The airline with among the worst on-time records in the country might just offer the best way to fly business class to Europe.
There, I said it – and I mean it: JetBlue Mint Suites are really that good.
Years after first launching transatlantic service with brand new, private business class suites at the front of the plane, I finally flew JetBlue across the pond myself. What I found shocked me in the best way possible: Surprisingly spacious suites with some cool features you won't find flying other airlines, fun and warm service, and in-flight dining that was second to none.
It's not perfect: No flight or airline is. But while JetBlue might be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately what with its botched (and possibly doomed) takeover of Spirit Airlines, I'd gladly go out of my way to fly Mint to Europe again.
Check out the full review of my flights from Boston (BOS) to Amsterdam (AMS) and back and I think you'll see why.
Read more: 7 Reasons JetBlue Mint is My New Favorite Way to Fly to Europe
How to Book JetBlue Mint Overseas
JetBlue may not have the same big transatlantic network as the likes of American, Delta, or United, but more ways to cross the pond with JetBlue keep popping up.
To date, JetBlue flies from its two big hubs, Boston (BOS) and New York City (JFK), to three European cities and counting: London-Heathrow (LHR), Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), and Amsterdam (AMS). In summer 2024, they'll add Dublin (DUB) and even the Scottish capital of Edinburgh (EDI) to the map. Reportedly, Lisbon (LIS) is on the list for future expansion.
The beauty of flying JetBlue overseas is that you always know what you're getting: If you're at the front of the plane, you're riding in a JetBlue Mint Suite. Period. That's a far cry from the mystery when flying Delta across the Atlantic, which has seven – yes, seven – different business class configurations, from the modern and private Delta One suites to the ancient seats on Boeing 767-300s.
Ready to book JetBlue Mint? There are a handful of options – including a nearly surefire way to book it for a bargain. That's because there's a script with JetBlue:
- JetBlue announces a new nonstop route to Europe
- JetBlue puts flights on sale soon afterward
- In a bid to create a buzz and fill up seats, JetBlue initially sells those fares at a steep discount … including JetBlue Mint.
That's what the airline did back when it first launched nonstop service to London, selling JetBlue Mint tickets for under $2,000 roundtrip.
Fast forward to 2023 and JetBlue did it after announcing nonstop flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), again for Amsterdam (AMS), and yet again for Dublin (DUB) and Edinburgh (EDI). We've sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members more than a dozen alerts to book JetBlue Mint overseas at half-off prices in the last year alone.
Ditto for Amsterdam (AMS) just months later and, most recently, with flights to both Dublin (DUB) and Edinburgh (EDI) starting next spring.
Paying close to $2,000 for roundtrip flights may not be your definition of a bargain, but that's a cheaper roundtrip fare in lie-flat seats than you can get with almost any other carrier.
Sadly, JetBlue's own TrueBlue Points don't go nearly as far as we'd like to book these flights … though its dynamic award pricing means that you can get a somewhat decent deal using points when cash prices drop. And while we've seen some incredible deals to book through other airline programs like booking a one-way in JetBlue Mint to Dublin for under 38,000 miles from Qatar Airways, they've been short-lived.
Still, there are a handful of routes you can take to cover these flights using points and miles, including:
- Book through the Chase travel portal, where points from the *chase sapphire preferred* get you 1.25 cents apiece toward the cost of a ticket – or 1.5 cents with the *chase sapphire reserve*. That means you can book a $1,900 JetBlue Mint fare for as few as 126,000 Chase points.
- Book through JetBlue with your *venture x*, then go back and cover the cost using Venture Miles. That same $1,900 fare would cost you 190,000 Venture Miles.
- Book with points from *biz platinum*, which gets a 35% rebate on all premium cabin tickets.
I went with option three, booking roundtrip flights to Amsterdam (AMS) in JetBlue Mint last fall for a net total of roughly 123,000 Amex Membership Rewards points.
At Thrifty Traveler, we don't accept freebies. We use our own points, miles, or cash to pay for every single flight or hotel you see reviewed here – including this one!
Checking In & Lounge Access
Along with flyers that have JetBlue Mosaic status, Mint passengers get a dedicated check-in queue. But no matter here: JetBlue's check-in desks in Boston looked like an absolute ghost town ahead of our 10:30 p.m. departure for Amsterdam.
But perhaps the biggest weakness of flying JetBlue Mint overseas comes after you get checked in and through security: lounge access … or lack thereof. While Delta has Sky Clubs in all its major transatlantic hubs and both United and American offer exclusive business class lounges for its top-paying customers, JetBlue doesn't have lounges, period. To date, it hasn't contracted with existing lounges to secure access for business class passengers, either.
