JetBlue facts for kids
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| Founded | August 1998 (as NewAir) |
|---|---|
| Commenced operations | February 11, 2000 |
| AOC # | YENA176J |
| Operating bases |
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| Frequent-flyer program | TrueBlue |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 290 |
| Destinations | 114 |
| Headquarters | Brewster Building, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, United States |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  US$9.615 billion (2023) |
| Operating income | ▲ US$-230 million (2023) |
| Net income | ▲ US$-310 million (2023) |
| Total assets | US$13.85 billion (2023) |
| Total equity |  US$3.337 billion (2023) |
| Employees | 24,000+ (2023) |
JetBlue Airways Corporation (often called jetBlue) is a low-cost airline in the United States. Its main office is in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. JetBlue also has offices in Utah and Florida.
JetBlue flies over 1,000 flights every day. It serves 100 places in the Americas and Europe. The airline uses six main airports, with its biggest one being New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). JetBlue works with other airlines through "codeshare agreements." This means they can sell tickets for each other's flights.
Contents
JetBlue's Story: How It Started and Grew
1998–2000: The Beginning of JetBlue
JetBlue was created in August 1998. It was first called "NewAir" by its founder, David Neeleman. JetBlue wanted to offer low-cost flights, like Southwest. But it also wanted to be special by offering cool extras. These included in-flight entertainment, TV at every seat, and Sirius XM satellite radio. JetBlue mostly used Airbus A320 family planes to make maintenance easier.
In September 1999, the airline got permission to use 75 take-off/landing spots at John F. Kennedy International Airport. JetBlue started flying on February 11, 2000. Its first flights went to Buffalo and Fort Lauderdale.
The founders first thought about naming the airline "Taxi" and painting planes yellow. This idea was dropped because a big investor, JP Morgan, threatened to pull their money.
2000s: Challenges and Changes
JetBlue was one of the few U.S. airlines that made money after the September 11 attacks. The company went public (meaning its shares could be bought by anyone) in April 2002. Other airlines tried to copy JetBlue's success by starting their own low-cost airlines, like Song (by Delta Air Lines) and Ted (by United Airlines). However, these airlines later closed down.
In 2005, JetBlue's profits dropped because fuel costs went up. The airline also had problems with how it ran flights and its many amenities. These extras made JetBlue less competitive on price. JetBlue had its first loss in late 2005. To fix this, they created a "Return to Profitability" plan. This plan aimed to cut costs and make more money. They even removed a row of seats from their A320 planes to make them lighter and save fuel.
In February 2007, a big snowstorm hit. JetBlue usually didn't cancel flights, so many passengers were stuck on planes for hours. This caused a lot of problems and cost JetBlue $30 million. After this, JetBlue's board of directors replaced founder David Neeleman with Dave Barger as CEO. Neeleman became a non-executive chairman.
JetBlue also had issues with its Embraer 190 planes. For a while, another airline, ExpressJet, flew some routes for JetBlue while the Embraer planes were being fixed.
In 2007, JetBlue teamed up with the movie The Simpsons Movie. They even held a contest where the winner got a trip to the movie premiere. They also added special videos from The New York Times for passengers to watch.
In December 2007, JetBlue announced that Lufthansa, a German airline, would buy 19% of JetBlue. This partnership helped both airlines sell tickets for each other's flights and share frequent flyer programs.
In 2008, JetBlue started offering free, limited Wi-Fi on one of its planes as a test. They also partnered with Aer Lingus, an Irish airline, to make it easier for passengers to switch between their flights.
JetBlue made Orlando, Florida, a new focus city for international flights in 2008. This included new routes to places like Cancún, Mexico, and Bogotá, Colombia.
To make more money, JetBlue started charging for some things. In 2008, they began selling "eco-friendly" pillows and blankets. They also started charging for seats with extra legroom and for checking a second bag.
On October 22, 2008, JetBlue opened its new main hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). This new terminal, called Terminal 5 or T5, cost about $800 million. It replaced JetBlue's old hub at JFK Terminal 6.
