Tech execs are going crazy over JetBlue Mint, a new $599 first-class flying option with massage chairs and rose
In June of 2014, JetBlue launched Mint, its very first premium class option. In the months since, it's become a popular choice for execs traveling between the two coasts.
"If @JetBlue Mint flew into EWR it would be a 12. But just JFK, it's still a 10," one tech founder, ReDef CEO Jason Hirschhorn tweeted earlier in May.
"The best," Union Square Ventures partner Andy Weissman tweeted back.
The executives seem to be happy with both the amenities and the price. JetBlue's service aims to be somewhere between first class and business class. But while first class tickets on other airlines can cost as much as $3,400 round trip from New York to Los Angeles, JetBlue Mint boasts prices that are half as much.
Mint's premium seats on transcontinental flights (New York - San Francisco and New York - Los Angeles) start at $599 one way, roughly $1200 round trip.
And while it's no SurfAir -a members-only private plane service that tech investors say is like Netflix for flying - the perks onboard Mint are enviable.
Lie-flat seats include a massage feature and a button that can adjust cushion firmness. You get access to more than 100 channels through DirecTV and SiriusXM, plus the plane's FlyFi broadband connection promises super-fast Internet speeds.
The food on Mint is not your typical airline fare. The menu was curated by hip New York City restaurant Saxon + Parole, and it typically includes such inventive dishes as a corn custard and poached lobster, bison meatloaf, and herb roasted monkfish.
A signature Mint cocktail is made with Grey Goose, and the wine selection includes several hard-to-find California varietals. JetBlue also happens to be the first airline to serve rosé.
Each Mint passenger gets a complimentary Birchbox, filled with samples of the latest grooming products for both men and women.
With all of those perks, it should come as no surprise that Mint is catching on with startup founders and other players in the tech industry, many of whom travel between New York and San Francisco regularly.
Some of them have been raving about it on Twitter.