JetBlue Airways Corporation, stylized as jetBlue, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. It is the sixth-largest airline in the United States, operating a point-to-point network with a main hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and focus cities in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue serves over 100 destinations across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada, and Europe, with a fleet of Airbus A320, A321, A220, and Embraer E190 aircraft. As of August 2025, JetBlue employs approximately 22,000 crewmembers and carries over 30 million passengers annually with an average of 850 daily flights. The airline is known for its customer-centric approach, offering amenities such as the most legroom in coach, free high-speed Wi-Fi, live TV, movies, and complimentary snacks and drinks. JetBlue operates under five core values: Safety, Caring, Integrity, Passion, and Fun, which shape its culture and service. It is a public company listed on NASDAQ under the ticker JBLU, with a market capitalization of $1.59 billion as of August 2025. JetBlue is not part of any global airline alliance but maintains codeshare agreements with airlines from Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance.
Brief History JetBlue was founded by David Neeleman in August 1998 as “NewAir” and incorporated in Delaware, with its headquarters initially in Forest Hills, Queens. Inspired by Southwest Airlines’ low-cost model, JetBlue aimed to differentiate itself with enhanced amenities like in-flight entertainment and assigned seating. It commenced operations on February 11, 2000, with its first flight from New York (JFK) to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering fares as low as $79 one-way. The airline quickly expanded, leveraging a fleet of new Airbus A320s and innovative technology like electronic reservations to keep costs low.
In 2010, JetBlue entered codeshare and interline agreements with airlines like Lufthansa and American Airlines, though some have since ended. In 2013, it introduced Mint, a premium cabin service with lie-flat seats on transcontinental and select Caribbean flights, launched in 2014 using Airbus A321 aircraft. JetBlue became the first airline to invest in hydrogen-powered flight in 2021 through a partnership with Universal Hydrogen. It also established Paisly (formerly JetBlue Travel Products) in 2018 to offer non-air travel services like insurance and car rentals. In 2022, JetBlue’s proposed $3.8 billion merger with Spirit Airlines was terminated, with JetBlue paying Spirit $69 million to resolve the agreement. The airline has since expanded to European destinations like Amsterdam, Dublin, London, Paris, and Madrid, and introduced its TrueBlue loyalty program and first customer lounges. JetBlue has consistently ranked high in customer satisfaction, earning J.D. Power’s “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Low Cost Carriers in North America” award for eight consecutive years through 2012.
JetBlue continues to innovate, focusing on sustainability, customer experience, and expanding its network while maintaining its mission to “bring humanity back to air travel.”
