One of the most unique positions in the domestic U. S. airline market is of JetBlue Airways, which is now gearing for a significant makeover of its cabin products. According to Live and Let’s Fly, the company will introduce a first-class domestic product, beginning in 2026, called “Mini Mint. ”
A move that had been quite expected is now due for formal announcement during JetBlue’s upcoming Investor Day. The new cabin class, which will form the middle of the airline trio, will augment the existing business class dubbed “Mint.” The latter is already on premium and long-haul routes. Mint remains one of the best ways to fly business class, with top-notch service, delicious food, and good wine—the latest decision is to disable the mini-suite doors on the Airbus A321 to cut down on costs and crew.
The mini Mint seat will have Collins Aerospace MiQ seats, which are already in service with several large US carriers like United Airlines, Delta, and American Airlines. However, as several industry observers pointed out to Runway Girl Network, the quality of the product can differ dramatically depending on an airline’s customization.
The following are JetBlue’s planned seating configurations with Mini Mint:
- A220: 143 total seats (8 Mini Mint, 135 economy)
- A320: 162 total seats (12 Mini Mint, 150 economy)
- A321ceo: 198 total seats (12 Mini Mint, 186 economy)
- A321neo: 200 total seats (12 Mini Mint, 188 economy)
Notably, JetBlue plans to add these first-class seats without cutting the total number of seats on its aircraft. Of course, such a move results in decreasing legroom for regular economy seats. This move is a critical change for JetBlue, which, for very long, has remained one of the most spacious economy products in the market, with 32 inches of pitch, two inches more than the normal product from United, Delta, and American.
The introduction of the Mini Mint and corresponding reduction in economy-class space finally put a nail in the coffin of JetBlue’s era as a carrier offering superior coach comfort. It will, however, retain some differentiating features like seatback TVs that are matched by Delta and increasingly United, and free Wi-Fi that matches Delta, but it won’t be remarkable for its economy-class spaciousness anymore.
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Of course, this strategic pivot does seem to be financially driven. Without a premium product, JetBlue has been leaving money on the table on the vast majority of its routes. Meanwhile, the carrier’s marginally better coach product hasn’t been able to command much higher fares for the airline, particularly as that gap has closed over the last ten years.
The decision to launch Mini Mint while concurrently pulling back on economy class comfort epitomizes the rock and a hard place that airlines are in as they attempt to navigate the tightrope between profitability and passenger experience, as well as the industry trend towards cabin densification and segmentation.
As JetBlue continues forward with the new premium cabin project insiders suggested that previous proposed lounge plans in New York and Boston will not go forward. This means that the in-flight service product development is appreciated more than the infrastructural enhancement in ground services.