JetBlue to add domestic first-class cabin, airline confirms
The rumors are true: JetBlue is moving forward with plans to add a domestic-style first-class cabin to its planes.
The New York-based carrier plans to debut domestic first-class seats by 2026, a spokesperson for the airline told TPG Wednesday.
CEO Joanna Geraghty first confirmed the plans in an interview with The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, citing plans for traditional domestic first-class-style recliners.
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The seats, JetBlue told TPG, will be arranged in a two-by-two configuration in the first two or three rows (depending on the aircraft type) of planes that don't currently offer a Mint cabin.
That word comes just about a month after JetBlue president Marty St. George acknowledged while speaking at an industry conference that the carrier was considering a new premium domestic cabin, as TPG reported Nov. 20.
“It’s certainly something we’ve thought about,” St. George said at the Skift Aviation Forum in Dallas.
Now, the airline is confirming its plans to move forward with the new high-end seats — which, it says, will be priced at "affordable fare[s]."
Big changes underway at JetBlue
It’s been a busy week for JetBlue. On Monday, TPG reported the carrier had slashed a handful of routes, continuing a yearlong network shake-up amid its push to return the carrier to profitability for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Then, on Tuesday, the airline announced it would expand its footprint in Europe in 2026, launching a new seasonal service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) and Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) — the latter of which will be an all-new European destination for the carrier.
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A premium push
All this comes as JetBlue is hoping to up its premium game. In September, the airline announced it would debut its first-ever airport lounges — at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and BOS — beginning in late 2025.
The airline has budgeted $400 million for premium product initiatives between 2025 and 2027 in hopes of winning over big-spending leisure travelers.
As part of that push, Wall Street analysts and industry insiders have speculated for months about whether JetBlue might choose to add a domestic-style first-class cabin to its planes.
Across the U.S. airline industry, carriers have moved quickly in recent months to boost their premium seating options as travelers have flocked to pay extra for more space. Most recently, Frontier Airlines last week revealed plans to begin adding first-class-style seats to its jets in 2025. Southwest Airlines previously announced its own extra-legroom seats.
Of course, JetBlue already offers a bona fide international business-class product with its newest-generation lie-flat Mint pods.
However, a new domestic-style first-class cabin will certainly fill a gap in its product offerings; JetBlue's planes that aren’t equipped with Mint don’t have a true premium cabin like its largest domestic competitors.
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More details to come
That will soon change for all of the aircraft in JetBlue's fleet that don't currently offer Mint.
Its Airbus A320 family of planes will feature three rows of domestic first seating, JetBlue said — for a total of 12 first-class seats. Its A220 aircraft will feature two rows of first class for a total of eight seats.
JetBlue plans to reveal more details about its first-class product closer to launch, the airline said Wednesday.
Still, just this confirmation that the airline is continuing to add new premium seating options is an enticing prospect for passengers who frequent JetBlue — or who are considering turning their attention to its TrueBlue loyalty program in the coming year.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.