentially yes. Mint is the fancy name that JetBlue gives to its business class. Like conventional business class seats, expect those VIP-style benefits including lie-flat seats, priority check-in and boarding, premium in-flight food and beverages and more.

No, only certain JetBlue routes offer Mint seats as an option. They’re typically available on most coast-to-coast flights, as well as to flights to Latin America and the Caribbean. Mint is also available on all flights to and from London.

Yes, Mint passengers can kick back and lie flat on Mint’s 6 foot 8 inch lie-flat seats. Mint seat cushions also include an adjustable firmness and a massage feature.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Simple Flying

Jetblue mint routes in 2024: how to fly the premium seat.

The airline’s business class offering has been upgraded. How can you take advantage of the added comforts and benefits?

• JetBlue Mint offers three versions - Suite, Studio, and Seats - with lie-flat seats and premium amenities.
• Mint Studio has the most space, doors for privacy, and a separate dining seat; Mint Suites offer similar comfort but are scaled back.
• Mint Seats are standard with adjustable settings, 15" screens, and dual single/dual seat layouts.

In recent years, carriers in the United States have stepped up their game regarding their premium offerings to passengers. JetBlue Mint is simply the airline's version of business class.

JetBlue Mint has been around for a while. Still, it improved in 2021 when the airline revamped its business class products and introduced new options for passengers seeking a more premium travel experience. Here's what you need to know to get the most out of your JetBlue Mint experience.

Minty fresh

There are now three classes of Mint: Suite, Studio, and Seats. All of these are designed to compete with the premium products of legacy airlines, such as United Airlines' Polaris and Delta Air Lines' Delta One .

All three classes feature lie-flat seats , which are 6 feet and 8 inches long when fully stretched out. The seats have an adjustable firmness setting and a massage function as well. JetBlue offers Tuft and Needle blankets and pillows, plus Wanderfuel amenity kits to ensure passengers are even cozier.

Each seat has a large in-flight entertainment screen and Master and Dynamic noise-canceling headphones to entertain passengers. In addition, Mint passengers are entitled to free high-speed WiFi. Other amenities include a wireless charger and dual power outlets.

Mint Seats also offers an impressive selection of food and beverages, including unlimited alcoholic beverages. JetBlue has partnered with Delicious Hospitality, a restaurant group behind many high-end restaurants in New York. In addition, the menu is changed every two months and differs based on the route.

Mint seats are available on the airline's Airbus A321 aircraft, and the newer Mint Studio and Mint Suites are available on the A321neo and A321LR aircraft.

The real estate

Mint studio.

Playfully called apart-mints, these are the biggest suites JetBlue offers and are jam-packed with the most impressive features. The JetBlue A321LRs business class seats are in a herringbone configuration, which results in the first row taking up more space than the rest because of how the seats are placed. The Mint Studio has a tall door for privacy, which is essential since the bathroom and galley are close, which means a lot of movement around the pod.

JetBlue decided to profit off the extra space and market it as a separate product. So, there are only two Mint Studio seats in any Mint-equipped aircraft. The extra space isn't a gimmick, either. There's enough space for an extra seat in the pod with an additional seatbelt and a secondary tray table, allowing you to dine with a guest.

In front of the lie-flat seat is a 22-inch screen to entertain the passenger. There's also plenty of storage space, including a large cupboard behind the screen. Studio passengers also get complimentary loungewear and slippers.

Herringbone Vs Reverse Herringbone: Comparing The Two Cabin Configurations

Mint suites.

The Mint Suites have all the amenities in the Studio but scaled back slightly. Fortunately, according to One Mile At A Time , the smaller suite isn't lacking in any way. There's plenty of room to fly and sleep comfortably, but you aren't going to fit two people in this pod. There's only one power outlet, a tray table, and a smaller 17.1-inch screen.

Only two Mint Suites are in each row, giving passengers uninterrupted aisle access. The A321LR and A321 neo have only 22 and 14 mint suites, respectively. The low number of seats means that service is lightning-fast.

Standard Mint seats can be found on the A321, used mainly for domestic flights. Each aircraft has 16 seats, alternating with single and dual seats per row. The four single seats have privacy doors, while the 12 remaining dual suites only have a partition to separate each passenger. The passengers seated in the window seat in the dual row won't have direct access to the aisle, and the passenger seated in the aisle seat does not have a privacy shade.

These seats are the same Mint Suite and Studio seats and share adjustable firmness and massage functions. Passengers in these seats have access to a 15" entertainment screen. That said, there isn't much storage to go around, especially when sitting in the dual seats.

JetBlue Launches New Amenities & Dining Options In Its Mint & Core Classes

JetBlue is known for its service, and Mint customers can expect to receive the best the airline offers. However, there are some downsides to the Mint experience. Since its introduction three years ago, Mint has expanded to most of the airline's transcontinental and international flights, but there's more to go.

Lounge access is minimal with JetBlue, especially on international flights, since the airline doesn't partner with other airlines or operators. This could be a deal breaker for business travelers used to decompressing at a lounge before a long flight. Couples traveling together might want to look elsewhere as the aisle will always separate Mint Studio and Suites.

Last but not least, these flights don't come cheap. On the one-way transcontinental route from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Mint Seats range from $850 to $2,600. International flights are even more expensive.

If you value comfort and have the money to spend, JetBlue's Mint experience is a great bet, but is the experience worth the cost? That depends on the passenger.

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The Best Ways To Book JetBlue Mint With Points [Step-by-Step]

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A Look Inside JetBlue Mint

Emirates skywards, jetblue trueblue, pay with other flexible points, other jetblue partners, great jetblue mint redemptions, how to earn enough miles for jetblue mint, when should you search for award space, get on the plane faster, comfort in the air, final thoughts.

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Since the service was launched, JetBlue Mint has quickly become one of the most comfortable ways to fly coast-to-coast within the U.S.

This is contrary to JetBlue’s previous reputation of being a low-cost carrier offering cheap fares — but we’re here to let you know that JetBlue’s business class, called JetBlue Mint, is a world-class product that has rave reviews and a cult following.

JetBlue still has a somewhat limited network of Mint service, especially internationally, but if you are open to traveling on one of the available routes, it should definitely be among your top options.

Enjoy lie-flat seats, tapas-style catering, an abundance of amenities, and all of the other perks of flying on a true business class flight.

JetBlue offers Hayward & Hopper amenity kits, with distinct hand-picked selections for men and women including beauty, grooming, and lifestyle essentials. The kits are inspired by a taste of adventure combined with a little bit of old-town Hollywood.

And on select flights aboard JetBlue’s brand-new Mint Suite , you’ll enjoy new tech amenities and more space.

Renowned New York City restaurant Saxon + Parole spearheads JetBlue’s dining program and has designed a variety of small plates specifically for passengers to enjoy while flying JetBlue Mint.

How To Fly JetBlue Mint Using Points

JetBlue Mint award availability, even at the partner level, is generally pretty easy to find, as long as you’re flexible.

On many flights, JetBlue offers 7 to 8 business class flights available for award redemption, and on most business class flights, JetBlue doesn’t levy any additional fuel surcharges.

Here are some of JetBlue’s nonstop domestic flights offering Mint business class:

• Las Vegas (LAS) – Boston (BOS)
• Las Vegas (LAS) – New York (JFK)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Boston (BOS)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Miami (MIA)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK)
• San Diego (SAN) – Boston (BOS)
• San Diego (SAN) – New York (JFK)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Boston (BOS)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Miami (MIA)
• San Francisco (SFO) – New York (JFK)
• Seattle (SEA) – Boston (BOS)
• Seattle (SEA) – New York (JFK)

Here are some of JetBlue’s nonstop international flights offering Mint business class:

• Boston (BOS) – Bridgetown (BGI)
• Boston (BOS) – Granada (GND)
• Boston (BOS) – Liberia (LIR)
• Boston (BOS) – Saint Thomas (STT)
• Boston (BOS) – Saint Lucia (UVF)
• Boston (BOS) – Sint Maarten (SXM)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Liberia (LIR)
• New York (JFK) – Aruba (AUA)
• New York (JFK) – Bridgetown (BGI)
• New York (JFK) – Granada (GND)
• New York (JFK) – Liberia (LIR)
• New York (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR)
• New York (JFK) – London-Gatwick (LGW)
• New York (JFK) – Saint Thomas (STT)
• New York (JFK) – Saint Lucia (UVF)
• New York (JFK) – Sint Maarten (SXM)
• Newark (EWR) – Aruba (AUA)
• Newark (EWR) – Bridgetown (BGI)
• Newark (EWR) – Liberia (LIR)
• Newark (EWR) – Saint Thomas (STT)
• Newark (EWR) – Saint Lucia (UVF)
• Newark (EWR) – Sint Maarten (SXM)

As you can see, JetBlue focuses on deploying the vast majority of its Mint-equipped aircraft for either transcontinental U.S. service coast-to-coast or U.S. East Coast-Caribbean routes.

Let’s examine all of the best frequent flyer programs to use to book JetBlue Mint using points.

Emirates’ frequent flyer program, known as Skywards , is one of the handiest options to think about when booking JetBlue Mint flights.

This is especially true considering how it’s possible to get outsized value from your points by booking partner-level availability with Emirates miles, regardless of revenue prices.

Currently, Emirates uses a distance-based award program to price its JetBlue flights:

For example, a nonstop JetBlue Mint flight between New York (JFK) and Aruba (AUA) spans 1,951 miles one-way, which means the flight falls into Zone 4, costing 40,000 Emirates miles one-way.

Best of all, JetBlue is generous in releasing partner-level award availability, which means the booking process shouldn’t be too arduous.

