JetBlue Airbus A321 Mint Business Class 2024 Review [JFK to LAX] (2024)

Airline: JetBlue
Aircraft: Airbus A321
Flight #: B6223
Route: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Date: March 11, 2024
Duration: 6 hours, 31 minutes
Cabin and Layout: Mint business class; staggered 2-2 and 1-1 layout
Seat: 3D (aisle)
Cost: $767.91

JetBlue Mint, the name for the airline’s business class, has often been called the best domestic business class. With a fair cash price for the flight on a day I knew we’d be exhausted — the trip home after 3 weeks in Europe — JetBlue Mint seemed like a great option for me and my wife.

This was only my second time flying JetBlue and my wife’s first time in a JetBlue plane. We flew Mint from New York to Los Angeles, and not everything went as planned. How did the crew respond when we had to get off the plane and wait for a new aircraft? And how did JetBlue try to make up for our less-than-ideal experience? Here’s how our flight went — both the positives and negatives.

Booking JetBlue Mint Business Class

I’ll be honest: I’ve never redeemed JetBlue TrueBlue points. However, I know how the TrueBlue program works, and I’m aware that redemption values tend to be better for economy seats than for Mint.

When I found a fair cash price of $767.91 per person for this 6.5-hour flight, I was willing to pay it to save my points and miles for other awards that may provide a higher redemption value.

As a paid flight, we also earned rewards. We earned 6x JetBlue TrueBlue points per dollar spent (3x for the fare and another 3x for booking directly), meaning my wife and I each earned 4,202 JetBlue TrueBlue points. We also each earned 7 tiles toward JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic elite status.

Since I paid with The Platinum Card® from American Express, I also earned 7,679 American Express Membership Rewards points. That’s because the Amex Platinum card earns 5x on airfare purchased directly from airlines (limited to $500,000 of these purchases annually, then 1x).

Hot Tip:

Even if you redeem points for your flight, you’ll still have to pay taxes and fees on award redemptions. Pay with one of the best credit cards for airfare purchases to maximize your earnings.

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Checking In

JetBlue uses Terminal 5 at JFK. After arriving in Terminal 7 with Condor, we took the AirTrain to Terminal 5. Terminal 5 is dominated by JetBlue; Cape Air is the only other airline using this terminal at present, and JetBlue’s presence is much larger. Thus, finding signs for JetBlue’s check-in area was easy.

Near the outer wall was a dedicated check-in space for Mint and Mosaic passengers. It was identifiable by the wooden frame and signs.

A friendly employee checked us in and radioed for another employee to grab our checked bags. Given that this area was along the outer wall, it wasn’t connected to the conveyor belts that haul away checked luggage at JetBlue’s bag drop stations.

The check-in agent explained where to find our gate and noted that he saw our special meal requests (vegan) in the computer. After printing out our tickets and returning our IDs, he pointed to the security checkpoint and wished us a pleasant flight.

As we started to walk away, I realized our TSA PreCheck numbers weren’t on the tickets. As we returned to the desk, the employee smiled graciously as we asked him to add the numbers. He added the numbers quickly and reprinted our tickets without pointing out that I really should’ve thought of this the first time around to create less work for him. He was nothing but smiles.

Lounge Access

JetBlue doesn’t operate any airport lounges — a key difference from other airlines with a lie-flat business class. After checking Priority Pass and the American Express Global Lounge Collection, we didn’t see any available lounges in JFK’s Terminal 5. Thus, we just hung out by our gate until boarding time.

Boarding

Our gate changed from 14 to 15 when it was time for boarding. Since they were right next to each other, it didn’t make a difference for passengers in the waiting area. After preboarding, the gate agent announced priority boarding for Mint passengers and those with Mosaic elite status. We boarded on the left, following the priority sign. General boarding was on the right, assigned boarding groups A to F.

Once we were in the jet bridge, all movement stopped. Apparently, the crew on the plane wasn’t ready for us yet and wasn’t letting passengers on. We were confused about why boarding had started if no one could get on the plane yet.

After 3 or 4 minutes of waiting, the crew allowed passengers to enter. We were greeted warmly by 2 flight attendants at the boarding door, apologizing for the delay and welcoming us on board. Given that JetBlue’s Mint business class on the A321 only has 5 rows, finding seats wasn’t difficult. However, flight attendants were positioned throughout the economy cabin to help passengers find their seats and stow their belongings.

