JetBlue plans more premium Mint seats on London flights
JetBlue Airways plans to expand the premium Mint cabin on the Airbus A321LRs that it will use to launch London flights in two years.
The New York-based carrier plans to have a "bigger front cabin than our Mint aircraft have today," Andrea Lusso, JetBlue's director of route planning, said Tuesday at the World Routes conference in Adelaide, Australia. He did not say how many additional seats will be installed.
JetBlue will fly the A321LR, a long-range version of the A321neo, on its planned flights to London from Boston Logan (BOS) and New York John F. Kennedy (JFK). JetBlue says the routes will launch in 2021. The A321LR is the same size as the current A321 and the A321neo.
Related: JetBlue to Fly Between Boston/NYC and London
The airline's current fleet of premium-configuration A321s have 16 lie-flat Mint seats, including four private suites. They also have 41 extra-legroom economy seats and 102 economy seats for a total of 159 passengers.
Based on configurations of A321s at other carriers around the world, JetBlue has flexibility to add more premium seats. American Airlines configures its A321Ts with 30 lie-flat seats, including 10 in first class and 20 in business class, but a total of only 102 passengers.
British Airways operates some A321s with 23 lie-flat business class seats.
"We're going to dedicate a good amount of the aircraft to Mint," said Lusso on JetBlue's plans for the A321LR.
A larger Mint cabin will be good for passengers willing to pay for what is expected to be a reasonably-priced business class seat across the Atlantic. However, unless JetBlue changes its rules regarding Mint, upgrades are not available unless a passenger pays the difference in fare or buys one at the gate.
Related: The Plane That Will Take JetBlue to London
JetBlue has already said that its A321LRs will have a new onboard product. CEO Robin Hayes said in April that the carrier is "reimagining the Mint experience" for its planned London flights.
"Our intent is to create an experience like flying on a private airplane, but for a fraction of the price," Hayes continued, without providing further details.
JetBlue is still working on what London airport, or airports, it will serve. Lusso reiterated at World Routes that this is still in the works.
The plans for a larger Mint cabin for its London flights comes as JetBlue also evaluates offering some premium amenities on its shuttle-like routes from Boston. The airline is considering amenities like free same-day changes, coffee at boarding gates, and wine and beer on its flights between Boston and the three New York-area airports, Philadelphia (PHL) and Washington National (DCA).
JetBlue debuted its first A321neo on flights between JFK and Fort Lauderdale earlier in September. The carrier has firm orders for another 58 A321neos, as well as 13 A321LRs and 13 A321XLRs, the latter being an even longer-range version of the neo than the LR.
Vote for TPG UK's four-class British Airways review in this year's Lovie Awards!
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.