Since the service was launched, JetBlue Mint has quickly become one of the most comfortable ways to fly coast-to-coast within the U.S.
This is contrary to JetBlue’s previous reputation of being a low-cost carrier offering cheap fares — but we’re here to let you know that JetBlue’s business class, called JetBlue Mint, is a world-class product that has rave reviews and a cult following.
JetBlue still has a somewhat limited network of Mint service, especially internationally, but if you are open to traveling on one of the available routes, it should definitely be among your top options.
A Look Inside JetBlue Mint
JetBlue Mint, available coast to coast in the U.S. and on select Caribbean and London routes is a significant step up from the service that the legacy U.S. carriers provide in first class. Image Credit: Stephen Au
Enjoy lie-flat seats, tapas-style catering, an abundance of amenities, and all of the other perks of flying on a true business class flight.
JetBlue offers Hayward & Hopper amenity kits, with distinct hand-picked selections for men and women including beauty, grooming, and lifestyle essentials. The kits are inspired by a taste of adventure combined with a little bit of old-town Hollywood.
Hayward & Hopper amenity kits. Image Credit: JetBlue
And on select flights aboard JetBlue’s brand-new Mint Suite, you’ll enjoy new tech amenities and more space.
JetBlue Mint Suite. Image Credit: JetBlue
Renowned New York City restaurant Saxon + Parole spearheads JetBlue’s dining program and has designed a variety of small plates specifically for passengers to enjoy while flying JetBlue Mint.
How To Fly JetBlue Mint Using Points
JetBlue Mint award availability, even at the partner level, is generally pretty easy to find, as long as you’re flexible.
On many flights, JetBlue offers 7 to 8 business class flights available for award redemption, and on most business class flights, JetBlue doesn’t levy any additional fuel surcharges.
Here are some of JetBlue’s nonstop domestic flights offering Mint business class:
- Las Vegas (LAS) – Boston (BOS)
- Las Vegas (LAS) – New York (JFK)
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Boston (BOS)
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Miami (MIA)
- Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK)
- San Diego (SAN) – Boston (BOS)
- San Diego (SAN) – New York (JFK)
- San Francisco (SFO) – Boston (BOS)
- San Francisco (SFO) – Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- San Francisco (SFO) – Miami (MIA)
- San Francisco (SFO) – New York (JFK)
- Seattle (SEA) – Boston (BOS)
- Seattle (SEA) – New York (JFK)
Here are some of JetBlue’s nonstop international flights offering Mint business class:
- Boston (BOS) – Bridgetown (BGI)
- Boston (BOS) – Granada (GND)
- Boston (BOS) – Liberia (LIR)
- Boston (BOS) – Saint Thomas (STT)
- Boston (BOS) – Saint Lucia (UVF)
- Boston (BOS) – Sint Maarten (SXM)
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Liberia (LIR)
- New York (JFK) – Aruba (AUA)
- New York (JFK) – Bridgetown (BGI)
- New York (JFK) – Granada (GND)
- New York (JFK) – Liberia (LIR)
- New York (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR)
- New York (JFK) – London-Gatwick (LGW)
- New York (JFK) – Saint Thomas (STT)
- New York (JFK) – Saint Lucia (UVF)
- New York (JFK) – Sint Maarten (SXM)
- Newark (EWR) – Aruba (AUA)
- Newark (EWR) – Bridgetown (BGI)
- Newark (EWR) – Liberia (LIR)
- Newark (EWR) – Saint Thomas (STT)
- Newark (EWR) – Saint Lucia (UVF)
- Newark (EWR) – Sint Maarten (SXM)
As you can see, JetBlue focuses on deploying the vast majority of its Mint-equipped aircraft for either transcontinental U.S. service coast-to-coast or U.S. East Coast-Caribbean routes.
Let’s examine all of the best frequent flyer programs to use to book JetBlue Mint using points.
Emirates Skywards
Emirates’ frequent flyer program, known as Skywards, is one of the handiest options to think about when booking JetBlue Mint flights.
This is especially true considering how it’s possible to get outsized value from your points by booking partner-level availability with Emirates miles, regardless of revenue prices.
