Has anyone flown JetBlue Mint?

[happy42cruise]

Has anyone flown JetBlue Mint service from SFO to FLL & what did you think of it?  Thanks for any opinions.

[the mice]

Haven't flown it but lots of reviews online - not necessarily your intended route but the first 2 reviews are MIA-LAX:

https://onemileatatime.com/insights/jetblue-mint-business-class/

https://onemileatatime.com/reviews/jetblue-mint-business-class-a321/

https://liveandletsfly.com/review-jetblue-a321-mint-business-class-redeye/

https://johnnyjet.com/i-just-flew-in-jetblues-new-mint-seats-and-it-was/

[waterbug123]

On 6/11/2024 at 11:43 PM, happy42cruise said:

Has anyone flown JetBlue Mint service from SFO to FLL & what did you think of it?  Thanks for any opinions.

Yes, actually flew that exact route, SFO-FLL, in April.

 

The good:

Lie flat seat, which we booked since it was a redeye flight

The usual amenities for biz class (pillow and blanket, amenity kit, headphones, water)

Good service from the flight attendant(s) in the forward cabin

Flight departed on time, no issues

 

The not so good:

The meal service, for multiple reasons...

1. Limited meal menu due to the late night menu, which was fine in and of itself, but it took a very, very long time to get served.  They seemed to be serving 1 or 2 meals at a time and we were in the last row of Mint. This was very disappointing when we just wanted to get served quickly and go to sleep.   I vaguely recall reading that they don't have proper galley ovens so have to heat meals 1 at a time in a microwave?  Or something to that effect.  Either way, it took forever.

2. The actual meal itself was a hot turkey sandwich that was swimming in so much sauce, that the sauce got everywhere when it was heated.  I mean, the sandwich was literally sitting on a bed of sauce so that I couldn't pick it up to eat without getting sauce all over my hands.  Very messy meal to eat! 

3. And the second meal service was not a true breakfast.  I don't recall exactly...something like a granola bar and a canned coffee drink, so nothing hot, and not even an actual hot coffee service.  I would be fine with cold snack for breakfast but for the love of all that is holy, serve hot coffee at least!

 

[happy42cruise]

Thank you, waterbug123!  Our flight is at 11am (hopefully that won't change) I'm looking forward to the lie flat seats. I don't drink coffee so that's not an issue for me. I'm hoping it's more comfortable than AA first class was & I'll keep our meal expectations low.

[6rugrats]

Planes don't use microwaves; they use a type of convection oven. Your meal sounds nasty.

[fbgd]

7 hours ago, happy42cruise said:

I'm hoping it's more comfortable than AA first class was & I'll keep our meal expectations low.

 

Which AA First Class? The Airbus A321 with the flat beds in 1-1 configuration? If so it's pretty similar to the newer version of Mint. If you're compared against the 2-2 seating with recliner chairs it's a different world and more akin to intl business class.

 

If you are in the old seats with alternating paired and solo seats you have to get row 2 or row 4 (even if you're flying with someone else), they're so much better than the paired seats it's almost absurd. If you're in the newer 1-1 seating then pick the Studio, though it does have a small supplement.

 

I've flown Mint many times and the only times I've found it not great was when I got a notification shortly before travel that my seat was broken and ended up having to "downgrade" to one of the paired seats. Was travelling with a baby and it was less than ideal. The FAs are near universally excellent and IMO they have the best food of the domestic carriers in premium cabins. Can't say I've experienced anything like the person above but then for a short overnight flight I'm asleep from wheels up until the last minute. Meal service on dayflights has been very good IMO.

 

Where Mint does fall down is the ground product. Jetblue don't have any lounges, and they don't have the same kind of private check-in/security arrangements that Delta/AA do on their premium transcontinental flights.

 

 

[waterbug123]

5 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

Planes don't use microwaves; they use a type of convection oven. Your meal sounds nasty.

Yeah, I don't know what the deal was, but it certainly appeared that whatever they were using, it could only accommodate 1 or 2 meals being heated at a time.  I wrote about the meal issues at length in the post-flight survey (very polite, and factual, not demanding anything) and indicated that yes I'd be happy to be contacted for follow up but of course I've heard zip.  Ticked me off because someone in their catering department needs to eat that meal in-flight to see what a mess it is.

[happy42cruise]

We flew AA into Miami in January but I'm not sure if it was an Airbus, it was not lie flat seating & it just felt very cramped & not as comfortable as we have experienced in the past.  We will not fly into Miami again if we can help it! With the train out of service the wheelchair pusher let me walk from the furthest gate to baggage claim with our carry-ons & a walker instead of telling me it was sooooo far & offering the shuttle (I realize that is not necessarily an AA issue) but I was totally exhausted & stressed by the time we got to baggage claim & our bags were already off the carousel by unclaimed. Not a great experience. I'm hoping JetBlue is better.