On Board JetBlue’s Airbus A321

Mint Business Class Seat

My wife and I sat in seats 3D (aisle) and 3F (window) on the left side of the plane. I had seat 3D; 3F for my wife didn’t have direct aisle access. Each seat was 20.5 inches wide and had 58 inches of pitch between rows of seats.

At my seat, I found a bundle with a blanket and pillow inside. These were from Tuft & Needle.

I found a bottle of water and a reading light along the division between our seats. The light operated with a simple button.

Further down this division, I found seat controls for sitting up, reclining, and lying down. I was surprised to also find another set of seat controls at hip level, near the armrest.

One of the control buttons also operated the overhead light, and each side had an adjustable air nozzle.

A small flap opened on the armrest between seats to reveal the remote for the entertainment system.

Along with a spacious footwell, I also found a storage pocket at foot level, attached to the molding from the seat in front of me. This was handy for phone chargers but felt too flimsy to hold my laptop securely.

Tray tables folded down and then over, starting from inside the division between seats. The tray tables released with these buttons.

At boarding, each seat had a pair of Master & Dynamic noise-canceling headphones. There were also 2 universal outlets available at our seats: 1 near the elbow, under the bottle of water on the divider between seats, and another at the front of the molding, above the safety information. There was also a USB-A charging point here.

While the seat felt spacious and had everything we needed, it also had some wear and tear. I had this tear in the fabric of my aisle-side armrest.

And there was a big crack in the molding near my footwell, also along the aisle.

In the lie-flat bed position, the seats were 80 inches long (6 feet, 8 inches). During our late-night flight, these (combined with the bedding and pillow) provided a comfortable sleeping experience. I’m 5 feet 10 inches tall and didn’t feel cramped when trying to sleep.

Choosing the Best Seat

On the A321, JetBlue uses an interesting layout for its Mint seats. Rows 1, 3, and 5 have a 2-2 layout. Seats A and F (the window seats) don’t have direct aisle access. In rows 2 and 4, you’ll find a 1-1 layout with “throne” seats that have extra space and a sliding door that closes for privacy.

If you’re flying alone, the “throne” seats in rows 2 and 4 are fantastic. Selecting these seats with extra space and privacy is free of charge.

When traveling with someone, choosing the 2-seat pairs in odd-numbered rows is best. There’s a small divider between seats, but conversations are still possible.

Amenities

Personal Entertainment System

Each seat had a 15.4-inch screen. While the size was good, the quality wasn’t. These definitely weren’t HD screens. The initial menu provided options for DirecTV, movies, TV shows, SiriusXM, My Trip, and information about JetBlue.

Movies were divided by categories, such as action or new releases. There was a decent amount of options, but I wouldn’t call it “abundant.”

Shows also were divided by genre, plus there were JetBlue productions to watch.

The SiriusXM section had several radio stations available. However, it didn’t feature the full range of SiriusXM stations; several of my favorites weren’t available.

“The JetBlue Experience” section had information about JetBlue Vacations, TrueBlue, and upgraded seat options. This area also held details on connecting to JetBlue’s free inflight Wi-Fi.

Inflight Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi was available for all passengers on our flight, which is standard on JetBlue flights. This wasn’t limited to just messaging apps like some airlines offer, either. It was full internet access. However, our departure was much delayed, so I didn’t use the internet during the flight.

Pantry

Located at the rear of the Mint cabin, the Pantry offered help-yourself snacks and drinks that were complimentary throughout the flight. These included bottled water, coffee, tea, chips, pretzels, and sodas.

Lavatories

Mint passengers had exclusive access to a lavatory at the front of the cabin, next to the co*ckpit. Another lavatory at the rear of the cabin, near the premium economy seats, was available but could be used by all passengers.

The lavatories were standard, much like those you’d expect for economy passengers, but the crew kept them clean and stocked.

Service

Ah, the most complex part of this review. I will disclose up front that we had to deplane, wait around, start boarding another plane, go back to the terminal, and then finally take off after the third boarding for our flight. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Once we got on the initial plane, before anything went awry, the crew distributed menus to Mint passengers and took drink orders while we perused the options. There was a wine menu plus options for coffee, tea, espresso, and even explanations of some of the terms used in the menu.

We also found options for beer, liquor, mixed drinks, and mocktails, as well as meal options and dessert for our flight.

After returning with our drinks, the friendly, witty flight attendant confirmed that our special meals were on board and asked what drinks we’d like to receive when the meal service started. He was great.