We recommend either searching directly on Emirates’ website or using ExpertFlyer :

• Visit Emirates’ homepage .
• On the home screen, you’ll see a search box. Click the button that says Advanced search: multi-city, promo codes, partner airlines .
• On the top of the screen, click  Book Classic Rewards Flight . Then, right underneath, click  Search partner flights only .
• Choose Round trip or One way .
• Enter your flight details, including airport pairs, travel date(s), number of passengers, and  Business Class .
• Click  Search .
• Find suitable flights, redeem your Emirates miles, and use a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Here’s what a successful JetBlue Mint award search looks like when done through Emirates’ website:

Earning Emirates Skywards Miles

Emirates miles are incredibly easy to accrue .

This frequent flyer program is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards ,  Brex Rewards ,  Capital One Miles ,  Chase Ultimate Rewards , Citi ThankYou Rewards , and Marriott Bonvoy .

Amex, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi transfer almost instantly at a 1:1 ratio.

Marriott Bonvoy transfers in approximately 3 business days at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll also receive a bonus of 5,000 Emirates miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at once.

Barclays is the exclusive issuer of co-branded Emirates Skywards credit cards, which could be an option to earn miles directly, too.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

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• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express ® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com , Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
• Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash : get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees )
• Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
• Access to American Express transfer partners
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Find the Amex Gold 75k or 90k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Amex Gold
• Upgrade Amex Gold to Amex Platinum
• Amex Gold Benefits for Military
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Business Owner?  Check out our article on the best Amex business cards  that earn Membership Rewards points.

Although TrueBlue points do not have a specific value, the number of points it takes to book a flight is directly tied to the actual cash fare for the flight at that time.

The best TrueBlue point values seem to be found when booking international itineraries and Mint flights. One-way Mint flight prices can go from under $500 on some shorter routes to well over $1,000 on coast-to-coast flights, so the points you need to book can vary widely.

Before completing your booking, always be sure to calculate the value you are getting for redeeming your points and make sure you’re willing to part with the points for that value.

The TrueBlue program makes it a little bit easier to get the points you need for an award flight by allowing members to transfer points to other members when necessary.

In addition, TrueBlue allows for a family pooling of points, which lets any family member use points earned by the rest.

To book a JetBlue Mint flight using TrueBlue points, follow the steps below.

• Go to the JetBlue website .
• Log in to your TrueBlue account in the upper right corner of the page.
• Under the Plan a Trip menu, select Flights.
• Enter your dates, origin and destination airports, and the number of passengers.
• Select the button for TrueBlue Points and click Find It.
• Choose your flight and click Continue.
• Accept the terms, enter payment information, confirm, and purchase your flight.

Hot Tip: Note that Mint service will be on the far right of the options when it is time to select your flights. If it is not there, it does not necessarily mean that Mint is sold out for that particular flight. You may just need to adjust your search, as Mint is not available on every route or every day.

Here’s an example of an award search:

Earning JetBlue TrueBlue Points

JetBlue is transfer partners with Amex, Chase, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex transfers at a 250:200 ratio almost instantly, while Chase and Citi transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.

Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 6:1 ratio with a bonus of 2,500 JetBlue points when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to JetBlue.

Lastly, there are also JetBlue co-branded credit card products issued by Barclays that earn JetBlue points directly.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable

Chase Ultimate Rewards

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
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Chase Sapphire Reserve ®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k Bonus Offer
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Chase Freedom Unlimited ®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

The Chase Freedom Unlimited ® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.

• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
• 1.5% back on all other purchases
• No annual fee
• Earn big on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• Everyday bonus on dining and drugstores
• Straightforward cash-back on all other purchases
• Ability to pool points
• 3% foreign transaction fee
• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited ® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
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Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ sure does pack quite a punch — especially for a no-annual-fee card.

The Freedom Flex card is an incredible option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card, or a powerful point-earner when paired with a premium card in the Ultimate Rewards family.

• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
• Powerful cash-back earner: 5% back on quarterly categories and travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases
• Excellent cell phone insurance
• Mastercard World Elite benefits
• 3% foreign transaction fees in U.S. dollars
• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards ® , our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
• 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card
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• APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
• Benefits of the Chase Freedom Flex
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Business Owner?  Check out our article on the best Chase business cards  that earn Ultimate Rewards points.

Because TrueBlue point redemptions can have values as low as 1 cent per point (or lower), in some cases it will be a better value to book JetBlue Mint through one of your other flexible points accounts.

You can book flights with points directly through the travel portals of American Express , Chase , and Citi.

Redemption values are fixed there, so it is easy to compare the value you are getting from using TrueBlue points.

Just remember: even though you may be able to get a better value using these flexible points, it still might not be a good redemption.

Those points could be transferred to a variety of different airlines and potentially redeemed for much higher values. If your goal is to fly JetBlue Mint , though, this may be your best option.

JetBlue has several airline partners, but because it is not part of a traditional alliance like Oneworld or Star Alliance , reciprocal earning and redemption are not available for all of the partners.

TrueBlue points can be earned on flights with American Airlines , Iceland Air, Emirates , Hawaiian Airlines, JSX , Silver Airways, Singapore Airlines , and South African Airways.

Out of those partners, TrueBlue points can only be redeemed on Hawaiian Airlines (though this is coming soon on American). Further, only those who have Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Miles and Emirates Skywards accounts can redeem their miles on JetBlue. You’ll also be able to redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles on JetBlue flights soon.

To redeem either Hawaiian or Emirates miles , you need to call the airline for updated pricing.

Unfortunately, at this time, you can’t redeem for Mint service with either airline’s miles. Perhaps that option will be added to one or both programs in the future.

Bottom Line: Emirates Skywards offers distance-based award tickets for JetBlue Mint, while JetBlue TrueBlue offers revenue-based award tickets. Both are great options, but the only way to get outsized value from your points is to follow Emirates Skywards. 

The JetBlue TrueBlue program does not have sweet spots like programs with award charts. Emirates, however, does!

With Emirates, you can now redeem according to a distance-based award chart as long as partner-level award space is available, regardless of the cash price.

With JetBlue, mileage prices are tied to the actual price of the tickets, and redemption for any specific route can vary greatly depending on when you redeem for the ticket and how popular your travel dates are.

The best Mint redemptions using JetBlue points will be those that coincide with the most reasonably priced tickets.

For each redemption with JetBlue points, you will need to look at the cash price, factor in the points you would earn if you purchase the ticket, and determine whether redemption makes sense for you.

What makes a good Mint redemption isn’t necessarily a fantastic “deal” — it’s the confidence you’ll have knowing that you will experience a great product and awesome service and arrive at your destination relaxed and rested.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Boston (BOS) – Sint Maarten (SXM) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
• Boston (BOS) – St. Thomas (STT) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Liberia (LIR)  one-way in JetBlue Mint for 52,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Aruba (AUA) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 64,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
• Newark (EWR) – Aruba (AUA)  one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Boston (BOS)  one-way in JetBlue Mint for 52,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: For JetBlue Mint redemptions to London, you’ll see no fuel surcharges are passed on when using Emirates miles!

Now that you’re excited about Mint service and ready to book an award flight, what if you’re a few points short? Well, don’t despair.

With any transferable points system, you can book JetBlue Mint, thanks to either Emirates Skywards or JetBlue TrueBlue.

JetBlue TrueBlue has the most award availability, but Emirates Skywards generally has the best deals, particularly for tickets with high cash prices.

Here’s the scoop on transferable currencies:

• Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly and JetBlue at a 250:200 ratio almost instantly.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Emirates and JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
• Citi ThankYou Rewards points transfer to Emirates and JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
• Capital One miles transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
• Brex Rewards points transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio in up to 1 business day.
• Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Emirates at a 3:1 ratio in 3 business days and JetBlue at a 6:1 ratio in 1 business day. For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer, you’ll get a bonus of either 5,000 Emirates miles or 2,500 JetBlue points.

There are 3 co-branded credit card options for earning TrueBlue points directly, all of which are issued by Barclays.

Since TrueBlue awards are directly tied to price, your flight searches should mirror how you would search if you were looking to purchase a cash ticket.

Looking for flights right when the schedule opens will show the greatest availability, but may have higher prices since the airline isn’t sure how many seats it will sell. If you search too close to your travel dates, prices may have gone up too much, or Mint seats might not be available for your desired route.

With Emirates Skywards, however, we recommend booking far in advance or close to departure. That’s because Emirates Skywards is subject to award availability and inventory given to the program by JetBlue.

Unfortunately, like with all airfares, there isn’t any secret formula that will tell you exactly when to buy your ticket to get the best price. Your best bet is to be flexible with travel dates and start searching early.

Hot Tip: Need to cancel? Check out our guide to canceling your JetBlue flight (points or cash) .

Why JetBlue Mint Is a Great Redemption

Quite simply, JetBlue Mint is a great redemption because it almost always provides the highest quality service you can experience with any airline on the routes it flies.

If that doesn’t convince you, take a look below at some of the features you won’t want to miss out on when you take your next trip.

Dedicated Check-in

A special queue for Mint passengers allows them to experience an expedited check-in service when they arrive at the airport for their flights.

Expedited Security

No matter what airport you are flying out of, Mint passengers will be allowed to go through the fastest security lane available.

This gives you extra time to use the bathroom, grab some snacks, or sit down for a meal before your flight boards.

It also means you shouldn’t ever miss your flight because you are stuck in the security line.

Early Boarding

JetBlue Mint passengers are among the first to be allowed to board the aircraft , giving them plenty of time to stow their personal belongings, get settled into their seats, and enjoy a welcome drink before takeoff.

Seats and Suites

At a full 6-feet-8-inches long, JetBlue Mint has the longest fully lie-flat seats on any domestic aircraft.

