JetBlue takes delivery of Airbus A321LR that will soon fly to London
JetBlue is another step toward launching its service to London. Airbus announced on Thursday that JetBlue has taken delivery of its first A321LR, which will eventually operate the carrier's transatlantic routes.
In total, JetBlue has 13 of the long-range Airbus A321 aircraft on order. Thursday's delivery marks the first of those to be delivered to the New York-based airline.
Sign up to receive the daily TPG newsletter for more airline news!
Registered as N4022J, JetBlue received the aircraft at Airbus' Hamburg factory, with the plane featuring the airline's "streamers" tail. Currently, it's en route back to the U.S., according to data from FlightRadar24 — presumably to the airline's hub in New York.
The airline plans to launch flights between New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS) to an undisclosed London airport — or airports — later this year. JetBlue has secured slots at both London Heathrow (LHR) and London Gatwick (LGW). If JetBlue does in fact begin flights to Heathrow, it would operate in and out of Terminal 2.
Inside the A321LR, passengers can expect Airbus' Airspace cabins on the single-aisle aircraft. The Airspace interior features customizable lighting, slimmer wall panels, larger overhead bins and more. JetBlue will outfit the plane with 24 lie-flat suites in its Mint business-class cabin — both the Mint Suite and Mint Studio — and 114 seats in economy.
Related: First look: JetBlue's brand-new Mint Suite, Mint Studio business class
The Mint Studio and Mint Suite products will be a noticeable upgrade from the carrier's existing Mint cabin, which largely fly on transcontinental routes, and is considered by many to be the best domestic premium product in the U.S.
Economy seats feature 32 inches of pitch on seats that are 18.4 inches wide. In economy, JetBlue has also announced its catering partner, Dig, which will allow passengers to build their own meal using the seatback entertainment screen. All passengers, regardless of cabin, will be able to use JetBlue's free high-speed Wi-Fi, in-seat power and seatback entertainment.
Related: JetBlue's planning to serve some pretty incredible food on economy flights to London
"At JetBlue we are eagerly looking forward to introducing the Airbus A321 Long Range single-aisle aircraft with Airbus' Airspace interior for our new transatlantic services," JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said in a statement. "These aircraft will allow us to offer our customers attentive, boutique-style service, while also ensuring ample personal space, larger overhead bins, customized lighting and a design that gives the cabin a wide-body feel."
The A321LR aircraft is a longer-range variant of the airline's existing fleet of A321neo aircraft. The LR version has a range of 4,700 miles, allowing it to operate the transatlantic routes from the U.S. East Coast to London — and perhaps beyond to other destinations in Europe.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app