Quarterlytics / Industrials / Airlines, Airports & Air Services / Jetblue Airways

Jetblue Airways

jblu · NASDAQ Industrials
Claim this profile
Ticker jblu
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Industrials
Industry Airlines, Airports & Air Services
Employees 10,000+
← All annual reports
FY2019 Annual Report · Jetblue Airways
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
Annual Report Cover - 2019 Final2.pdf   1   3/2/20   4:18 PM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Dear Fellow Owners:

This year we both celebrate our 20th birthday and face arguably the biggest threat to our industry that we have 
ever seen. As I reflect on our history, I could not be more pleased with the accomplishments of the JetBlue team 
over the past two decades. I am even more proud of the outstanding service of our crewmembers to each other 
and to our customers as we respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Our 23,000 crewmembers continue to 
deliver a safe and secure JetBlue experience, while living our founding values of Safety, Caring, Integrity, Passion, 
and Fun. I am honored to serve them as CEO every day. 

Our Accomplishments in 2019

For JetBlue, 2019 was a solid year from a financial, operational, and customer satisfaction standpoint. Notably, we 
made significant progress returning to our low cost roots, which we believe will allow us to continue to compete 
as a relatively smaller player against the large legacy airlines that control the vast share of the U.S. airline industry.

Looking back, I am extremely proud of what the JetBlue team achieved as we continued to strengthen the 
foundation of our business. Some of these highlights include: 

•• We generated revenues of $8.1 billion, up 5.7% year over year, and our pre-tax margin, excluding special items, 

was 9.5%. This is a one-point year-over-year improvement in our pre-tax margin

•• We beat the mid-point of our 2019 initial cost guidance, and completed our Structural Cost Program, saving 
$314 million on an annual run-rate basis, exceeding the original goal we established in 2016 of $250-300 million

•• We rolled out Fare Options 2.0, the next iteration of fare bundling, which helps drive revenue while giving 

customers more choice in travel

•• We made significant progress in our Airbus cabin restyling program, which is improving both customer 

satisfaction and financial returns

•• We took delivery of our first six fuel-efficient, range-boosting A321neos and launched our longest-ever route, 

connecting New York with Guayaquil, Ecuador

•• We strengthened our focus cities, and made some difficult but important changes to our network to add 

relevance for our leisure and business customers and improve financial returns 

•• Our JetBlue Travel Products subsidiary ramped up, laying the groundwork for the next period of ancillary growth

•• We strengthened our governance by adding two new members to our Board of Directors: Teri McClure and Vivek 
Sharma. We also updated our governance guidelines on tenure and retirement, resulting in Joel Peterson, Frank 
Sica, and Stephan Gemkow retiring from the Board in May 2020, and Peter Boneparth succeeding Peterson 
as chair

•• We continued to invest in our most valuable asset – our crewmembers. We expanded our JetBlue Scholars 
higher education program to include master’s degree options; since launching in 2016 our crewmembers have 
earned a total of 250 undergraduate degrees 

•• We continued to strengthen our culture as we grow and demonstrated our commitment to the communities 
we serve. Of note, in 2019 our crewmembers reached an incredible milestone volunteering one million hours 
of service over the past 8 years

An Early Look into 2020

Just three months into 2020, we are all navigating through very uncertain times as an industry. The novel 
coronavirus outbreak has brought a significant drop in demand, unlike anything our industry has seen before. 
As we navigate these uncertain times, our priority is to ensure the safety of our crewmembers and customers, 
as well as protect the financial safety of JetBlue for the long term.

We believe we are better positioned than any time in our 20-year history to endure the current environment. 
We have managed our balance sheet and liquidity conservatively, and we are pleased with the improvements 
to our credit rating over the past few years, which I believe speaks to the improving strength of our business.

Through our actions in the past, we have proven to be nimble and fast in responding to external events. We are 
taking swift and decisive action for the short term, while continuing to deliver on our longer term commitment 
to generating shareholder value. We remain confident in our future and every JetBlue crewmember is focused 
on managing through an unprecedented period in our history in a way that is true to our mission and values. 

Five Building Blocks for JetBlue’s Long Term Success

During the past few years we have talked about margin as the North Star for JetBlue. In 2019 we started to reap 
the benefits of our focus on executing our comprehensive plan that we laid out at our 2018 Investor Day to drive 
margin expansion and earnings growth. Our plan comprises five building blocks: network, product offering, fleet, 
cost, and capital allocation. We have taken a number of actions and have been working on a series of initiatives 
to ensure our success.

Strengthening our Network to Offer More Relevance to Customers

The JetBlue model works extremely well in high-value markets where customers value our highly differentiated 
model. For the past few years our goal has been to gain relevance and scale in geographies where our model 
has proven to be most effective and profitable. We have continued to target our growth and adjusted capacity 
through network reallocation in our focus cities, enabling us to drive higher revenues and margins. 

