As JetBlue seeks to innovate in response to persistent losses and a blocked merger with Spirit Airlines, it plans to introduce a domestic first class cabin it will call “Mini Mint” across its fleet of Airbus jets.
Coming In 2026: “Mini Mint” (Domestic First Class Recliner Seats) On JetBlue
For months, JetBlue has been hinting about a new premium product and now industry sources are telling Live And Let’s Fly there will be a domestic-style first class recliner seat coming to JetBlue’s entire Airbus family of jets starting in 2026. JetBlue has “probably” chosen the Collins Aerospace MiQ seat, pictured above, as its seat for these new premium cabins.
The MiQ seat offers:
- Four-way adjustable headrest
- Up to 10 inches of recline
- Large bi-fold table
- Adjustable aisle armrest
- Literature and personal item storage
- In-flight entertainment integration
We see this seat widely used in the airline industry as a premium economy seat, including on American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. It also serves as a business class seat on carriers including Aeromexico and Turkish Airlines and also a “domestic first class” seat on American and Hawaiian Airlines.
Live And Let’s Fly has learned that JetBlue will configure its aircraft with the following seat counts:
- A220 – 143 seats, including 8 Mini Mint (MM) and 135 Core (economy)
- A320 – 162 seats, including 12 MM and 150 economy
- A321ceo -198 seats, including 12 MM and 186 economy
- A321neo 200 seats, including 12 MM and 188 economy
How will JetBlue be able to add Mini Mint seats without sacrificing the overall seat count? Unfortunately, it plans to shrink legroom in economy class.
- Mini Mint – 36-37 inches
- Even More Space (extra legroom economy) – 35 inches
- Core (“regular” economy) – 30 inches
Core seats currently have 32 inches of pitch, an industry best, that apparently will be sacrificed as Mini Mint seats are added.
Retrofits will begin in 2026 with the oldest A320 jets, then proceed to newer jets that do not currently have the Mint product installed.
There’s no word on placing premium cabin seats on JetBlue’s fleet of 100-seat Embraer E190 jets.
If True, This Is Long Overdue And Great News
Earlier this year, JetBlue said it was looking into “evolving our product offering and network to reflect customer trends, including a focus on premium leisure.”
Although this news is still a rumor (we have not reviewed an actual memo), it comes from a well-placed source and makes so much sense.
As One Mile At A Time smartly pointed out six months ago, there are many compelling reasons for JetBlue to add a domestic first class product, including:
- JetBlue is in premium markets
- JetBlue could introduce first class efficiently
- It would feed into JetBlue’s long haul network
- First class would greatly enhance JetBlue TrueBlue
- First class would help JetBlue maximize revenue
- JetBlue could reduce flight attendant staffing on A320s (though it seems instead JetBlue will just squeeze economy class passengers instead of capping seats at 150 passengers in order to reduce one flight attendant position)
- First class would help JetBlue with partnerships
I won’t get into these now, but I think there is great sense in JetBlue adding a first class product and it sounds like there are finally more concrete plans underway.
For what it’s worth, we are not hearing about any lounges, which represent another missed opportunity for premium travelers.
CONCLUSION
JetBlue plans to introduce “Mini Mint” premium cabins to its entire Airbus family of jets, likely using the tried-and-tested Collins Aerospace MiQ seats. Retrofits will not begin immediately, with the new cabins not set to enter service until an unspecified date in 2026.
I view this as progress: this is the sort of product that has been logical for many years and a product that will drive premium traffic and revenue to JetBlue.
What are your thoughts on JetBlue Mini Mint?
image: rendering and logo created by Live And Let’s Fly, not official
With more competition, this could help bring down some fares in F. Sometimes F fares out of NYC to other major cities reach up to three to four times more than Y when they were probably around two times more than Y before covid.
By demand for premium seating, New York is one of the biggest markets globally and the biggest in the US by far and it isn’t close.
B6 left a lot of money on the table by refusing to add first class.
Comes at the cost of reducing pitch in Y. But, I guess there are benefits for the company as it’s to drive up further revenue, would help feed B6’s long haul network, and positioning B6 into joining one of the three major airline alliances or having better partnerships with other airlines.
As stated elsewhere, this moves B6 from LCC to Legacy status.
The soft items (food, beverage, service) in the new class need to be better than the other legacy carriers to pull in that premium revenue that B6 desperately needs. Also, the true business warriors demand frequency and reliability which have been B6 weaknesses. Something Ms Joanna needs to work on.
The retreat from LAX could have been avoided if this product had been available at an earlier date. I understand B6 was distracted with the Spirit acquisition at the time. However, I still believe there’s gold to be minted in the Los Angeles basin.
This will leave WN as the outlier that does not encourage the development of DVT in economy. I guess it’s “great news” to someone who has the luxury of flying domestic first everywhere, but it’s unfortunate for the average Joe who at least currently has the option to skip the torture of flying like a sardine on that flight that they’re taking.
However, I do appreciate the spin here of celebrating how “less is more”” because a privileged minority will have a better option to spend more $$ on the airline (and not have to sit with the unwashed) while the average Joe just has to suck it up.
This is good news as flights to the Caribbean don’t necessarily call for lie flat seats but traveling in domestic first class at JetBlue prices is welcomed. I have purchased even more space upfront for every JetBlue flight since 2019 so I’m happy to have this option. I hope the prices are reasonable.
I do feel bad as the extra leg room was what JetBlue was known for and made it a stand out.
Were i CEO, this is a decision i would have taken, though i might have taken a seat or two out to eliminate the need for an extra flight attendant…..how can 2 seats pay for an extra flight attendant?
Bravo to them for taking a bold step.
Only 30inches in economy?
ONLY 30 INCHES IN ECONOMY?
WE RIOT!
@AngryFlier:
Sadly, if Elliot Investment Management succeeds in dismantling Southwest’s more democratic (note: small “d”), passenger centric culture, it too, will become more like, or possibly indistinguishable, from the elitist/caste system “Big 3”, who favor the most fortunate among us over the 75-80% of fare paying, main cabin/economy class fliers JetBlue now appears to be setting its sights on chasing instead of keeping true to its core value of offering a more humanized approach to flying for everyone by reducing capacity marginally to retain its 32” main cabin, or “Core”, row pitch.
Sadly, come 2026, JetBlue, and possibly Southwest, will be indistinguishable – or perhaps nominally distinguishable at best like it already is now except for its more generous row pitch – from American, Delta or United.
Or maybe it’s just positioning itself for the inevitable takeover by American once government regulators turn a blind eye to consumer protection and anti-trust enforcement – or allow the two airlines to reinstate/recreate the alliance approved in the waning days of the previous administration.
“Premium” but no lounge lol
And 2” pitch loss in economy is brutal, I’m not sure why this seems to be downplayed.