Even taller passengers can relax in comfort with a built-in massage feature and cushions that have adjustable firmness.

The first 4 seats in Mint on each aircraft are individual suites, even including a closable door for the highest privacy available.

Delicious Dining

From a signature pre-departure drink made with premium spirits to a wine list made up of the best American artisan winemakers, you are sure to find something you like to drink.

Fresh espresso from the Brooklyn Roasting Company can give you the boost you need to get that extra little bit of work done before you doze off.

A rotating small plates menu from Saxon + Parole will fill your belly with deliciousness, and all red-eye flights include breakfast selections and green juice from Milk Bar for your enjoyment.

City-specific artisanal ice creams round out Mint dining with a sweet finish. You are sure to leave your flight happy and full!

Fly-Fi is JetBlue’s own inflight Wi-Fi service . The airline says it is broadband internet service in the sky comes closer to what you would expect at home or at work than what you see from other airlines.

As a Mint passenger, Fly-Fi is available at no additional charge. It includes built-in content from partners like Vice, The Wall Street Journal, and Amazon when your flight is out of the coverage area.

Personal Entertainment

New 15-inch interactive personal entertainment screens are perfect for enjoying up to 100 channels of DirecTV and SiriusXM Radio.

With both AC power and USB outlets in every seat, you can also enjoy the full range of any personal electronics you bring on board.

JetBlue Mint is definitely making waves in the domestic U.S. market. It prides itself on providing a product superior to that of legacy U.S. airlines — and from what we’ve seen so far, it is succeeding.

The limited network of flights that have Mint service available can make it difficult to experience this amazing product, but JetBlue is regularly expanding Mint service. We look forward to a time when it will be a more mainstream product!

For now, if you want to fly across the country in comfort with a lie flat bed and excellent service, JetBlue Mint is a great option to try if it’s available on your route.

The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information for the Citi Prestige ® Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What point programs transfer to jetblue.

Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy points all can be transferred to JetBlue.

What does Mint mean on JetBlue?

JetBlue Mint is the name of JetBlue’s business class product. It comes complete with lie-flat seats, comfortable bedding, fantastic catering, and all of the enhanced services you get when you book business class.

What JetBlue routes have Mint?

The following is a list of some of JetBlue’s nonstop domestic flights with JetBlue Mint:

And here’s a list of most of the nonstop international flights with JetBlue Mint:

Does JetBlue Mint have a lounge at JFK?

Unfortunately, there’s no lounge at JFK that JetBlue Mint travelers have access to.

What is the best way to book JetBlue Mint business class?

We think the 2 best ways to book JetBlue Mint are to either book through Emirates Skywards or JetBlue TrueBlue.

Emirates is transfer partners of Amex, Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, and Marriott.

JetBlue is transfer partners of Amex, Chase, Citi, and Marriott.

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About Jeff Brownson

Since discovering miles and points in 2010, Jeff has traveled to over 35 countries, flying in first class, business class, and sometimes even in coach. Whether he’s staying in a hostel dorm, or in a luxury suite at a 5 star hotel, Jeff is constantly looking for the best deal to make travel as close to free as possible.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

The Complete Guide to JetBlue Mint Class

Julie Tremaine

February 10, 2023

Since its founding in 1998, JetBlue has set itself apart from other affordable airlines by providing comfortable touches throughout the flight experience, from ample legroom to a self-serve pantry on many of its longer flights. While seat selection and carry-on bags are no longer included with the least-expensive Blue Basic fares, a robust rewards program and free in-flight wifi add value to the JetBlue experience.

The same is true with JetBlue Mint, the airline’s version of business class. The overall experience is similar to business class on airlines like American and Delta, and fares are generally lower than on comparable routes on those airlines. The trade-off, though, is fewer perks before the flight, and limited availability of Mint-ready routes. 

Since June 2021, JetBlue has slowly been rolling out an improved Mint experience, with a revamped “Mint Suite” offering, as well as larger “Mint Studio” seats that have a second seating area and more storage. However, as of press, the suites and studios are only available on a select few domestic flights, and on JetBlue’s limited (but increasing) international offerings.

What to know about JetBlue Mint 

There are three classes of Mint seats, and all are comparable to what you can expect from any legacy carrier’s international business class. All three offer lie-flat seating, large screens, amenity kits, free-flowing alcohol, and robust food and drink offerings from partnerships with boutique New York-based businesses.

JetBlue’s A321 planes are equipped with standard Mint seats, which alternate rows of two on either side of the aisle with single seats. In total, four of the rows have individual seats, and six of the rows have double seats, meaning passengers in window seats have no direct access to the aisle. Individual rows have privacy doors; double rows do not.

On A321neo and A321 LR planes, upgraded and revamped Mint Suite and Mint Studio seats are available. These include compartments for shoe and laptop storage, lighted vanity mirrors, larger entertainment screens, and adjustable mood lighting. All Mint Suite seats are individual seats with direct aisle access. The two Mint Studio seats per flight, which are only in the first row and for an upcharge, have more room, including a buddy seat and a second tray table. 

All Mint fares include two checked bags, access to an Even More Speed security lane, and priority boarding. An in-flight meal and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are included. All Mint seats have dedicated bin space, a Tuft & Needle blanket and pillow, a wellness-oriented amenity kit, and headphones for in-flight use. All Mint seats are lie-flat seats with 6’8” of space, which have adjustable firmness and a massage function, and offer a 15” (or larger) screen.

Best routes for JetBlue Mint 

The Mint Suites and Mint Studio seats available on A321neo and A321 LR flights offer a substantially upgraded experience from standard Mint. However, these seats are, on average, about double the price of standard Mint seats (which cost about triple a Blue Basic fare).

Mint Suite and Mint Studio are currently only available on domestic flights between Los Angeles and New York or Boston, and on international flights to London, and Central and South America.

Standard Mint service is available on long-haul domestic flights between West Coast cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas to destinations on the Eastern Seaboard like Boston, New York, and Miami. Generally, Mint seats are offered on five- and six-hour flights, but not many shorter routes than that. Mint service is available on all international flights to London, and Central and South America.

Real deals found by Going in JetBlue Mint

• NYC to London for $1,900 roundtrip
• Seattle to Boston for $918 roundtrip
• LA to NYC for $1,314 roundtrip

The JetBlue experience at the airport 

The biggest difference between JetBlue Mint and first class on other domestic airlines is lounge access. JetBlue does not operate any lounges, so Mint passengers have no separate waiting area unless they have access to other airport lounges like Priority Pass or American Express Centurion Lounge.

JetBlue offers dedicated Mint/Mosaic check-in lines for its Mint passengers and frequent JetBlue fliers who have earned Mosaic status. The process is generally smooth and doesn’t require waiting for more than two or three other priority customers in front of you. 

Mint tickets also come with Even More Speed, a for-purchase perk on lower class tickets, which gives you access to a priority TSA lane, although it is still a standard TSA lane. Even More Space does not include TSA PreCheck access for passengers who don’t have PreCheck status.

Baggage allowance

Each Mint fare includes two checked bags of up to 70lbs each, which are given priority tags and generally come out before standard checked bags at baggage claim. Passengers are also allowed one larger carry-on, and one smaller personal item.

The JetBlue Mint experience in the air

• A321: These planes offer 16 standard Mint seats per flight, arranged in three rows of double seats per side, alternating with single suites, in a 2-1-2-1-2 pattern. There are 12 Mint seats in double rows, wherein window seats don’t have aisle access, and four single suites with privacy doors that close. These leather lie-flat seats have 6’8” of space, and are roomy and comfortable in both upright and seated positions. They have adjustable firmness and a massage function, which is especially nice on longer flights. They have a 15” screen, which is an easy-to-watch size. In the individual seats, in addition to the tray table that comes from the console, there is a large flat surface for extra tabletop space. The double seats don’t have that — and while there is a tray table, it’s so small that it can’t hold a cell phone and a food tray at the same time, and there is barely any extra storage on the shared center console between the seats. The tray table doesn’t extend as far as it could in the given space, which creates a cramped feel. When sharing the center console with a neighbor who’s a stranger, it can be awkward to navigate the small space. Storage under the double seats is awkward, too: there is no space for a bag if you have the leg support raised, so you need to put it underneath the leg support — but you can’t reach the bag to remove it if the seat is extended. It makes for an odd maneuvering, especially when seated next to a stranger whose personal space you’re trying to respect.
• A321neo: These planes offer 16 lie-flat seats, 14 of which are individual Mint Suite seats with privacy doors. The two front seats are Mint Studio space, available for an upcharge, with roomier suites and a secondary seating area. These leather lie-flat seats have 6’8” of space, and have adjustable firmness and a massage function. They have a 17.1” screen. Because they are all individual seats, there is significantly more space for personal belongings, and a more intuitive plan for storage. There are dedicated spots for shoe storage and a pull-out tray to store a laptop. On standard A321s, there is very little space to store anything during takeoff and landing, meaning your only option is to store your bag in the overhead bin and have a flight attendant help you. 
• A321LR: These planes offer 24 lie-flat seats, 22 of which are individual Mint Suite seats with privacy doors. The two front seats are Mint Studio space, available for an upcharge, with roomier suites and a secondary seating area. These leather lie-flat seats have 6’8” of space, and have adjustable firmness and a massage function. They have a 17.1” screen. Because they are all individual seats, there is significantly more space for personal belongings, and a more intuitive plan for storage. There are dedicated spots for shoe storage and a pull-out tray to store a laptop. On standard A321s, there is very little space to store anything during takeoff and landing, meaning your only option is to store your bag in the overhead bin and have a flight attendant help you. 

