Rumors have been circulating for months, but it's finally official: JetBlue will offer first class seats on its domestic flights. But that will likely come at a cost for anyone flying economy.
JetBlue revealed Wednesday it plans to introduce a new premium cabin on its mainland fleet starting sometime in 2026. The airline was short on specifics: Beyond confirming its first class cabin will be in a 2-2 configuration, JetBlue hasn't said what the seats or in-flight service will look like – nor even laid out a detailed timeline for when it will roll out.
Over time, these new domestic first class seats – which many have already dubbed “Mini Mint” or “Junior Mint” – will be offered on all JetBlue planes that aren't already equipped with its excellent lie-flat Mint business class seats that you'll see on transcontinental routes, down to Mexico and the Caribbean, and over to Europe.
JetBlue is known for cheaper fares, warm service, free onboard Wi-Fi, and more generous legroom than you get on most other airlines – including even some legacy carriers like Delta and United. But the airline is trying to reinvent itself after struggling financially (and abandoning its bid to acquire Spirit Airlines) the past few years: slashing dozens of routes across the country, unveiling plans earlier this year to open up its own lounges in both New York and Boston while also launching a premium travel credit card.
Wednesday's announcement fits into the entire U.S. airline industry's pivot toward “premium” travel. Alaska, Southwest, and even ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier have all recently announced plans to introduce more premium seating over the next few years.
“Customer demand for premium options is stronger than ever,” the airline said in a statement. “Domestic first, paired with Mint, our updated EvenMore (extra legroom seats) and upcoming lounges, will ensure we have the premium options that leisure customers want from a brand they love.”
As for what JetBlue's new first class seats and service will look like, a JetBlue spokesperson said they will be comparable to other U.S. domestic first class offerings. Here's what else we know so far:
- Three rows of first class seats on JetBlue's Airbus A321neo, A321ceo, and A320s
- Just two rows of first class seats on its Airbus A220s
As the airline carves out space for premium seating, it's all but certain that legroom in JetBlue's economy seats – long the best among U.S. carriers – will take a hit to accommodate these new first class cabins. JetBlue executives told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday that it would still offer legroom “at or above” other major U.S. airlines.
JetBlue declined to address specific questions about how much economy legroom may be reduced on its aircraft.
It's already been a big week of news for JetBlue, with the airline announcing the addition of two more transatlantic flights from Boston (BOS) to Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI) and Madrid, Spain (MAD) – a brand-new destination for the carrier.
Bottom Line
JetBlue is going all in on premium travel, with plans to open its own airport lounges, launch a premium credit card, and now, introduce a new first class cabin on its mainland fleet.
It's just the latest airline to announce new premium offerings, saying it will start selling domestic first class seats beginning in 2026. That'll be welcome news for many ultra-loyal JetBlue flyers … except those who have come to enjoy the airline's industry-leading legroom in economy, which will no doubt shrink as a result.