In particular, last year we made significant progress in strengthening our relevance in Boston and Fort Lauderdale 
through added frequencies, new markets, and flying larger aircraft. Some examples of added relevance during 2019 
include boosting top business markets such as Boston – Washington (DCA) to 15 daily roundtrips, and Boston – New 
York (LGA) to nearly 10 daily roundtrips. We have continued to find much success in the transcontinental market.

Building an Even More Differentiated Product Offering for our Customers

In 2019, we were recognized with some two dozen awards, demonstrating that customers continue to embrace 
the JetBlue brand. As our business and consumer preferences continue to evolve, though, we continue to look 
for ways to build customer loyalty by offering an even more relevant and compelling value proposition. Aside from 
continuing to enhance the JetBlue experience, we also have made progress in better merchandizing, pricing, 
and distributing our product through refined product segmentation and improved revenue management and 
distribution tools.

A significant product accomplishment in 2019 was the roll out of Fare Options 2.0, the next iteration of the 
fare bundles first rolled out in 2015, which give customers choice when they travel. Unlike other airlines, even 
JetBlue’s lowest fare comes complete with the most legroom in coach, free inflight entertainment, free Fly-Fi® 
broadband, free snacks and soft drinks, and our award-winning service. We are pleased with the performance 
of Fare Options 2.0 during the last quarter of 2019 and early in the first quarter of 2020. Looking ahead, we plan 
to continue optimizing pricing, including of ancillaries.

In 2019, our ancillary revenue per customer grew 14% year over year to approximately $34, aided by another year 
of solid growth in our co-branded credit card portfolio and continued efforts in optimizing pricing for bags and 
seats. We also saw the benefit of continued momentum from customers signing up for our co-branded credit 
cards, and earning and redeeming TrueBlue® points.

Finally, we solidified our investments in our JetBlue Travel Products subsidiary and relaunched its JetBlue 
Vacations offering to include more perks such as no change fees, earlier boarding, a free inflight beverage, and 
access to a dedicated customer assurance team. Over the next few years we plan to continue developing and 
rolling out an even more innovative suite of products, which we believe will add to our earnings base.

Returning to our Low Cost Roots to Strengthen our Margins

Our low cost model offers value for all stakeholders, helping expand our margins while offering low fares and a 
great product to customers. In 2019, we executed better than planned from a cost perspective, thanks to the 
outstanding job of our crewmembers. We were able to reset our unit cost base despite meaningful headwinds 
to our capacity plans, including significant delays in Airbus NEO deliveries. 

In 2019 we achieved cumulative run-rate Structural Cost Program savings of $314 million, exceeding our $250-
300 million target that we set at our 2016 Investor Day. We also executed on our unit cost guidance for the year. 
One of our most recent achievements include reaching the final contracting stage of the V2500 SelectOne 
engine maintenance RFP.

Cost discipline is now a way of life for JetBlue, and we plan to mitigate future inflationary pressures through 
managing external spend, leveraging technology to enhance productivity, and benefiting from new aircraft and 
engine programs into the next decade. We believe that maintaining a lean cost structure as we grow will continue 
to position JetBlue for success.

Making Disciplined Investments in Fleet to Improve our Returns 

In 2019, we put in place a fleet strategy that enhances our network growth and helped us grow our margins and 
returns. Over the past decade, we have systematically improved returns on all of our fleet types, from our oldest 
A320s to our newest A321neos. We ended 2019 with 259 aircraft in our fleet, and had six A321neos deliveries 
during the year.

We continued our restyling program for our A320s, completing nearly half of our fleet. Despite increasing seat 
capacity slightly, JetBlue continues to offer the most legroom in coach based on the industry average in the 
U.S. As a result of our restyling efforts, we have improved customer experience and Net Promoter Scores, while 
driving lower unit costs.

Maintaining a Conservative, yet Opportunistic Approach to Capital Allocation

Over the past few years we have significantly strengthened our balance sheet and maintained a conservative 
approach to managing it. At the close of 2019, we had $1.3 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short term 
investments, a position significantly above our liquidity target of 10 to 12% of trailing 12-month revenue. Our 
adjusted debt-to-cap ratio was 34%, well within our target of 30 to 40%, and our adjusted net debt to EBITDA 
was 0.9x, among the lowest in our peer group.

Our strong balance sheet enabled us to re-invest an average of over 70% of our cash from operations back in 
our business during the past five years, and have made investments – mainly in fleet – between $1 - 1.2 billion 
every year. We have also balanced capital investments and opportunistic capital returns to our owners via share 
repurchases. Managing our JetBlue to investments metrics and maintaining a fortress balance sheet has proven 
essential to make return-accretive investments and build a strong cash position to protect our business.

