I flew internationally with JetBlue for the first time and it was the best long-haul flight I've taken
Joey Hadden
- I booked an international flight with JetBlue for the first time from NYC to Paris.
- The 7.5-hour, red-eye flight typically costs around $400 for an economy ticket.
When I book a flight, I typically select the cheapest non-stop available. For international and long-haul flights, it's usually a red-eye.
As a travel reporter, most of my longest flights have been overnight and in coach, and I long ago gave up on the idea that I could sleep well in economy.
There are too many distractions, from snack rounds to cabin lights, and the seats often feel too cramped for comfort.
But a recent international flight with JetBlue completely changed my mind. I was more comfortable than I've ever been in economy, and I slept like a puppy.
I recently flew with JetBlue from NYC to Paris. It was my first time traveling internationally with the airline.
JetBlue is a low-cost airline that flies between more than 130 airports around the world, from the US and Canada to South America and Europe, according to the company's website.
In the past, I've flown with the budget airline several times on domestic flights.
But in November 2023, I booked a JetBlue international flight for the first time from my home in NYC to Paris. It was a 7.5-hour red-eye flight.
I booked a one-way economy ticket on a red-eye flight that typically costs about $382
I booked my one-way flight to Paris at the last minute and paid $900, however, according to Travelocity, this route typically costs $382 when booking at least two weeks in advance.
I arrived at JFK Airport at 2:30 p.m. for my 5:25 p.m. flight to Paris.
TSA recommends arriving at the airport three hours before international flights, so that's what I did.
Thanks to TSA PreCheck, I breezed through security and arrived at my gate two hours before take-off.
Onboard the plane, I got a comfy seat and overhead bin space for my backpack.
Despite being assigned to one of the final boarding groups, I was relieved to find plenty of overhead bin space.
My seat also felt larger and cushier than a typical one in economy. The seats on my flight were 18.4 inches wide, a representative of JetBlue told Business Insider.
In my seat, I had plenty of legroom and an outlet to charge my devices.
When I sat down, I was shocked to have so much legroom. According to the airline, JetBlue has the most legroom in coach — 32 inches, the De
While I was satisfied with the amount of space, I'm only 5-foot-3, so taller passengers may not agree.
I also had a power outlet at my seat. On international flights, this has become a basic expectation, so I wasn't surprised to have access to one.
Each seat had a blanket and other sleep amenities provided. Thanks to these items, and an empty row, I got more rest on this flight than ever before.
On red-eye flights, I typically find a menu of amenities in my seatback pocket that come at an additional price, from sleep masks to blankets.
So I was surprised when I saw a complimentary blanket and care package with earplugs and a sleep mask on every seat of the JetBlue plane.
The sleep mask came in handy to block light from the cabin and screens, the earplugs gave me the silence I needed to get to sleep, and the blanket made me feel more at home.
All that combined with an otherwise empty row of seats — I got lucky with my flight — was all I needed to drift off for the majority of the flight.
But not before dinner. On my seatback screen, there was a menu to customize my meal.
The seatback screen was filled with entertainment from movies to live TV, and it also had a menu for the complimentary in-flight meal — dinner.
The menu screen popped up as soon as I selected my language and before the entertainment menu, which made me think we were supposed to order immediately. This made sense later since attendants served all passengers swiftly in one round.
Ordering from the device seemed much more efficient than having flight attendants come around asking for each order.
And I was surprised that I was able to select from three entrees and three sides. I ordered meatballs and tomato farro with red sauce, and sides of brussels sprout salad and mac and cheese.
We took off on time, and dinner was served around an hour later.
Shortly after taking off, my meal was served. I don't typically find airplane food to be satisfying, but this one was decent. All three dishes were tasty enough to eat, which is a rarity in my experience.
And since dinner was served so quickly after take-off, I had plenty of time to sleep.
There were also plenty of entertainment options, but I spent most of the flight sleeping.
If it were a daytime flight, I'd have been jazzed about the inflight entertainment options.
I had access to dozens of films and TV shows, more than 100 Live TV channels, and SiriusXM radio. The airline also has a featured selection of movies each month, according to its website.
TV shows like Community and The Office helped me fall asleep quickly. Though there were full seasons available, I only watched one episode of each show.
At the back of the plane, there was a self-service snack box.
In the middle of the flight, I got up to use the bathroom and spotted a perk I'd never seen on a flight before.
Right next to the toilets, there was a snack box titled, "JetBlue Pantry." It was packed with chips, granola bars, nuts, and water bottles. These refreshments are complimentary and unlimited, a flight attendant told me.
Mariya Stoyanova, the airline's director of product development, previously told BI that the inflight self-service snack station is only on long-haul domestic and international routes onboard Airbus A321neo and A321ceo planes. I was on the former.
I appreciated that I could snack and hydrate at any time. And as a result, flight attendants came around less frequently to serve them, causing fewer sleep disruptions.
In the morning, I woke up feeling well rested and was served coffee and a warm treat.
After 4-5 hours of rest, I woke up about an hour before landing when flight attendants came around with coffee and a warm, chocolate croissant.
Since I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate, I skipped the treat. But as an East Coaster, I appreciated being served Dunkin' Donuts coffee as we flew over Europe.
The flight landed on time at 6:55 a.m. Central European time. Although I was still tired, I felt much more rested than after any other long-haul overnight flight.
In the future, I'll scan the internet for JetBlue tickets every time I travel internationally in economy.
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