JetBlue Airways plans to add domestic first-class seats in 2026 on airplanes that don’t have its top-tier Mint class, the latest initiative to win over higher-paying customers and get back to profitability.
All of JetBlue’s Airbus aircraft without Mint, the airline’s lie-flat seats, will have two or three rows of domestic first-class seats, Marty St. George, JetBlue’s president, said in a note to employees.
“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,'” St. George said. He said Mint “can’t be duplicated on shorter flights,” so the carrier had to come up with a solution for passengers willing to pay for more space on shorter flights.
“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,” St. George wrote.
St. George, JetBlue’s former commercial chief, came back to the New York-based airline earlier this year to help new CEO Joanna Geraghty return JetBlue to profitability and cut costs. The airline is focusing more on its core markets in Florida and the Northeast.
JetBlue has been a pioneer in the U.S. airline industry since its first flights almost 25 years ago, adding comforts like seat-back entertainment, free Wi-Fi and a business class that sought to make flying at the front of the plane more affordable for customers compared with large carriers that dominate U.S. air travel.
The airline has become more focused on finding ways to increase sales since its bid to acquire Spirit Airlines was blocked by a U.S. judge in January and its partnership with American Airlines in the Northeast was ruled anticompetitive by another judge.
JetBlue is culling a host new cuts of unprofitable routes, CNBC reported last week. It is also tweaking its European service, announcing a new flight between Boston and Madrid on Tuesday.
Adding better seats that fetch a premium to standard coach has become a focus of the airline industry as many leisure travelers after the pandemic have shown they are willing to shell out more for roomier seats, or other perks like airport lounges.
On Tuesday, Alaska Airlines said it would evaluate its premium seat offerings and upgrade some of its planes following its merger with Hawaiian as part of plans for a global expansion.
JetBlue earlier this year said it will build its first lounges.