Our Commitment to our Customers, Crewmembers and Owners 

For the past two decades, our team has been dedicated to delivering a great experience while living our values 
and putting our mission into action. Our industry and consumer expectations have evolved over that time, and 
so have we, in order to be relevant and competitive. However, our values and our mission have not changed, and 
we have successfully withstood past times of uncertainty, coming out stronger as a team.

The current crisis is poised to be a historical event for our industry, both on a national and a global basis. Looking 
ahead, we aim to continue to be prudent with investment decisions, taking actions to manage factors which we 
cannot control, working on further strengthening our margins and maintaining discipline in our balance sheet to 
weather unexpected challenges. Our priority will always continue to be to live our values and deliver our mission, 
taking care of our customers, crewmembers, and owners.

Thanks to our 23,000 crewmembers who continue to deliver the JetBlue experience and inspiring humanity, 
which has never been more important than in our 20 years of history, and thank you to our owners for your 
continued support. 

Most sincerely,

Robin Hayes

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
 ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019
OR

 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from __________________ to ______________
Commission file number 000-49728

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

DELAWARE

87-0617894

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

27-01 Queens Plaza North, Long Island City, New York

(Address of principal executive offices)

11101

(Zip Code)

(718) 286-7900

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code:)

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $0.01 par value

JBLU

The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark

YES

NO

■■ if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. 

■■ if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

■■ whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the 
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements 
for the past 90 days.

■■ whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be 
submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 
12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

■■ whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or 
an emerging growth company. See the definitions of ''large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer'', “smaller reporting company,” 
and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer 

Accelerated filer 

Non-accelerated filer 

Smaller reporting company 

Emerging growth company 

■■ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended 
transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 
13(a) of the Exchange Act.

■■ whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

The aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2019 was 
approximately $5.4 billion (based on the last reported sale price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on that date). The number 
of shares outstanding of the registrant's common stock as of January 31, 2020 was 282,201,849 shares.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Designated  portions  of  the  Registrant's  Proxy  Statement  for  its  2020  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders,  which  is  to  be  filed 
subsequent to the date hereof, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, or the Report, to 
the extent described therein.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Item 1.  Business 

Overview 

2019 Operational Highlights 

JetBlue Experience 

Operations and Cost Structure 

Culture 

Regulation 

Where You Can Find Other Information 

Item 1A.  Risk Factors 

Risks Related to JetBlue 

Risks Associated with the Airline Industry 

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments 

Item 2.  Properties 

Item 3.  Legal Proceedings 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures 

PART II 

Item 5. 

 Market for Registrant’s Common Equity; Related 
Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of  
Equity Securities 

Item 6.  Selected Financial Data 

Item 7. 

 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of  
Financial Condition and Results of Operations 

Overview 

Results of Operations 

Liquidity and Capital Resources 

Contractual Obligations 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates 

 Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-GAAP  
Financial Measures 

4

4

4

6

9

12

14

16

16

16

22

24

24

26

26

27

29

31

31

32

36

38

39

40

42

Item 7A.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures  

About Market Risk 

Item 8. 

 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 

 Report of Independent Registered Public  
Accounting Firm 

Consolidated Balance Sheets 

Consolidated Statements of Operations 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive  
Income 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

Item 9. 

 Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants  
on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures 

Item 9B.  Other Information 

PART III

Item 10. 

 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate  
Governance 

Item 11.  Executive Compensation 

Item 12. 

 Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners  
and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 

Item 13. 

 Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,  
and Director Independence 

Item 14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services 

PART IV

Item 15.  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 

Item 16.  Form 10-K Summary 

46

47

47

50

52

53

54

56

57

79

79

79

80

81

81

81

81

82

82

2

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

www.jetblue.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Forward-Looking Information
Statements in this Report (or otherwise made by JetBlue or on 
JetBlue’s behalf) contain various forward-looking statements 
within  the  meaning  of  Section  27A  of  the  Securities  Act  of 
1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange 
Act, which represent our management’s beliefs and assumptions 
concerning future events. When used in this document and in 
documents incorporated herein by reference, the words “expects,” 
“plans,” “anticipates,” “indicates,” “believes,” “forecast,” “guidance,” 
“outlook,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “targets” and similar 
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. 
Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and 
assumptions, and are based on information currently available 
to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed 
in the forward-looking statements due to many factors, including, 
without limitation, our extremely competitive industry; volatility 
in financial and credit markets which could affect our ability 
to obtain debt and/or lease financing or to raise funds through 
debt or equity issuances; our significant fixed obligations and 
substantial indebtedness; volatility in fuel prices, maintenance 
costs  and  interest  rates;  our  reliance  on  high  daily  aircraft 
utilization; our ability to implement our growth strategy; our 
ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and maintain our 
culture as we grow; our reliance on a limited number of suppliers, 
including for aircraft, aircraft engines and parts and vulnerability 
to delays by those suppliers; our dependence on the New York 
and Boston metropolitan markets and the effect of increased 
congestion in these markets; our reliance on automated systems 
and technology; our being subject to potential unionization, work 
stoppages, slowdowns or increased labor costs; our presence 
in some international emerging markets that may experience 

