JetBlue Airways' swanky new business class suites have landed.
The New York-based carrier marked another milestone towards launching flights to London having taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo with the upgraded business class seats that flyers will enjoy on transatlantic flights later this year.
Even casual Mint flyers will immediately notice the difference in the new product. Every seat offers fan favorites like direct aisle access and closeable doors that offer the utmost privacy, all in a residential-style designed suite.
The A321neo is one of JetBlue's newest aircraft and can be found flying JetBlue's longest routes including New York-Guayaquil, Ecuador thanks to its increased range and cost-saving economics. It's also known for its quiet cabin and ultra-modern features like mood lighting.
The jet that will take JetBlue to Europe, however, has yet to arrive. The Airbus A321neoLR offers an even greater amount of range and JetBlue plans to pack it with even more business class suites to accommodate the near-endless supply of premium flyers on the route.
And before London flights takeoff, the suites will first make a West Coast debut on the New York-Los Angeles route this summer. JetBlue's long-awaited transatlantic flights have been delayed due to the pandemic but are set to launch in the third quarter.
Here's a sneak peek at the business class suites that will soon take JetBlue flyers to Los Angeles, London, and beyond.
The new Mint cabin on the A321neo is comprised of 16 business class suites arranged in a 1-1 configuration.
Each seat is angled in what's known as a herringbone configuration, allowing the airline to fit more seats in the cabin while maintaining privacy. It's an upgrade from the current Mint product as there are no paired seats in any row.
JetBlue offers two types of seats in the cabin. There's the standard "Mint Suite...".
And the larger "Mint Studio," the cabin's flagship seat.
The cabin has 14 Mint Suites spanning seven rows while the first row has the only Mint Studios, and they come at an additional premium.
Those that pay extra for the Mint Studio get an entire 22.7-square-foot cabin to themselves.
There's more room to spread out, especially when the seat is in the lie-flat position.
JetBlue even installed a separate cushioned seat here so a companion can share the space.
Other amenities exclusive to the seat include a personal closet that can be used to store anything from a purse to shoes or a jacket. A small mirror is there to help freshen up after, say, an overnight flight to London
The in-flight entertainment screens in these enclaves are also the largest on the plane at 22 inches.
An additional tray table is built-in so companions can share a meal or get work done together. And if traveling solo, the table can also be used as simply an additional countertop to hold papers, a laptop, or food items.
The screen doesn't extend all the way, however, so watching a movie together might difficult.
Standard seat amenities are also included like a tethered remote to control the in-flight entertainment...
A large countertop with individually-controlled lighting...
Wireless charging capabilities...
And a laptop holder under the screen, among other unique touches.
The regular suites are narrower but still comfortable and spacious when seated thanks to the suite's curved walls.
For those that love looking out of the window, however, the angle of the seat makes doing that a bit harder as it requires turning one’s head at least 90 degrees.
Placed on each seat will be the standard business class amenities for the flight. A new service offering was just rolled out in November that includes a new partnership with the Delicious Hospitality Group, Tuft & Needle, Wanderfuel, and Master & Dynamic.
Among other items, passengers will get a pair of JetBlue-specific Master & Dynamic noise-isolating headphones...
Bedding kit from Tuft & Needle...
And a wellness kit from Wanderfuel.
Privacy-minded travelers at each seat can close the suite door for additional exclusivity.
A blue "do not disturb" sign can also be activated to let flight attendants know to skip certain passengers for the meal service.
All seats in the cabin were developed by Tuft & Needle, JetBlue's new sleep partner, and double as mattress pads for when it's time to sleep. Tuft & Needle also created the bedding that includes a "foot nook."
Screens in the suites are slightly smaller at 17 inches.
A fun fact about the in-flight entertainment screens is that they can be extended away from the wall during takeoff and landing, something most other airlines haven't been able to offer.
This A321neo only has eight rows of Mint but the London-bound aircraft will have at least four more rows for a total of 24 seats.
Those riding in the back won't have their own suites but will still get to experience some of JetBlue's latest products.
The rest of the cabin is split between extra legroom seats, known as "Even More Space" seats...
And regular economy seats, known as "Core" seats.
True to name, Even More Space seats on this aircraft offer between 35 and 38 inches of seat pitch, depending on seat location, and 18 inches of width.
Source: SeatGuru
Regular economy seats, alternatively, offer 32 inches of seat pitch and the same amount of width.
Source: SeatGuru
As for entertainment, JetBlue installed the latest in-flight entertainment product complete with movies, television shows, games, device pairing, and a moving map, among other features.
These screens clock in at 10.1 inches and offer high-definition content.
A cool feature of economy is the "pantry," a self-serve snack and beverage bar where flyers can take food items as they please without bugging the flight attendants.
Flyers can also connect to JetBlue's complimentary satellite WiFI onboard the aircraft, even while over the ocean or above a foreign country.
Mood lighting is a key feature of the aircraft, especially on long-haul flights.
Each lighting profile coincides with a specific phase of flight, whether it be the daytime meal service or cruising at altitude at night.
Mood lighting is also intended to link up with a traveler's circadian rhythm to help adjust to each phase of flight.
Warm colors induce relaxation for when it's time to sleep and cool colors wake the body up.
Each suite has its own lamp with different mood lights controlled by the occupant.
And the Mint Studios are the only seats that come with two lamps.
The lighting extends through the entire aircraft, not just business class.
On the outside of the plane, keen flyers will also notice a new tail design on the back of the plane. Called "ribbons," the design uses optical art to create the illusion of movement.
And powering the aircraft are two Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines.
Piloting the A321neo requires minor additional training and pilots will be able to fly it interchangeably with other Airbus A320 family aircraft in JetBlue's fleet.
JetBlue flyers can expect to see this aircraft flying this summer, first between New York and Los Angeles before expanding across JetBlue's route network.
Transatlantic travelers will then be enjoying this cabin by the end of the year.
