JetBlue Restructures Fares into Three Tiers Per Cabin
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- JetBlue is replacing its "Core" fares with a "Main" economy category and organizing all flights around legroom tiers — Main, Even More, and BlueFirst domestic first class, the last of which is slated to debut later this year though no launch date has been given.
- Within each cabin, customers choose Base (carry-on only, 1 TrueBlue point per $1, fee to change or cancel, refund as travel credit), Standard (seat selection included, no change/cancel fee, 3 TrueBlue points per $1), or Flex (Standard perks plus refunds to original form of payment).
- JetBlue's Mint lie-flat business class — used on longer-haul flights to Paris, London, and Milan — will offer only Standard and Flex fares, with no basic lie-flat option.
- United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have both launched basic lie-flat business options this year; United said this month it will charge a premium for a blocked middle seat on some aircraft as carriers break up premium cabins with tiered fares.
- The overhaul comes as airlines race to capitalize on high demand for pricier seats; JetBlue is set to report quarterly results on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Travelers wanting refunds to original payment now must book Flex fares even in economy. JetBlue declined to offer a basic lie-flat option that United and Delta launched, restricting Mint to Standard and Flex, while TrueBlue earnings jump from 1 to 3 points per dollar between Base and Standard.
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