political  or  economic  instability  or  may  subject  us  to  legal 
risk; reputational and business risk from information security 
breaches or cyber-attacks; changes in or additional domestic 
or foreign government regulation, including new or increased 
tariffs; changes in our industry due to other airlines' financial 
condition; acts of war or terrorism; global economic conditions 
or an economic downturn leading to a continuing or accelerated 
decrease  in  demand  for  air  travel;  the  spread  of  infectious 
diseases; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters; and 
external geopolitical events and conditions. It is routine for our 
internal projections and expectations to change as the year or 
each quarter in the year progresses, and therefore it should 
be clearly understood that the internal projections, beliefs and 
assumptions upon which we base our expectations may change 
prior to the end of each quarter or year.

Given the risks and uncertainties surrounding forward-looking 
statements,  you  should  not  place  undue  reliance  on  these 
statements. You should understand that many important factors, 
in addition to those discussed or incorporated by reference in this 
Report, could cause our results to differ materially from those 
expressed in the forward-looking statements. Potential factors 
that could affect our results include, in addition to others not 
described in this Report, those described in Item 1A of this Report 
under “Risks Related to JetBlue” and “Risks Associated with the 
Airline Industry.” In light of these risks and uncertainties, the 
forward-looking events discussed in this Report might not occur. 
Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this 
Report. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation 
to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a 
result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

3

PART I

ITEM 1 

BUSINESS

Overview

General

JetBlue Airways Corporation, or JetBlue, is New York’s Hometown 
Airline®. In 2019, JetBlue carried over 42 million customers with an 
average of more than 1,000 daily flights and served 99 destinations 
in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.

JetBlue  was  incorporated  in  Delaware  in  August  1998  and 
commenced service on February 11, 2000. As of the end of 2019, 
we were the sixth largest passenger carrier in the U.S. based 
on available seat miles, or ASMs. We believe our differentiated 
product and culture combined with our competitive cost structure 
enables us to compete effectively in the high-value geographies 
we serve. Looking to the future, we plan to continue to grow in our 
high-value geographies, invest in industry leading products and 
provide award-winning service by our more than 22,000 dedicated 
employees, whom we refer to as crewmembers. Going forward, 
we  believe  we  will  continue  to  differentiate  ourselves  from 
other airlines, enabling us to continue to attract a greater mix of 
customers, and to drive further profitable growth. We are focused 
on delivering solid results for our shareholders, our customers, 
and our crewmembers.

As used in this Report, the terms “JetBlue,” the “Company,” “we,” 
“us,” “our” and similar terms refer to JetBlue Airways Corporation 
and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise. Our 
principal executive offices are located at 27-01 Queens Plaza 
North, Long Island City, New York 11101 and our telephone number 
is (718) 286-7900.

2019 Operational Highlights
We believe our differentiated product and culture, and high-value 
geography relative to other airlines contributed to our continued 
success in 2019. Our 2019 operational highlights include:

■■ Product  enhancements  -  Throughout  2019,  we  continued 
to invest in industry-leading products which we believe will 
continue to differentiate our offerings from the other airlines.

■— Cabin Restyle - We made significant progress on our cabin 
restyle program which includes two iterations. Phase 1 of 
the program introduced our popular Airbus A321 interior 

4

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

Our Industry and Competition

The U.S. airline industry is extremely competitive and challenging, 
and results are often volatile. It is uniquely susceptible to external 
factors such as fuel costs, downturns in domestic and international 
economic conditions, weather-related disruptions, the spread 
of infectious diseases, the impact of airline restructurings or 
consolidations, and military actions or acts of terrorism. We 
operate in a capital and energy intensive industry that has high 
fixed costs, as well as heavy taxation and fees. Airline returns are 
sensitive to slight changes in fuel prices, average fare levels, and 
passenger demand. The industry’s principal competitive factors 
include  fares,  brand  and  customer  service,  route  networks, 
flight schedules, aircraft types, safety records, codesharing and 
interline relationships, inflight entertainment and connectivity 
systems, and frequent flyer programs.

