JetBlue Unbundles First Class Before Cabins Even Launch

JetBlue Airways is stripping perks from its first-class cabin before the first seat is installed. The carrier on Monday introduced a new fare called BlueFirst Base that removes seat selection and other extras in exchange for a lower price. The move mirrors a strategy already in use at United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

The base fare will roll out in the coming days as JetBlue prepares to launch its broader BlueFirst experience later this year. That cabin will appear on routes that currently fly in an all-economy configuration, such as New York to Seattle and Boston to Portland. JetBlue has been flying those long domestic legs without a premium cabin beyond its EvenMore extra-legroom seats. The new first-class section will bring the airline's seating lineup closer to what its largest US competitors already offer.

JetBlue president Marty St. George said the goal is for customers to be able to book what is right for them. The comment reflects a broader push across the industry to give passengers more price points within the same cabin, rather than forcing them to buy a full bundle of benefits they may not use.

The base fare structure will also apply to EvenMore and the standard coach cabin, which JetBlue is renaming from Core to Main. The airline said the base option will not extend to its Mint business-class cabin, which offers lie-flat seats on transcontinental and select international routes. JetBlue did not explain why Mint is excluded. That differs from United and Delta's international basic business fares, which strip lounge access, seat selection, baggage allowances, and flexibility.

Beyond the base tier, each of the four seat options will include a Standard and a Flex fare. Both include seat selection. The Flex option offers refunds for eligible cancellations instead of a travel credit.

JetBlue did not disclose pricing for the BlueFirst Base fare. On a Boston to Los Angeles flight in August, a standard economy ticket runs between roughly $300 and $500, according to the carrier's website. EvenMore with extra legroom is about $900. Mint is about $1,700. The new base fare will likely land somewhere between the economy and EvenMore prices. The airline has not confirmed a range.

The move comes as airlines report that premium cabins are outperforming economy seats. In its first-quarter earnings, JetBlue said premium revenue grew about nine percentage points faster than economy revenue year over year. That outperformance has pushed carriers to add more premium seats and create fare tiers that capture travelers who want the seat but not the extras.

Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, told Business Insider that basic first and business fares could eventually erode the traditional premium cabin without making travel cheaper overall. Airlines may keep the discounted premium fares near current levels while steadily raising prices for fully flexible tickets, he said. Corporate travelers who value the seat and rest benefits of business class over perks like lounge access could welcome the cheaper options, Harteveldt added.

JetBlue's new fare structure widens the gap between it and low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier, which have largely avoided first-class cabins. It also puts JetBlue in more direct competition with United and Delta on domestic routes where the bigger carriers already offer discounted premium fares. United Airlines Holdings Inc. has an Alpha Score of 62 out of 100, placing it in the Moderate range, according to AlphaScala's proprietary scoring.

The BlueFirst Base fare is the latest example of airlines unbundling the premium cabin. Delta introduced a basic business fare on some international routes in 2023. United followed with a similar product earlier this year. The trend suggests that the airline industry's unbundling strategy, which began with economy seats – charging separately for bags, seat assignments, and snacks – is now moving up the cabin.