After months of speculation about a potential move, JetBlue announced today that they will maintain their New York City Headquarters. The carrier will also advance plans to expand their flagship Terminal 5 at JFK on the current Terminal 6 and 7 sites.
On Tuesday (August 3, 2021), JetBlue announced that they will keep their New York City headquarters. The airline will also advance their flagship JFK Terminal expansion project. JetBlue plans on adding over 1,800 jobs at New York City area airports (JFK, LaGuardia and Newark) as part of their Northeast Alliance with American Airlines. The airline made the decision to keep their headquarters in New York after their current office lease expires in 2023 following an in-depth review and a competitive bidding process. The company will remain in their current location in the Brewster Building at 27-01 Queens Plaza North in Long Island City, where they have been since 2012. The building was originally built in 1911 and is where the Brewster Aeronautical Company Built the Brewster F2A (Buffalo), the first monoplane fighter used by the U.S. Navy in WWII.
In Tuesday’s announcement, JetBlue’s Chief Executive Officer, Robin Hayes, said in part,
“Some people call New York the Big Apple. Others call it the center of the universe. At JetBlue, we call it home. Our unique brand and culture have been embraced by millions of New Yorkers for more than two decades, and we remain committed to helping bring this iconic city back from one of the greatest crises it has ever faced. A lot of out-of-town airlines like to talk big about New York City, but as the only airline based right here, no one knows like we do why this city has always been – and still is – such a great place to live, work and visit…
“…New York is in JetBlue’s DNA and inspires everything we do. Our comprehensive review found that keeping our headquarters in the city was the right thing for our crewmembers, our brand, and our business. We’re confident in the city’s commitment to bring back NYC stronger than ever on multiple fronts, including public safety, economic recovery, and travel and tourism. And at JetBlue we’re ready to do our part as well by advancing sustainability and diversity initiatives in the city, partnering with local organizations across the region, and activating thousands of crewmembers to volunteer in our communities.
“Even as our heart and soul remain in New York, we couldn’t be more pleased with the presence we’ve built in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale over the years and will continue to have campuses there that serve the diverse needs of the company.”
JetBlue will also expand their flagship Terminal 5 at JFK by developing a world-class terminal on the current Terminal 6 and 7 sites, which will seamlessly integrate with the existing terminal. The $3.9 billion, 1.2 million square foot facility will replace the existing aging Terminal 6 and 7 facilities and will be designed to accommodate both standard body and widebody gates. The Terminal will include over 100,000 square feet of commercial dining, retail, lounge and recreational spaces. JetBlue will also expand its footprint at LaGuardia Airport beyond the current space at the historic Marine Air Terminal, by partially moving into Terminal B later this year and completing the move in 2022. Finally, JetBlue will also be relocating to the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport in 2022.
JetBlue is ‘New York’s Hometown Airline® and a leading carrier in Boston (BOS), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Los Angeles (LAX), Orlando (MCO) and San Juan (SJU). The airline carries guests to destinations across the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. During summer 2021, JetBlue will launch new trans-Atlantic service to London. JetBlue Airways Corporation trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBLU.
Source: JetBlue