In 2009, JetBlue thought about moving its main office. But in 2010, they decided to stay in Long Island City, New York. This was because of their history with the city and their partnerships with other airlines.
2010s: New Services and Growth
In 2010, JetBlue made agreements with South African Airways and American Airlines. This helped passengers transfer luggage between airlines.
In October 2013, JetBlue launched Mint, a special premium cabin service. It started in 2014 on flights across the country and to some Caribbean destinations. These planes have "lie-flat" seats and movable walls for more privacy.
In April 2014, JetBlue's pilots voted to join a union for the first time.
In 2015, JetBlue started charging for checked bags in some ticket types. This left Southwest Airlines as the only major U.S. airline not charging for bags.
JetBlue was one of the first airlines to get permission to fly to Cuba in 2015. On August 31, 2016, JetBlue Flight 387 was the first scheduled commercial flight between the U.S. and Cuba in 55 years.
In 2016, JetBlue tried to buy Virgin America but was not successful.
In November 2016, JetBlue painted one of its planes in a 1960s style, calling it "What's Old is Blue Again."
In April 2019, JetBlue announced plans to start flying across the Atlantic Ocean to London from Boston and New York.
2020s: Pandemic and Expansion
In January 2020, JetBlue announced it would become carbon neutral for all its domestic flights. This means they aim to have no net impact on the climate from these flights.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused big changes for airlines. JetBlue reduced how many passengers it carried by blocking middle seats. They also started programs for employees to take time off or retire early. By August 2020, JetBlue made strict rules about wearing face masks on flights.
In July 2020, JetBlue closed its base at Long Beach Airport and moved its operations to Los Angeles International Airport.
On July 16, 2020, American Airlines and JetBlue formed a partnership called the "Northeast Alliance." They shared passengers and revenue and coordinated flights from New York and Boston. However, in May 2023, a court ruled that this partnership was unfair to competition and ordered it to end. JetBlue agreed to end the alliance.
In February 2021, JetBlue introduced a new version of its Mint product, called Mint Suite. This was for its new planes flying to London and some flights to Los Angeles. JetBlue also expanded into Canada, with new flights to Vancouver.
In May 2021, JetBlue confirmed its first flights to Europe would start in August 2021. They would fly from New York (JFK) to both London Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
In May 2022, JetBlue tried to buy Spirit Airlines. After some back and forth, JetBlue announced in July that it had agreed to buy Spirit for $3.8 billion. However, the U.S. Department of Justice tried to block the deal, saying it would lead to "higher fares, fewer seats, and harm millions of consumers." In January 2024, a judge blocked the merger. JetBlue and Spirit later announced they were calling off the merger.
In November 2022, JetBlue said it would start flying from New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG) in summer 2023. They also planned to add service from Boston later. In April 2023, JetBlue announced a new route from New York (JFK) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. In October 2023, they added flights to Dublin, Ireland, and Edinburgh, Scotland, for 2024.
In January 2024, JetBlue announced that CEO Robin Hayes would step down. Joanna Geraghty became the new CEO in February 2024, making her the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline.
How JetBlue Works
Business Details
JetBlue acts like a low-cost carrier (LCC). This means it uses mostly one type of new plane, uses its planes a lot, and keeps costs low. It flies directly from one place to another and doesn't belong to a big airline alliance.
However, JetBlue also offers more than one type of seating cabin. It gives free in-flight entertainment and snacks. It also has "codeshare agreements" with other airlines.
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology even came up with the term "JetBlue Effect." This means that when JetBlue starts flying to a new place, other airlines often lower their prices there.
Main Office and Other Locations
JetBlue's main office is in the Brewster Building in Long Island City, New York. Before this, its main office was in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City.
JetBlue also has offices in Salt Lake City and Orlando. The Orlando office is at the Orlando International Airport and includes the airline's training center.
