Last January I flew with JetBlue Business Class – called Mint – from San Francisco to Boston in their A321LR. When JetBlue started flying with these new Airbus A321LR planes to and from Amsterdam, my interest was raised. Especially when I read some positive reviews about the new Mint Suites & Studios. Could JetBlue compete with flag carriers such as KLM, Air France and British Airways on the important routes to- and from New York JFK? I was really curious to find out what JetBlue Mint Suites on their A321LR was really like!
JetBlue Mint
When flying JetBlue Mint, you won’t be able to access a dedicated JetBlue lounge – or any lounge for that matter (unless you have specific credit card access with other lounges). JetBlue doesn’t have any lounges. At least, not yet. JetBlue recently announced they will open their first ever airport lounge in JFK by the end of this year. Shortly after that, Boston will follow. JetBlue is definitely upping its game in providing a more premium experience!
The A321LR arrived exactly on time at the gate. This specific A321 was less than 2 years old. There are 12 rows of business class in a 1-1 configuration. The first row are so called Mint Studios and these provide more space, have a bigger screen and an extra small seat and table. These seats also come with a surcharge; 199$ on my flight to Boston. My seat – 6F – was a regular Mint Suites seat.
First Impressions
First impression of the Mint Suites cabin is really good! I’m positively surprised by how much space there is in this Mint Suite, considering this is still a narrow body jet. There is a 17 inch screen, headphones are provided, and there is a bottle of Saratoga water. There is an amenity kit even though this is only a 6 hours domestic flight. Everything you need is included in the amenity kit, even a small bottle of mouthwash. Impressive!
A pillow and blanket is provided and the blanket can also serve as some kind of sleeping bag. I didn’t try out the multiple functions of the blanket, but the blanket itself was very comfortable.
Menu & Meals
JetBlue does things a bit differently with the menu. Instead of providing a choice of appetizers and main course, JetBlue offers the option to choose 3 out of 4 small plates. I’m choosing Orrechiette, the Sicilian Slice, and the Chicken. For desert there is Tiramisu. Before the small plates are served, crew is coming by with a choice of drinks and some chips. JetBlue does serve Sam Adams and together with the chips, that proved to be the perfect start of the flight!
The good thing with offering 3 small plates – which actually aren’t that small – is that it’s increasing the chance that there is something you like. And indeed, that’s also the case on this flight. The Orrechiette is really good! I’m not too fond about the Sicilian Slice but the chicken is OK. The tiramisu desert is excellent though. All in all, this was definitely the best meal I ever had on a domestic flight and it could even compete with some of the intercontinental business class meals I recently had!
Lie-Flat Seat
In lie-flat function, you’ll get a 6 feet 8 (203CM!) flat bad which is more spacious than in a lot of other airlines. The seat is also designed in such a way that you can still bend your legs and knees without getting stuck. A real smart design! With the comfortable blanket and pillow, I had no issues getting a few hours of sleep.
Other memorable mentions
JetBlue offers on most planes, free Wi-Fi. And this is independent of the class you’re flying. Wi-Fi does allow streaming content and I was able to watch YouTube without any interruption. And again, completely free!
There is also an interesting option when watching movies. If you don’t finish watching a particular movie, you can pick it up where you left off when you take your next JetBlue flight. You’ll have to sign-in for this to work. I never saw this feature before and I thought it was really cool. Just another feature where JetBlue distinguishes itself from the competition.
Conclusion
This flight with JetBlue positively surprised me, starting with the very comfortable seats. To be able to get so much space in a business class suite on a narrow body yet is really amazing. The food was also not bad and definitely the best I ever had on a domestic US flight. Then there are the extra amenities such as the free wi-fi which actually allows for uninterrupted, streaming content.
The traditional flag carriers now have a new, strong competitor on their profitable New York route and I wouldn’t be surprised if they will loose market share to JetBlue. I’ll certainly consider flying them again, especially when the price is right!
Please also review my video I made of this flight. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to the channel if you like the video!
Business Class JetBlue Mint Suites A321LR | JetBlue A321LR San Francisco to Boston | JetBlue A321LR
https://youtu.be/0VsnLLNU1pM
Also read my review about KLM’s business class on their 787-10. One of the carriers, JetBlue is now competing against on their route from Amsterdam to New York JFK!
