JetBlue announced a restructured fare system on Monday, built around four onboard experiences — Main, EvenMore, BlueFirst, and Mint — as it prepares to launch a domestic first-class product later this year.
The airline is restructuring its fare tiers around four cabin experiences, including a new domestic first class set to launch later this year
JetBlue announced a restructured fare system on Monday, built around four onboard experiences — Main, EvenMore, BlueFirst, and Mint — as it prepares to launch a domestic first-class product later this year.
Under the new structure, customers select a cabin experience first, then pick from up to three fare options within it: Base, the entry-level tier that omits seat selection; Standard, which bundles in seat selection and waives change fees; and Flex, which upgrades the refund to the traveler's original payment method. Mint, the airline's lie-flat premium product, will not offer a Base fare, the company said.
The overhaul also involves renaming JetBlue's existing Core economy cabin to Main. BlueFirst is the name for the new domestic first-class experience, which will roll out across the airline's non-Mint aircraft and routes, the company said. A specific launch date has not been provided.
"In two simple clicks, customers will be able to book what's right for them. First, the onboard experience, and then the fare option depending on their preferences around seat selection and refundability," JetBlue president Marty St. George said in a statement.
The new fare options will become available in the coming days, the company said. Customers who have already booked travel will continue to receive the benefits tied to the fare they originally purchased.
The restructuring puts JetBlue in line with moves other carriers have made to segment pricing across cabin classes, according to CNBC. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have introduced basic fare tiers in premium cabins this year. JetBlue declined to extend the basic fare tier to its Mint lie-flat cabin, a step that rival carriers have already taken with their own premium flat-bed products.
Southwest Airlines said its push to grow basic economy drove more sales at the entry price and pushed a greater share of customers to trade up to higher tiers, while Delta announced plans to make basic fares available throughout its premium cabin lineup so travelers can reach those seats at a reduced cost, according to BNN Bloomberg.
JetBlue was set to report second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, according to BNN Bloomberg.
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