Benefits of flying Mint on JetBlue

JetBlue Mint customers are offered priority boarding, and are able to order beverage service as soon as they sit down. Once the plane reaches 10,000 feet, guests are offered a welcome snack. 

Each seat comes with a cozy, lightweight Tuft & Needle blanket and a memory foam pillow that is a significant improvement in comfort and support from some other airline pillow offerings. Over-the-ear Master & Dynamic noise-isolating headphones are available by request, for in-flight use only, and do a solid job of cutting down on ambient noise. Snooze kits including socks, eye masks, earplugs, and wake-up toiletries are offered on longer flights. All Mint seats come with a take-home wellness kit curated by Wanderfuel, which comes with a rotating assortment of products that often include lip balm, face and hand cream, energizing mints, de-stressing spray, moisturizing eye gels, immune support lozenges, or pain-relieving body lotion.

The wellness kit is always a nice surprise: the products are truly wellness-oriented, are well-curated for in-flight and post-flight needs, and are generally varied in their selection — but I am predisposed to like them because I love a mini spa moment wherever I can have one. I’ve seen many people leave them behind, usually men. The parting gift is Hu Chocolate-Covered Hunks, which are chocolate and vanilla-bean cashews.

Meals in JetBlue Mint

Since 2020, JetBlue has partnered with Delicious Hospitality for its Mint class food and beverage offerings. Delicious Hospitality is the restaurant group behind New York City restaurants like Charlie Bird and Legacy Records. Previously, the group’s Pasquale Jones was featured, but since summer 2022, the group’s Legacy Records restaurant has been providing the menus. Mint meals are a selection of small plates: guests choose three plates from a selection of five chilled and hot plates. 

The menus change every two months, and are different depending on the route. The Westbound Breakfast menu for October/November 2022 included: chilled poached pears with tarragon; salted yogurt with raspberry jam; avocado toast; banana bread pudding with creme anglaise; and a poached egg with lobster over fried rice. The Westbound Lunch/Dinner menu for October/November 2022 included: a wedge salad with lemon buttermilk dressing; burrata and crostini; shrimp with roasted cherry tomatoes; chicken cacciatore with rosemary breadcrumbs; and lamb shoulder with tomato conserva. Dessert was vanilla gelato with vanilla shortbread. In-flight menus can be previewed here .

The food options through Delicious Hospitality trend toward sophisticated offerings that can be limiting. On the October/November 2022 breakfast offerings, only two had any protein—one a savory, salty yogurt (which was tasty if slightly unusual) and one featuring lobster and a poached egg. While the lobster was tender—it can get rubbery when reheated—it had a strong briny flavor, and was accompanied by an overcooked poached egg and fried rice that was dry and hard. My third selection, avocado toast, was a premixed paste without any real flavor, topped by radishes, beets and onions.

The lunch/dinner menu for February/March 2023 on Eastbound North American flights had a significant improvement in offerings. For cold dishes, there was a baby gem salad with pickled pears, parmesan and tarragon vinaigrette; and a farro salad with charred snap peas, English peas, pistachio and parmesan. For hot dishes: lasagna with kale, spinach, ricotta and pomodoro sauce; chicken milanese with arugula, cherry tomato and mozzarella; and lamb shoulder with baby carrots, harissa and jusThe farro, especially, was nicely balanced between the sweet peas and salty cheese, and had a pleasant textural combination between the grains and the vegetables. The lasagna was hard on the edges, but had a good flavor inside. For dessert, there was vanilla gelato with strawberry jam and devil’s food cake crumble.

Also on the menu is a scannable code that links to a Legacy Records playlist you can listen to in-flight.

The Legacy Records beverage program is beautifully curated, and changes every two months. Mint flights include complimentary beverages, including espresso drinks, wine, beer, zero-proof mocktails, and alcoholic cocktails.

The October-November 2022 menu included a rotating selection of beers and five wines: a French champagne, an Italian and a French white, and an Italian and a California red. The selections overall were excellent, and a huge step up from economy class wine offerings. Each wine selection is accompanied by tasting notes and an easily digestible description, so even if you don’t know much about wine it’s easy to pinpoint the flavors you’re looking for. For the cocktails: a “mint condition” made with gin or vodka with ginger, lime, cucumber, and mint (the zero-proof cocktail was a seltzer-based variation on this); and an “al pastor margarita” with tequila, pineapple, chile and lime. Premium liquors include Tito’s vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin, Bulleit bourbon, among others. 

The February-March 2023 menu featured a French sparkling wine, a Portuguese Muxagat Branco (labeled “light white”), an Italian Chardonnay (labeled “main white), a chilled Semifreddo from Oregon (labeled “light red”) and a French red (labeled “big red”). 

JetBlue Mint vs economy 

All JetBlue seats include built-in screens with movies, tv shows, music, and flight information; as well as USB ports and in-seat outlets. While coach seats have more legroom than on other domestic carriers, Mint seats have substantially more room and a much more intricate level of comfort customization. Coach seats include complimentary snacks and soft drinks, and have Eat Up boxes and alcohol available for purchase.

How to book JetBlue Mint

How much does it cost for a Mint ticket on JetBlue? 

Cross country fares such as flights from Los Angeles to New York or Boston can cost up to $1,600 while flights to London can be $3,000-$4,000. At Going, we find our members deals with fares as low as $800 cross country and $2,200 to London.

How can you upgrade to Mint for free?

JetBlue doesn’t offer complimentary Mint upgrades to standard travelers or its Mosaic customers. Passengers who qualify for Mosaic+, a new offering for 2022, get four same-day Mint upgrades a year, and are automatically placed on a Mint waiting list for unsold seats. (The threshold for Mosaic+ is triple the qualifying points to achieve Mosaic.)

How much does it cost to upgrade to Mint on JetBlue?

Unlike many other carriers, JetBlue doesn’t offer discounts for last-minute upgrades. At the airport departures desk, the cost to upgrade to a Mint seat is the difference between the fare you already paid and the rack rate for Mint. Once at the gate, the cost may be slightly less for a Mint upgrade, if it’s available. There are no bidding programs for Mint seats. 

How many miles to upgrade to JetBlue Mint?

JetBlue does not offer miles-based upgrades to Mint seats.

JetBlue’s additional legroom and comfortable seats make the carrier a pleasant flight experience in every spot. But if you can upgrade to Mint, do it. The comfort and ability to sleep—or to relax in style—easily justifies the cost. 

Frequently asked questions about JetBlue Mint Class

Freelance Writer

Published February 10, 2023

Last updated December 21, 2023

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Everything to know about Jet Blue’s Mint class

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At long last, JetBlue will begin flying to London later this year!! Beginning Aug. 12, 2021, you can fly between New York and London Heathrow. And beginning Sept. 30, you can fly between New York and London Gatwick. You can book these flights as of today.

That means you can finally book JetBlue Mint across the Atlantic with points you earn from some of the best travel credit cards — provided the coronavirus lockdowns ease up by then.

JetBlue’s first class cabin is better than first class. It’s Mint. This cleverly named cabin is a premium travel experience, but seats are only available on select JetBlue Mint routes. While it isn’t always worth it to upgrade to Mint class  using miles , using points or cash to score a seat is definitely worth your while. There truly is no place like Mint, and here’s why. 

What is JetBlue’s Mint class?

Mint class is JetBlue’s premium cabin and, arguably, the best seats you’ll find on an airplane. But, Mint class is not available on all flights, so be sure to check out the  JetBlue Mint routes  before you book. If you are lucky enough to be on a flight that offers Mint class, you can expect a luxury travel experience. 

Inside JetBlue’s Mint class, you will be met with the longest fully lie-flat seat on any domestic premium flight. These seats recline to a full 6’8” and have adjustable firmness cushions plus a massage feature. 

And, if you want to take the experience to the next level, you can upgrade to a suite seat with a door for extra privacy.  

In addition to having the largest bed on any domestic premium flight, JetBlue Mint seats also boast the largest TV on any domestic flight at 22” (on some flights) and 17” or 15” on other routes. Each TV has free on-demand movies, shows and live TV. 

As if this already wasn’t enough, JetBlue is upgrading their Mint suites on select flights starting this year. In the new Mint suites, there will not only be a lie flat bed and TV, but there will also be an extra seat for a guest and a workspace all inside the suite. These new, mini apart-mints will be available on flights from the U.S. to London and select JFK-LAX routes.

Plus, Mint passengers will eat generous portions of delicious, restaurant-quality food on all JetBlue flights, thanks to JetBlue’s partnership with Delicious Hospitality Group. And bonus, this partnership also brings an open bar and curated wine list!

To make a long story short, JetBlue’s Mint class is simply a really cool, luxurious way to travel.

How do I travel in Mint class?

If this is all sounding pretty good to you, you’re probably wondering how you can travel in JetBlue’s first class, Mint. Your first step to traveling in Mint class is to make sure it’s available on the flight you’re trying to book because only select routes have Mint. In terms of actually booking, you have the three traditional options: booking with points, booking with miles, or paying cash for a Mint seat.

It’s important to note that JetBlue doesn’t have the traditional award chart you may be used to seeing on other airlines. Instead, the price you pay in points or miles is tied to the seat’s cash price. This system has positives and negatives. On the pros side, there are no blackout dates on JetBlue, so if you can book a seat with cash, you can also do it with points or miles. On the cons side, you can only use one type of payment for your ticket. If you want to upgrade to Mint and you paid in cash, you have to upgrade in cash. The same goes for if you booked in JetBlue points. While cash prices are (understandably) pretty high for Mint and your miles can likely be used a better way, JetBlue points are a great way to score a Mint seat.

