I Flew on JetBlue's First Flight From Boston to Edinburgh—Here's What It's Like

Travel + Leisure

2 days ago

Not even a surprise nor'easter that pummeled New England with inches of rain, knocked out power, and delayed flights dampened the celebratory mood as JetBlue launched its inaugural nonstop seasonal flight from Boston Logan Airport to Edinburgh, Scotland, on the evening of May 22. The air at gate C9 buzzed with excitement—plus the sound of bagpipes played by a live musician—as travelers snapped pictures of themselves by an illustration of Edinburgh's stunning architecture. Garlands of Scottish flags and columns of balloons brightened the room. A table nearby was loaded up with Scottish shortbread cookies, sugar cookies emblazoned with an airplane soaring across the Edinburgh skyline, and tea served in (naturally, for Boston) Dunkin' paper cups.
Mike Erbeck, JetBlue's vice president of safety, was one of a handful of speakers at the podium during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. 'Even though it looks like Scotland outside, are we ready to go to Scotland?' he said with a laugh, pointing to the rain beyond the gate's windows.
With JetBlue's first Boston to Madrid flight launching just a few gates down with a similar soiree, the carrier had a lot to celebrate. The once-scrappy airline launched its first transatlantic service—from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London Heathrow (LHR)—in August 2021, with service to London's Gatwick Airport (LGW) the following month. Since then, JetBlue has added Paris, Amsterdam, and now Madrid and Dublin.
JetBlue and Boston are continuing their love affair, too; JetBlue is the largest carrier at New England's busiest air travel hub, and in September 2024, the airline announced that its first-ever lounge will be opening in New York's JFK Airport in late 2025, with a roomier lounge coming 'soon after' to Boston, per a release obtained by Travel + Leisure. Mint customers will enjoy access to the lounge. The JetBlue lobby at Boston Logan International Airport.
Nathan Tavares/Travel + Leisure
Last May, JetBlue launched its first flight from JFK to Edinburgh. The Boston expansion comes on the heels of that route's success, and only boosts Scotland's status as an 'it' destination, thanks in part to lush, misty landscapes featured in the likes of historical drama Outlander and James Bond flick "Skyfall." Edinburgh is the United Kingdom's second-most visited city after London, and Carl Walsh, senior vice president for VisitBritain in the U.S., described the historic spot as 'a great starting point for exploring Scotland and the wider U.K., rich in history, culture, and character,' in his remarks.
For the daily service between Boston and Edinburgh, JetBlue advertised special limited time round-trip rates: $649 for economy and $3,299 for the premium Mint experience. The seasonal route is currently listed as running through Oct. 25.
'This isn't just another route,' Erbeck said. 'It's a major milestone in Jetblue's European growth story. Adding Edinburgh from Boston following our successful JFK launch last year, strengthens our presence in Boston and introduces even more travelers to what sets JetBlue apart.'
Beyond the excitement of a first visit to Edinburgh, I was looking forward to experiencing a particular JetBlue perk: staying in one of those sweet Mint pods that I've walked past so many times on my way to an economy-class seat. Once remarks wrapped up, I boarded the Airbus A321LR, which was dubbed 'A Mint Summer's Night Dream.' The jets feature amenities like free Wi-Fi (or 'Fly-Fi'), snacks, meals from culinary partner DIG, seatback screens, and more across its 90 economy seats and 24 more spacious EvenMore seats.
Though, the 24 Mint business class suites with their lie-flat seats are the most coveted nesting spots for flights. Decked out with Scottish flags for the inaugural flight, the pods looked like hibernation chambers out of a sci-fi flick, especially under the soothing blue cabin lights. Apt, as each daily trip from Boston to Edinburgh is scheduled to depart at 10:30 p.m. and sees a few adjustments to Mint's service to focus on a restful overnight flight.