That wasn't an issue for my departure from Boston. I used my once-a-year entry via Priority Pass to spend a few hours in the excellent new Chase Sapphire Lounge Boston, located just steps away from our gate for the flight to Amsterdam.
But other airports aren't so lucky. In Terminal 5 at its New York City (JFK) hub, there's not a lounge to pick from, period. And unless you've got lounge access from credit cards like *amex platinum* or *venture x*, you won't get lounge access when departing overseas, either.
After a bite to eat and a quick shower inside Chase's Boston lounge, it was time to board the late-night flight to Amsterdam.
JetBlue's New Mint Cabin
Most airlines fly big, widebody jetliners across the Atlantic Ocean with two aisles and four (or more) business class seats in every row. But JetBlue isn't most airlines.
JetBlue flies a narrowbody Airbus A321s on these longer hops across the pond. So you board the plane, turn right, and walk down a long, single aisle of business class suites at the front of the cabin.
In all, there are 24 suites spread across 12 rows of the JetBlue Mint cabin – all arranged in a 1-1 configuration meaning each passenger has direct access to the aisle. That's a big change (and a huge improvement) from the JetBlue Mint seats you'll find flying on most routes within the U.S. and down to the Caribbean.
Every suite is more or less identical, aside from two special “JetBlue Mint Studios” in the very first row – more on those later!
With just one aisle, the cabin feels more intimate – and I mean that in a good way. It's all bathed in the airline's classic navy blue, gray from the seats themselves, some snazzy star-like paneling on the wall of each suite, a splash of woodgrain from the console inside each suite, and a pop of green from the light-up marker at every seat.
When the lights come down and the blue mood lighting comes on, it's a real vibe – especially with the cool, patterned light feature overhead.
There's also an underrated feature overhead: Air vents! Far too many airlines skip these in first and business class cabins, and I don't get why. But they're a godsend to keep air moving in warm airplane cabins.
There are just two lavatories at the front of the cabin for all 24 Mint passengers to use, so there could be a wait depending on how full your flight is. Indeed, lines to use the restroom were fairly common on both the flight to Amsterdam (AMS) and the way back home.
The bathrooms themselves were identical … and pretty unremarkable, at least at first glance. Toilet? Check. Sink, soap, and paper towels? Check.
It would have been nice for JetBlue to do a bit more for Mint passengers with an extra design flourish or some additional amenities like lotion or facial spray. But a bathroom is a bathroom! So … check.
These bathrooms did have one surprising feature, though: Motorized lids for both the toilet and garbage to the right of the sink. That's a nice touch – or is it “touchless”? – and one I haven't noticed with other airlines.
The JetBlue Mint Suite
I walked my way back to seat 9F toward the back of the JetBlue Mint cabin certain that these suites would feel cramped. There are 24 of them, after all, all in a slightly strange configuration with privacy doors that could easily eat away at valuable personal space.
I was wrong.
From the moment I sat down through reclining to a lie-flat bed for a few hours of sleep to when I stepped off the plane, not once during the six-hour flight did I feel constrained flying JetBlue Mint suites. Now, I'm only 5 feet, 10 inches tall – larger passengers might disagree with me. But my main concern about these suites melted away within minutes of setting foot on the plane.
The layout of each suite looks like a squiggle, with console space curving around a seat that's angled toward the aisle to maximize legroom without sacrificing privacy. But there's a decent amount of shoulder space and room to stretch your arms out, too.
Here's a look with some daylight.
Every seat measures roughly 22 inches wide, which is fairly generous for business class. You won't be wanting for legroom, either, with up to 77 inches in full-on, lie-flat mode. Honestly, I can't imagine even the tallest travelers feeling cramped. And while many business class seats force you to squeeze your feet into a narrow footwell built into the seat in front of you, the ottoman built into the side of each suite had plenty of room.
More importantly, the padding at each sat is outstanding – easily among the best I can remember. That made my JetBlue Mint Suite incredibly comfortable, whether I was sitting back catching a movie or lying down to sleep.
For privacy, the walls of the suites themselves are fairly low – you can easily see your fellow travelers and flight attendants walking through. Plus, every seat is angled toward the aisle instead of pointing at the windows. But after laying down and closing your suite door with the pull of a latch, it feels far more secluded.
One of the few drawbacks of these suites is the storage space. While there are plenty of cubbies to store a phone, water bottle, wallet, and passport, you won't find enough space for anything much bigger than a small purse. But really, that kind of massive storage is a rarity in business class these days.