The easiest way to earn JetBlue points and book a flight on Mint class is by getting a JetBlue credit card. An excellent option for earning is the JetBlue Plus Card. This credit card comes with a welcome bonus of 40,000 JetBlue points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Plus, you’ll earn 6X points on JetBlue purchases and 2X points for grocery store and restaurant purchases.

The information for the JetBlue Plus Card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.          

Perks of traveling in JetBlue’s Mint class

The perks of JetBlue Mint class are extensive and impressive. Here’s just a few to get you excited for your future luxury travel. 

The best seats on a domestic airline:  Every single seat in JetBlue’s Mint cabin extends fully back to a lengthy 6’8”. Each seat also comes with adjustable firmness cushions and a massage feature. Plus, on all flights, Mint cabin travelers will get a Tuft & Needle-designed comforter and pillow. And, if you want extra privacy, you can even book a suite seat with a door. Are you on cloud nine yet? 

Gourmet, restaurant quality, food and drinks:  JetBlue has partnered with Delicious Hospitality Group to bring New York City restaurants on board their aircraft. Some featured restaurants include Charlie Bird, Pasquale and Legacy Records. Mint’s rotating menu of small plates currently features delicacies like lobster, beef tenderloin, and chocolate opera cake. As if that wasn’t good enough, the partnership also extends to alcohol to include an artisan wine list and hand-shaken cocktails. Yum!

Quality entertainment:  With either a 22”, 17” or 15” TV at your seat, Mint class will feel like you’re still in your living room. The Mint entertainment systems feature hundreds of on-demand movies, TV shows, curated content, and even live TV. The systems even have meditation and sleepscapes for those red-eye flights. And, each guest will get noise-isolating headphones from NYC’s Master & Dynamic!

Personalized service just for you:  One of the best things about a first class trip on any airline is the personalized experience. JetBlue’s Mint class is no exception to this rule, as there will be a flight attendant dedicated to this class. Fewer passengers per flight attendant automatically make for better service, but JetBlue goes an extra mile beyond that. With small touches like wellness and snooze kits for all passengers, parting touchdown treats, and a Do Not Disturb button, you’ll truly feel like royalty in Mint class. 

An easier airport experience:  The luxury of Mint class doesn’t start when you get on the plane; it starts before. With two free checked bags, expedited check-in, priority boarding and lounge access while awaiting your flight, the pampering begins as soon as you enter the airport. 

COVID and Mint customers

Luckily for Mint passengers, the JetBlue first class experience has not changed much due to the pandemic. While most other airlines have limited or stopped their meal service, the Mint cabin still offers a complete rotational menu to all travelers. Their comfort experience hasn’t changed either, with all Mint travelers still receiving a comforter, pillow and pre-packaged snooze kit. Even though the Mint experience is the same, their policies have gotten a lot safer with the pandemic.

For starters, JetBlue conducts daily temperature checks, requiring masks and providing paid sick leave for all employees to ensure those serving you are healthy. The airline also requires all passengers to wear masks while onboard and has upgraded their air filtration systems on all planes. Plus, passengers must also complete a health declaration form before boarding and use touchless checkpoints during the boarding process.

Bottom line

JetBlue’s Mint class is the height of airplane luxury. With personalized touches and extra thought put into everything from the seats to the menu to the entertainment, you honestly can’t go wrong with Mint class. Next time you’re flying JetBlue consider booking yourself a seat in the Mint cabin. You definitely won’t regret it, and you deserve it!

Featured image by Keith Rosso/Million Mile Secrets.

Alexandra Maloney

Contributor

Alexandra Maloney is a contributor for Million Mile Secrets where she covers points and miles, credit cards, airlines, hotels, and general travel. She's worked as a writing consultant for the University of Richmond and is a features writer for The Collegian UR.

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What it's like flying JetBlue Mint during the pandemic

Editor's Note

When I last stepped foot on a plane, it was March 24. Things were eerie. I was one of the only brave travelers taking to the skies (to head to my quarantine location).

Fast forward nearly five months later, and the world's changed. Flying certainly isn't the same as it used to be. Masks are required throughout the journey, and social distancing in the airport and onboard is a must.

As an aviation geek (case in point, check out my Instagram page ), being grounded for so long was hard. This five-month streak was easily the longest time I've been separated from my passion.

Thankfully, on Aug. 13 the streak ended. I flew from New York to Los Angeles — one of the nation's most premier routes — in JetBlue's Mint business class . Read on for how my experience differed from the "old" normal .

For more travel tips and news, sign up for TPG's daily email newsletter

The airport was jammed

I pretty much knew what to expect going into my flight. After reading past TPG reports on what it's like to fly nowadays , I had a good sense of what my journey would look like.

But when I arrived at JFK's Terminal 5, hub of JetBlue's New York operations , I was shocked. The terminal was packed.

Both the roadways and public spaces inside the terminal were much more crowded than I'd anticipated. Since JetBlue consolidated most of its New York-area flying to its JFK hub, I shouldn't have been so surprised to enter a crowded terminal. Plus, we were leaving during a morning departure bank.

Fortunately, everyone I saw was following the mask policy .

However, with so many people in a confined space, it was hard to maintain social distancing. Thankfully, the dedicated and separated Mint and Mosaic check-in area was open (though the outside entrance was closed), so our boarding passes were issued in minutes. (Pro tip: there's a small fridge with waters here if you're thirsty.)

Most other self-serve kiosks were open, though some were shut down to promote distancing. Though the general TSA security lines were full, the PreCheck line wasn't. We were airside in minutes with our eight-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer . Score.

Though stores are closed

When I last traveled in March, almost every airport retailer was closed. The same was true five months later in Terminal 5.

Except for the main Cibo Express food court and a Starbucks (with a long line), everything else was shuttered. JetBlue doesn't operate any lounges , so I spent some time outdoors on the roof deck waiting for the flight.

The roof deck next to Gate 28 is a hidden gem. It's not as fancy as the TWA Hotel and doesn't offer the same views as the nearby Delta Sky Club , but it was great to socially distance pre-flight.

Boarding was different

The coronavirus is going to have many lasting implications on the aviation industry .

One such area could be boarding. For now, many airlines have modified boarding procedures to minimize close contact. JetBlue boards back-to-front after preboarding with Mint and Mosaic customers.

When I got to the plane, I was impressed that everyone kept their distance in the jetbridge. The same was true once onboard. The aisles were never crowded, nor did anyone rush to their seat.

Related: You may never board a plane the same way again — because of coronavirus

The seats are still industry-leading

JetBlue Mint won TPG's best domestic businessclass award for two years in a row. Though we're in the midst of a pandemic, the product still lives up to the hype.

Seats are spread across five rows in an alternating 2-2 and 1-1 configuration. This means that four seats are actually "suites" with two large tables at each side, two extra power outlets and a sliding door.

If you're looking for the utmost privacy , I'd definitely recommend selecting a seat in rows 2 or 4.

All seats convert to lie-flat beds, feature power outlets and 15.4-inch seatback screens loaded with a fair amount of movies and TV shows, as well as live DirecTV.

But even if you can't snag a suite, you'll still be guaranteed to be sitting solo.

Capacity is capped, and cleaning is noticeable

Through at least Oct. 15, JetBlue is capping the capacity of every single flight. In coach, middle seats will remain empty. In Mint, all six aisle seats in the 2-2 configuration won't be sold. (You can still assign the couple seats if you're traveling with your "quaranteam" though.)

That means that the cabin will feel extra private and airy, and each passenger will have his or her own pod.

When I boarded the flight, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I was so excited to be back on a plane.

But the first thing I noticed wasn't the spacious business-class cabin. It was how clean everything was. I flew on N982JB, a three-year-old Airbus A321. Yet it felt like the plane had just been delivered from the factory.

Both Mint and coach were spotless, though that didn't stop me from bringing Clorox wipes and sanitizing everything once again.

People wore their masks

Before flying, I was nervous about compliance with the mask requirement. Most major U.S. airlines have all recently strengthened their mask policies , so I was worried people wouldn't be aware of it.

Before boarding, the gate agent made an announcement about JetBlue's recent mask updates (no valves and no exceptions). Onboard, nearly everyone wore their mask correctly the entire flight.

Unfortunately, my seat neighbor was wearing an N95 mask with an exhaust valve , which is against the airline policy. I politely informed the flight attendant who quickly told me that the new policy hadn't yet been enacted. I referenced the gate agent's prior announcement, and ten minutes later, the flight attendant distributed disposable masks for everyone who boarded with a non-compliant mask.

I saw firsthand how hard it is to enforce the mask requirement. Hopefully, more and more people will soon get with the program so passengers don't need to feel uncomfortable flying.

Related: The battle for America's best lie-flat seat just heated up

Top-notch food and drinks with a twist

Though the self-serve snack pantry remains closed due to the coronavirus, JetBlue recently brought back Mint's signature meal service .

The breakfast menu was waiting at my seat during boarding. Pre-departure beverages have been temporarily suspended, though you could always order the signature Mint limeade once airborne.

The friendly flight attendant, Yuri, came around once boarding was finished to collect meal orders. In the past, orders were taken verbally. However, to minimize contact, Yuri asked us to write our preferred order on the menu card (using the pen in the amenity kit). She then collected the menus once we crossed 10,000 feet.

Mint meal service consists of a small starter and a selection of tapas-style main dishes. All food was served with the plastic or foil wrapping tightly secured, and all drinks were served in disposable cups.

I started with an apple turnover and chose the fresh fruit, chia seed pudding and challah french toast as my breakfast. It was too early for alcohol, but rest assured JetBlue is once again pouring a full selection of bubbly (and other alcoholic beverages).

Everything was delicious. Even during the pandemic, JetBlue continues to serve some of the best airplane food.