I was greeted by flight attendants Kristen, Mary, and Anthony and shown to my Mint cabin for the flight, slated to stretch under six hours. Each passenger aboard the inaugural flight found a card offering a free box of whisky tea or Scottish breakfast tea from Whittard's Edinburgh store, a stone's throw from the new 100 Princes Street hotel. At 4A, I found postcards, a food menu, and a Caara pouch filled with goodies: a dental kit, socks, a Tuft & Needle sleep mask and set of earplugs, and a towelette, facial cleansing pads, lip balm, hand cream, and moisturizer from the brand Dr. Dennis Gross. A pillow and extra-long blanket from Tuft & Needle continued the spa-like vibe. I'm not the most relaxed air passenger, but here I discovered that the cure for pre-flight jitters was a glass of champagne offered by beaming Kristen, who was excited for my first trip in Mint. The JetBlue Mint seat and dinner service from the Boston to Edinburgh inaugural flight.
Nathan Tavares/Travel + Leisure
I settled into my pod and swapped my sneakers for a pair of free slippers. Mary showed me how to buckle the over-the-shoulder seatbelt and order meals on my pod's TV screen as I sipped a Limitless Spritz, one of two zero-proof cocktails that joined three boozy cocktails options on the drink menu, along with a wide selection of beer and wine. Anthony, though, was perhaps the secret MVP. For some reason my near-depleted phone wouldn't charge in my pod, and without even asking, Anthony offered up his personal portable charger so I wouldn't have to wait in the Edinburgh airport for enough juice in my phone to get me to my hotel.
'My father emigrated from Scotland to the United States as a child, so it's my honor to pilot the first JetBlue flight from Boston to Edinburgh,' said our captain Ian Duncan during his welcome.
That nor'easter meant a bit of turbulence early in the flight, which also delayed dinner service by about an hour. As tempting as it was to lie flat in my seat and catch some shut-eye—while others around me tapped at their laptops in the glow of reading lights—I wanted the full Mint meal experience, so I curled up and watched TV. JetBlue features Peacock on its screens, and as much as I keep meaning to start Poker Face, I opted for a comfort re-watch of episodes of Hacks , with the sound pumping through the Master & Dynamic headphones.
A notable change to Mint's service for all flights departing after 8:30 p.m. is the 'Savor & Sleep' concept of a more limited menu served all at once, though the bites are still restaurant-quality small plates curated by New York City-based Delicious Hospitality Group. Mint travelers pick all their meals ahead of takeoff or can skip them all together, hit the 'do not disturb' button in their cabin, and snooze through the whole flight. I opted for the full dinner service, a partnership with New York City's Bar Pasquale.
Dinner came beautifully served on real plates. I dug into a chilled endive salad with cucumber, crunchy Parmigiango frico, and a creamy buttermilk dressing cut by a zesty lemon vinaigrette. The orecchiette pasta was the surprising highlight. Slightly al dente and with pepper-spiked Pomodoro sauce, a basil-heavy pesto, and a heap of shredded parm, I would've sworn it was fresh off the fire of a luxe restaurant's kitchen. Slivers of artichoke, mint, and breadcrumbs joined a generous main course of pan-roasted chicken. A jam-like roasted rhubarb compote provided a welcomed, slightly sharp contrast to the rich dessert of vanilla gelato, with crunch brought by an olive oil cake crumble.
Ahead of takeoff, I opted for the to-go breakfast instead of the full-service offering of chia pudding with blackberry preserves, and an extensive coffee and tea selection. I'm glad I did, as I was so stuffed from dinner that I didn't think of food.
Instead, I was happy to fully recline my seat, lay back on the Tuft & Needle foam mattress, and drift off for easily the most restful sleep I've ever gotten on a plane. When I woke up about four hours later, a to-go bag with banana bread, orange juice, and a canned iced oat milk latte was waiting for me. And even better, the green patchwork quilt of the Scottish countryside stretched out below, as the plane drifted down from the clouds.