JetBlue’s inaugural flight to Dublin touches down – The Points Guy

Editors’ note: JetBlue provided TPG with a free one-way business-class ticket for the inaugural Dublin route. All opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and were not subject to review by JetBlue.

When JetBlue’s first aircraft departed for London amid pomp and circumstance in 2021, it was something of a new frontier for the carrier: its first foray across the Atlantic Ocean.

Nearly three years later, the blaring music of U2 inside Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) signaled another milestone for the New York-based carrier — one that was equal parts new and familiar, given the airline’s growing transatlantic presence.

The destination for this latest route launch was unmistakable, thanks to the combination of Bono’s voice, widespread green attire along the airport concourse — not to mention the celebratory corned beef and Brussels sprouts served gateside to guests.

Indeed, TPG was there Wednesday night as a JetBlue prepared for its first-ever flight from JFK to Dublin International Airport (DUB). Around the same time, some 215 miles northeast, another Dublin-bound JetBlue flight prepared to depart Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

That the Emerald Isle appeals to JetBlue is obvious. Millions of travelers fly annually between Ireland and the Northeast U.S., where the carrier’s presence is most heavily concentrated, JetBlue’s top executive said in public remarks at JFK Wednesday.

“With a strong historic connection between Ireland and the United States, specifically our northeast focus cities in New York and Boston, we are going to continue to deliver on the commitment to bring customers to the places that they most want to go,” said JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty, who just marked one month on the job.

Still, for how destination-unique the pre-flight festivities were — complete with Irish dancers and a confetti-showered ribbon-cutting —the occasion itself was equally reminiscent of similar celebrations JetBlue has thrown in recent years.

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Dublin marks the airline’s fourth new European destination launched in just the last three years. Before that, it had never previously flown to the continent.

“We’ve proven again and again and again that when given a fair chance to compete smaller carriers and new entrants generate outsized benefits,” Geraghty told the crowd.

JetBlue’s growing European route map

Over the next six months, JetBlue will fly more than 267,000 seats to Europe, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

That’s up more than 130% from last year, when it launched new nonstops to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris and Schiphol Airport (AMS) in Amsterdam.

Dublin isn’t the end of its transatlantic expansion, either.

In May, the carrier will launch a new nonstop route to Edinburgh.

It’s the latest chapter in a fast and highly strategic growth across the Atlantic, with each of JetBlue’s European flights — currently four of them — originating from its JFK or Boston hubs.

On-board product

On board its single-aisle transatlantic fleet, the airline has combined consistency from one jet and route to another with light refreshes to its soft product.

Travelers in the 144-seat coach (or “Core”) cabin found destination-specific tokens, before build-your-own dinner selections from New York City-based Dig! and wine, beer and spirits — not to mention Wi-Fi.

Mint

Those of us in the premium Mint cabin (with 16 lie-flat pods) were among the first travelers — inflight, at least — to experience all-new amenity kits, featuring a new assortment of products that are JetBlue’s latest collaborations with New York City-based brands; TPG’s Zach Griff got a sneak-peak at the refreshed kits last week.

At dinnertime, JetBlue — as has been the case consistently — impressed, with a kale caesar salad, burrata, and spinach lasagna (chicken cacciatore was the other option).

Its latest menu features selections from Hudson Yards eatery Legacy Records.

The cabin crew was well-versed in the wine selections, which spanned different regions of the world.

Though the Mint suites themselves are familiar to any traveler who’s flown JetBlue to Europe in the past, the fact that this plane would be landing in Dublin was reason enough for Keith Anderson to make the trek to the U.S. for the sole purpose of joining this inaugural flight.

Anderson, who’s originally from Belfast and lives in Northern Ireland, is CEO of Thompson Aero Seating, which designed JetBlue’s Mint pods.

“We’re all very proud back home,” Anderson told TPG. “What JetBlue has done with it is outstanding. We love just how cool and funky it is, it means a lot.”

A busy summer in Dublin, Edinburgh

JetBlue will have plenty of company in Dublin this summer, to be sure.

Over a six-month period between March and August, airlines will fly from the U.S. to the Irish capital with 11% more seats versus that same period in 2023, according to Cirium data.

JetBlue’s arrival in the market is a big part of that, of course. But Delta Air Lines is also scaling up its Dublin service by 21% over last year. American Airlines is growing in Dublin by 16%, year-over-year.

JetBlue will help fuel even faster-paced growth to Edinburgh International Airport (EDI) when it launches service to the Scottish capital on May 22.

Seats from the U.S. to Edinburgh will be up nearly 15% vs. 2023, between March and August. They’ll be up by close to 50% compared with pre-pandemic 2019.

A more ‘opportunistic’ approach to Europe

For its part, JetBlue is taking a slightly more measured approach in both Dublin and Edinburgh.

Unlike its year-round service in London, Paris and Amsterdam, its Dublin and Edinburgh routes will both be seasonal, with daily service lasting through Sept. 30.

And after rapid expansion to some of Europe’s most popular cities — at least those reachable with JetBlue’s narrow-body fleet of aircraft — that more strategic approach might be more common, looking forward.

Speaking Tuesday at the JP Morgan Industrials Conference, Geraghty noted the airline would be “much more opportunistic” with any future European expansion, having “cycled through” launches to what the carrier sees as the most obvious transatlantic routes.

Does that mean JetBlue’s European growth will be slower in the future?

“I think if you look at Dublin and Scotland specifically, we saw an opportunity to do seasonal service there which is great, taking advantage of summer tourism. We’re looking for more opportunities like that,” Geraghty said in a one-on-one interview with TPG Wednesday. “Scale in Paris and London has been important for us. And then I think it’s a lot of opportunistic flying as it comes up for JetBlue.”

Arrival in Dublin

A warm croissant, cheese plate and an iced Americano coincided with sunrise as Flight 841 made landfall in Ireland, touching down to cabinwide applause at 7:26 a.m. local time after around six hours, 23 minutes of flight time.

As the aircraft pulled up to the gate in alongside the already-arrived flight from Boston, the moment was not lost on passengers. After all, the flight arrived in Dublin just three days before one of the city’s most iconic days of the year.

Passenger Teresa Russell, of Maryland, booked her flight to Dublin specifically to celebrate March 17 in the Irish capital — not knowing she’d find her way into some airline history.

“It’s my birthday on St. Patrick’s day, so I was like, ‘Let’s go to Dublin!'” Russell said. “I didn’t even know it was JetBlue’s first flight. That’s awesome.”

Deals available

Travelers hoping to take part in one of JetBlue’s early flights to Dublin may want to act quickly. Through Friday, round trips to Dublin are on sale for $399 from Boston, round trip, and $499 from JFK in core.

Mint seats to Dublin are on sale, too, for $1,999 round trip from Boston, and $2,499 from New York.

The sale applies to travel between March 19 and May 8, with a three-day advance purchase required.

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