JetBlue and official design partner Acumen Design Associates have unveiled its A321neo business class cabin featuring the new Mint Suite and Mint Studio.
The first complete redesign of Mint will take flight on JetBlue’s London flights this summer, and a smaller 16-seat layout will debut on a limited number of flights between New York and Los Angeles later this year.
“Mint was an idea to make premium travel across the US less stuffy and more affordable, and its performance has exceeded even our most optimistic expectations of going beyond New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco,” said Joanna Geraghty, President and Chief Operating Officer, JetBlue. “It’s remarkable how Mint’s thoughtful design has resonated with customers as we successfully grew it to more than 30 routes. We put our heart into this redesign of Mint and were inspired by our original vision of offering customers an exceptional experience at a lower fare – which is what JetBlue is all about.”
Inspired by the popularity of the four private suites in its current Mint configuration, JetBlue’s transatlantic Mint offers more privacy with 24 individual suites, with an inward-facing herringbone layout offering direct aisle access and sliding privacy doors.
Mint Suite features “intelligently” placed charging points for laptops and smartphones, two headphone sockets, a dedicated phone/tablet holder, as well as a wireless charging zone. Acumen redesigned the suites to incorporate multiple large and easy-to-clean flat surfaces, to enable customers to eat, work and relax whilst simultaneously staying connected to their world.
Every available inch of space within the suite was used to provide dedicated stowage options including a laptop drawer, compartment for personal items, shoe and under-ottoman storage, and nightstand with a bottle holder. Acumen and JetBlue also developed customisable mood lighting which can be brightened or dimmed, as well as adjusted between “awake” and “relax” colour schemes, while each suite includes a tilting 17-inch Thales AVANT seatback screen IFE monitor which can be used gate-to-gate.
The inner walls of each Mint Suite feature a distinct, contemporary pattern inspired by JetBlue’s brand language, while the suite doors incorporate a bold, pressure-formed Mint pattern.
Daniel Clucas, Senior Designer at Acumen Design Associates said: “JetBlue has a long-standing reputation for being bold when it comes to innovation and putting its customers at the heart of its brand, which was key in enabling us to reimagine the single-aisle premium experience. By reclaiming the unused space at the front row, Mint Studio offers customers an enhanced flying experience – one which will quickly become the gold standard for narrow-body business class.”
With the new Mint cabin layout, Acumen identified an opportunity to reimagine the front row area, which is often used solely for additional cabin storage, and give this space back to the customer.
Each aircraft will have two Mint Studios in the first row, providing room to work or relax, and feature a 22-inch tilting Thales AVANT seatback screen, an extra side table for added productivity, and a guest seat that can accommodate an additional Mint customer during flight at cruising altitude. When the seat transitions into bed-mode, the sofa seat can also drop – extending the bed surface and giving the customer the largest lie-flat bed of any US carrier.
Mint Studio also features a sliding door for privacy, an integrated personal closet with a vanity mirror, a larger 22-inch pivoting IFE display.
Acumen redesigned the Thompson Aero Solo product and during the process invented the larger front row seats, which became Mint Studio. These modifications and customer enhancements are now a core part of Thompson Aero’s Solo platform seat product.
Engineered for comfort, every Mint seat is layered with Tuft & Needle’s proprietary T&N Adaptive foam and a breathable cover to create a cool and comfortable sleep experience unlike anything in the sky. The seat complements additional sleep amenities developed in partnership with the brand, including a convertible blanket with a built-in foot pocket, a memory foam lined pillow with a pillowcase, and a snooze kit with a matching eye mask and earplugs.
As part of their long-standing partnership, Acumen also worked closely with JetBlue to customise the entire onboard customer journey; from boarding the aircraft into the signature “welcome space” which features LED strip lights and striking graphics, to the new Mint Suites.
JetBlue’s latest version of Mint feature a residential-inspired design and custom-for-JetBlue touches throughout the cabin interior.
Residential textures, such as flannel-covered privacy dividers, concrete lampshades, woodgrain table patterns and soft, vegan leather-covered seats and headrests, make customers feel at home in the air.
Custom-created suite gradient panels bring light into the cabin, while patterned door shrouds with the signature Mint leaf make a bold brand statement in a functional way.
First-of-its-kind mood lighting enhances the in-flight experience, and a welcoming blue floor arc helps direct the customer boarding flow.
Mariya Stoyanova, Director of Product Development at JetBlue commented: “We are thrilled to have partnered with Acumen to completely reimagine the Mint cabin experience. Mint’s thoughtful design has resonated with so many customers over the years, and we are looking forward to bringing this next evolution of our award-winning premium product across the pond later this year.”