Leaders at JetBlue
Here are the main leaders at JetBlue right now:
- Chairman: Peter Boneparth (since May 2020)
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Joanna Geraghty (since February 2024)
- President: Marty St. George (since February 2024)
Past Leaders
- Former Chairmen:
- David Neeleman (1998–2008)
- Joel Peterson (2008–2020)
- Former CEOs:
- David Neeleman (1998–2007)
- David Barger (2007–2015)
- Robin Hayes (2015–2024)
Marketing and How They Attract Customers
JetBlue's first big ads used phrases like "Unbelievable." They talked about low fares, new planes, leather seats, and lots of legroom. They wanted to "bring humanity back to air travel." JetBlue was the first airline to offer every passenger their own in-flight entertainment. In 2000, flat screens on every seat gave customers access to over 20 DirecTV channels for free.
As JetBlue grew, it competed with both low-cost and major airlines. Its free TV, snacks, comfy legroom, and special deals made it seem like a luxury airline, but its low prices made it a threat to other budget airlines.
Other Companies JetBlue Owns or Invests In
JetBlue Ventures
JetBlue Ventures is a part of JetBlue that invests in new companies. It started in 2016 as JetBlue Technology Ventures. Its goal is to invest in new companies that are just starting out in travel, hotels, and transportation. They want to make travel better for everyone.
JetBlue Ventures has invested in many startups. These include companies working on hybrid planes and new ways to use data.
Universal Hydrogen
In 2021, JetBlue became the first airline to invest in Universal Hydrogen. This company is working on making planes that can fly using hydrogen power. They want to put hydrogen fuel into planes using special containers. This means airports won't need to build big hydrogen fuel stations. JetBlue's investment helped Universal Hydrogen develop its technology faster.
JetBlue Travel Products
JetBlue Travel Products is a part of JetBlue Airways that started in 2018. It focuses on selling travel products other than just flights. This includes things like hotels, cruises, and vacation packages.
In 2020, JetBlue Vacations (part of Travel Products) added new ways to personalize trips. In 2021, they launched Paisly by JetBlue. This platform helps travelers find and book hotels, car rentals, activities, and even travel bags.
LiveTV
LiveTV was a company that JetBlue owned from 2002. LiveTV made and provided seat-back entertainment systems for airlines, including live satellite TV and radio. JetBlue sold LiveTV to another company in 2014.
JSX
In 2016, JetBlue invested in an airline called JSX (then JetSuiteX). JetBlue got a seat on JSX's board of directors. JetBlue saw this as a way to grow its presence on the West Coast and support new ideas in travel.
TWA Flight Center Hotel
The TWA Hotel is a hotel at JFK airport. It was built inside the old Eero Saarinen TWA Flight Center building. JetBlue owns a small part of this hotel. It's located right in front of JetBlue's terminal at JFK.
Where JetBlue Flies
As of 2024, JetBlue Airways flies to 104 places. Most of these are in the United States and the Caribbean. They also fly to some places in Central and South America, and four cities in Europe.
JetBlue has agreements with other airlines called "codeshare agreements." This means they share certain flights. Both airlines can sell tickets for these flights using their own flight numbers.
JetBlue shares flights with these airlines:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Serbia
- Azul Brazilian Airlines
- Cape Air
- El Al
- Etihad Airways
- JSX
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Icelandair
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Porter Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Seaborne Airlines
- Silver Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- Turkish Airlines
JetBlue's Planes
Current Fleet
As of April 2024, JetBlue uses these planes:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y+ | Y | Total | Refs | ||||
| Airbus A220-300 | 29 | 71 | — | 25 | 115 | 140 | These planes are replacing older Embraer 190 and Airbus A320 aircraft. | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 11 | — | — | 42 | 108 | 150 | Older planes will be retired and replaced by Airbus A220s. | |
| 119 | 120 | 162 | ||||||
| Airbus A321-200 | 35 | — | 16 | 41 | 102 | 159 | ||
| 28 | — | 42 | 158 | 200 | ||||
| Airbus A321LR | 10 | 3 | 24 | 24 | 90 | 138 | ||
| Airbus A321neo | 8 | 35 | 16 | 42 | 102 | 160 | ||
| 16 | — | 158 | 200 | Some planes are parked due to engine issues. | ||||
| Airbus A321XLR | — | 13 | TBA | Expected to be delivered starting in 2024. | ||||
| Embraer 190 | 32 | — | — | 16 | 84 | 100 | JetBlue was the first airline to use this plane. These planes will be retired by 2025 and replaced by Airbus A220s. |
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| Total | 288 | 122 | ||||||
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Future Plane Plans
Since 2011, JetBlue has changed its plane orders many times. They first planned to get 40 Airbus A320neo planes. Later, they changed almost all of these orders to the larger Airbus A321neo.
