JetBlue will (finally) bring Bluetooth pairing to the cabin, plus a tablet holder in the tray table for BlueFirst customers (image via JetBlue)
JetBlue’s new BlueFirst cabin is now on sale. The first reconfigured plane is planned to enter service on 8 December between Boston and Fort Lauderdale.
We designed BlueFirst to deliver a more accessible first-class experience that combines the thoughtful hospitality and service customers expect from JetBlue with exceptional value and comfort. We’re excited that customers can now start making BlueFirst part of their travel plans.
– Joanna Geraghty, chief executive officer, JetBlue
The carrier plans to quickly expand the offering, with some 40 markets on sale now, reflecting network/fleet planning’s intent to bring routes online through April 2027.
Read more: What to Expect from JetBlue’s BlueFirst Offering
The inaugural flight (B6 1169/8DEC) has the front cabin fully blocked/booked. Seats are available for sale on other days. In an interesting UX twist, the website will not show BlueFirst as sold out on cabins where it is offered for sale but fully booked.
Putting the Squeeze on Economy Class
Placing the seats on sale means the updated seat maps are now formally published. While we’ve known that the regular economy class cabin will suffer as a result of the reconfiguration that is now much more clearly visible.
An extra row of seats behind the exit row is part of the trade-off made to add BlueFirst, making things tighter for everyone else on board.
Forward of the exit row the cabin still has nine rows, but three are now BlueFirst. Making up for that, an extra row is added behind the exit row, with the commensurate shrink in legroom throughout. The exit row layout does not change, but those seats are back to being flagged as Even More, after a few months without that label.
BlueFirst Upgrades for Mosaic Members
As part of the sales launch JetBlue also announced a shift in its Mosaic elite benefits, bringing upgrades into play. The company’s Move to Mint certificates will convert to Premium Upgrade certificates, enabling redemption for the BlueFirst cabin as well. Pricing remains variable, though there’s at least reason to hope that BlueFirst redemptions will be less expensive than Mint.
The company also indicated Mosaic members booked on non-Basic fares “will be eligible for complimentary space-available upgrades to BlueFirst before departure, subject to seat availability.” Details on that process and timing were not immediately available, though one portion of the website showed it as opening 60 minutes prior to departure. Clearly the goal is to sell the seats, not provide them as complimentary upgrades.
The full list of initial routes and expected launch dates is below:
Planned BlueFirst flights available for booking on JetBlue.com October 15, 20263
All routes listed include service in both directions
Route
Starting Month
Fort Lauderdale
Boston
December
Fort Lauderdale
Buffalo
December
Fort Lauderdale
Liberia, Costa Rica
December
Fort Lauderdale
New York (LGA)
December
Fort Lauderdale
Washington, D.C.
December
Boston
Austin
January
Boston
Houston
January
Fort Lauderdale
Aruba
January
Fort Lauderdale
Austin
January
Fort Lauderdale
Cartagena, Colombia
January
Fort Lauderdale
Charlotte
January
Fort Lauderdale
Nashville
January
Fort Lauderdale
San José, Costa Rica
January
Fort Lauderdale
San Juan, Puerto Rico
January
New York (JFK)
Cancún, Mexico
January
New York (JFK)
Liberia, Costa Rica
January
New York (JFK)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
January
New York (LGA)
Orlando
January
New York (LGA)
West Palm Beach
January
Boston
Fort Myers
February
Fort Lauderdale
Cancún, Mexico
February
Fort Lauderdale
Dallas-Fort Worth
February
Fort Lauderdale
New Orleans
February
Fort Lauderdale
Hartford
February
Fort Lauderdale
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
February
New York (JFK)
Aruba
February
New York (JFK)
Fort Myers
February
New York (JFK)
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
February
Fort Lauderdale
Medellín, Colombia
March
Fort Lauderdale
Westchester County, New York
March
Westchester County, New York
Fort Myers
March
Westchester County, New York
West Palm Beach
March
Boston
Cancún, Mexico
April
Boston
Denver
April
Boston
Jacksonville
April
Boston
Orlando
April
Boston
San Juan, Puerto Rico
April
Boston
Tampa
April
Boston
West Palm Beach
April
A favor to ask while you’re here…
Did you enjoy the content? Or learn something useful? Or generally just think this is the type of story you’d like to see more of? Consider supporting the site through a donation (any amount helps). It helps keep me independent and avoiding the credit card schlock.