For starters, there's a small, triangular compartment along the window that you can expose by lightly pressing on the lid. There's also a wireless charging pad here – the first of many handy features you'll find in each suite.
Below that and underneath an armrest, there's a spot for a water bottle as well as a tray to rest a phone, pair of glasses, or other small personal items. This is also where you'll find the first of two headphone jacks and a universal power outlet – plus a speedy USB-C socket.
Closer to the floor, there's a netted basket – perfect for a pair of shoes or the amenity kit and other goodies you get throughout the flight.
At the front of the suite, though, is my sleeper pick for the best feature of JetBlue Mint suites. It's a boring one: A dedicated laptop tray. There's a slot to safely stow your computer as well as additional cords. Why haven't more airlines done this?
That laptop tray was the first of several different small yet unique features that made JetBlue Mint stand out even more. JetBlue clearly thought outside the box with these Mint Suites.
Towards the aisle, there's a substantial console table, lit up by a chic lamp along the suite door.
That's also where you'll find the second power station and second headphone outlet – a nice touch to have two of each. But then there's something new: A spot to wind up your cord. Is that an earth-shattering feature? Hardly. But it is nice.
Follow the curving seat walls back toward the seat and you'll find a handy reading light as well as a detailed set of seat controls: Recline to lie flat or return upright with the push of a button or really fine-tune the position of your head and leg rests. You can also control the mood lighting inside your suite and turn on the “Do Not Disturb” light for flight attendants.
But built into the side of that storage console, there's a second set of simple seat controls that can get you from lie-flat to sleep to upright for landing (and vice versa) with the push of a button. That's where you'll also find the wired remote for the in-flight entertainment.
You'll also find the tray table here as well. A slight press and it pops out, sliding out into position. It's by no means massive but big enough for your meal or a laptop to get some work done. But they're not exactly stable. And mine didn't seem to want to stay in position – it kept sliding around as the plane dipped up and down. That's one of my few quibbles with these suites.
And then there's the most important feature of all: The door. With a (hefty) pull of the latch underneath the lamp, the door closes shut to give you a much more private suite to eat, relax, sleep, or all three. Doors on business class suites are all the rage these days … to a fault: Oftentimes, that additional privacy comes at the expense of personal space.
But not so here: Because the seats are positioned further away from the aisle, the doors aren't eating up valuable real estate inside each JetBlue Mint Suite.
The lighting in my photo may be poor, but it made for a truly excellent space to sleep for a few hours as we made our way across the Atlantic to Amsterdam (AMS).
Yet there's something even better than a Mint Suite at the front of the plane.
Or Pay Up for the JetBlue Mint Studio
Is a studio better than a suite? It is if you ask JetBlue.
JetBlue has something special in the first row of these Mint-equipped planes flying across the Atlantic Ocean: JetBlue Mint Studios, located at 1A and 1F. It's a clever way to use up some of the extra space at the bulkhead since there's not another passenger's seat in front of you eating into your space. And there is a lot more space.
Yes, there's more room to stretch out, for both your feet and arms. You get some additional storage space, including a compartment at the front of the suite and a deep compartment along the window. You get a massive, 22-inch TV screen, bigger than the rest of your fellow Mint passengers. There's even room for a pal to buckle in and enjoy a meal with you!
After flying in a standard Mint Suite on the way to Amsterdam, I upgraded to a Mint Studio for the flight home. It was a tremendous office for seven hours.
Or shut the door, recline the seat to lie flat, lay down, and stretch out. It doesn't get much more spacious than this. Mint Studio passengers also get an extra pillow.
That leg rest on the buddy seat to the side of the studio seat should lift up, making this one of the widest beds you can find in the sky. But I fell victim to one of the biggest knocks against these JetBlue Mint planes: It was broken. That's been a recurring problem for years.
All that extra real estate doesn't exactly come cheap … but it doesn't break the bank, either.
No matter which transatlantic route you're flying or when you opt up to the bigger seat, the fee to upgrade to a Mint Studio should always be $299 each way, as of publication. My neighbor across the aisle told me he upgraded to the Studio space the night before our flight and still paid $299 – the same upcharge I paid while booking six-plus months in advance.
Thrifty Tip: You can also use JetBlue TrueBlue points … or charge the upgrade fee to a card like the *venture x* and use your miles to cover the purchase!
Amenities Flying JetBlue Mint
JetBlue doesn't exactly hit a home run when it comes to extra amenities. But they do enough.
