November 21, 2013, marked a milestone in Peruvian aviation when the first jetBlue flight landed at Jorge Chávez International Airport, connecting Lima (LIM) with Fort Lauderdale (FLL), United States.
This incursion of jetBlue into the Peruvian market not only represented a new option for travelers but also marked the second country in South America where the American airline established operations, after Colombia. However, after a decade of uninterrupted service, JetBlue announced its withdrawal from the Peruvian market last week.
Initially conceived as a seasonal route to take advantage of the high winter season in the northern hemisphere, the Lima-Fort Lauderdale route quickly became an attractive option for Peruvian passengers, thanks to its reputation as a low-fare alternative. The public’s reception led jetBlue to keep the route operational throughout the year, challenging the domination of the major American airlines and providing a new option in the market between the United States and Peru.
“Latin America is a strong and growing market for us, and we are excited to expand our presence in South America by adding Peru to jetBlue’s network,” the airline said at the time.
The company would break the dominance of the three major American airlines (American, Delta, and United) and bring a new operator between the United States and Peru. This route at the time was also served by Avianca and LATAM. Moreover, it added a new competitor on the Lima-Fort Lauderdale route, served by Spirit Airlines since 2007.
jetBlue operated uninterruptedly in Peru for ten years, except for 2020, when it briefly suspended its operations due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Last week, the airline announced it would eliminate the Fort Lauderdale-Lima route starting June 13.
“JetBlue is constantly evaluating our routes to better serve our customers, return our airline to profitability, and find ways to improve our reliability (…) These decisions are never easy, however, these markets have recently fallen below our expectations,” the company replied to Aviacionline when asked.
Jetblue in Peru
According to Peru’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), the airline transported 934,315 passengers between 2013 and 2023, last year it recorded the highest number of passengers transported with 117,644 travelers in its ten years of operations.
jetBlue maintained a daily flight from the start, operating its Airbus A320ceo and A320neo, with a capacity for 150 passengers, and from the end of May incorporating the Airbus A321ceo and A321neo, with a configuration of 200 seats. Over the ten years of operations, they had occupancy rates averaging between 85% and 91%.
Market between the United States-Peru
jetBlue became the second airline to leave this market after Spirit Airlines’ departure in January 2024, motivated by Pratt & Whitney engine reviews for the Airbus A320neo Family. The move would also reduce the low-cost airline offerings between the two countries, leaving five airlines – four legacy carriers and one LCC – operating between the United States and Peru.
- American Airlines
- Miami (MIA), three daily flights with Airbus A321neo.
- Delta Air Lines
- Atlanta (ATL), one daily flight with Airbus A350-900.
- LATAM
- Atlanta (ATL), one daily flight with Boeing 767-300 (ER).
- Los Angeles (LAX), two daily flights with Boeing 767-300 (ER) and Boeing 787-8.
- Miami (MIA), eighteen weekly flights with Boeing 767-300 (ER).
- New York (JFK), twelve weekly flights with Boeing 767-300 (ER).
- United Airlines
- Houston (IAH), one daily flight with Boeing 767-300 (ER).
- Newark (EWR), one daily flight with Boeing 767-300 (ER).
- SKY Peru
- Miami (MIA), one daily flight with Airbus A320neo.
Source: Aviaci Online
