Summary
- JetBlue Airways acknowledged a market gap between its major hubs in Boston and New York City.
- Bradley International Airport outside of Hartford is New England’s second largest airport, serving Western Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
- JetBlue currently flies to 10 destinations nonstop from Hartford with the majority connecting Connecticut to warm weather destinations like Florida.
Table of Contents
JetBlue passengers in Connecticut for well over 10 years have been lucky enough to be able to catch flights from Hartford’s Bradley International Airport.
Centered between two major JetBlue hub cities, Boston and New York, JetBlue realized there was a market in New England that was underserved. Passengers from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts had to travel over an hour to either catch a flight in New York or Boston.
In this guide, we’ll talk about the history of JetBlue at Bradley International Airport as well as cover some of the routes they are currently flying out of this airport.
We will also provide you with some details about finding JetBlue’s terminal at the airport and what JetBlue aircraft you can expect to fly from Hartford.
History of JetBlue Airways at Hartford
JetBlue Airways has historically had a presence in the New England Area. With a major hub at Boston Logan International Airport and John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, New Englanders are never too far away from an airport that JetBlue flies from.
However, for people living in the interior of Massachusetts, and Northern Connecticut, it is a trek to get to either Boston or New York City to find a JetBlue flight.
JetBlue identified this market gap and put plans to address it by deciding to offer flights from Hartford, Connecticut.
JetBlue’s Beginnings at Bradley International Airport
On April 19th, 2010, Connecticut Governor M.Jodi Rell along with JetBlue Airway executives announced that the airline would begin flights from Bradley International Airport located in the outskirts of Hartford, Connecticut. Hartford was the airline’s 63rd destination and its first service to the state of Connecticut.
This announcement was a solution for those travelers found in the inland region of New England. It made tremendous sense considering that Bradley International Airport is New England’s second largest airport. This was an underserved market of New England that needed to be addressed by JetBlue.
The first flight route being offered from Hartford was a twice-a-day nonstop flight to Florida on board the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft. The two destinations initially offered were Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
Route Expansion
JetBlue’s presence was further expanded in 2013 when the airline announced two more routes to Florida. A year-round nonstop flight from Hartford was offered to Tampa as well as a seasonal nonstop flight to Fort Myers.
Shortly thereafter, even more routes were added, this time to West Palm Beach, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In 2021, to become the largest air carrier in Connecticut, JetBlue decided to add more service from Bradley International Airport. This time the new routes weren’t to warm weather destinations in the South but an expansion to the Western portion of the United States.
The airline began offering flights to leisurely destinations in the West such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. It also announced its first real international flight to the popular vacation destination in Puerto Rico, Cancun. They also began flying a nonstop flight to Miami, Florida.
Why Does JetBlue Offer Flights From Hartford?
Escapes From the New England Area for Leisure
Much of the flights being offered from Hartford are to leisurely destinations mostly in warmer climates. This makes lots of sense since New England tends to be very cold for a significant portion of the year. New Englanders either embrace the cold by going to the Mountains of Vermont for wintertime activities or beat the cold by flying somewhere warmer.
Being situated in between two major JetBlue hubs can put a damper on some of the routes the airline can offer from Hartford. Passengers looking to go to the more obscure destinations offered by JetBlue will need to either use New York-JFK or Boston Logan.
Taking Advantage of Hartford’s Insurance Industry
Hartford is known as being the insurance capital of the United States. A decent share of insurance companies call Hartford home.
For insurance professionals in Hartford, having the option to hop on a trip to a major business center like Los Angeles directly from Bradley International Airport, is a huge win. They don’t have to add hours of driving to a trip by having to drive to Boston or New York City.
The 10 JetBlue Airways Nonstop Routes From Hartford
As of April 2024, JetBlue Airways flies 10 nonstop routes to destinations across the United States. However, these routes are mostly consolidated to Florida.
Much of these flights the airline has historically flown since its existence at Bradley International Airport began in 2010.
