JetBlue Airways is a fan favorite among American air travelers. From its lower-cost ticket prices, accessible inflight accommodations, and excellent safety record, it very rarely ceases to leave its customers with anything but a smile after their experience.
This airline started from humble beginnings to grow into one of the largest airlines in the country. It is responsible for transporting well over 40 million passengers annually to their destinations throughout North America, Central America, and Europe.
In this guide, we will discuss key information and facts about JetBlue Airways that you need to know before you fly.
JetBlue’s Humble Beginnings
JetBlue Airways was born in 1998 under the guidance of its founder David Needleman. David decided to leverage Southwest’s business plan as a low-cost carrier for inspiration of how JetBlue should be run however with some added benefits.
The airline took pride in offering the most flight amenities for its customers even though they were a low-cost airline. JetBlue offered free in-flight amenities like XM satellite radio and in-flight television at every seat, regardless of class.
You can also see parallels between JetBlue and Southwest with their aircraft fleet choices.
Just like Southwest, JetBlue decided to stick with one aircraft type initially to keep maintenance costs down. JetBlue primarily used the Airbus A320. Just like how Southwest Airlines only uses the Boeing 737.
JetBlue is based out of Queens, New York which is conveniently located next to John F Kennedy International Airport, its first hub which they were awarded 75 takeoff/landing slots in September 1999.
Its first flight took place in February 2000 when it offered service from New York City to Buffalo & Fort Lauderdale.
JetBlue has since grown its route map it flies to nearly 100 destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Very recently, JetBlue has expanded its presence to Europe.
The airline has also expanded its aircraft fleet by acquiring new Airbus variants (Airbus A321, Airbus A220) and the Embraer 190 (being replaced by the Airbus A220).
Key Facts and Information about JetBlue
Year Founded: 1998
Years of Operation: 24 years
Airline Type: Major
Call Sign: JETBLUE
Website: https://www.jetblue.com/
The JetBlue Aircraft Fleet – In Detail
JetBlue Airways operates a total of 287 aircraft spanning aircraft manufacturers Airbus & Embraer.
JetBlue most commonly flies the Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321-200, and the Embraer 190.
JetBlue Airways Airbus A320
The A320-200 is a popular narrow-body jetliner designed for short to medium-haul flights. It can seat up to 180 passengers and has a range of over 3,000 miles.
JetBlue Airbus A321
The Airbus A321-200 is a popular commercial aircraft that is known for its comfort and efficiency. It features spacious interiors, advanced technology, and low fuel consumption, making it a popular choice for airlines worldwide.
Embraer E190
The Embraer 190 is a regional-type aircraft designed to fly on short to medium routes. It can carry a little over 100 passengers and has a range of about 2400 miles.
JetBlue Airways Airbus A220
The A220-300 is a new generation of narrow-body jetliners designed for short to medium-haul flights. It can seat up to 160 passengers and has a range of over 3,400 miles.
JetBlue Airways Seating Configurations
JetBlue is known for having plenty of legroom on its planes. They claim they have the largest amount of seat pitches of any U.S airline.
JetBlue traditionally uses an economy-only class seating arrangement on their aircraft. However, on their Airbus A321, they do have a first-class seating arrangement known as JetBlue Mint.
Economy Seating
In the Embraer 190, the economy class is a 2 x 2 seating configuration.
The Airbus A320 has a classic seating arrangement and a restyled seating arrangement depending on how new the aircraft is.
Classic seating on the A320 is standard seating without mood lighting to help you get some rest on the flight. These are typically some of the inaugural aircraft. On the newer aircraft including the Airbus A321, there is an addition of mood lighting and sleek seat designs.
On these larger aircraft, the seating configuration is a 3 x 3.
JetBlue has an option for seating labeled as “Even More Space”. These seats are available on all JetBlue aircraft and on average feature 7 inches of more legroom than a standard seat.
JetBlue Mint
On the Airbus A321 which operates longer routes, JetBlue customers have the option to purchase a first-class ticket which JetBlue calls Mint.
Mint seating gives you your cubby seat that can recline to lie completely flat.
You also get to use a large 17-inch screen tv which is one of the largest on any airline aircraft.
The mint seating allows you to comfortably get work done, entertain yourself, and ensure you are well-rested when you get off the flight.
JetBlue Focus Cities and Flight Operations
JetBlue Airways currently flies to 104 destinations across North America, Central America, and Europe.
JetBlue Airways claims they operate using focus cities. They typically use point-to-point flights out of these focus cities instead of connecting flights.
JetBlue utilizes the following locations as its focus cities.
- Boston – Boston Logan International Airport
- Fort Lauderdale – Fort Lauderdale International Airport
- Los Angeles – Los Angeles International Airport
- New York–JFK – John F Kennedy International Airport
- Orlando – Orlando Sanford International Airport.
Most Popular Domestic Destinations By Flights Offered Per Day
- Boston to Washington
- New York City to Los Angeles
- Orlando to New York City
- Boston to New York City
- Fort Lauderdale to New York City
Most Popular International Destinations By Flights Offered Per Day
- New York City to Santiago de los Cabelleros
- New York City to San Juan
- New York City to Santo Domingo
- Orlando to San Juan
- New York City to Punta Cana
JetBlue On-Time Performance
Probably the most unattractive thing about JetBlue Airways is their on-time performance.
In 2022 JetBlue ranked 7th behind Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines in on-time performance with a lousy 66% percent on-time arrival percentage.
Concerning JetBlue, they do find themselves flying into large airports that historically have shown large amounts of delays and unfavorable weather.
On study shows that a major complaint about JetBlue is the number of times JetBlue gets stuck on the tarmac delayed, sometimes up to two hours.
Is JetBlue a Safe Airline to Fly On?
Yes, JetBlue is a safe airline to fly on. Air travel today can be considered one of the safest modes of transportation available. Airplanes are routinely inspected before each flight and pilots train for every scenario that can happen during a flight.
JetBlue has experienced seven major, but nonlethal accidents since it was founded in 2000. They have experienced no passenger fatalities to date or have had any planes written off from passenger service.
To become a pilot for JetBlue, you need to have 1500 hours of total flying time and three reference letters from other pilots that can attest to your flying ability. With that said, JetBlue only hires the best.