Service is still great

One of the highlights of the Mint experience has always been the service. Even though the flight attendants are now masked, the service is still great.

Once the abridged meal service ended, flight attendants passed through the cabin every 15 minutes to check in on passengers. They'd happily bring drink refills or offer a limited assortment of snacks.

Related: Comparing premium transcon flights in the age of coronavirus

The bathrooms remained clean

Before takeoff, I took a look at the spotless lavatories and wondered whether they would remain in the same condition throughout the flight. And surprisingly they did.

I witnessed the flight attendants servicing the restroom at least once during the journey, though fellow passengers also did their part in keeping things clean.

There's one dedicated restroom for Mint passengers at the front of the plane, and there's also one shared with coach just behind row 5. Even when there was a line, people remained seated until it was their turn to use the bathroom.

Safety & cleanliness are the new buzzwords

Airlines are trying to convince passengers that it's once again safe to take to the skies. As you'd expect, that message came across loud and clear throughout our journey.

At JFK, there were placards and floor decals at every step of the check-in process demarcating where to stand and where to go next. There were plenty of posters reminding passengers about the mask policy too.

Once onboard, the safety video included a new segment about JetBlue's Safety from the Ground Up cleaning program and most flight attendant announcements included references to the initiative.

To reduce touchpoints, JetBlue removed the seatback service brochure and digitalized it. Now, when you log in to the FlyFi Wi-Fi network, you'll be prompted to review the service card.

Some things remain the same

Though much has changed, Mint continues to lead the competition for the best transcon experience .

JetBlue offers free high-speed Wi-Fi to all customers. Given the capacity caps, there was even some extra bandwidth to go around, and I was quite impressed with the speeds.

Unlike United , JetBlue continues to offer a plush duvet and blanket that's washed between flights and then sealed in a plastic bag. There were even some extra pillows available for those who asked.

Plastic-wrapped Grado SR60e headphones were available at each seat, though I much preferred to use my own Bose or AirPods Pro .

Finally, the well-stocked Hayward-branded amenity kit included all the essentials like a toothbrush and earplugs, as well as some extra goodies like a pair of comfortable socks, screen cleaning cloth and Hudson Made hand lotion and lip balm.

Related: An in-depth review of JetBlue Mint before the pandemic

Having been grounded for nearly five months, this aviation enthusiast really missed the wing views. There's something so exciting about the thrill of takeoff and landing that just gets me every time.

Usually, on a five-hour-long transcon I'll watch a movie or work on my computer. This time, I just stared out the window for most of the flight – thankful to be in the air once again.

Deplaning is still an issue

Landing in LAX was bittersweet. Sure, I was excited to start my vacation, but the flight was too short. I could've easily stayed on the plane to fly back to JFK and been happy about it.

My fellow passengers definitely didn't share the same feelings. Once the seatbelt sign was turned off, most bolted from their seats to grab their bags and disembark.

During the descent, flight attendants announced that passengers should deplane in a socially distant manner. Either people didn't hear or they chose to ignore the request because deplaning was definitely the least safe I felt throughout the journey.

Related: The major social distancing challenge I'd like to see airlines fix

Bottom line

For my first flight since the pandemic began, I decided to try JetBlue's Mint service. While much has changed, it's still a stellar product with amazing service, delicious food and spacious seating.

With the many health-focused precautions JetBlue is taking, Mint becomes one of the best — and most socially-distant friendly — products to fly during the pandemic.

All photos by Zach Griff/The Points Guy

6 Cheapest Business Class Airlines for an Affordable Upgrade

By Jessica Puckett

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

With the ever-shrinking seats in coach class, the allure of those spacious front-of-plane cabins has never been stronger. Flying business class can feel reminiscent of the golden era of travel, when glamour and comfort ruled the skies. Perks like lie-flat beds, privacy doors that encapsulate seats, airport lounge access, and even chauffeur services can entice even the most austere travelers among us to contemplate splurging on an upgrade every now and then.

Of course, those amenities all come at a price. Business class fares can be prohibitively expensive for the average traveler, with one-way tickets soaring as high as several thousands dollars. But did you know that the cheapest business class airlines offer many of the best perks for less money? If you know the right carriers, an affordable but luxurious business class ticket could be within reach. Here’s everything you need to know about the cheapest business class airlines .

What perks and amenities do the cheapest business class airlines give you?

On board a cheap business class airline that still offers good value, you can expect a spacious seat—one that lies flat on longer routes—better in-flight meals, complimentary alcohol, and reserved overhead bin space.

Other perks on the ground will vary from airline to airline. Some carriers “unbundle” their cheapest business class fares, meaning amenities like airport lounge access , seat selection, and over-the-top perks like chauffeur services aren’t offered to keep prices lower. Other airlines simply do not offer any customers amenities like lounges at all.

To get the cheapest business class fares, you’ll have to decide what perks are most important to you. Would you prefer to relax in a lounge during a long layover? Or is an affordable bed in the sky with fully closing doors of more importance? The airlines below all offer luxury, but the emphasis is put on different stages of the travel experience.

What prices are considered affordable for business class?

The price for that premium seat can get quite steep: Flights in top business class cabins can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. Like other airline tickets , the price of cheap business class fares can depend on the destination, time of year, when you book, and the airline itself. The longer the flight and the plusher the cabin, the higher the fare will climb.

However, according to recent data from aviation statistics firm Cirium , The average business class fare in 2023 was $1,845. So anything near or below that price point can be considered a pretty good deal for one-way in business class—keeping in mind the factors like the length of the flight and the amenities your ticket includes.

6 of the cheapest business class airlines

TAP Air Portugal business class tickets can occasionally be found for under $2,000 roundtrip.

TAP Air Portugal

Generally known as a budget carrier, TAP Air Portugal actually offers a solid—and affordable—business class product as well. According to Katy Nastro, travel expert at Going.com , TAP Air Portugal routinely prices its business class seats to Europe for less than $3,000 roundtrip—sometimes even slipping below $2,000 roundtrip. For that price, you’ll get lie-flat seats with bedding that includes wrap-around duvets and large pillows, as well as meal service that features Portuguese dishes and wines. The seats and finishes might not feel as plush as other business classes, but you’ll have space to stretch your legs and lie flat at an attainable price point.

Turkish Airlines

Offering a few more amenities but still cheaper rates in business is Turkish Airlines, a carrier that Nastro says also consistently offers seats in business class on flights to Turkey and other destinations in Europe for under $3,000 roundtrip. You’ll be well cared for in Turkish business class, which offers a lie-flat seat that’s more than six feet long and up to two feet wide, with an 18-inch entertainment screen. When it comes to dining, you’ll have access to the airline’s iconic flying chefs, who prepare a litany of Turkish dishes and other cuisines mid-flight and essentially transform the business class cabin into a flying, top-tier restaurant. Plus, business class passengers also have access to Turkish lounges when they arrive at the airport.

Emirates' most affordable business class option doesn't include perks like lounge access or seat selection.

Emirates “Special” business class fares

In order to give customers access to the cheapest business class seats, Emirates unbundles its business class fares. If you book one of these tickets, called “Special" business class fares by the airline, you won’t have access to Emirates lounges , chauffeur service, seat selection, or upgrades to first class. But once onboard the plane, you get all those bells and whistles Emirates business class is known for: ultra-comfy beds, gourmet food, premium cocktails, and even the A380’s onboard cocktail lounge.

Using the unbundled booking method can potentially save travelers thousands of dollars. A quick check of business class fares on Emirates’ New York to Dubai route for June 2024 showed the airline’s Special business class price at $2,787 one-way, while its Flex Plus business class ticket, which offers the most perks and rebooking options, clocked in at $6,229—a difference of more than $3,400. The Special fares are only available on certain routes and certain times of year, so if you see one that works for you, it could be worth locking in.

This little-known German carrier flies from 13 major US gateways to Europe, and is one of the best cheapest business class airlines out there. Condor’s sharp-looking business class cabins with striped accents offer seats that transform into a 6.5-foot lie-flat bed, 4K entertainment screens, and direct-aisle access for every passenger. Plus, each business class passenger gets access to Condor’s lounges. Fares start at about $1,100 on flights from New York to Berlin.

Qatar Airways’ Business Class Lite option is a more affordable way to book one of the best seats in the sky.

Qatar Airways Business Class Lite

Much like Emirates’ unbundled tickets, Qatar Airways’ Business Class Lite and Business Class Classic fares offer the same opulent seats to fliers who’d like to shave off a few amenities in order to save money. You won’t have lounge access or seat selection before check-in included in your ticket. But you can book into the revered Qsuites product, which offers fully closing doors around a spacious lie-flat seat (79 inches long and 21 inches wide) and impeccable in-flight service. While the price tag can’t be considered “cheap” compared to some carriers, the unbundled fares can be a more affordable way to book one of the best seats in the sky. The unbundled fares aren’t offered on all routes, but a search of Qatar’s flights from New York to Doha for August 2024 shows Business Class Classic fares for $6,268, while Business Elite is $8,810—a difference of more than $2,500.

JetBlue Mint

Although it’s not offered on every plane or every route, JetBlue’s Mint business class is among the best premium products in terms of value for the money. Mint offers a mix of standard lie-flat seats and more private suites with doors, depending on the aircraft layout. Each seat offers adjustable firmness, a massage function, and turns into a bed that’s six feet, eight inches long outfitted with blankets and pillows from Tuft and Needle. You can also expect some seriously scrumptious food and drink options, as JetBlue has partnered with New York restaurant group Delicious Hospitality, the collective behind Manhattan restaurants Pasquale Jones, Charlie Bird, and Legacy Records, to design the rotating menus in Mint. One-way tickets start at about $700 and range up to $2,000 to fly between New York and Los Angeles, but expect to pay more on JetBlue’s international routes.

