JetBlue marks 25th anniversary with special A321 livery celebrating employees

On February 11, 2025, JetBlue celebrated the 25th anniversary of operating its first commercial passenger flight – an event that, according to the New York-based carrier, “ushered in a new era of affordable, customer-focused air travel that would set new standards for customer service in the years to come.”

Two and a half decades on from that first flight (a scheduled passenger service from New York-JFK Airport (JFK) to Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL), the airline still operates that same flight that carries the iconic flight number of JetBlue Flight #1. JetBlue now operates from five bases across the US – Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan (Puerto Rico).

Not only was the anniversary marked with celebrations across the JetBlue network with festivities, giveaways, and a birthday seat sale, but the airline unveiled a new, special aircraft livery that recognizes and celebrates JetBlue’s crewmembers who “have been at the heart of the airline’s success for the past 25 years.”

The new external color scheme called ‘BlueUnity’ and applied to the airline’s Airbus A321neo registered N970JB, features a sky-blue fuselage color with stylized depictions of JetBlue staff across the rear fuselage and reaching up the tail. The one-of-a-kind livery was created by current JetBlue crewmember Ray Mathew. To mark the occasion, the aircraft symbolically operated JetBlue Flight #1 from JKF-FLL commemorating the airline’s first flight.

According to an airline statement, the livery has been introduced “in tribute and recognition of the airline’s more than 23,000 dedicated crewmembers that make every flight possible. The livery serves as a tribute to the teamwork that keeps JetBlue soaring and its customers coming back. Every JetBlue workgroup plays a vital role in the travel journey, working together every day to allow customers to connect with loved ones, explore new destinations, and create memories. “The aircraft also boasts eye-catching design elements, including a bold side-body tagline that says it all: ‘Honoring the fly-est crew in the biz.’

Coby Wayne / Shutterstock“As we celebrate 25 groundbreaking years of JetBlue, I’m filled with gratitude and pride for the remarkable journey we’ve taken together,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s CEO. “Our mission of bringing humanity back to air travel has set us apart, and our amazing crewmembers are redefining what it means to truly care for our customers and each other.”

“Building a unique culture focused on caring for the crewmembers was always core to the JetBlue model, and this new livery speaks to exactly that,” Geraghty added. “It’s truly awe-inspiring to think about the countless individuals, many working behind the scenes, who make our airline so special. Painting it on the side of a plane lets everyone in on the secret of JetBlue’s success – our crewmembers.”

JetBlue as a pioneer

Starting with an initial route network of just 10 destinations from JFK, JetBlue now serves over 100 destinations across 31 countries in the US, Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, and Europe.

As a disruptor airline, JetBlue became something of a pioneer upon starting operations in February 2000, becoming the first US airline to introduce all-leather seating, seatback TVs with live entertainment, plus free unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi on every aircraft, and free name-brand snacks – each across all cabins.

“Our combination of affordable airfares and award-winning service has given us a unique place in the industry as a bit of a maverick disruptor, and we are still building on that reputation,” Geraghty said. “The industry has changed a lot since 2000 and we’ve changed with it, but we’re continuing to put our customers at the center of our plan for the next chapter of JetBlue.”

Roman Tiraspolsky / ShutterstockWhat’s next for JetBlue?

Not resting on its laurels after a quarter century of flying operations, JetBlue intends to continue expanding and developing throughout 2025. The airline will launch seasonal routes from Boston to Madrid in Spain, and Edinburgh, in Scotland, starting in May 2025 – international flights that join existing services to Dublin, Amsterdam, London, and Paris.

Elsewhere, the carrier will open its first-ever customer lounges at JFK’s Terminal 5 and Boston Logan’s Terminal C soon afterward, both of which will be open to JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic loyalty members and JetBlue premium cardholders.

Robin Guess / ShutterstockLastly, the airline will continue the gradual transition away from operating its remaining 39-strong fleet of 100-seat Embraer ERJ-190s, replacing them with factory-fresh 140-seat Airbus A220-300s of which the carrier currently operates 44 of the type with a further 56 on order.

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