Price competition is intense in our industry. Our ability to operate 
successfully and grow in this environment depends on, among 
other things, our ability to operate at costs equal to or lower than 
our competitors.

Since 2001, the majority of traditional network airlines have 
undergone  significant  financial  restructuring  including 
bankruptcies,  mergers  and  consolidations.  These  types  of 
restructurings typically result in a lower cost structure through a 
reduction of labor costs, restructuring of commitments including 
debt terms, leases and aircraft, modification or termination of 
pension plans, increased workforce flexibility, and innovative 
offerings. These actions also have provided the restructured 
airlines  significant  opportunities  for  realignment  of  route 
networks, alliances, and frequent flyer programs. Each factor has 
had a significant influence on the industry’s improved profitability.

to our Airbus A320 aircraft. Phase 2, which began in early 
2019,  includes  enhancements  to  provide  our  customers 
with a cabin experience of the future. It features a new seat 
design with memory foam cushion comfort and adjustable 
headrests, a next generation inflight entertainment system 
with an expanded collection of on demand movies, television 
shows including full seasons and video content, plus new 
gaming features, and expanded Fly-Fi® coverage over water 
to support our growing network.

■— Mobile Application - We updated our mobile application to 
include an in-app chat functionality. With the added in-app 
functionality, customers will have even more options for 
connecting with our customer support crewmembers.

■— Fare Options 2.0 - Since launching our first fare options platform 
in 2015, we have gained deep insights into what customers want 
when they select a fare. In November 2019, we launched fare 
options 2.0 to offer the choices that today’s customers want, 
including a new low fare for price sensitive travelers which 
we call Blue Basic, and an updated option for customers who 
value additional benefits like flexibility and speed, which we 
refer to as Blue Extra. Blue Basic is designed to help customers 
save while still offering the full JetBlue experience. Customers 
choosing the Blue Basic option will enjoy the same great 
experience with the most legroom in coach, free brand-name 
snacks and drinks, free high-speed wi-fi, DIRECTV® and movies 
at every seat, and our award-winning customer service. Blue 
Extra offers customers full change flexibility, early boarding, 
and Even More® Speed at a significant discount over the cost 
of purchasing these services as add-ons.

■■ Network - We continued to gain relevance in our high-value 
geography  by  building  out  our  focus  cities  to  establish  a 
position of strength. Our network growth in 2019 was primarily 
aimed at adding more connect-the-dot routes in Boston and 
Fort Lauderdale. In Boston, we added more flights on 12 of 
our most popular routes and adjusted schedules to offer up 
to 18 and 14 hourly flights per day to New York and Washington 
D.C., respectively. In Fort Lauderdale, we launched daily flights 
to St. Maarten and Phoenix. In addition to strengthening our 
transcon market, the new Fort Lauderdale - Phoenix flights will 
not only give Arizona customers a direct link to South Florida, but 
also onward connections to the Caribbean and Latin America.

In February 2019, we began daily round trip service from Fort 
Lauderdale to Guayaquil, Ecuador. Guayaquil joined Quito as 
our second BlueCity in Ecuador, highlighting our success in this 
South American country.

In April 2019, we announced plans to launch multiple daily flights 
from Boston and JFK to London beginning in 2021. London will 
be our first BlueCity in Europe.

In June 2019, we announced plans to start winter seasonal 
service between JFK and Guadeloupe with three times weekly 
service which launched in February 2020. The new service 
grows our already expansive footprint in the Caribbean and 
Latin America, and caters to leisure travelers in the Northeast 
looking to experience a unique island getaway during the cold 
winter months.

In September 2019, we announced plans to launch daily nonstop 
service between JFK and Georgetown, Guyana beginning in 
April 2020.

In October 2019, we relocated our operations in Houston from 
William  P.  Hobby  Airport  to  George  Bush  Intercontinental 
Airport to better serve our customers.

In December 2019, we launched daily nonstop services between 
JFK and Guayaquil, our first route enabled by the capabilities 
of the Airbus A321 new engine option (“neo”) aircraft. This route 
is the longest in our network, stretching beyond our previous 
longest route by more than 200 nautical miles.

 PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

We continued to examine our network to ensure we are making 
the best use of our aircraft and in 2019 we announced our plans to 
discontinue operations in Anchorage, La Romana in the Dominican 
Republic, and Mexico City. We believe these adjustments will 
promote healthy growth and improve the profitability of our 
network.

As a result of the decision by the U.S. Government to no longer 
permit air carriers to operate scheduled services to Cuban cities 
except for Havana, we ended our operations in Camagüey, Holguín 
and Santa Clara in December 2019.

■■ Fleet - During 2019, we took delivery of six Airbus A321neo 

aircraft and bought out the lease of one of our aircraft.

