Earlier this year, it was revealed that JetBlue was eyeing the possibility of introducing a premium cabin on its fleet of non-Mint aircraft.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, JetBlue’s CEO Joanna Geraghty recognized that travelers have reached the tipping point and are willing to spend more for a premium experience.
She said that starting in 2026, the airline will introduce domestic recliner-style first class seats similar to those offered on other U.S. airlines. JetBlue also plans to open its own lounges at both its New York and Boston hubs.
It’s not clear what the overall package will look like, but the airline hopes to draw in customers with lower pricing in its premium cabin compared to offerings on competing legacy carriers.
“We want it to be accessible for people who want to fly domestic first and maybe can’t afford to do it on the legacy carriers.”
It’s not exactly clear how this lowered pricing will affect its soft product, but with other low-cost carriers like Frontier and Spirit also stepping up their premium game, this move isn’t exactly surprising.
Geraghty added that economy seat pitch will still remain “at or above” what is offered by its larger competitors.
The airline will offer recliner-style seating in a 2-2 layout, and it is speculated that there will be two rows of premium seating on its Airbus A220s, while its A320s and non-Mint A321s (those with not equipped with domestic and international lie-flat seating) will offer three rows of premium seating.
These are the rumored configurations, but of course this can change over time.
| Aircraft Type | Current Config | Planned Config |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A220 | 25 Even More Space and 115 Core totaling 140 seats | 8 first and 135 economy totaling 143 seats |
| Airbus A320 | 42 Even More Space and 120 Core totaling 162 seats (newer layout) | 12 first and 150 economy totaling 162 seats |
| Airbus A321ceo | 42 Even More Space and 158 Core totaling 200 seats | 12 first and 186 economy totaling 198 seats |
| Airbus A321neo | 42 Even More Space and 158 Core totaling 200 seats | 12 Mini and 188 economy totaling 200 seats |
Shrinking before growing
Credit: Bradley Wint/Gate CheckedGeraghty said the airline is no longer trying to build a nationwide presence, trimming more than 50 routes in order to focus on its U.S. east coast operations. They are also deferring delivery of some of its jets due to continuing issues affecting Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G family of engines.
On the other hand, they are still heavily invested in transatlantic operations, announcing two new flights from Boston to Madrid and Edinburgh.
A good move
This sounds like a good move for JetBlue. Customers are obviously tired of being nickel and dimed for the most basic of benefits, and are willing to pay more for a decent travel experience.
Legacy carriers have recognized this, improving both its domestic and international premium cabins, and as mentioned before, even the low-cost carriers are trying to offer something premium for those willing to pay.
I suspect JetBlue’s domestic first class product may not be as fleshed out like other carriers. Maybe they may sacrifice oven space and offer cold meals, and reserve its lounges for Mint customers?
Featured image: Bradley Wint/Gate Checked
