JetBlue first teased that it would finally add a domestic first-class product years ago, filling the glaring gap between coach, extra legroom and its business class Mint product on premium transcon and select key markets.
Over time, that talk solidified into a concrete plan: a recliner-style premium cabin often dubbed “Mini Mint” or “Junior Mint” to be installed on Airbus A220s, A320s, and A321s starting in 2026.
The rollout reflects is part of a strategic pivot for JetBlue. Its premium strategy to date (best economy legroom in the U.S., free Wi-Fi, free TV) wasn’t producing enough revenue premium. It didn’t provide enough of a buy-up path. It was losing premium customers, and leaving customers in lower sales tiers than the might have selected into.
- JetBlue’s new premium cabin will use recliner seats (Collins Aerospace MiQ), similar to the domestic first seats found on American, Delta, and United’s current fleets.
- Configurations under discussion:
- A220: 8 first class seats
- A320: 12 first class seats
- A321ceo/neo: 12 first class seats
- Economy pitch drops from JetBlue’s current 32″ — an industry best — down to 30″ to make the space work. Extra legroom ‘Even More Space’ ends up around 35″, while first class will be 36–37″.
It’s a standard first class recliner, which most other carriers offer but JetBlue was missing.
Aviation watchdog JonNYC shares the timing and cadence for rollout:
JetBlue:
Certification for Domestic First seats continues. Prototype slated to be installed on the first aircaft in JUNE 2026 with installations beginning in AUGUST for the A320s at approx. 20 aircraft per month.— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) December 15, 2025
Two implications:
- Certification is the gating factor. JetBlue must get FAA certification for the seat and cabin configuration before the physical installs begin. That takes time, and a prototype install in June 2026 suggests we’re close to the start of implementation. This shouldn’t be a huge barrier because they’re choosing a stock seat.
- Rollout will take years, not months. At ~20 aircraft/month for A320 family jets, scaling to the full ~170+ non-Mint Airbus fleet will stretch deep into 2027 or beyond.
JetBlue is finally chasing premium revenue pockets. But unlike Mint — where JetBlue has a strong, premium product — this first class is me-too, nothing revolutionary.
- It duplicates a product already widely available on other carriers (recliners).
- It sacrifices some of JetBlue’s signature economy legroom — the thing flyers loved most about the airline — in order to create space for it.
- It doesn’t meaningfully enhance the service ladder until the retrofit fleet reaches critical mass.
JetBlue has its first lounge at JFK, and Boston will open soon. It’s attractive, but the food offerings for now are mediocre. They need the lounge as a path to premium credit card adoption and spend, and the domestic first product to retain those customers and to upsell. It’s been a real gap for them. But unlike Mint, there’s nothing so far that appears top of market about it. Honestly, is it that much better than Spirit’s Big Front Seat?
They have exactly copied United’s A320 LOPA then? Just saying…
Anyway, long overdue but I do think that B6 has a better customer base to start off with than Spirit did. B6 is not viewed by their customer base as an LCC and actually is a customer base that wants premium options. B6 is still delivering premium at both ends of the cabin if it is keeping extra legroom economy at 35”. 30” in the back will be tough to swallow for some but AA, UA… they’ve got 30” in the back also on many planes. And B6 can probably cater mini mint much better than Spirit can – the proof is in the regular Mint’s pudding.
As soon as I read this, I know @Peter would be disappointed by the equivalent loss of B6’s extra legroom seats (like AA’s mistreatment of MCE). I, however, applaud jetBlue’s adding of recliners.
@1990 – I do wonder, although it’s historically been hard to view Mosaic as a serious frequent flyer program.
Right now the B6 320 restyled is 42 extra legroom 120 regular economy – 162 seats. UA 320next is 12 first, 42 extra legroom, 96 economy – 150 seats.
If B6 is adding 12 first class seats on the 320, the measurements suggested above (37″, 35″, 30″) seem to align with the UA 320next LOPA?
That said, LALF reported that B6 will have 150 economy seats and 162 seats total. But has that been confirmed? UA’s LOPA is 150 seats total but 138 economy. So if there’s 12 extra economy seats that have to be squeezed in to get to 162 – then agree that extra legroom seating has to be on the chopping block. I wonder what the config will be though. Right now AA’s 320 is 12 first at 36″, 3 MCE rows (bulkhead and 2 exit rows) and 120 economy which gets you to 150 also, but economy is 31-32″. Are they taking AA’s config but somehow getting two more economy rows to get to 162 by reducing economy to a uniform 30″? Not a LOPA designer and no clue if that is possible.