In connection with our plans to launch flights to London in 2021, 
we amended our purchase agreement with Airbus in April 2019 
to convert 13 Airbus A321neo deliveries into A321 Long Range 
(“A321LR”) deliveries. The A321LR aircraft offers higher fuel 
capacity with a range of about 4,000 nautical miles.

In June 2019, we further amended our purchase agreement with 
Airbus to convert an additional 13 Airbus A321neo deliveries into 
the A321 Xtra Long Range (“A321XLR”) deliveries. We believe 
the range of the Airbus A321XLR will allow us to expand our 
relevance in Boston and New York by adding more destinations 
into Europe. In addition, we also converted 10 of our options for 
the Airbus A220-300 aircraft into firm orders.

We anticipate that we will take delivery of a maximum of eleven 
Airbus A321neo aircraft and our first Airbus A220 aircraft in 
2020.

■■ Customer  Service  -  JetBlue  and  our  crewmembers  were 

recognized in 2019 for industry leading customer service.

■— J.D. Power and Associates named JetBlue its Top Low Cost 
Airline for Customer Satisfaction for 2019. Within the J.D. 
Power study, we led in four of the seven categories: aircraft, 
inflight services, flight crew, and reservations. This is our 13th 
J.D. Power and Associates award.

■— Airline Ratings awarded JetBlue 7 out of 7 stars for safety, 
and 5 out of 5 stars for our product offerings. It also named 
us the Best Low Cost Airline in the Americas. 

■— We  were  recognized  in  the  2019  TripAdvisor  Travelers’ 
Choice® Awards for the Best Regional Business Class and 
Best in Passenger Comfort in North America.

■— At The Points Guy Awards, JetBlue took top honors in both 
Best Domestic Business Class Product and Best Domestic 
Economy Product for a second year in a row. We were also 
recognized by The Points Guy as the Best Airline for Families. 

■— We are the number one domestic airline in Travel + Leisure’s 

World’s Best Awards 2019.

■■ Our crewmembers - During 2019, our crewmembers recognized 
JetBlue as one of America’s “Best Large Employers” by Forbes. 
JetBlue ranked #11 through a survey that asked individuals how 
likely they would be to recommend their employer to someone 
else. We were also ranked #15 in the list of Top 50 Top-Rated 
Workplaces by Indeed. Indeed compiled this list by including 
companies that are members of the Fortune 500 Index with 
at least 100 reviews between June 2017 and June 2019. These 
companies  are  the  most  highly  rated  on  overall  employee 
experience.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

5

PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

Jetblue Experience
We offer our customers a distinctive flying experience which 
we refer to as the “JetBlue Experience’’. We believe we deliver 
award-winning  service  that  focuses  on  the  entire  customer 
experience,  from  booking  an  itinerary  to  arrival  at  the  final 
destination. Typically, our customers are neither high-traffic 
business travelers nor ultra-price sensitive travelers. Rather, we 
believe we are the carrier of choice for the majority of travelers 
who  have  been  underserved  by  other  airlines  as  we  offer  a 
differentiated product and award winning customer service.

Differentiated Product and Culture

Delivering the JetBlue Experience to our customers through 
our differentiated product and culture is core to our mission to 
inspire humanity. We look to attract new customers to our brand 
and provide current customers with a reason to come back by 
continuing to innovate and evolve the JetBlue Experience. We 
believe we can adapt to the changing needs of our customers and 
a key element of our success is the belief that competitive fares 
and quality air travel need not be mutually exclusive.

Our  award  winning  service  begins  from  the  moment  our 
customers purchase a ticket through one of our distribution 
channels such as www.jetblue.com, our mobile applications, or 
our reservations centers. Customers can purchase tickets under 
our Fare Options 2.0 pricing model, at one of four branded fares:  
Blue Basic, Blue, Blue Extra, and in select markets, Blue Plus. 
Each fare includes different offerings such as priority boarding, 
advance seat selections, free checked bags, reduced change fees, 
and additional TrueBlue® points, with all fares including our core 
offering of free inflight entertainment, free brand name snacks, 
and free non-alcoholic beverages. Customers can choose to  
“buy up” to an option with additional offerings. These different 
fares allow customers to select the products or services they 
need or value when they travel, without having to pay for the 
things they do not need or value.

Upon arrival at the airport, our customers are welcomed by our 
dedicated crewmembers and can choose to purchase one or 
more of our ancillary options such as Even More® Speed, allowing 
them to enjoy an expedited security experience in most domestic 
JetBlue locations. Customers who select our Blue Extra option or 
purchase a Mint® seat receive Even More® Speed as part of their 
fare. We additionally have mobile applications for both Apple and 
Android devices which have robust features including real-time 
flight information updates and mobile check-in for certain routes. 
Our applications are designed to enhance our customers’ travel 
experience and are in keeping with the JetBlue Experience.