From 2018 to 2019, JetBlue decided to replace all its older Embraer 190 planes with the new Airbus A220-300. They also changed some Airbus A321neo orders to include the even longer-range Airbus A321XLR.
In 2020, JetBlue received its first Airbus A220. In 2021, the A321LR joined the fleet. JetBlue expects to get the Airbus A321XLR planes starting in 2024.
What JetBlue Offers on Flights
Seating Options
On most of its planes, JetBlue has a single main cabin called Core. In Core, some rows have "Even More Space" seats, which give you 7 extra inches of legroom. The Core cabin has leather seats, free Wi-Fi, free snacks and drinks (not alcohol), and entertainment screens. These screens offer DirecTV, Sirius XM Radio, and movies.
JetBlue updated its Core seats in 2014 with the first Airbus A321 planes. These updated seats also appeared on A320 planes starting in 2018. The same seat design is used on JetBlue's Airbus A220 planes.
JetBlue's E190 planes are not being updated because the airline plans to stop using them by 2026.
Mint: Premium Cabin
In 2014, JetBlue added a special premium cabin called Mint. This service was first available on flights across the U.S. on certain Airbus A321 planes. The seats in Mint can lie completely flat, and some even have sliding walls for more privacy.
Mint has since been added to some Caribbean routes. In 2021, JetBlue announced a new and improved version of the Mint service and seating.
Entertainment on Board
JetBlue offers many entertainment options during your flight:
- Fly-Fi internet access from gate to gate. This Wi-Fi is free on all flights and is quite fast.
- Over 100 channels of DIRECTV and Sirius XM Radio.
- Movies.
- On the Airbus A321 and newer updated Airbus A320 planes, there's a 15-inch interactive video screen.
- JetBlue also works with Amazon. This lets customers watch Amazon Prime videos by connecting to Wi-Fi and using the Amazon Video app on their phone or tablet.
TrueBlue: Frequent Flyer Program
JetBlue's program for frequent flyers is called TrueBlue. In this program, members earn points for every dollar they spend on a flight. You get extra points if you book online directly on JetBlue.com. You can also earn more points if you use the JetBlue Mastercard credit card. The number of points needed for a free flight depends on the flight's price.
In June 2013, JetBlue announced that TrueBlue points will never expire. In May 2023, JetBlue updated its TrueBlue program. It added a new 4-tier status for its top members (Mosaic) and allowed members to choose their own perks.
Flight Incidents
- September 21, 2005: Flight 292 was flying from Burbank to New York JFK Airport. The plane had to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport (pictured). This happened because the front landing gear got stuck sideways. The plane flew for about three hours to burn fuel and become lighter. It landed safely, and no one was hurt.
- March 27, 2012: Flight 191 was flying from New York JFK Airport to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The plane made an emergency landing at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. This was because the captain started acting strangely and was locked out of the cockpit. Passengers helped to control him. No one was seriously injured.
- January 22, 2022: Flight 1748 was flying from Yampa Valley Regional Airport to Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. During takeoff, the plane's tail hit the runway. This happened while the pilots were trying to avoid another small plane that was landing on the same runway. Flight 1748 was redirected to Denver International Airport, and no one on board was injured.
See also
In Spanish: JetBlue Airways para niños
- Aviation in the United States
