JetBlue teases new European destination, brings back 2 seasons – and teases ‘Junior Mint’ cabin rumors

After three consecutive years of strong growth across the Atlantic Ocean, JetBlue pulled the brakes on its European expansion this winter. But it seems that the carrier may soon announce its new location overseas.

“I think we’ll probably see at least one more European destination next year,” JetBlue president Marty St. George predicted, speaking last week at an airline industry conference in Dallas.

That’s remarkable when you consider that the New York-based carrier has, in recent months, scaled back its transatlantic schedule — at least, in the colder months.

JetBlue’s evolving European strategy

As part of a larger network shake-up this year, JetBlue recently cut its winter schedule flying from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) back to Paris. Instead, the carrier sends many of its Mint-equipped Airbus jets to popular warm-weather destinations such as San Juan, Puerto Rico; Phoenix; and Las Vegas during off-peak months in Europe.

It was JetBlue’s first real start in Europe after adding five destinations there — its first five — over the past three years.

All year, in fact, JetBlue executives have signaled that the carrier’s European expansion will be more moderate — or “opportunistic,” as CEO Joanna Geraghty put it when I spoke with her this spring.

It still works well in transatlantic travel…

However, none of this means that the airline is done adding new destinations overseas to its network.

After all, there are additional, popular European cities that JetBlue’s long-haul Airbus A321 could conceivably reach from its hubs at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS).

And JetBlue continues to see its service across the pond as an important part of its recipe for success, as the carrier doubles down on its East Coast leisure roots.

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“Europe has been a very important market for us, and especially loyalty. There is a huge pent-up demand for our customers to fly in Europe,” said Christopher Buckner, JetBlue’s vice president of loyalty programs and partnerships, when he spoke to TPG e. September.

On Buckner’s point, JetBlue just announced a sweetener for high-paying travelers flying to Europe: Transatlantic Mint passengers will get complimentary access to the first-ever airport lounges at JFK and BOS scheduled to open starting in late 2025.

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… But growth will be limited

At the same time, don’t expect to see JetBlue’s non-stop European route map balloon again more in the next few years. The airline’s future delivery plans are limited to that, St. George said, noting that the airline expects to take delivery of two Airbus A321XLR long-haul aircraft in 2025. Beyond that, however, no long-haul aircraft are scheduled to join the fleet until 2030.

“So, from an aviation perspective, we’re going to be squeezed,” St. George told the Dallas audience.

Dublin and Edinburgh, Scotland, will return in 2025

Despite those setbacks, JetBlue plans to bring back two seasonal European routes launched in 2024 for a second season. This is good news for travelers looking for a trip to Ireland or Scotland.

“We tried this summer with Dublin and Edinburgh,” said St. George. “Both will be back in the summer of 2025; they were great.”

Along with those Emerald Isle and Scottish destinations, JetBlue’s transatlantic route map currently includes year-round service to London, Paris and Amsterdam.

Despite a slowdown in its growth in Europe this winter, the total number of seats on the transatlantic carrier in 2024 increased by 66% over 2023, according to data from the airline analysis company Cirium.

Speculation about the first domestic class is growing

Meanwhile, JetBlue isn’t exactly speculating about an onboard product that might fly a little closer to home — that is, if it ever becomes a reality.

Earlier this year, TPG reported that some Wall Street analysts had begun predicting that the carrier appeared poised to announce a new home-style cabin for the first time on some of its jets. That iconic cabin has even earned a nickname in some industry circles: “Junior Mint,” an ode to JetBlue’s best-in-class cabin. (JetBlue has not announced any such cabin, or included that moniker.)

Speculation for the ‘Junior Mint’ is growing

These “Junior Mint” ideas were first heard in July when JetBlue executives teased an upcoming announcement about the airline’s new “premium product.”

Weeks later, JetBlue did, in fact, it made a big announcement for a premium product, but it was not a first-class cabin. It was the new JFK and BOS living room portfolio.

Last month, the carrier made another pseudo-premium announcement, revealing that it would soon be revamping its Extra-Legroom Even More Space seats into a new, mid-tier offering called “Even More.”

Saying goodbye to the views of first-class editors? Not really.

At last week’s industry conference in Dallas, veteran aviation journalist Brian Sumers of the Airline Observer asked St. George specifically that JetBlue is planning a first-style cabin, citing rumors swirling.

“I can’t comment on anything like that. I will say that we are looking at the best way to use the real estate on the plane. It is too soon to make any kind of announcement,” said St. George.

But based on the success JetBlue has seen with its Mint and Even More Space products, St. George added, “It’s definitely something we’ve thought about.”

Only time will tell if the final comment foreshadows a further announcement of a future premium cabinet.

What’s even more clear, though, is that JetBlue doesn’t have the spacious seating and premium service on the front of its planes on struggling routes to match its ever-popular Mint cabins, a trusted international business-class product that’s fake. – flat jars.

Big budget for premium product

We should also point out that JetBlue has budgeted $400 million for premium product plans between 2025 and 2027 as part of a company-wide program called “JetForward,” which aims to return the company to profitability for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.

Buckner, speaking to me in September, confirmed that the big budget for premium product programs far exceeds the JFK and BOS programs of the incumbent.

“Our lounge and loyalty products are the backbone of our $400 million total,” Buckner said. “So there will be other plans.”

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