Our self-service initiative in select BlueCities redesigned the 
physical layout of the airport lobby and the way our customers 
travel through it. Our new user-friendly kiosks are the first point 
of contact for each customer traveling through the airport lobby. 
While all customers are encouraged to use the kiosks, our new 
lobby layout allows them to choose the check-in experience 
they prefer. Customers who choose to use our kiosk receive a 
virtually queue-less experience. For customers who prefer a 
more traditional experience, our Help Desk offers full-service  
check-in. The self-service model allows crewmembers to get 

6

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

out from behind the ticket counter and move through the lobby 
to guide our customers through the check-in process. The self-
service lobby opens up the opportunity for our crewmembers to 
make personal connections with our customers, to assist with 
bag tagging, to answer customer questions and to direct them 
to their next step in the travel experience.

Once onboard our aircraft, customers enjoy seats in a comfortable 
layout with the most legroom in the main cabin of all U.S. airlines, 
based on average fleet-wide seat pitch. Our Even More® Space 
seats are available for purchase across our fleet, giving customers 
the opportunity to enjoy additional legroom. Customers on certain 
transcontinental or Caribbean flights have the option to purchase 
our premium service, Mint®, which has 16 fully lie-flat seats, 
including four suites with privacy doors.

Our inflight entertainment system onboard the majority of our 
Airbus A320 and Embraer E190 aircraft includes 36 channels of free 
DIRECTV®, 100+ channels of free SiriusXM Radio® and premium 
movie channel offerings from JetBlue Features. Customers on 
our Airbus A321 aircraft and certain restyled Airbus A320 aircraft 
have access to 100+ channels of DIRECTV®, 100+ channels of 
SiriusXM Radio® and premium movie channel offerings from 
JetBlue Features. Our Mint® customers enjoy 15-inch flat screen 
televisions to experience our inflight entertainment offerings. 
Our entire fleet is equipped with Fly-Fi®, a broadband product 
that allows gate-to-gate wi-fi at every seat, with connectivity that 
we believe is significantly faster than airlines featuring KU-band 
satellites and older ground to air technology. Customers also have 
access to the Fly-Fi® Hub, a content portal where customers can 
access a wide range of movies, television shows, and additional 
content from their own personal devices.

All customers may enjoy an assortment of free and unlimited 
brand  name  snacks  and  non-alcoholic  beverages  and  have 
the option to purchase additional products such as blankets, 
pillows, headphones, premium beverages and premium food 
selections. Our Mint® customers have access to an assortment 
of complimentary food, beverages and products including a  
small-plates  menu,  artisanal  snacks,  alcoholic  beverages,  a 
blanket, pillows, and headphones.

Our Airbus A321 aircraft in a single cabin layout have 200 seats 
and those with our Mint® offering have 159 seats. Our Airbus 
A320 aircraft generally have 150 seats while our Embraer E190 
aircraft have 100 seats. As part of our cabin restyling program 
we are increasing the seat density on our Airbus A320 fleet to 162 
seats. We believe this multi-year restyling program will allow us 
to increase capacity in a capital-efficient and customer-focused 
way. Our first restyled Airbus A320 aircraft entered into revenue 
service in April 2018. As of December 31, 2019, we had 51 restyled 
Airbus A320 aircraft in service.

Because of our network strength in leisure destinations, we also 
sell vacation packages through our wholly owned subsidiary, 
JBTP, LLC, or JetBlue Travel Products, a one-stop, value-priced 
vacation service for self-directed packaged travel planning. These 
packages offer competitive fares for air travel on JetBlue along 
with a selection of JetBlue-recommended hotels and resorts, car 
rentals, and local attractions.

 PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

We work to provide a superior air travel experience, including 
communicating openly and honestly with customers about delays 
and service disruptions. We have a Customer Bill of Rights which 
was introduced in 2007 to provide compensation to customers 
who experience inconveniences. This Customer Bill of Rights 
commits us to high service standards and holds us accountable 
if we fall short.

In 2019, we completed 98.8% of our scheduled flights. Unlike most 
other airlines, we have a policy of not overbooking flights.

Our customers have repeatedly indicated the distinctive JetBlue 
Experience is an important reason why they select us over other 
carriers. We measure and monitor customer feedback regularly 
which helps us to continuously improve customer satisfaction. 
One way we do so is by measuring our net promoter score, or NPS. 
This metric is used by companies in a broad range of industries 
to measure and monitor the customer experience. Many of the 
leading consumer brands that are recognized for great customer 
service receive high NPS scores. We believe a higher NPS score 
has positive effects on customer loyalty and ultimately leads to 
increased revenue.