From an amenity kit to bedding to headphones and even a set of slippers – something that some bigger airlines skip – everything was waiting inside my suite at boarding.
At first blush, the amenity kit is quite basic. A small cardboard pouch? Really?
But it's a green choice, unlike the many fabric or leather pouches that other airlines offer only to wind up sitting in storage, if not a landfill. And while the contents weren't outstanding, it had what I needed: An eye mask, ear plugs, toothbrush, and toothpaste as well as a pair of socks, a face wipe from Ursa Major, and some lip balm. Oh, and I particularly enjoyed the LMNT electrolyte drink mix – the watermelon salt flavor was tasty.
And the bedding was quite good as well, all bundled up in a bag sitting on the seat. The duvet was soft yet not too thick, while the pillow was plush although it could have been a bit larger, if you ask me. Like the seat padding itself, the bedding is branded by mattress company Tuft & Needle.
The headphones were also fantastic. This set from Master and Dynamic was both comfortable and high quality – a big step up from the flimsy headphones you'll find on most airlines in business class. It was a rare case where I simply left my own set of noise-canceling headphones in my bag.
You might still want to bring your own pair, though: JetBlue has copied the (annoying) move of other airlines and collects these nicer headsets a good 15 to 30 minutes before landing.
There was also a set of Mint-branded slippers in each suite, which were quite nice and stylish.
Flying up in the JetBlue Mint Studios in the first row, passengers are supposed to get a few extra amenities, including a set of pajamas. Those weren't provided on my flight – while I surely could have asked, I also didn't need them for the daytime flight home from Amsterdam.
Dining & Service in JetBlue Mint Suites
I can count on one hand the number of business class meals I’ve eaten that were better than what I had on these flights.
Dining is the star of the show flying JetBlue Mint over to Europe and back. Between the flight over to Amsterdam (AMS) and the trip back to Boston (BOS), I had four meals … and all four were among the best I've had in the sky, including some dishes that put the likes of Emirates First Class and Lufthansa First Class to shame.
Mix in some great drink selections delivered with cheery, cheeky service, and it was a truly unforgettable experience. Any lie-flat seat is always a treat, but JetBlue has set itself apart from other airlines and their business class experiences that eventually start to blend together, with similar seats, similar meals cooked up by the same catering companies, identical amenities, and so on. JetBlue is just different … and that's a good thing.
The differences start with how meals are structured. Rather than letting you pick an entree and slapping everything down on a tray, JetBlue lets Mint Suites passengers pick up to three small dishes from a list of four or five for lunch or dinner. You can even lock in your selections from your seatback screen.
They tweak that process a bit more still for late evening departures. If you're flying out after 8:30 p.m. as I did departing from Boston, the post-takeoff dinner is simplified to a set menu of three small plates to get passengers fed and put to bed as soon as possible. That's a smart move.
The service started minutes after boarding with a choice of champagne or seltzer water on the ground. And I love that flight attendants handwrite their names on each and every menu. Those are the small, thoughtful touches that set JetBlue Mint apart.
The drinks kept flowing soon after takeoff from a more substantial list of wines and cocktails – including a few mocktails.
Mint passengers also get some tasty Marcona almonds served in a cute golden ramekin before dinner. And who doesn't appreciate a heavy pour of champagne as you settle in for a transatlantic flight?
But after that, service really slowed down: It took nearly another hour to get dinner. For a flight that clocks in barely over six hours, any delay eats away at valuable sleeping time. Then again, I was seated toward the back of the cabin … so if you want to eat and get to bed ASAP, I'd highly recommend sitting as close to the front of the JetBlue Mint cabin as you can.
Dinner was worth the wait, though. In the name of expediency, a flight attendant dropped off a tray with all three dishes: a salad with sweet potato and buttermilk vinaigrette, cavatelli pasta with marinated feta, and some pan-roasted chicken breast with crispy breadcrumbs and artichokes. The greens in that salad were unbelievably crisp, complimented perfectly by a light buttermilk dressing. And while the chicken was a tad overcooked, it was still quite tasty.
As I was working away at my delicious meal, a flight attendant swung by and asked if I'd like dessert. Say yes: This dish of vanilla gelato with roasted pears with shortbread crumble was excellent.
After a solid three-ish hours of sleep, flight attendants started hustling through the cabin to prepare for arrival about 90 minutes away from Amsterdam. JetBlue Mint Suites passengers have options for breakfast, too: You can pick two of three dishes. Or, if you'd rather sleep as long as possible, you can go for a to-go breakfast bag to take with you after landing.
