JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced it will make its highly anticipated entrance into the transatlantic market with nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy international Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) starting August 11, 2021. New York’s Hometown Airline® will further enhance its U.S. and U.K. schedules with nonstop service between New York-JFK and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) starting September 29, 2021. London service from Boston, where JetBlue is the leading airline, will start in Summer 2022.
“The pandemic has opened doors to London’s two busiest airports, and we look forward to bringing customers low fares and great service at both Heathrow and Gatwick,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “JFK-LHR, the single largest international air travel market from the US, has long suffered from outrageously high fares for far too long, especially in premium cabins. We’re ready to change that with a price point and experience that will impress even the most discerning transatlantic flyers. We’ve always said that JetBlue would serve multiple London airports, and we’re pleased to have secured a path at Heathrow and for long-term growth at Gatwick, which offers speed, low costs, and convenient accessibility into Central London.”
Flights on both routes will operate daily on JetBlue’s new Airbus A321 Long Range (LR) aircraft with 24 redesigned Mint suites, 117 core seats and the sleek and spacious Airspace cabin interior. JetBlue is set to take delivery of three A321LRs in 2021, all operating on the JFK routes. Additional A321LRs scheduled for 2022 will operate Boston service. The A321LR platform – offering the range of a wide-body but with the economics of a single-aisle aircraft – will allow JetBlue to effectively compete with the airline’s award-winning service and low fares on flights between the U.S. and London.
Seats on both Heathrow and Gatwick routes are on sale starting today with low fares for U.S.-based travelers starting at $599 roundtrip for the airline’s award-winning core experience and starting at $1,979 roundtrip for JetBlue’s premium Mint experience. U.K.-based travelers can enjoy special introductory roundtrip fares starting at £329for core and £999 for Mint.
More Choices: A Tale of Two Airports
With the ability to access slots at both Heathrow and Gatwick, JetBlue is delivering on its commitment to serve multiple London airports and give customers greater choice between the two. Additionally, the airline can immediately begin growing a meaningful transatlantic customer base with diversified flying at two London airports. This strategy is consistent with JetBlue’s successful multi-airport approaches in New York, Los Angeles, South Florida and other metropolitan regions of the airline’s U.S. network…
