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Quick take: JetBlue’s Even More Space seat is a spacious and comfortable option, but it might not be worth the upcharge over a standard economy seat.

Pros

• Above-average food for economy flights
• A very comfortable seat with good legroom
• Group A boarding so you don’t have to hunt for overhead bin space

Cons

• The upsell can be expensive for a few extra inches of legroom
• The provided headphones are poor quality
• Two lavatories for the entire economy cabin are too few

JetBlue’s Even More Space seats are a paid upgrade or status perk offered to the airline’s economy passengers. The upgrade promises up to 7 inches more legroom compared to regular coach seats alongside perks such as early boarding and fast-track security. It can, however, be a pricey upsell.

Having recently flown JetBlue economy from London to New York, I wanted to find out whether the Even More Space seats were truly worth the extra cost over a standard economy service.

I boarded one of JetBlue’s A321LR morning flights for an 8:14 a.m. takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and an arrival time of 8:45 p.m. local time at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to put the seat through its paces. Here’s how JetBlue’s Even More Space seats measured up, so to speak.

How much does an Even More Space seat cost to book on JetBlue?

JetBlue sells three economy fare types on this route. Here’s a look at the inclusions you can expect.

Fare type	Change fees	Carry-on allowance	Checked bag fees	Seat selection	Boarding
Blue Basic	$100 per person (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) $200 per person (other routes)	One carry-on on flights to or from the United Kingdom/Europe	$65 for the first bag, $105 for the second bag	Additional fee	Groups E to F (final groups)
Blue	No fee	One carry-on	One checked bag on flights to or from the U.K./Europe, $105 for the second bag	Included	Groups B to D (general boarding)
Blue Extra	No fee	One carry-on	One checked bag on flights to or from the U.K./Europe, $105 for the second bag	Included	Group A (after preboarding, Mosaic and Mint customers)

Passengers are entitled to bring one personal item on board regardless of fare type.

Economy fares don’t include Even More Space seats. Instead, you must pay to upgrade — you cannot redeem TrueBlue points for an Even More Space seat, even on award bookings. However, subject to availability, JetBlue Mosaic 1 elite members can snag Even More Space seats at no extra charge during check-in, while elite members with Mosaic 2 and higher status can upgrade for free when booking.

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The process of paid upgrades involves dynamic pricing based on the flight and route. For my flight, Even More Space seats required a $159 upcharge from a regular Blue fare.

Related: JetBlue Mosaic elite status: What it is and how to earn it

The cost may be higher if you’re upgrading from Blue Basic. That said, if you don’t need the extra perks of the other economy fares, you can sometimes save money by booking Blue Basic and upgrading to Even More Space to receive its additional perks of expedited security and early boarding.

Note that on transatlantic flights, an Even More Space seat does not get you any extra checked bags or carry-on allowance. Still, Even More Space passengers flying on non-transatlantic flights can bring aboard a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin; they’re not limited to having to store their carry-on beneath the seat in front.

For context, airfares and mileage redemptions (based on one-way tickets) on flights between JFK and LHR fall between the below ranges over the next several months.

My one-way ticket cost $587.30 ($191 in airfare, $159 for the Even More Space upgrade and $237.30 in taxes and fees).

I could have booked the flight using 38,700 JetBlue TrueBlue points, but I would have still needed to use a credit card to book the Even More Space seat. TPG values TrueBlue points at 1.4 cents each, which makes the redemption worth around $541.80 for the points, plus $159 to upgrade to an Even More Space seat and $237.30 in taxes and fees. In this instance, the cash fare is a much better deal.

You can maximize JetBlue purchases by using the JetBlue Card (you’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on JetBlue purchases) or the JetBlue Plus Card (you’ll earn 6 points per dollar spent on eligible JetBlue purchases). Qualifying JetBlue purchases also earn Mosaic Tiles.

The information for the JetBlue Card and JetBlue Plus Card have been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Checking into and boarding economy on JetBlue 

JetBlue operates out of JFK’s Terminal 5 and fields electronic kiosks for most check-in services. The kiosks, which require scanning your passport or boarding pass and following the on-screen instructions to complete check-in, are very easy to use.

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JORDAN WALLER/THE POINTS GUY

There are around 30 or so kiosks, so it’s easy to find a free one even if it’s a busy time of day. You’ll also find electronic scales and equipment to check the size and dimensions of your luggage.

