I tried out the new JetBlue Mint Business Class from LA to London via New York, all the way across the Atlantic on a single-aisle Airbus A321.
LA to New York Transcon
My first flight from LA to New York was in the regular JetBlue New Mint Suite. There is no lounge at LAX for Business Class customers.
The seat was facing away from the window and toward the inside of the cabin, so I had to turn my head for the window view. Other than that, the seat privacy from the tall wall divider was good and overall it felt quite spacious.
Boarding was from the front door and the foot traffic problem was the same as it is on all narrowbody aircraft.
Flight time was just under five hours. JetBlue has quite a few flights featuring the new Mint Suite from LA to New York. You need to check the seat map to make sure you're flying on the right one. The new configuration offers all aisle access, while the previous Mint product only offers aisle access on the aisle or throne seat.
The dining concept was a little different and I could choose three plates and one dessert. The food both looked and tasted phenomenal. I had the cirrus endive salad, Farro salad and chicken Milanese from the menu.
There was no meal served in Economy, other than snacks.
I was able to relax and sleep for two and half hours before we started our descent into New York. The bedding was comfortable and the bed was long enough for me. No annoying restrictive footwell in this seat configuration.
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New York to London
In New York, there was again no lounge available for Business Class passengers. My transit time was two hours. A document check was performed at the gate, including a check of vaccination records and record locator (PLF) to enter the United Kingdom. The flight was about 70% occupied overall but it was full in Business Class.
The New York to London flight was operated by an A321LR with an auxiliary fuel tank. The pilots explained the details of their narrow-body transatlantic operation. I was allowed to pre-board to take some nice pictures of the fresh cabin.
Flight time to London was six hours 30 minutes, with a tail wind helping along the way. The pilot said the return the flight could go as long as eight hours 40 minutes!
On this flight, I paid an extra $299 for an upgrade to sit in the JetBlue Mint Studio in row 1. It has extra room with an additional buddy seat and table.
The extra perks from JetBlue Mint Studio include pyjamas and slippers, which are not available in the regular mint suite.
There were three different amenity kits available. Interestingly the amenity kit came in a paper bag format.
I was impressed by the menu. A six and half hour flight with 2 meals.
Here is the food in Economy. Passengers can pick and choose one main and two sides from the seat back screen.
I slept for three hours after dinner and woke up 30 minutes before landing. I had a quick scone and juice before landing. There were some bumps over the Atlantic, not sure if it is because the single aisle airplane just doesn't handle the bumps well when compared to the widebody planes. The bed was comfortable and I could place my arm over into the extra space provided by the Mint Studio
There is definitely one slight disadvantage to flying on the A321LR, which is the speed. It flies at Mach 0.78, compared to the Mach 0.83-0.85 reached by the B777/B787/A350.
My Verdict
Before the flight I was a little doubtful about the flight experience, since I was flying two narrowbody A321's from LA to London via New York.
My overall experience in Mint Business Class was a very positive one. I had two comfortable flights and the food was phenomenal, possibly the best food I have eaten on a US carrier. The Direct TV and Fast free Wi-Fi are also worth a mention.
The Mint Studio has extra space and the extra table, so it is great for couples to sit and dine together. Is it worth the $299 extra I paid over the regular Mint Suite? I think the regular mint is already good enough to have a good comfortable flight. The extra money buys you a bigger space and more privacy.
Pros:
- New Product with good privacy and great dining concept
- Some good sustainable products such as the amenity kit and the Economy class meal holder
- Free fast Wi-Fi and Direct TV for all
Cons:
- Seat looks away from the window, not everyone will like it
- Narrowbody A321 flies slower than widebody
- No lounge for Business Class passengers