I Flew First Class for the First Time: Here's What Was (and Wasn't) Worth the Price Tag

JetBlue keeps expanding its transatlantic flights from Boston and New York, now flying to six European cities: Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and the recently added Edinburgh and Madrid. How does JetBlue’s Mint service compare to other airlines' first-class service? As far as price goes, JetBlue tends to be the most economical as far as an upper-class cabin goes. For lay flat seats on British Airways, it will cost you $2400-$3,600; on Virgin Atlantic, $2,300 - $3,900; some will be over $6,000 (like American Flagship Business). JetBlue will be more like $1,800-$1,900 for a round trip.

On Mint, your ticket includes lie-flat seats, bedding, an amenity kit, extra storage, customizable menus, free alcoholic beverages, and two free checked bags. There are no change or cancellation fees.

When using points or a promotion, and you want a bit of pampering, you should definitely consider upgrading to Mint.

As it was the inaugural flight, there was a celebration at the gate before boarding. We had Spanish food and sangria, and executives from JetBlue spoke. It was certainly like no other airport experience I had ever had! My Mint seat meant we were the first ones on the plane, which was quite exciting for an inaugural flight.

I swiftly got my carry-on case in the above compartment, and was slightly dismayed to find that there was nowhere to store my personal item (a tote bag). Since there was a wall between me and the seat in front of me, and the little cubbies provided weren’t big enough, I took out what I needed (chargers and glasses), and put my bag in the overhead compartment with my suitcase. I was in row 2, row 1 seats have a little cubby with more storage. They also have a little seat so you can have a visit with another passenger. You get slightly more room in the first row for the same price. There was a pillow, blanket, and amenities kit waiting for me, as well as a Spanish flag (I think that was since it was the inaugural flight, I don’t think that is a regular thing). Before takeoff, everyone in Mint was given a glass of champagne.

I saw in the literature at my seat that I could order my meal on my (extra-large) screen. I opted for a chicken dish, pasta, and a glass of Champagne. The flight was at 10:30 PM, so eating wasn’t exactly on my mind, but I wanted to see and get a taste of everything. I was quite delighted when my meal came on real plates, with real silverware. As for the food, my chicken wasn’t great, but I am picky when it comes to chicken. The salad was delicious, with fresh ingredients, and I did enjoy the pasta. Dessert was a vanilla gelato with strawberries, which was refreshing. We had the option to order our breakfast ahead of time as well, and instead of the in-flight breakfast, I opted for the to-go breakfast so I could sleep longer.

The screens in Mint are large—seventeen inches—and it’s a good thing because they aren’t right in front of you like they are in economy. I had a wide variety to choose from and opted for a rom-com, which is my genre of choice when I'm flying. We were also given headphones to use, which were comfortable. I didn’t use the Wi-Fi too much on a red eye, but it worked great on my trip home.

Typically, on a red eye, I don’t sleep. I may doze, but I usually am awake enough to know when a movie ends so I can put on another, or throw on another podcast. I was excited to try the bed and see if I could indeed sleep. I took my shoes off, reclined my seat, making it flat, plumped my pillow, covered up, put on a podcast, and actually slept on the flight for the first time in my life. Was it the best sleep I have ever had? No. I woke up when I heard people talking or the clinking of glass, the bathroom door shutting, and towards the end of the flight, I was in and out while other passengers were served breakfast. However, I checked my sleep stats on my phone (I have an Apple Watch, so my sleep stats are pretty accurate) and saw I had slept for nearly four hours, some of it even deep sleep! As someone with kids, some weeks, four hours is a decent night’s sleep. When I fully woke up after the announcement we were beginning our descent, I found my to-go breakfast bag had been silently placed on my little table- as if a little air fairy had stopped in (maybe that is what we should call flight attendants).

I have always found flight attendants attentive and helpful, even in economy, so the pleasant flight attendants weren’t a standout. The fact that they offered me a glass of champagne in an actual glass made me feel like I was being treated differently. Since it was a red-eye, there wasn’t much for me to ask for since I was asleep for half the trip. However, I have no doubt that, had I needed something, they would have happily obliged.

I will say this- I am going to find it very hard to fly economy on a red eye from here on out (but I know I will have to). If you are deciding between upgrading to Mint vs. staying in a five-star hotel, I honestly would upgrade the flight and go with run-of-the-mill accommodations. I have never felt so awake arriving in Europe as I did after this flight. I usually have a bit of a lie down once at the hotel, but I didn’t feel I needed it. I slept great that night, and did hit a bit of a wall on our second night, but I blame that more on the sun and heat after walking around all day. I didn’t find the food much different than economy on other airlines, except for the fact that it was served on regular plates. The unlimited alcohol may be a perk for some (although drinking alcohol while flying is not recommended), so that is also something to keep in mind.

I would love to fly Mint (or first class in general) again. I don’t think it is worth spending $2,000 more than an economy or business ticket, however, if you have points to burn, or it’s for a special occasion, or if it’s a big trip (honestly, if someone does not travel a lot and is splurging on a trip, I would consider it). I will definitely be keeping my eye on prices, checking my points, and seeing when I can book Mint for a red eye again.