Only three routes have failed at Harford for the airline, which was its flights to Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Cancun.
| Destination City | Destination Airport | Offering | Aircraft Type |
| San Juan | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport | Year Round | Airbus A320 |
| West Palm Beach | Palm Beach International Airport | Year Round | Airbus A320 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale International Airport | Year Round | Airbus A320 |
| Miami | Miami International Airport | Seasonal | Airbus A320 |
| Fort Myers | Southwest Florida International Airport | Seasonal | Airbus A320 |
| Orlando | Orlando International Airport | Year Round | Airbus A320, Airbus A321 |
| Tampa | Tampa International Airport | Year Round | Airbus A320 |
| Los Angeles | Los Angeles International Airport | Seasonal | Airbus A320 |
Competition at Bradley International Airport
In terms of competition, much of JetBlue’s competition comes from Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. Also, up-and-coming airline Breeze Airways has a large presence at this airport. Breeze Airways is owned by the same owner as JetBlue although has a different business plan than JetBlue.
Where is JetBlue’s Terminal at Bradley International Airport?
JetBlue Airways operates out of Terminal A at Bradley International Airport. Terminal A is very easy to find at Bradley because the airport only has one passenger terminal to choose from. This terminal has a series of gates that serve just about all the airlines that fly from Hartford.
The ticket counters for JetBlue are open between 4 AM to 7:50 PM. There are self-serve kiosks available to check in and get your bag check-in tags.
The security checkpoint opens at 3 AM and closes at 10 PM. There are priority security options that passengers can take advantage of.
The Type of JetBlue Airways Aircraft You Can Fly On From Hartford
Currently, there are two types of aircraft that JetBlue flies into and out of Bradley International Airport.
Airbus A320 Classic
JetBlue typically operates their Airbus A320 classic to destinations from Bradley International Airport. The classic is an older aircraft, with the airline’s oldest being phased out for the newer Airbus A320 Neo.
The classic can fit 162 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. It features basic JetBlue staples like free wifi and complimentary flight entertainment including live direct TV and XM satellite radio.
However, you will notice some of the aircraft age when you look at the inflight entertainment system because of its older interface, screen quality, and credit swipe.
JetBlue’s Airbus Classic is a more than capable aircraft to perform flights out of Hartford. There aren’t any real performance issues like mountains that the aircraft would need extra power to clear. Besides an occasional New England snowstorm or a Floridian thunderstorm, most of the flights to Florida promise fair, warm weather.
In the next few years, you can expect these aircraft to be phased out by JetBlue’s newest aircraft type, the Airbus A220.
Airbus A321 Classic
JetBlue also flies its Airbus A321 classic on the routes to Orlando. The Airbus A321 provides many of the same amenities as the Airbus A320 however, the main difference is that the A321 can accommodate more passengers per flight.
Also, performance is slightly upgraded since the A321 is a younger aircraft than the A320, more fuel efficient, and built with better engines.
Orlando is probably one of JetBlue’s highly sought-after Florida destinations necessitating an aircraft to accommodate the greater demand. The A321 is a perfect choice for the airline since its lower operation costs and high revenue per flight generate more profit per flight.
Final Thoughts About JetBlue Airways Service from Hartford
JetBlue Airways at Hartford’s Bradley International Airport serves its purpose. It won’t ever be a focus city for the airline however it does serve the need for a reliever type airport.
Centered between two major JetBlue hubs of New York City and Boston, there is a market of people in between these two areas which makes travel to these airports equally as long as the flight they intend to fly on.
This airport option is extremely helpful for New Englanders looking to beat the cold and travel to warm leisurely destinations. The flight options are mostly to Florida, except Los Angeles, which isn’t great for passengers who want a nonstop flight beyond those destinations.
Unfortunately, those travelers will have to make the drive to either Boston or New York City to seek destinations elsewhere.
Sources
https://www.flightconnections.com/route-map-jetblue-b6
https://www.jetblue.com/at-the-airport/airport-information/hartford-ct
