A passenger silhouette in front of a JetBlue Airbus A321neo spotted on the tarmac at the bridge of the passenger aircraft from Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport AMS EHAM terminal in the Netherlands.
Nicholas Economou | norphoto | Getty Images
JetBlue Airlines It plans to add domestic first-class seats in 2026 on planes that don't have Mint first class, the latest initiative to win Higher paying clients And return to profitability.
All of JetBlue's Airbus planes without Mint seats, the airline's lie-flat seats, will have two or three rows of domestic first-class seats, JetBlue President Marty St. George said in a memo to employees.
“Since launching the Mint more than a decade ago, we have explored the idea of expanding a version of it across the fleet, often calling it a 'mini-Mint' or 'junior Mint,'” St. George said. He said the Mint “can't be replicated 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 as we prepare for a 2026 launch. Let's keep our competitors guessing,” St. George wrote.
St. George, JetBlue's former chief commercial officer, returned to the New York-based airline earlier this year to help new businesses CEO Joanna Geraghty Return JetBlue to profitability and reduce costs. The airline is focusing more on its core markets of Florida and the Northeast.
JetBlue has been a leader in the U.S. airline industry since its first flights nearly 25 years ago, adding amenities like seatback entertainment and business class that sought to make flying at the front of the plane more affordable for customers than the larger carriers that dominate air travel in the U.S. United.
It became the airline More focused has been trying to find ways to increase sales since its takeover bid Spirit Airlines He was Blocked by a US judge In January and its partnership with American Airlines In the northeast he ruled Anti-competitive By another judge.
JetBlue is cutting a new batch of unprofitable routes, CNBC I mentioned Last week. It is also adjusting its European services, announcing a new flight between Boston and Madrid on Tuesday.
The focus on seats that fetch a premium over standard coaches has become the focus of the airline industry as many post-pandemic leisure travelers have shown they are willing to pay more for more spacious seats, or other perks like airport lounges.
Tuesday, Alaska Airlines She said she would evaluate it Premium seat offers And modernizing some of its aircraft after its merger with Hawaiian Airlines as part of its global expansion plans.
JetBlue said earlier this year it would do so Building its first halls.