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Open seating no more? Southwest CEO says airline is weighing cabin changes

Southwest Airlines  is considering changes to its single-class, open-seating cabins to drive up revenue, CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday, a shift that could be among the largest in the airline’s history.

“We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,” Jordan said in an interview after the carrier’s  disappointing first-quarter report.

Southwest’s all- Boeing  737 fleet has a single economy class cabin and no seating assignments, though it does offer earlier boarding for a fee so customers can snag their preferred seats. The airline has focused on keeping its product simple and user-friendly for years, aiming to keep its own costs and complexity to a minimum.

Meanwhile, rivals including  Delta  and  United  have touted high revenue growth for premium seating such as business class and  strong upsell rates .

Analysts have repeatedly asked Southwest about opportunities for premium seating or additional fees. (The airline doesn’t charge travelers for their first two checked bags.)

Most U.S. airlines charge travelers to choose many of its seats in advance, even those that don’t come with extra legroom. Eight U.S. carriers —  Alaska ,  Allegiant ,  American , Delta,  Frontier ,  JetBlue ,  Spirit  and United — together brought in $4.2 billion from seating fees in their domestic networks in 2022, according to Jay Sorensen, an airline ancillary revenue expert at IdeaWorksCompany.

Jordan said no decisions have been made on what kind of changes Southwest will ultimately make, but he said studies have yielded “interesting” results.

“Customer preferences do change over time,” Jordan said.

While details were scarce during Southwest’s earnings call, when asked whether Southwest would consider a separated cabin on its planes, Ryan Green, the carrier’s chief commercial officer said: “Curtains and things like that are a bit far afield from what Southwest Airlines is.”

Green added that the carrier is not considering charging for checked bags because “people choose Southwest Airlines because we don’t have bag fees.”

— CNBC’s  Phil LeBeau  contributed to this report.

More from CNBC:

• Honda to build $11 billion electric vehicle hub in Canada
• Comcast beats earnings estimates even as it sheds more broadband subscribers
• American Airlines swings to a loss, but tops estimates for Q2 forecast

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JetBlue Stock Tumbles After Revenue Warning, Lowered Guidance

Bill McColl has 25+ years of experience as a senior producer and writer for TV, radio, and digital media leading teams of anchors, reporters, and editors in creating news broadcasts, covering some of the most notable news stories of the time.

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Key Takeaways

• JetBlue shares tumbled Tuesday as the airline warned about current-quarter and full-year revenue amid soft travel demand in its key Latin America market.
• JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said that the carrier planned too many flights to Latin America, and that will put pressure on revenue throughout the year.
• JetBlue posted a loss of $716 million, with much of that comprising one-time charges, including those associated with its termination of the planned purchase of Spirit Airlines.

Shares of JetBlue Airways ( JBLU ) tumbled more than 19% Tuesday after the discount air carrier reported lower-than-expected guidance on slowing demand for Latin American travel.

The airline said it anticipates current-quarter revenue will decline between 6.5% and 10.5%, with the higher amount being more than double analysts’ forecasts for a decrease. The airline said it anticipates full-year revenue falling by a low-single-digit percent, down from its previous flat outlook. That guidance also missed estimates.

CEO Joanna Geraghty, who took over in February, said in a release that JetBlue planned for too many flights to Latin America . She said “significant elevated capacity in our Latin region, which represents a large portion of JetBlue’s network, will likely continue to pressure revenue .”

JetBlue President Marty St. George noted the carrier began taking steps to cut expenses in the first quarter, including “a number of significant network changes, which are designed to free up unprofitable flying and reallocate it to proven leisure markets where JetBlue has historically won."

In the first quarter, JetBlue posted a loss of $716 million, though much of that was made up by one-time charges, including the costs of ending its planned $3.8 billion takeover of rival Spirit Airlines ( SAVE ). The company terminated the deal last month after a judge blocked it , citing concerns about reduced options for consumers in the low-priced airline market .

Leaving out those one-time charges, JetBlue posted an adjusted net loss of $145 million or 43 cents per share. Analysts had anticipated a steeper loss. Revenue slid 5.1% year-over-year to $2.21 billion, in line with estimates. 

JetBlue shares were down 19.1% at $6.06 as of about 3:15 p.m. ET Tuesday, but they remained higher for 2024.

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JetBlue to cancel some flights out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. Are more coming?

JetBlue Airways , struggling to cope with the expense of its failed merger attempt with Spirit Airlines , will soon be cancelling flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Atlanta, New Orleans, Austin, Kansas City, Nashville and Salt Lake City. It also plans to end service from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to Bogota, Colombia, Quito, Ecuador, and Lima, Peru.

JetBlue flies out of Palm Beach International Airport , but as of now, there are no cancellations for routes flying in and out of that airport. PBI is experiencing record passenger volume , and recently added a JetBlue nonstop flight from PBI to Los Angeles .

The cancellations will occur on June 13. They are part of an effort to cut costs after a federal judge disallowed the Spirit-JetBlue merger, ruling it would raise air fares for consumers across the country. JetBlue and Spirit this month called off the merger plans. JetBlue will pay Spirit $69 million. Spirit shareholders have already received $425 million in prepayments from JetBlue. JetBlue has incurred losses exceeding $2 billion since its last profitable year in 2019.

JetBlue plans to cut nearly a third of its flights out of Los Angeles International Airport in June, including routes to Las Vegas, Miami and San Francisco, the airline said in a memo to employees, according to Bloomberg.

More: JetBlue, Spirit call off $3.8 billion merger; what's the impact on South Florida airports?

“Every route has to earn its right to stay in the network,” Dave Jehn, vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, said in the memo. “It’s more important than ever that we are surgical about every route in our network.”

JetBlue, though, announced that it will increase service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and the Caribbean, including Cancun, Montego Bay and Punta Cana, and parts of the Northeast U.S. The carrier reported it will also add flights in the winter from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to Albany and Buffalo, as well as Providence, Rhode Island, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. So JetBlue says the overall number of departures will remain about the same at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood with the new flights offsetting the eliminated ones.

JetBlue's passenger count continues to fall at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport

JetBlue is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood’s No. 2 carrier, accounting for about 20% of its passenger count. But the airline had been cutting back at FLL since 2019 while other airlines have returned or even exceeded their 2019 levels. According to the airport's passenger statistics web site, JetBlue’s passenger count for 2023 fell by about 1.6 million, or 20% when compared to 2019.

Spirit saw an increase of about 24% from 2019 to 2023; it currently accounts for 29% of all passengers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. Spirit has also been restructuring its network. Late last year, it eliminated service to Denver from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and further flight reductions are expected to take place as Spirit, like JetBlue, takes steps to return to profitability.

Analysts, though, have questioned whether Spirit can survive as a stand-alone carrier. Since Jan. 1, its share price has fallen nearly 70%.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at  The Palm Beach Post , part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at  [email protected] . Help support local journalism.  Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: JetBlue to cancel some flights out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. Are more coming?

JetBlue, Southwest planes nearly collide – experts warn of air traffic control fatigue

Two planes were cleared on a collision path at Washington Reagan National Airport on Thursday. Thankfully, air traffic controllers got both aircraft to stop before disaster struck.

JetBlue flight 1554 from Washington to Boston was cleared for takeoff, while Southwest flight 2937 to Orlando was cleared to cross the same runway.

The JetBlue plane had already begun its takeoff roll as the Southwest jet approached its path.

Air traffic controllers can be heard in a recording of the incident warning both planes to stop.

“JetBlue 1554, stop,” one controller said. “Southwest stop! Southwest 2937, stop!” another said.

In statements to USA TODAY, both airlines acknowledged the incident and said they would cooperate with any follow-up investigations.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate.

Issues in air traffic control

It’s just the latest in a string of close calls that experts say highlight the narrow margin of safety with an overworked pool of air traffic controllers.

A panel previously established by the FAA released a report Friday warning that air traffic controllers were at high risk of fatigue and encouraging the agency to update its scheduling policies to address the issue.

Under new rules that FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said will go into effect in 90 days, the agency will increase the rest period for air traffic controllers to 10 hours between shifts, up from nine, and will require a minimum 12-hour rest period before midnight shifts.

Whitaker said in a briefing about the report with journalists on Friday that the agency is also aware of understaffing throughout the system. Both problems contribute to concerns at the agency but are being handled separately.

“We’re understaffed throughout the population of controllers,” he said. “We have been doing everything within our power to increase controller hiring.” 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

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TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

19 Unique And Fabulous Experiences In Moscow

• Destinations

Thinking of visiting Russia? When visiting such a famous city, one must, of course, visit the iconic landmarks first. Moscow has plenty of those, most of them in the center of the city, which is very well-planned for tourists. Once you’ve seen the sights that are on most travelers’ lists, it’s time to branch out and visit some of the lesser-known sites, and there are some fascinating places to see and things to do.

I know this list is long, but I just couldn’t help myself. You probably won’t have the time to see them all. But that’s okay. Just scroll through the list and choose what sounds the most interesting to you. Where possible, make sure to book in advance, as things can get crowded, especially during high season.

1. The Red Square, Kremlin, And Surroundings

Red Square (Krasnya Ploshad) is the heart and soul of Russia, and where much of the country’s history has unfolded. This is the most famous landmark in Moscow and indeed the whole country, it’s an absolute must-do! The square is always full of people and has a rather festive atmosphere!

Saint Basil’s Cathedral

This is the famous church with the rainbow-colored, onion-domed roof. The cathedral was commissioned in the 1500s by Ivan the Terrible and according to legend, the Tsar thought it was so beautiful, that he ordered that the architect’s eyes be cut out afterward, so he could never build anything more beautiful! He wasn’t called Ivan the Terrible for no reason!

