In 2026, JetBlue will add a first-class cabin below its top-of-the-line Mint class. The move is designed to drive revenue via higher-paying customers and help the airline return to profitability. It follows an industry trend to add premium seating as more fliers are willing to upgrade.
“Junior Mint” lets more passengers enjoy premium seating
Marty St. George, President of JetBlue, said: “Since launching Mint over a decade ago, we’ve explored the idea of expanding a version of it across the fleet, often playfully calling it ‘mini-Mint’ or ‘junior Mint.” He added that “Mint can’t be duplicated on shorter flights,” so the airline devised this idea for those willing to pay for premium seating on quicker routes. He also mentioned, “We’re keeping the rest of our ideas under wraps for now while we prepare for a 2026 launch. Let’s keep our competitors guessing.”
According to St. George, every JetBlue aircraft without Mint’s lie-flat seats will receive two to three rows of domestic first-class seating. Earlier in 2024, St. George returned to the company to help new CEO Joanna Geraghty lower costs and increase profits. To do that, JetBlue is concentrating on its main markets in the Northeast and Florida, and deferring some Airbus aircraft.
JetBlue also recently announced its first lounges in New York and Boston, hoping to lure customers who are willing to spend. The lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport will open in late 2025, and the Boston Logan Airport location will follow. That’s part of the airline’s JetForward strategy to drive profits with premium offerings.