Currently, Emirates uses a distance-based award program to price its JetBlue flights:
| Zone |
One-way Distance (Miles) |
JetBlue Economy Cost With Emirates Miles |
JetBlue Mint Cost With Emirates Miles |
| 1 |
0 to 250 |
8,000 |
16,000 |
| 2 |
251 to 500 |
10,000 |
20,000 |
| 3 |
501 to 1,000 |
14,000 |
28,000 |
| 4 |
1,001 to 2,000 |
20,000 |
40,000 |
| 5 |
2,001 to 3,000 |
26,000 |
52,000 |
| 6 |
3,001 to 4,000 |
32,000 |
64,000 |
| 7 |
4,001 to 5,000 |
38,000 |
76,000 |
| 8 |
5,001 to 6,000 |
44,000 |
88,000 |
| 9 |
6,001 to 7,000 |
50,000 |
100,000 |
| 10 |
7,001 to 15,000 |
60,000 |
120,000 |
For example, a nonstop JetBlue Mint flight between New York (JFK) and Aruba (AUA) spans 1,951 miles one-way, which means the flight falls into Zone 4, costing 40,000 Emirates miles one-way.
Best of all, JetBlue is generous in releasing partner-level award availability, which means the booking process shouldn’t be too arduous.
We recommend either searching directly on Emirates’ website or using ExpertFlyer:
- Visit Emirates’ homepage.
- On the home screen, you’ll see a search box. Click the button that says Advanced search: multi-city, promo codes, partner airlines.
- On the top of the screen, click Book Classic Rewards Flight. Then, right underneath, click Search partner flights only.
- Choose Round trip or One way.
- Enter your flight details, including airport pairs, travel date(s), number of passengers, and Business Class.
- Click Search.
- Find suitable flights, redeem your Emirates miles, and use a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.
Here’s what a successful JetBlue Mint award search looks like when done through Emirates’ website:
Booking JetBlue Mint using Emirates Skywards miles is easier than ever. Image Credit: Emirates
Earning Emirates Skywards Miles
Emirates miles are incredibly easy to accrue.
This frequent flyer program is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Amex, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi transfer almost instantly at a 1:1 ratio.
Marriott Bonvoy transfers in approximately 3 business days at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll also receive a bonus of 5,000 Emirates miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at once.
Barclays is the exclusive issuer of co-branded Emirates Skywards credit cards, which could be an option to earn miles directly, too.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
Business Owner? Check out our article on the best Amex business cards that earn Membership Rewards points.
JetBlue TrueBlue
Although TrueBlue points do not have a specific value, the number of points it takes to book a flight is directly tied to the actual cash fare for the flight at that time.
The best TrueBlue point values seem to be found when booking international itineraries and Mint flights. One-way Mint flight prices can go from under $500 on some shorter routes to well over $1,000 on coast-to-coast flights, so the points you need to book can vary widely.
Before completing your booking, always be sure to calculate the value you are getting for redeeming your points and make sure you’re willing to part with the points for that value.
The TrueBlue program makes it a little bit easier to get the points you need for an award flight by allowing members to transfer points to other members when necessary.
In addition, TrueBlue allows for a family pooling of points, which lets any family member use points earned by the rest.
To book a JetBlue Mint flight using TrueBlue points, follow the steps below.
- Go to the JetBlue website.
- Log in to your TrueBlue account in the upper right corner of the page.
- Under the Plan a Trip menu, select Flights.
- Enter your dates, origin and destination airports, and the number of passengers.
- Select the button for TrueBlue Points and click Find It.
- Choose your flight and click Continue.
- Accept the terms, enter payment information, confirm, and purchase your flight.
Hot Tip:Note that Mint service will be on the far right of the options when it is time to select your flights. If it is not there, it does not necessarily mean that Mint is sold out for that particular flight. You may just need to adjust your search, as Mint is not available on every route or every day.
Here’s an example of an award search:
As flight prices vary throughout the day, so does the amount of points you’ll need to book. Here you can see the points options for JetBlue Mint flights from New York to Los Angeles. Image Credit: JetBlue
Earning JetBlue TrueBlue Points
JetBlue is transfer partners with Amex, Chase, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Amex transfers at a 250:200 ratio almost instantly, while Chase and Citi transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 6:1 ratio with a bonus of 2,500 JetBlue points when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to JetBlue.
