JetBlue's new domestic first-class cabin, which the airline calls BlueFirst, makes its first flight on Tuesday, Dec. 8, on the route between Boston Logan and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The schedule JetBlue has posted for the new cabin leans on Fort Lauderdale: of the 21 routes set to carry BlueFirst through Feb. 4, 13 touch FLL.

The cabin sits at the front of the plane and is a separate product from Mint, the lie-flat business class JetBlue flies on longer routes. BlueFirst goes on routes that do not get Mint, and JetBlue says it is not replacing Mint.

What the seat is

BlueFirst is a row of wide recliners, two on each side of the aisle, in the first few rows of the aircraft. Compared with a regular JetBlue seat, each one has up to 7 more inches of legroom and up to 5 more inches of recline. The seat cushions use a foam made by the mattress company Tuft & Needle.

Each seat has a 13.3-inch seatback screen with live TV and movies, power outlets in AC, USB-A and USB-C, and Bluetooth pairing for wireless earphones. Wi-Fi is free.

Food, bags and boarding

Every BlueFirst flight includes premium snacks and a drink service ordered from the seatback screen, with cocktails, wine and beer. On flights of 899 miles or more, passengers also get a boxed meal JetBlue calls FirstFare: an entree, a side and a dessert, with a vegetarian option.

BlueFirst and BlueFirst Flex tickets include two free checked bags of up to 70 pounds each; the cheaper BlueFirst Base fare includes one. Passengers board in Group 1, get dedicated overhead bins, and their checked bags are among the first onto the carousel. At more than 30 airports the ticket also includes priority check-in and an expedited security lane.

BlueFirst and BlueFirst Flex can be changed or canceled without a fee. Base fares carry fees. TrueBlue members earn 3 points per dollar on BlueFirst and Flex and 1 point per dollar on Base, and the fares can be bought with points.

Where it flies from Fort Lauderdale

After the Boston debut on Dec. 8, JetBlue's posted schedule adds the cabin from FLL in this order:

  • Dec. 12: Washington Reagan National and New York LaGuardia
  • Dec. 20: Buffalo
  • Dec. 26: Liberia, Costa Rica
  • Jan. 4: Austin
  • Jan. 5: Nashville, San Jose (Costa Rica) and San Juan
  • Jan. 14: Aruba and Charlotte
  • Jan. 28: Cartagena, Colombia
  • Feb. 4: Cancun
  • Feb. 11 (listed as coming soon): Hartford, Dallas-Fort Worth, New Orleans and Santo Domingo
  • March 18: Westchester County and Medellin, Colombia

Palm Beach County's airport gets the cabin later: LaGuardia flights starting Jan. 28, Westchester on March 18 and Boston on April 15.

JetBlue notes that the start dates are the earliest scheduled BlueFirst flights on each route and that the cabin may run only on select flights or dates at first, because the planes fitted with it can be moved between routes. Checking the cabin listed on a specific flight before booking is the only way to be sure.

A few rules to know

Everyone on one reservation has to book the same cabin. Unaccompanied minors are not allowed in BlueFirst. One lap infant is allowed per row, and small dogs and cats in an approved carrier can ride only in rows 2 and 3.

How to book

BlueFirst is on sale now at jetblue.com and in the JetBlue app; search a route from Fort Lauderdale and pick BlueFirst, BlueFirst Flex or BlueFirst Base in the fare options.

Sources