This JetBlue Mint Review on the A321 Transcon is from our 2018 NYC JFK to Seattle business class flight. See our JetBlue Mint YouTube Video Review below:
JetBlue Mint Cabin and Seat Selection
JetBlue Mint on the A321 was introduced in 2014 on select NYC to SFO and NYC to LAX routes, and has since expanded to serve Boston, Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Fort Lauderdale, and seasonal Caribbean destinations such as Aruba, St. Lucia, Barbados and Grenada.
The Mint cabin features 16 business class seats, of which 4 of them are enclosed private suites. There's no extra charge to select these suites, 2A, 2F, 4A and 4F, as long as they're available at time of booking, so it provides an incentive to book early, especially if traveling solo or if you want more personal space. We always select the suites even when two or three of us are traveling on the same flight, since we all prefer to have more space. Plus, I generally want my son to nap part of the time, and it's easier for him to do that if he's not right next to me, especially if I'm tapping away on my computer.
JetBlue Mint Business Class, Suite 2F
Each JetBlue Mint suite is 22 inches wide (non-suite seats are just under 21 inches wide), and the seat controls feature pre-set Relax and Bed options, although you can manually adjust the back rest and leg rest as well to the desired position.
Ostensibly you can change the cushion firmness and softness, but I've been hard pressed to feel any real difference. And the massage function is barely there, as is often the case–you'd get a better massage in most pedicure massage chairs.
I do like that the power outlet, water bottle holder, reading light and enclosed storage for your personal electronics or a purse are all within easy reach, while seated.
If you're seated in a suite, you can depress the door icon on the edge of the arm rest, near the seat controls, to close the suite door (see the above video for a demo). Keep in mind that the closing suite doors are low, not like in Singapore Suites on the A380, so you're easily visible by everyone walking down the aisle. Nevertheless, I give JetBlue credit for launching this product 4 years ago, over 3 years before Delta One Suites launched (on international, not domestic routes). To date, JetBlue is still the only U.S. airline offering suites with closing doors on transcon routes.
While we were on a daytime flight, I did recline my son's seat and my seat into beds for a nap, since we were attending a family member's 100th birthday party in the Seattle area, and it would be a long day given the time difference with the East Coast. JetBlue Mint seats recline into 80 inch flat beds, the longest business class seat on U.S. domestic flights, although American's A321 first class beds are slightly longer.
I used my duvet as a thin mattress pad, since the cabin was warm enough not to need it as a blanket, but if I was taking JetBlue Mint as a red eye and trying to get some real sleep, I'd definitely take my Therm-a-rest portable mattress pad with me to make it more comfortable.
JetBlue Mint Menu and Food
JetBlue's menu is designed by NYC restaurant Saxon + Parole, and the menu changes regularly. For our May 2018 flight, this was the menu:
After boarding, we were offered JetBlue Mint's signature welcome drink, RefreshMint, a minty fizzy lemonade. It's refreshing, and while it's usually served as a mocktail for a welcome drink, if you like it, you can request it later in the flight as a cocktail, made with vodka.
Before the meal, we were provided hot towels, which were softer and a bit larger than some of the mini towels you sometimes get on domestic and even some international flights.
I like the fact that JetBlue Mint serves a starter or amuse bouche that changes regularly, rather than the usual mixed nuts. In our case it was taro chips, which I'm not a big fan of, with an artichoke avocado dip, which was very tasty.
Another aspect I like is that you can choose up to 3 small plates from the menu, to customize your meal. My son had the Caesar yuzu salad, which was fine but nothing special:
I tried the Angus burger, which was good, but, as is often the case on airlines, a bit overcooked:
The Chicken Mole with Pepitas and Coconut Flakes was fantastic, however. The sauce was thick and fragrant, and I liked it even more than more authentic versions I've tried.
The Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Sage Pesto Cream Sauce, with Lemon Ricotta and Smoked Almonds was also delicious, and one of the best airline pasta dishes I've had in a long time.
Dessert isn't too exciting–it's ice cream from Blue Marble in Brooklyn, which is ok but not great. While I get that JetBlue aims to source locally, in this case from NYC-based purveyors, I wish they'd serve Grom gelato instead, it's so much better.
Similarly, while some may really like the Momofuku Milk Bar cookies, which are certainly a nice gesture as a farewell gift, I took a look at the long ingredients list and artificial colors and passed. Now, if it had been a Levain Bakery cookie, I'd definitely have eaten it.
The Verdict
We've flown and reviewed JetBlue Mint several times, and I still think that, among U.S. airlines, it usually offers the best value if you're paying cash for a transcontinental flat bed business class ticket and can book well in advance. Service on all our flights has been good, and generally we've also had good service from JetBlue even in economy.
We like being able to select suites, when we book far enough in advance, since these are more private than the typical transcon business class. The seat could be more comfortable as a bed, but personally I find that the only way to make most flat beds comfortable is a mattress pad, and with the exception of JAL Sky Suite business class, that means bringing my own.
And while this time my IFE was broken, in that only 3 films had been loaded, I appreciated JetBlue providing a $100 Travel Bank credit for a future flight-solid compensation that recognized the greater cost of flying Mint Business Class. The other great thing about JetBlue is the consistent free WiFi, key to being able to stay on top of emails.
I also like the small dish format, and most of the dishes, even though I wish they'd rethink their suppliers for dessert and the parting gift.
If you've flown JetBlue Mint, which route(s) did you fly, and what was your experience?
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Which Therm-a-rest mattress model do you use?
We use the EvoLite Therm-a-rest: https://travelsort.com/ThermaRest We like how portable it is, and it doesn’t take long to inflate. When deflating, we gently press as much air out as we can before folding it in half and rolling it up tightly, continuing to squeeze out the air, then putting it in the included stuff sack.