JetBlue Is Launching a New First Class, With Bigger Seats, Free Wi-Fi and Seatback Cocktail Ordering

JetBlue is adding a new way to fly up front.

The airline has unveiled BlueFirst, a new domestic first-class product that will bring larger seats, upgraded food and drinks, priority airport benefits and some unusually tech-forward touches to JetBlue flights that do not offer its Mint premium cabin.

BlueFirst will be available for booking this fall, with the first aircraft featuring the new cabin scheduled to enter service later this year.

For travelers, the biggest change is straightforward: JetBlue will now have a dedicated premium cabin on many shorter domestic flights where the airline previously offered its standard economy seating.

And while BlueFirst is not a lie-flat product like Mint, it brings a long list of upgrades over a regular JetBlue seat.

What the New BlueFirst Seats Are Like

BlueFirst cabins will use a two-by-two seating arrangement, eliminating the middle seat.

The seats themselves were developed with mattress company Tuft & Needle and use the brand’s T&N Flex foam. JetBlue says the cushioning is designed to provide additional support and pressure relief.

BlueFirst seats will also have 5 inches of recline and as much as 7 inches more legroom than JetBlue’s Main cabin seats.

That makes BlueFirst closer to the traditional domestic first-class experience offered by other major U.S. carriers rather than JetBlue’s Mint cabin, which remains the airline’s top premium product on longer routes.

There’s a 13.3-Inch Screen and Bluetooth

Every BlueFirst seat will have a 13.3-inch seatback entertainment screen, along with Bluetooth connectivity so travelers can connect their own wireless headphones.

The screens will use JetBlue’s latest Blueprint inflight entertainment platform.

Power is built into every seat as well, with USB-A, USB-C and standard 110-volt outlets.

JetBlue’s complimentary Fly-Fi high-speed internet will continue to be included, giving BlueFirst passengers free connectivity from gate to gate.

On overnight flights, travelers will also receive a blanket and a sleep kit.

You’ll Be Able to Order Drinks From the Screen

One of the more interesting BlueFirst additions is seatback ordering.

Travelers will be able to choose food and drinks directly from the entertainment screen rather than waiting for the cart or cabin crew to take an order.

JetBlue is also introducing what it calls “Mixologist Mode,” which lets passengers build a customized cocktail by selecting a spirit, mixer and flavoring on the screen. The order is then sent directly to the flight crew.

It is a distinctly JetBlue approach to first class, particularly for travelers accustomed to the relatively traditional food-and-beverage service found on most domestic premium cabins.

What You’ll Eat

BlueFirst will introduce a new meal program called FirstFare.

On flights of 899 miles or longer, passengers will receive a bento-style meal with an entrée, side and dessert.

JetBlue says selections could include dishes such as sweet or savory crepes and sesame noodles with either beef or tofu.

Premium snacks will also be offered throughout flights, with rotating choices from brands including Sockerbit, Tosi, Wholesome Bakery, Pop Daddy Snacks and Cape Cod Chips.

Drinks will include wines selected by New York wine retailer Parcelle, coffee from Cometeer and Joe Coffee and tea from Smith Teamaker.

Two Free Checked Bags and Priority Airport Benefits

The upgrades start before passengers get on the aircraft.

BlueFirst travelers will receive Group 1 boarding, dedicated overhead-bin space, priority check-in and access to expedited security lanes at more than 30 airports.

BlueFirst and BlueFirst Flex tickets will also come with 2 free checked bags, priority baggage delivery and no change or cancellation fees.

For families or travelers checking multiple bags, the baggage allowance alone could represent a meaningful part of the fare difference depending on the route.

How BlueFirst Is Different From Mint

JetBlue is not replacing Mint.

Instead, BlueFirst fills the sizable gap between JetBlue’s regular economy cabin and the lie-flat Mint experience available on selected transcontinental, Caribbean and transatlantic routes.

Mint remains the airline’s flagship premium cabin, with lie-flat seating and a substantially more elaborate onboard experience.

BlueFirst is designed for markets where JetBlue flies but does not currently offer Mint.

That means travelers could increasingly see JetBlue offering some form of premium cabin across a much larger portion of its network.

For Caribbean travelers, that could eventually be particularly interesting.

JetBlue has one of the largest Caribbean networks among U.S. airlines, and a first-class cabin on more of its non-Mint aircraft could give travelers another premium option on the relatively short flights that connect the Northeast, Florida and other U.S. gateways with the region.

JetBlue has not yet detailed which individual routes will receive BlueFirst first or what the typical fare premium will be.

Those 2 questions will ultimately determine how compelling the product is.

But from a passenger perspective, the proposition is easy to understand: a wider seat with no middle passenger, more legroom, free Wi-Fi, upgraded meals, priority airport treatment and 2 checked bags — without needing to be on one of JetBlue’s Mint routes.

The post JetBlue Is Launching a New First Class, With Bigger Seats, Free Wi-Fi and Seatback Cocktail Ordering appeared first on Caribbean Journal.