JetBlue has finally joined the domestic first class club. The airline unveiled BlueFirst on November 11, a new premium cabin debuting on December 8 with a daily Boston–Fort Lauderdale flight, followed closely by Fort Lauderdale–New York LaGuardia. It's a notable shift for a carrier that spent most of its 26 years flying economy-only, with its lie-flat Mint seats reserved for long-haul routes like New York–LA and New York–London.

BlueFirst is not Mint-lite — it's a separate product that will never share a plane with Mint. It takes over the first three rows (12 seats) on every JetBlue aircraft without a Mint cabin, arranged two-by-two so there are no middle seats. The pitch from the airline is "premium, but not pretentious," and true to JetBlue's unstuffy reputation, there's no curtain separating the cabin from the rest of the plane.

The seats themselves are about three inches wider than standard economy, with up to seven extra inches of legroom and a five-inch recline. Cushions use custom T&N Flex foam from mattress maker Tuft & Needle, and the headrest has folding wings. Each seat gets a 13.3-inch screen with Bluetooth, USB-A, USB-C and regular outlets, plus JetBlue's free Wi-Fi.

Perks start on the ground: priority check-in, faster security lanes at over 30 airports, Group 1 boarding, reserved overhead bins, and free checked bags (two on most fares, one on the cheapest BlueFirst Base). On board you get a blanket, an amenity kit with OSEA Malibu skincare products, and a bento-style meal box on flights over 899 miles — everything is served cold or at room temperature, since there's no oven. Breakfast options include hazelnut-ricotta crêpes and a blueberry chia pudding; dinners range from sesame noodles to a pastrami sandwich, with macarons or carrot cake for dessert. Kosher, vegan and gluten-free boxes are available.

The quirkiest feature is Mixologist Mode: you order drinks through the seatback screen, choosing a base spirit or mixer plus up to four add-ins, then build your own cocktail at your seat on a pop-out tray, in real glassware on handmade watercolor coasters. Non-mixologists can fall back on Parcelle wine, Cometeer and Joe Coffee, and Smith Teamaker teas.

Who should care: anyone flying JetBlue's shorter leisure routes who wants extra space without transcontinental Mint prices. Just note the rollout is gradual — only about a dozen planes will be fitted by the end of this year, expanding to more than 30 routes through 2026, with the full retrofit wrapping up around 2027. JFK flights to Cancún, Liberia and San Juan get the cabins from January. Because aircraft can be swapped at short notice, BlueFirst may not appear on every flight, so it's worth verifying before you book.