Lastly, there are also JetBlue co-branded credit card products issued by Barclays that earn JetBlue points directly.
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
Business Owner? Check out our article on the best Chase business cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points.
Pay With Other Flexible Points
Because TrueBlue point redemptions can have values as low as 1 cent per point (or lower), in some cases it will be a better value to book JetBlue Mint through one of your other flexible points accounts.
You can book flights with points directly through the travel portals of American Express, Chase, and Citi.
Redemption values are fixed there, so it is easy to compare the value you are getting from using TrueBlue points.
Just remember: even though you may be able to get a better value using these flexible points, it still might not be a good redemption.
Those points could be transferred to a variety of different airlines and potentially redeemed for much higher values. If your goal is to fly JetBlue Mint, though, this may be your best option.
Other JetBlue Partners
JetBlue has several airline partners, but because it is not part of a traditional alliance like Oneworld or Star Alliance, reciprocal earning and redemption are not available for all of the partners.
TrueBlue points can be earned on flights with American Airlines, Iceland Air, Emirates, Hawaiian Airlines, JSX, Silver Airways, Singapore Airlines, and South African Airways.
Out of those partners, TrueBlue points can only be redeemed on Hawaiian Airlines (though this is coming soon on American). Further, only those who have Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Miles and Emirates Skywards accounts can redeem their miles on JetBlue. You’ll also be able to redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles on JetBlue flights soon.
To redeem either Hawaiian or Emirates miles, you need to call the airline for updated pricing.
Unfortunately, at this time, you can’t redeem for Mint service with either airline’s miles. Perhaps that option will be added to one or both programs in the future.
Bottom Line: Emirates Skywards offers distance-based award tickets for JetBlue Mint, while JetBlue TrueBlue offers revenue-based award tickets. Both are great options, but the only way to get outsized value from your points is to follow Emirates Skywards.
Great JetBlue Mint Redemptions
The JetBlue TrueBlue program does not have sweet spots like programs with award charts. Emirates, however, does!
With Emirates, you can now redeem according to a distance-based award chart as long as partner-level award space is available, regardless of the cash price.
With JetBlue, mileage prices are tied to the actual price of the tickets, and redemption for any specific route can vary greatly depending on when you redeem for the ticket and how popular your travel dates are.
The best Mint redemptions using JetBlue points will be those that coincide with the most reasonably priced tickets.
For each redemption with JetBlue points, you will need to look at the cash price, factor in the points you would earn if you purchase the ticket, and determine whether redemption makes sense for you.
What makes a good Mint redemption isn’t necessarily a fantastic “deal” — it’s the confidence you’ll have knowing that you will experience a great product and awesome service and arrive at your destination relaxed and rested.
Here are some great example redemptions you can make:
- Boston (BOS) – Sint Maarten (SXM) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
- Boston (BOS) – St. Thomas (STT) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Liberia (LIR) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 52,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
- New York (JFK) – Aruba (AUA) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
- New York (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 64,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
- Newark (EWR) – Aruba (AUA) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 40,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
- San Francisco (SFO) – Boston (BOS) one-way in JetBlue Mint for 52,000 Emirates Skywards miles + ~$10 in taxes and fees
Hot Tip: For JetBlue Mint redemptions to London, you’ll see no fuel surcharges are passed on when using Emirates miles!
How To Earn Enough Miles for JetBlue Mint
Now that you’re excited about Mint service and ready to book an award flight, what if you’re a few points short? Well, don’t despair.
With any transferable points system, you can book JetBlue Mint, thanks to either Emirates Skywards or JetBlue TrueBlue.
JetBlue TrueBlue has the most award availability, but Emirates Skywards generally has the best deals, particularly for tickets with high cash prices.
Here’s the scoop on transferable currencies:
- Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly and JetBlue at a 250:200 ratio almost instantly.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Emirates and JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
- Citi ThankYou Rewards points transfer to Emirates and JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
- Capital One miles transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
- Brex Rewards points transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio in up to 1 business day.
- Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Emirates at a 3:1 ratio in 3 business days and JetBlue at a 6:1 ratio in 1 business day. For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer, you’ll get a bonus of either 5,000 Emirates miles or 2,500 JetBlue points.
