JetBlue Airways flew over the Atlantic on the first time last year.
In August 2021, the airline began operating transatlantic flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York and Heathrow Airport in London (LHR).
Since then, JetBlue has increased its European operations to include Gatwick (LGW), a second London airport, and has recently started offering service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
Even now, JetBlue is preparing to reveal a second European location later this year.
The airline has only used the Airbus A321LR, or "long-range," on its transatlantic operations up to this point.
In actuality, this aircraft was specifically ordered for the airline's European flights.
However, JetBlue will soon begin operating a different A321 type to London, starting later this year, as initially indicated by Cirium timetables and later confirmed by the airline.
When the upgraded Mint business-class product first began to fly in June 2021, this type, the Airbus A321neo with redesigned Mint interior, was the first aircraft to do so.
As the airline adds more of these aircraft to its fleet, they will also be based in Boston. This locally adapted aeroplane, internally known as the A321LD, has since been used on the fiercely competitive route between JFK and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The A321LD has been flying on domestic routes for the past year, but on October 29 it will fly over the Atlantic for the first time.
From JFK to LGW, the airline will operate daily through December 18.
The largest effect of the change on passengers is that the A321LR and A321LD have different onboard layouts.
The table below shows how the number of seats on each jet varies, despite the fact that both aircraft include the new Mint business-class offering with direct aisle access for every passenger.
JetBlue specifically created the long-haul A321 layout for high-profile transatlantic operations, and it can be seen in the seating arrangement.
The business class cabin is roomy and has many seats with extra legroom.
The A321LD arrangement, on the other hand, has more core and Even More Space seats and fewer Mint seats.
The A321LR is JetBlue's flagship aircraft because it has a few extra features.
These include the brand-new Airbus Airspace cabin, which has roomy overhead storage and stylish mood lighting (neither of which are present on the A321LD).
Although the A321LD was initially intended for domestic flights, the carrier has verified that the plane's free Wi-Fi will function on transatlantic flights as well.
However, DirecTV is available on the A321LD, which most certainly won't function on these flights.
The five free live TV channels (CNN International, BBC, CNBC, Sky News, and Sport24) that the airline offers on the A321LR are not going to be added.
You can read more about these and other minor variations between the A321LR and A321LD in our head-to-head comparison.
JetBlue now has a little more flexibility for long-haul itineraries where there might not be enough demand for 24 business-class pods thanks to the addition of the A321LD to the mix for European trips.
As an illustration, the airline is currently considering using the A321LD to travel to Gatwick, which has traditionally been the less "luxury" London airport.
While changing planes on a local flight is normally quite simple, JetBlue has additional requirements to get the A321LD flying to London.
The greatest is that crossing the Atlantic requires ETOPS certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which stands for extended-range twin-engine operational performance requirements.
To receive this certification, each jet must adhere to upgraded safety and maintenance standards.
According to JetBlue, "we anticipate that the aircraft will be ETOPS certified in the coming weeks."
Naturally, JetBlue must also take into account how the A321LR and A321LD differ in terms of range.
The former has a maximum flight range of 4,000 nautical miles, while the latter is limited to 3,500.
Assuming there aren't too many headwinds on the westbound path, which can occasionally be a problem, especially during the winter, both aircraft should be able to complete the seven-hour flight from New York to London, which is about 3,000 nautical miles away.
Although the A321LD will soon begin flying to London, it will probably be the furthest it can go in Europe on a regular scheduled basis.
The airline will likely have to rely only on the A321LR whether its next stop in Europe is Paris, Amsterdam, or Rome.
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