I went with the frittata and Greek yogurt, and I'm so glad I did. The Greek yogurt came with candied cashews and flakes of toasted coconut, though it could have used some fruit or light syrup to bring it home. But the star of the show was the frittata. Forget the overcooked, rubbery pucks of egg you typically get on planes: This was perfection, perfectly cooked with spinach and herbs inside and a mountain of freshly shaved parmesan on the top.
It's the best breakfast I've had on a plane, bar none. An admittedly decent croissant rounded out the meal before landing.
There's also a bevy of coffee options available, from standard drip coffee to iced cappuccinos. An iced Americano (OK, I had two) hit the spot. Plus, I just love JetBlue's glassware.
Now, this is a review of my flight to Amsterdam – not the way home. But I'd be remiss not to include more photos from the return flight to Boston up in the JetBlue Mint Studio because the feast continued.
For lunch, I ordered pork shoulder with figs and lardons, lasagna, and an endive salad with a zippy red wine vinaigrette. Yes, meals like these are served on a plane.
Other airlines try to elevate their food but miss the mark, sacrificing quality in the name of sounding fancy – here's looking at you, United Polaris business class. But not JetBlue. That pork shoulder dish was both creative and delicious. Smaller touches like a nice, crusty bread and a packet of Calabrian chili oil on every platter make it even better.
JetBlue hit another home run with yet another ice cream dish for dessert, this one topped with roasted pineapple and salted oats.
Shortly before landing back in Boston, it was time for a light snack. I went with a shrimp roll (think lobster roll but with shrimp) and a bowl of celery root soup. The soup was absolutely delicious, with a drizzle of parsley oil on the top. While the brioche bun used for the shrimp roll wasn't the best, the lettuce more than made up for it, turning it into a shrimp lettuce wrap.
Oh, and that bread in the foreground? It's what JetBlue calls a “Dutch crunch roll,” and it was spectacular: perfectly flaky on the outside, soft and piping hot on the inside.
JetBlue also offers a few signature cocktails like the “Mint Condition” – a lime, mint, and cucumber concoction with either vodka or gin – and an “Al Pastor Margarita.” Though it was a tad on the sweet side for my palette, I enjoyed the Black Maple Old Fashioned complete with a twist of orange peel.
It's been a few months now since I took these flights, but I can still vividly remember each of these meals. And I'm guessing that won't change: JetBlue Mint does dining better than just about any airline in the world if you ask me.
Entertainment
JetBlue also upped its game in the entertainment department
It starts with a large, crisp touchscreen monitor that folds out from the seat in front of you. At 17 inches, they're quite large – and even bigger up in the JetBlue Mint Studio, where passengers who pay up get a massive 22-inch screen.
While others might find it a tad creepy, I love the personalized welcome. It's harmless and fun if you ask me – another reminder that JetBlue does things differently.
While you can easily reach out and control the screen by touch or pull out the wired remote, you can also pair your phone via Bluetooth and use it as a remote. With that feature, wireless charging, ordering from your seatback screen, and other bells and whistles, the only thing JetBlue Mint Suites are missing on the technology front, in my opinion, is the ability to pair your own headphones via Bluetooth.
The entertainment selection is pretty great, too. There are plenty of movies to pick from, though the selection skews more toward classics and favorites than new releases. But there are also games and TV shows to pick from as well as live TV – a staple on all JetBlue flights.
Yet again, JetBlue seems to have thought of the small details that many airlines miss. Seatback screens don't just fold out but can also tilt down, ensuring you can keep watching Happy Gilmore – or, you know, something else, I guess – even as you're lying down. Why this isn't the standard for inflight entertainment is beyond me.
Looking to get some work done? Long before Delta made headlines for free Wi-Fi, getting online with JetBlue has always been free – and that includes these long-haul flights overseas. I had no trouble getting online with my TrueBlue account information, though the speeds cratered (and occasionally dropped out altogether) as we began the ocean crossing on the way to Amsterdam as well as on the way back.
Bottom Line
Typically, it's the little things that set the great flights apart from the merely good ones. But JetBlue nails the big stuff while also adding little touches that make flying Mint Suites overseas feel special.
While the seats themselves could be more spacious and more private, they're on par or better than almost any other business class seat you'll find flying across the Atlantic Ocean, adorned with unique features like wireless charging and laptop storage that make them stand out even more. And while it might sound hyperbolic, I'm not joking: No U.S. airline is serving food that comes close to the caliber of what you'll eat in your JetBlue Mint Suite – heck, even some top-rated foreign airlines fall short.
So would I fly JetBlue Mint to Europe again? In a heartbeat.