There are 3 co-branded credit card options for earning TrueBlue points directly, all of which are issued by Barclays.
When Should You Search for Award Space?
Since TrueBlue awards are directly tied to price, your flight searches should mirror how you would search if you were looking to purchase a cash ticket.
Looking for flights right when the schedule opens will show the greatest availability, but may have higher prices since the airline isn’t sure how many seats it will sell. If you search too close to your travel dates, prices may have gone up too much, or Mint seats might not be available for your desired route.
With Emirates Skywards, however, we recommend booking far in advance or close to departure. That’s because Emirates Skywards is subject to award availability and inventory given to the program by JetBlue.
Unfortunately, like with all airfares, there isn’t any secret formula that will tell you exactly when to buy your ticket to get the best price. Your best bet is to be flexible with travel dates and start searching early.
Hot Tip: Need to cancel? Check out our guide to canceling your JetBlue flight (points or cash).
Why JetBlue Mint Is a Great Redemption
Quite simply, JetBlue Mint is a great redemption because it almost always provides the highest quality service you can experience with any airline on the routes it flies.
If that doesn’t convince you, take a look below at some of the features you won’t want to miss out on when you take your next trip.
Get on the Plane Faster
Dedicated Check-in
A special queue for Mint passengers allows them to experience an expedited check-in service when they arrive at the airport for their flights.
Expedited Security
No matter what airport you are flying out of, Mint passengers will be allowed to go through the fastest security lane available.
This gives you extra time to use the bathroom, grab some snacks, or sit down for a meal before your flight boards.
It also means you shouldn’t ever miss your flight because you are stuck in the security line.
Early Boarding
JetBlue Mint passengers are among the first to be allowed to board the aircraft, giving them plenty of time to stow their personal belongings, get settled into their seats, and enjoy a welcome drink before takeoff.
Comfort in the Air
Seats and Suites
Fully lie-flat seats in JetBlue Mint make it easy to rest up on overnight flights. Image Credit: JetBlue
At a full 6-feet-8-inches long, JetBlue Mint has the longest fully lie-flat seats on any domestic aircraft.
Even taller passengers can relax in comfort with a built-in massage feature and cushions that have adjustable firmness.
The first 4 seats in Mint on each aircraft are individual suites, even including a closable door for the highest privacy available.
Delicious Dining
Sweets and treats from New York’s own Milk Bar are waiting for you after you finish your meal. Image Credit: JetBlue
From a signature pre-departure drink made with premium spirits to a wine list made up of the best American artisan winemakers, you are sure to find something you like to drink.
Fresh espresso from the Brooklyn Roasting Company can give you the boost you need to get that extra little bit of work done before you doze off.
A rotating small plates menu from Saxon + Parole will fill your belly with deliciousness, and all red-eye flights include breakfast selections and green juice from Milk Bar for your enjoyment.
City-specific artisanal ice creams round out Mint dining with a sweet finish. You are sure to leave your flight happy and full!
Free Wi-Fi
Fly-Fi is JetBlue’s own inflight Wi-Fi service. The airline says it is broadband internet service in the sky comes closer to what you would expect at home or at work than what you see from other airlines.
As a Mint passenger, Fly-Fi is available at no additional charge. It includes built-in content from partners like Vice, The Wall Street Journal, and Amazon when your flight is out of the coverage area.
Personal Entertainment
New 15-inch interactive personal entertainment screens are perfect for enjoying up to 100 channels of DirecTV and SiriusXM Radio.
With both AC power and USB outlets in every seat, you can also enjoy the full range of any personal electronics you bring on board.
Final Thoughts
JetBlue Mint is definitely making waves in the domestic U.S. market. It prides itself on providing a product superior to that of legacy U.S. airlines — and from what we’ve seen so far, it is succeeding.
The limited network of flights that have Mint service available can make it difficult to experience this amazing product, but JetBlue is regularly expanding Mint service. We look forward to a time when it will be a more mainstream product!
For now, if you want to fly across the country in comfort with a lie flat bed and excellent service, JetBlue Mint is a great option to try if it’s available on your route.
The information regarding Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Citi Prestige® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