Lenin’s Mausoleum

The “love-it-or-hate-it” of tourist attractions in Russia. A glass sarcophagus containing the embalmed body of Russian revolutionary, Vladimir Lenin. It may seem a bit bizarre to display the mummy of a person, but it has been there for almost half a century and the 2.5 million visitors who come each year, clearly feel the queuing and thorough body search are worth it, to be in Lenin’s presence.

Pro Tip: no photos and no loud talking are allowed inside the Mausoleum.

Eternal Flame

There is an Eternal Flame in honor of an unknown soldier on the left side of Red Square. The hourly changing of the guards is worth seeing.

The Kremlin is the official residence of the Russian president. You can see it from the outside, or you can take an excursion to one of the museums located inside. This is the biggest active fortress in Europe, and holds a week’s worth of attractions! Once behind the 7,332-feet of walls, there are five squares, four cathedrals, 20 towers, various museums, and the world’s largest bell and cannon to see. Worth a special mention is the Armory Chamber that houses a collection of the famous Faberge Eggs.

Pro Tip: You can only go inside the Kremlin if you are part of a tourist group.

2. Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi Theatre translates to “The Big Theatre” in Russian, and the building is home to both the Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera — among the oldest and most famous ballet and opera companies in the world.

Pro Tip: It’s hard to get an inexpensive ticket, so if you’re reading well in advance of going to Moscow then try buying tickets on the official website . Last-minute tickets cost around $250 per person. If this is out of your budget, about an hour before a performance, you can try buying a ticket at the entrance from a reseller. Most can speak enough English to negotiate the price.

Tour the Bolshoi Theatre: You can take a group guided tour of the Bolshoi Theatre which focuses on the history and architecture of the theatre and behind the scenes. There’s an English language tour that lasts 2 hours and costs around $300 for a group of up to six.

3. Luxury Shopping At GUM And TSUM

Russia’s main department store, GUM, has a stunning interior that is home to over 100 high-end boutiques, selling a variety of brands: from luxurious Dior to the more affordable Zara. Even if shopping is not on your Moscow to-do list GUM is still worth a visit; the glass-roofed arcade faces Red Square and offers a variety of classy eateries. TSUM, one of the biggest luxury malls in town, is right behind the Bolshoi and GUM. It’s an imposing building with lots of history, and worth a visit just for its design and its glass roof.

4. Christ The Savior Cathedral

This is one of Russia’s most visited cathedrals and is a newer addition to the gorgeous array of Muscovite cathedrals, but don’t let its young age fool you. After perestroika, in the early 90s, the revived Russian Orthodox Church was given permission to build a cathedral on this site. It did the location honors and built the largest temple of the Christian Orthodox Church. The façade is as grand as you’d expect, but it’s the inside that will mesmerize you, with its domes, gold, gorgeous paintings, and decor!

The cathedral is located just a few hundred feet away from the Kremlin and was the site of the infamous Pussy Riot protest against Putin back in 2012.

Pro Tip: Bring a shawl to cover your hair as is the local custom.

5. Gorky Park

Moscow’s premier green space, Gorky Park (Park Gor’kogo) is the city’s biggest and most famous park. There is entertainment on offer here for every taste, from outdoor dancing sessions to yoga classes, volleyball, ping-pong, rollerblading, and bike and boat rental in summer. In winter, half the park turns into a huge ice skating rink. Gorky Park is also home to an open-air movie theater and the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. There is also Muzeon Art Park, a dynamic contemporary space with a unique collection of 700 sculptures. It is located right in front of Gorky Park.

6. Sparrow Hills Park

If you take a walk from Gorky Park, along the Moscow River embankment, you’ll end up in the city’s other legendary park, Sparrow Hills. Although the park doesn’t offer as many activities as its hip neighbor, it has a great panoramic view of the city

Pro Tip: You can take a free walking tour to all of the above attractions with an English-speaking guide.

7. River Cruising

One of the best ways to experience Moscow, and see all the famous landmarks, but from a different angle, is from the Moscow River. Take a river cruise. Avoid the tourist crowds. There are little nameless old boats that do the cruise, but if you are looking for a more luxurious experience take the Radisson Blu cruise and enjoy the sights with some good food and a glass of wine.

8. Metro Hopping

Inaugurated in the 1930s, the Moscow Metro system is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the world. Started in Stalinist times, each station is a work of art in its own right. I’d recommend touring the stations between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. This way, you’ll be able to properly see it without the crowds. Ideally, I’d recommend taking a tour with a knowledgeable guide with GuruWalk, who will tell you stories of forgotten stations and how the history of the country is interconnected with the metro development. If going by yourself, then I definitely recommend checking out: Mayakovskaya, Ploschad Revolutsii, Kievskaya, Kropotkinskaya, Kurskaya, and Novoslobodskaya stations.

Visit the free Moscow Metro Museum: For real train enthusiasts, located in the southern vestibule of Sportivnaya station is a small free museum. Here you can take a peek into the driver’s cabin, see a collection of metro tokens from different cities, and see different models of a turnstile, traffic lights, escalator, and more.

9. Moscow State University View

In his effort to create a grander Moscow, Stalin had seven skyscrapers built in different parts of town; they’re called the Seven Sisters. The largest of these buildings and the one with the best view is the main building of the Moscow State University. Although this is a little outside the city center, the view is more than worth it.

10. Izmailovsky Market

Mostly known for the city’s largest flea market, the district of Izmaylovo is home to a maze of shops where you can get just about anything, from artisan crafts to traditional fur hats, handcrafted jewelry, fascinating Soviet memorabilia, and antiquities. It’s also one of Moscow’s largest green spaces. There are often no price tags, so be prepared to haggle a bit. Head to one of the market cafes for a warming mulled wine before continuing your shopping spree.

The History of Vodka Museum is found here, and the museum’s restaurant is the perfect place to sample various brands of the national drink.

Once you’ve covered the more touristy spots, Moscow still has plenty to offer, and the places below will also be full of locals! So for some local vibes, I would strongly recommend the spots below!

11. Moscow City

With a completely different vibe, Moscow City (also referred to as Moscow International Business Center) is like a mini Dubai, with lots of impressive tall glass buildings. Here is where you’ll find the best rooftops in towns, like Ruski Restaurant, the highest restaurant both in Moscow City and in Europe. Moscow City is great for crowd-free shopping and the best panoramic views of the city.

12. Tretyakov Gallery

Tretyakov Gallery started as the private collection of the Tretyakov brothers, who were 19th-century philanthropists. They gave their private collection to the government after their deaths. If there is just one museum you visit in Moscow, I recommend this one!

13. Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

Tsaritsyno was a residence of Catherine the Great more than two centuries ago. It became derelict during the Soviet era but has now been fully renovated. With its opulently decorated buildings, gardens, meadows, and forests, Tsaritsyno Park is the perfect place for a green respite in Moscow.

14. Kolomenskoye

A 10-minute metro ride from the city center is Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve, where you can get an idea of what Russia looked like 200 years ago. You’ll find ancient churches (one dating back to the 16th century), the oldest garden in Moscow, and the wonderful fairytale wooden palace of Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, father of Peter the Great.

15. Ostankino TV Tower

Built in 1967, Ostankino TV Tower was the tallest free-standing construction in the world at the time, it’s still the 8th tallest building in the world and the highest in Europe. It’s also the best observation deck, with a glass floor and 360-degree views. The speedy elevators take you 1,105 feet in next to no time.

Pro Tip: You need to book in advance; entrance is based on specific ticket times and the capacity is limited and only a certain number of tourists are allowed per day. Don’t forget your passport, you’ll need it to get through security.

16. Zaryadye Park

Zaryadye is a newly opened, landscaped urban park so new you won’t find it in a lot of tour guides. The park is near Red Square and is divided into four climatic zones: forest, steppe, tundra, and floodplains, depicting the variety of climatic zones in Russia.

These last three suggestions are a little quirky, but all are really worth checking out.

17. Museum Of Soviet Arcade Games

Release your inner child playing on 66 arcade machines from the Soviet era! What a great way to spend a couple of hours when tired of visiting museums and palaces. The staff speaks excellent English and are happy to explain how the games work.

18. Moscow Rooftop Tour

Take a 1-hour private Moscow rooftop tour with an experienced roofer. I can just about guarantee none of your friends will be able to say they’ve done it! For your comfort, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes. Take your camera, there are some amazing photo opportunities out there!

19. Sanduny Banya

This classical Russian bathhouse opened its doors in 1808 and is famous for combining traditional Russian banya services with luxurious interiors and service. If you enjoy spas and saunas, then you should experience a Russian bathhouse at least once in your life! Go with an open mind and hire a specialist to steam you as it’s meant to be done — by being beaten repeatedly with a besom (a leafy branch)! This is said to improve circulation, but is best done by a professional!

So there you have my list of things to do in Moscow. I could have gone on and on and on, but I didn’t want to try your patience! There are so many things to do in this vibrant city that you’ll definitely need to allocate several days for exploring.

Here are some other reasons to visit Moscow and Russia:

• 7 Reasons To Put Moscow On Your Travel Bucket List
• Russia 30 Years (And 30 Pounds) Ago
• Massive Mysterious Craters Appearing Again In Siberia

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Africa at the age of 21, Sarah Kingdom is a mountain climber and guide, traveler, yoga teacher, trail runner, and mother of two. When she is not climbing or traveling she lives on a cattle ranch in central Zambia. She guides and runs trips regularly in India, Nepal, Tibet, Russia, and Ethiopia, taking climbers up Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro numerous times a year.