American carrier JetBlue is set to roll out a domestic first-class product with fleet installations set to commence from August, as suggested by aviation insider JonNYC. This will see the domestic first class product, which had been teased already some years ago, finally get the go-ahead after years of industry rumours.
While the New York based carrier already offers its ‘Mint’ product on major trans-continental and and trans-Atlantic routes, is yet to debut on all aircraft and especially those that operate smaller routes. The rollout of this product is set to debut in the middle of the year, with the airline hoping to retrofit up to 20 aircraft per month.
‘Mini Mint’ Set To Take Off From August
As first reported by aviation insider JonNYC on his X page, JetBlue has applied for certification of domestic first-class seating. This offering is set to lure in high-paying passengers and those looking for an elevated travel experience. The airline will start the rollout initially on the Airbus A320, with the first aircraft expected to be operationally ready by June, with a wider installation retrofit program taking off by August 2026, with a target of 20 aircraft per month and gradually extend to the Airbus A220, and Airbus A321.
JetBlue’s decision to finally take the plunge on this model, which has been hinted at for some time, will see an improved onboard offering to attract the premium customer. While JetBlue already offers one of the most spacious economy classes in the country, what has been missing is a domestic first-class product across its full network.
Simple Flying reached out to JetBlue for comment on the proposed changes, but the airline did not immediately respond by the time this article was published.
An Elevated Onboard Experience
The current Mint service was first introduced by JetBlue back in 2013, with its debut on commercial services in June the following year. This was set to disrupt the legacy carriers, which had dominated the premium market for transcontinental services. The Mint product quickly rose in popularity due to its lie-flat seats, elevated dining experience, and private suites.
As suggested by Gary Leff from A View From The Wing, the new JetBlue cabins will feature recliner seats designed by Collins Aerospace, which will be of similar quality to those seen on the ‘Big Three’ carriers ( 
American Airlines, 
Delta Air Lines, and 
United Airlines). Leff has analysed the data and outlines the following proposed configurations across JetBlue aircraft types:
|
Aircraft Type |
Proposed Number Of First Class Seats |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A220 |
Eight |
|
Airbus A320 |
12 |
|
Airbus A321ceo |
12 |
|
Airbus A321neo |
12 |
To enable the airline to successfully install these seats with enough legroom, it is also proposed that JetBlue will drop its current seat pitch of 32 inches (81 cm) to 30 inches (76 cm). The first class product, dubbed as ‘Mini Mint’, or ‘Junior Mint’, will offer passengers a seat pitch of between 35 and 37 inches (89 to 94 cm).
Mint Victory: JetBlue Ranked Top Carrier For First/Business Class Passenger Satisfaction
The carrier has a competitive premium product.
What Happens Next
For this to work, JetBlue must jump through a few more hoops before passengers can enjoy the new domestic first class product. The airline must gain FAA certification for the new seat and cabin designs, which is crucial before the aircraft retrofit programme can commence. Given the suggestion by both JonNYC and Garry Leff, it would be presumed that B6 is already well underway with this process.
Checking the airline’s fleet data identifies that there are still more than 170 aircraft (as per ch-aviation), which are not yet fitted with a premium cabin, which outlines that the airline’s goal to retrofit 20 airplanes per month means that the process will take some time until finished.
It remains yet to be seen which routes JetBlue will offer the new first class product first; however is sure to be a welcome change for current and new passengers that may now be lured into the JetBlue offering. New Yorkers could win big with the domestic first class cabin, with the hometown airline offering a substantial presence at all three major NY airports, and dominating around 23% of all operations at 
New York JFK Airport.