If this had existed when the AS-VX merger happened, B6 might have won me instead of DL. The lack of F outside of the Mint routes was a real killer.
Is this the crappy AA seat with no entertainment installed??
Gary.. the tone of this article is overwhelmingly negative. You are the one who said JetBlue has nothings to offer its shareholders. Now the airline is increasing revenue opportunity by adding First Class and changing coach to be the same as the others ( since they were not getting a premium ticket price for the extra leg room). Shouldn’t you be writing something positive here? Most in the industry picture as an absolute piece of trash (not saying you are) but the way you write about the little guy ( Jetblue trying to beat all the Goliaths) support that you are not just a bad writer, but maybe not the best person.
@Peter — The only thing Mosaic, currently, is good for is the Move to Mint certificates (4 earned at Mosaic 3, 150 tiles, more earned at Mosaic 4). Otherwise, the early boarding isn’t much. Now, depending on what happens with this (Mini Mint) and the new lounge(s), we’ll see. Me like-y.
I hope that they can afford to lose customers because 30 inch pitch is painful to my knees and much more so if the a hole in front of me puts the seat back. At 32 inches, the seat in front of me leaning back is not as much of a problem.
I think it’s very sad that JetBlue is no longer going to have the best economy legroom, but this is probably the right call since the majority of customers aren’t willing to pay more for a regular economy seat with more legroom.
This will help them with business travelers in Boston since there are many short haul flights with no first class. I’m guessing they’ll roll it out on the ceos and new A220s first.
Eliminating or reducing “the thing flyers loved most about the airline” — sounds like they’re following in Southwest’s footsteps.
@Dan — Well, jetBlue still has seatback IFE on most aircraft and free WiFi, so they’re still ahead of SWA in that.
So the vast majority of passengers will have a worse experience? What’s not to love? Better start making reservations now.
@GaryHeartsB6 – tell me what you think I wrote that’s not accurate? I want to see JetBlue succeed. They’re making some moves they need to make. Nothing that’s likely to be transformative. But some things that stop the bleeding. There are tradeoffs, like giving up much of their traditional product advantage (extra legroom, they’ve also led the industry in raising checked bag fees). This isn’t being a cheerleader or a naysayer, I think, just describing them where they’re at – and they’ve been struggling.
I fly JB a ton to/from Florida. I buy 2 seats (me + a second seat, but I’m not that big – i just want the space). I’m a Level 2, so my extra legroom is free.
The pricing is often $250 for a two hour flight.
American is getting $350-$700 for essentially the same thing branded as “First Class.
@Gary Leff — That response to @GaryHeartsB6 almost felt like reading @Tim Dunn’s typical retort of… ‘my opinions are facts, and your opinions are wrong.’ He also likes to use the dismiss our experiences by referring to them as merely ‘anecdotal,’ whereas his experiences are ‘data.’ Fun.
B6 finally moving toward a real domestic first class is exactly the kind of grown up decision they needed to make. You cannot build serious revenue by relying on generous coach legroom and hoping for the best. If you want higher paying customers, you create a premium product that looks and feels premium. Losing a little legroom in coach is simply part of the deal. Every other airline has already made that trade. JetBlue is just catching up.
The new lounge at JFK T5 is another step in the right direction. I am not thrilled with the location since it feels tucked out of the way, and it really should have been placed above the main atrium for easier access to the gates. Still, they worked with the space they had and the end result gives travelers a proper place to relax instead of wandering around the terminal looking for a seat.
Bottom line, if JetBlue is giving me a better seat up front and a lounge I can actually enjoy, I have no problem paying extra for it. This is exactly the kind of forward thinking the airline needed.
B6 will make a few dollars but reducing pitch for the majority will have many faithful customers running to DL; net gain zero.
40+ years in the field, mark my words.
1990
you are the biggest fraud in the history of the internet.
6 months ago you were sucking up to me and Delta.
hearts is valid in his criticism.
B6 is trying to desperately beat Goliath – which is DL in B6′ two largest markets.
Whether the changes they have made will work or not remain to be seen but I give B6 for fighting.
and I also get that B6 fans and employees – just like F9 and NK – are tired of being written off, including by you.
@Tim Dunn – An impressively weird take on things. Among the plethora of issues is your gaslighting on fraud since Delta simply excels at it.
@Tim Dunn — “biggest fraud in the history of the internet” … I needed that. Many a time on here, I’ve asked for ‘more spice,’ and I’m finally getting it. Thanks, chef!
