"We want it to be accessible for people who want to fly domestic first and maybe can't afford to do it on the legacy carriers," CEO Joanna Geraghty told the paper without clarifying what that might mean in terms of pricing.
JetBlue has a unique place in the U.S. airline industry. It doesn't have the size of a so-called "legacy" carrier like Delta Air Lines (DAL+1.37%) or United Airlines (UAL+2.14%), and it doesn't compete for market share by offering the cheapest fares like Spirit or Frontier Airlines (ULCC+5.74%).
Though the latter category of carrier is beginning to develop fancier options for its budget-conscious clientele, that kind of pivot might prove difficult for companies that have long made themselves synonymous with no-frills flying.
"I think we're in a much better spot than some of our [ultralow-cost carrier] brethren who are out there saying, 'Oh I have a premium product now, too,'" JetBlue President Marty St. George told the Journal.
CNBC (CMCSA+0.05%) reports that St. George told employees in a memo that JetBlue is preparing a short-haul version of its Mint class. The category features lie-flat seats for cross-country or international flights and includes a special menu for inflight meals.
"Since launching Mint over a decade ago, we've explored the idea of expanding a version of it across the fleet, often playfully calling it 'mini-Mint' or 'junior Mint,'" he reportedly wrote.
In a statement shared with Quartz, the company said that in 2026, "all non-Mint aircraft will be equipped with domestic first seating, including three rows on the A321neo, A321ceo, and A320, and two rows on the A220," adding that "while comparable to U.S. domestic first class, it will be offered all across our network where Mint does not operate."
JetBlue is cutting several unprofitable routes, including flights from New York JFK to Miami, Austin, and Houston. The airline will redeploy its premium Mint service to high-demand markets as it seeks to attract more business travelers.
"If we can't get national scale, by God, we're going to get regional scale," Geraghty said.