JetBlue To Launch ‘Junior Mint’ First Class for Domestic Flights

Craving a more premium experience on JetBlue flights? Starting in 2026, the airline will extend its top-shelf Mint product to more routes, including shorter domestic flights, as it tries to attract well-heeled travelers.

Currently, JetBlue’s Mint class—with either domestic lie-flat seats or long-haul suites—is limited to a handful of routes, including transatlantic flights and prestige transcontinental flights, such as from New York (JFK) to San Fransisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX).

Photo: Mint Classic. Courtesy of JetBlue

However, for most of its domestic fleet, the best upgrade available on JetBlue is an economy class seat with four inches of additional legroom, dubbed “Even More Space.”

That will change in 2026 when two to three rows of first class seats will be added to all aircraft without Mint, an offering nicknamed “Junior Mint.”

Anticipated Features

JetBlue hasn’t revealed much about its new first class; beyond that, the seats will be arranged in a two-by-two layout, with more width, depth, and deeper recline.

It is rumored that JetBlue will be using the Collins Aerospace MiQ seat—a common choice for domestic first class seats—seen, for example, in American Airlines‘ domestic fleet.

Photo: Domestic First Class, Boeing 737 MAX 8. Courtesy of American Airlines

JetBlue president Marty St. George said the full Mint product, with the airline’s signature meals and suites, “can’t be duplicated on shorter flights.” However, the airline has devised perks for domestic travelers willing to pay more.

“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 said.

“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,” CEO Joanna Geraghty added.

Turning the ship around

This pivot to premium travel is JetBlue’s latest turnaround plan. The airline has struggled in the post-pandemic period, racking up nearly $3 billion in losses since 2020.

The A321 operates the airline’s long-haul routes / Photo: Courtesy of JetBlue

Two business deals—including its Northeast Alliance with American Airlines and an attempt to buy now-bankrupt Spirit Airlines—were blocked by courts on anti-trust grounds.

Now, the formerly low-cost carrier hopes to raise $800 to 900 million in revenue over the next few years, largely from travelers with deep pockets.

Premium Cabin Demand Rises

Airlines across the industry have found that passengers are willing to pay more for roomier seats and a better travel experience, including on leisure routes.

Photo: Courtesy of Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines CFO Shane Tackett recently revealed that most of his airline’s growth over the last few years has come from premium products. The Seattle-based carrier is doubling down, adding first-class seats to more planes.

Even Southwest, famed for its festival-style seating, will introduce pricier premium seats in 2026. The ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier will also try to join the premium game by introducing first class seating in its current all-economy cabins.

Lounges and Route Cuts

JetBlue announced earlier this year that it plans to open its first-ever airport lounges aimed at catering to premium travelers. The first lounge will open at JFK in late 2025, followed by another location at Boston Logan (BOS).

As JetBlue caters to big spenders, it’s pulling back from some markets. Last week, the airline announced it was culling some unprofitable routes, including:

The airline will also stop operating flights to Seattle (SEA) with planes outfitted with full-fat Mint from April.

A rethought network “will allow the airline to redeploy resources, including our popular Mint service, toward high-demand markets and new opportunities,” it said in a statement.

JetBlue’s stock rallied on the news of the premium rebrand, with shares up 15 percent by Thursday.