After pre-departure drinks and the safety announcements, we sat on the runway for nearly an hour before the captain announced that there was an electrical systems failure and that we had to return to the terminal. Once we returned to the terminal and mechanics boarded, I knew the delay wouldn’t be quick when flight attendants announced that passengers could stretch their legs in the jet bridge but couldn’t enter the terminal — needing to stay close in case we were ready to take off. You don’t let passengers deplane if you think the delay will last just a few minutes.

After more waiting, we were told that we had to deplane and that another aircraft was being brought in. Flight attendants announced that they didn’t know how long the delay would last but that we should still depart that same night. Originally, departure was scheduled for 8 p.m.

As we deplaned, I asked the flight attendant whether the food from our plane would be moved over or if new catering would be loaded. My concern: our special meals. If I needed to buy some food during the wait, I wanted to know. He assured me that he would notify catering to ensure we had something vegan on the flight.

The short delay we hoped for stretched into a longer delay as we moved to a new gate. Once an airline employee announced that food vouchers were available, I knew we weren’t leaving soon. Economy passengers got a $12 voucher, while Mint passengers got $24 in credit to use in the food court.

Once it was nearly time to board, the staff made multiple announcements, calling passengers to our new gate: 19. Employees announced that our crew would time out if we didn’t take off by 11:30 p.m., and it was already past 11 at this point. Thus, they told us that we needed to board as rapidly as possible, find our seats, and get ready to leave.

We started with the normal boarding process, including preboarding and then Mint and Mosaic passengers. Imagine the frustration when we got stuck in the jet bridge again. After some murmuring and asking questions, a flight attendant stepped into the jet bridge to tell us that there was no food or water on the plane and that there was a rule prohibiting us from getting on the plane until those were loaded. Someone in the back shouted, “We don’t care. We just want to take off before the crew times out!” A hero.

After 5 more minutes of waiting, we were told to go back to the terminal and that we’d be called when boarding could resume. It was 11:29 p.m. at this point. Since we’d been told the crew timed out at 11:30, I gave up and assumed we were spending the night in New York. We messaged our petsitter to ask her to stay another night.

Around 11:45, we surprisingly started boarding again, this time without any semblance of groups. Just get on and find your seat. We got stuck in the jet bridge again, but we were happy for whatever magic made us depart New York that night.

However, after the safety announcements, we wound up sitting on the runway for nearly 45 minutes before taking off. I have no idea why. All things considered, our 8 p.m. flight departed at 12:30 a.m.

What were the meals like? Was food service efficient? Did our special meals make it onto the flight? I have no idea. Every passenger in Mint passed out as soon as we were allowed to lay our seats down. I ate with my airport voucher and just wanted to sleep at that point.

Arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Being woken up by the crew to put my seat up and prepare for landing was a rough experience. We finally arrived in Los Angeles at 4:30 a.m. and quickly taxied to a mostly empty terminal. Since there weren’t many other planes arriving or taking off at this time, we didn’t have to wait long to find a gate, get the door open, or deplane. However, luggage delivery at the baggage claim dragged. It was a good 25 minutes before bags started appearing.

As we caught the LAX-it bus to the ride pick-up lot for a ride home, several emails from JetBlue appeared in my inbox. The first was an apology:

“Since this was within JetBlue’s control, we will be providing you with a $75 travel credit in accordance with our Customer Bill of Rights. This credit can be applied towards a future JetBlue flight. Your credit will be issued in the next three (3) days. You will receive an email confirming the issuance of the credit along with instructions on how to access and redeem it towards your next flight.”

JetBlue

However, we didn’t have to wait 3 days for the travel credits. We received an email to set up our Travel Bank accounts to use the promised credits. Just 5 hours later, we received emails with $75 in credit (per person) as promised, then another email with an extra $100 (per person). The $75 per passenger was labeled as “Bill of Rights,” while the extra $100 was labeled as “Customer Goodwill.”

Final Thoughts

Does $175 per person make up for a 4.5-hour delay? Everyone will have different feelings about that. I’ll happily use our credits for some future short-distance flights, maybe to position for upcoming award bookings.

Was the flight experience great? Not really, but I’m also willing to accept that the crew did everything they could to make lemonade out of the lemons in this situation. Safety is important, so I understand why we returned to the terminal. The events from there to our actual takeoff were a bit confusing, but JetBlue gave us meal vouchers and tried to keep people happy while waiting. In the end, I skipped the onboard meal service to sleep since JetBlue had given me a meal in the terminal.

It wasn’t the most incredible of inflight experiences, but the goodwill gestures along the way were sufficient for me to give JetBlue another chance in the future. And I’ve even got $175 in credit toward that next booking.

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