I’m a free agent, sir. I tell it like I see it. As to jetBlue’s moves here, I continue to applaud them for trying; likewise, Delta continues to try new things, and tends to lead the way. I commented at OMAAT in an exchange with you and @Max Power that I noticed UA’s recent addition to their Polaris at EWR has a new ‘Dining Room’ area that seems to be a copy of Delta’s JFK D1 Brasserie. Don’t worry, though, DL’s is still better. I’m scheduled on Mint TATL soon, so I’ll report back on the small-yet-seemingly nice new B6 lounge at T5. So, I’ll keep doing me, you keep doing you, Tim.
Gary, I truly don’t think I have ever once read an article about jetBlue from you that was positive in any way shape or form. jetBlue needed to do a first class domestic product. Even you said its the standard recliner compared to other carriers. I’d love to know what you expected them to come out with to make it revolutionary? If its standard like other carriers and their goal is to align themselves more with the legacies why is it a bad thing they are using similar recliners? They are trying to compete for similar premium customers. Do you have any other articles about DAL, UAL, AAL comparing their standard domestic first class seats to Spirits asking if its that much better or only jetBlue because you seem to loathe them more then every other carrier you write articles about?
Bill
Maybe JetBlue has figured out that the idea of more room throughout coach didn’t work very well for American, and still doesn’t work well. In the current environment, choice and potential upsell seem to work better than the one-size-fits-all model of the past.
Is the Even More Space (EMS) 35” pitch for all rows?
Or is it an “average row pitch” that’s wildly inflated when including bulkhead & emergency exit rows such that standard EMS row pitch is ~33-34”?
Just wondering.
JetBlue’s move underscores where the domestic market is heading, premium segmentation is no longer optional. Even an airline built around a strong Y product is acknowledging that legroom alone does not capture enough high-yield demand, and that a true domestic F cabin is now essential for revenue resilience. Southwest is already halfway there with assigned seating and extra-legroom upsells, but stopping short of a genuine premium cabin leaves real money on the table and risks losing business and premium leisure travelers to competitors. As JetBlue, and the legacy carriers, continue to refine their premium offerings, Southwest needs to move quickly to complete its evolution or risk being structurally disadvantaged in a market that increasingly rewards airlines with a full fare ladder. When are you going to do what’s inevitable for your airline’s survival, Bob?
36-37” F/J row pitch is not just nothing special, it’s actually worse than AA, DL & UA’s already awful & horrendous 37”-38” domestic F/J recliners.
Bad enough to copy (emulate?) AA, DL & UA’s cramped F/J narrow-body cabins, but offering EVEN LESS SPACE?!
Seriously!
Why not aspire to emulate Alaska Air’s ~40” F/J mainline narrow-body row pitch if you’re seeking to differentiate your product from the mediocre products offered by the legacy Big 3?
Finally, just 8 F/J seats on the Airbus A220s when AA, AS, DL & UA have 12 seats on their Embraer 175s & all other RJs (except CRJ-200s)?
I have an Amex, citi, cap1 and chase. I’m never going to get a Barclays card. Until b6 has a decent card the mosaic will be useless. I fly weekly and am moving my business back to DL and the occasional Frontier.
I have an Amex, citi, cap1 and chase. I’m never going to get a Barclays card. Until b6 has a decent card the mosaic will be useless. I fly weekly and am moving my business back to DL and the occasional Frontier. Oh well
@Mike Hunt — You’ve predicted as much with Southwest, too. If and when that happens, I’ll applaud it there as well, and recognize you as one of those that championed the idea. Besides, I’d prefer to use the $500 CSR +$75K SWA credit on something nice. So, yeah, get on it Bob!
@Bill Smith – thinking about positive things I wrote about JetBlue, I was probably the #1 cheerleader for the Northeast Alliance and I was very excited by the revamp of their elite program, so maybe you don’t read enough of my stuff! I’ve also hyped their business class soft product quite a bit. Nobody was doing the wines they were, though United has ramped up its wine program quite a lot since then. But negative coverage also comes because they were listless, without the Northeast Alliance the Spirit acquisition they pressed for didn’t make a lot of sense, and they’re eroding their historical differentiation (which is a long-run trend for the carrier). A definite mixed bag!
End of an era for JetBlue Economy. The “best legroom in coach” has been one of their biggest marketing lines since their inception. JetBlue’s onboard product will now definitely be behind Delta’s once the retrofitting is done. The only thing JetBlue will still have over Delta is that they give full cans and not just a cup, unless Delta changes that in the future.
@JR – the full can is coming to an end.
These kinds of things (legroom, full can, unlimited snacks) don’t command a revenue premium and even worse, don’t earn incremental business.
The majority of customers don’t care.
@JR — Depends on your preferred carbonated corporate sugar water, though. B6 serves Pepsi.