Once you’ve checked in, it’s a simple task to print and attach your checked baggage labels before depositing them at the baggage drop.

I don’t have TSA PreCheck, but JetBlue does participate in the program. You can find the TSA PreCheck lines next to the fast-track security line.

An Even More Space ticket gives you access to fast-track security, which has a separate line to put you ahead of non-fast-track passengers. The system worked well, and I completed security in no more than 15 minutes.

Economy tickets don’t come with lounge access, even with an Even More Space upgrade. Since JetBlue doesn’t have lounges, that missing perk isn’t all that surprising.

The boarding area at Gate 22 was very busy, but there were several seating options, including rows of plastic seats and high chairs with desk space and power outlets.

The area also featured a JetBlue Juice Bar for charging up your devices before a flight.

For the aviation geeks out there, there were also views of the plane and boarding bridge, though the angles weren’t as impressive as some other airports or gates at JFK.

The boarding area wasn’t overly comfortable, but as an Even More Space passenger, I was afforded Group A boarding, so I didn’t need to sit around for too long.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Amenities in JetBlue Even More Space

Even More Space amenities are the same as in standard economy and include inflight entertainment screens, basic earplugs, blankets and eye masks.

Wi-Fi is complimentary and speedy. You can easily browse the internet or respond to emails and messages.

Related: Score free and discounted inflight Wi-Fi with these credit cards

The IFE screen is small (no larger than standard economy), but it has good image quality and a nice selection of film and TV series. You’ll have your pick of new and old releases ranging from the recent sci-fi thriller “The Creator” to classics like “Good Will Hunting” and “Gladiator.” You can also access flight maps, audiobooks and basic games and live TV, though the latter didn’t work well.

The systems are remoteless and controlled by either the touchscreen or by connecting a mobile device — this is done by connecting through the browser on your phone after joining the free Wi-Fi. I found controlling the IFE with my iPhone 15 Pro to be slow. In principle, the technology is a good idea, but it’s not a great user experience.

The free earphones provided are of poor quality, and it’s hard to hear movie dialogue at times. If you have the option of using your own headphones, I’d recommend that you do — do note, though, that you cannot connect your headphones via Bluetooth unless you have a Bluetooth adapter.

The blanket was thick and quilted, a step above most economy blankets I’ve experienced. The eye mask had a synthetic feel to it and wasn’t padded, so I’d prefer to bring my own next time.

JetBlue’s build-your-own meals in partnership with New York-based Dig restaurant group is one of the airline’s most notable features.

The system lets you choose your own meal through your IFE system, selecting from one of three main dishes and two out of three sides. As this was an early morning flight, I was offered a breakfast menu.

The main options were:

• Ricotta eggs and garlic kale
• Bread pudding with mixed berries
• Chocolate pancakes with roasted bananas

The sides were:

• Pear, grapes and goat cheese “supercrunch”
• Vegan yogurt, lemon and toasted coconut
• Turkey and sweet potato sausages

I chose the eggs for my main with turkey sausages and the pear-goat cheese sides.

Breakfast was served an hour after takeoff with a small bottle of water. The food arrived in stylish charcoal-colored containers, the same as in standard economy, alongside environmentally friendly polymer cutlery.

The eggs were scrambled, creamy and tasty, but the sausages were dry with an odd aftertaste. The pear and cheese salad was delicious and sweet, with a subtle tang from the feta.

Three hours after breakfast, passengers were served a Chomp chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. This was one of the best airplane snacks I’ve eaten. If you have a sweet tooth, you’re in for a treat.

Forty-five minutes before landing, flight attendants offered a warm croissant, which was actually a pain au chocolate and tasted great.

The flight also had a pantry with complimentary snacks, including Chifles plantain chips, sea salt-flavored Popchips and Simply Stellar vegan butter pretzel braids, at the back of the plane.

Drinks were complimentary and included a mix of hot (tea and coffee is Dunkin’ branded) and cold drinks, of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic varieties. Options included tea, Dunkin’-branded coffee and a selection of beer, wine and liquor from popular brands such as Bud Light, Stella Artois, Jack Daniel’s and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Flight attendants offered drinks just after takeoff, before the meal service and again before they served the late snack.