Network/ High-Value Geography

We are a predominately point-to-point system carrier, with the 
majority of our routes touching at least one of our six focus cities: 

New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Orlando, Long 
Beach, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. During 2019, over 85% of our 
customers flew on nonstop itineraries.

Leisure  traveler  focused  airlines  are  often  faced  with  high 
seasonality. As a result, we continually work to manage our mix 
of customers to include both business travelers and travelers 
visiting friends and relatives, or VFR. VFR travelers tend to 
be  slightly  less  seasonal  and  less  susceptible  to  economic 
downturns  than  traditional  leisure  destination  travelers. 
Understanding the purpose of our customers’ travel helps us 
optimize destinations, strengthen our network, and increase 
unit revenues. All six of our focus cities are in regions with a 
diverse mix of traffic.

As of December 31, 2019, our network served 99 BlueCities in 30 
states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 21 countries in the Caribbean 
and Latin America.

We also made changes across our network by announcing new 
routes and frequencies between existing BlueCities. We group 
our  capacity  distribution  based  upon  geographical  regions 
rather than on a mileage or a length-of-haul basis. The historic 
distribution of ASMs, or capacity, by region for the years ending 
December 31 was:

Capacity Distribution

Transcontinental

Caribbean & Latin America(1)

Florida

East

Central

West

TOTAL

2019

32.0%

31.2

25.2

6.0

4.0

1.6

2018

31.3%

28.7

27.3

6.5

4.0

2.2

2017

28.6%

28.3

30.1

6.4

3.8

2.8

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

(1)  Domestic  operations  as  defined  by  the  U.S.  Department  of  Transport,  or  DOT,  include  Puerto  Rico  and  the  U.S.  Virgin  Islands,  but  for  the  purposes  of  the  capacity 

distribution table above, we have included these locations in the Caribbean and Latin America region.

During  the  past  decade  we  invested  in  our  network,  which 
had been dominated by the New York metropolitan area with 
approximately one-half of our ASMs. Our network growth over 
the past few years has been focused on the business traveler in 
Boston as well as travelers to the Caribbean and Latin America 
region. We expect to continue increasing our presence in Fort 
Lauderdale-Hollywood where we believe there is an opportunity 
to  increase  our  operations  to  destinations  throughout  the 
Caribbean and Latin America. Our plan is supported by significant 

investment from the Broward County Aviation Department in the 
airport and surrounding facilities. We believe our increased focus 
on Boston and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood makes our ASMs more 
balanced and strengthens the overall network.

On February 1, 2020, we began scheduled service to Pointe-à-
Pitre, Guadeloupe. We anticipate further expanding our network 
and have previously announced service to the following new 
destinations in 2020:

Destination

Georgetown, Guyana(*)

Guatemala City, Guatemala(*)

(*)  Subject to receipt of government operating authority.

Service Scheduled to Commence

April 2, 2020

June 1, 2020

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

7

PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

Airline Commercial Partnerships

Airlines frequently participate in commercial partnerships with 
other carriers in order to increase customer convenience by 
providing interline-connectivity, codesharing, complementary 
flight schedules, frequent flyer program reciprocity, and other 
joint marketing activities. As of December 31, 2019, we had 50 
airline commercial partnerships. Our commercial partnerships 
typically begin as an interline agreement allowing a customer to 
book one itinerary with tickets on multiple airlines. During 2019, 
we entered into an interline agreement with Interjet (legally 
known as ABC Aerolíneas, S.A. de C.V.). Interjet joins our growing 
list of interline agreements that help us connect customers to 
destinations around the world, bringing the JetBlue Experience to 
even more customers, while strengthening our growing network 
and profitability. Interline agreements allow customers to use 
a single itinerary that combines flights on multiple carriers. On 
their day of travel, they enjoy a simplified airport experience 
with  single  check-in  and  bag  drop.  In  2020,  we  expect  to 
continue to seek additional strategic opportunities through new 
commercial partners as well as assess ways to deepen existing 
airline partnerships. We plan to do this by expanding codeshare 
relationships and other areas of cooperation such as frequent 
flyer programs. We believe these commercial partnerships allow 
us to better leverage our strong network and drive incremental 
traffic and revenue while improving off-peak travel.

Marketing

JetBlue  is  a  widely  recognized  and  respected  global  brand. 
JetBlue created a new category in air travel and our brand stands 
for high service quality at a reasonable cost. We believe this brand 
has evolved into an important and valuable asset which identifies 
us as a safe, reliable, high value airline. Similarly, we believe 
customer awareness of our brand has contributed to the success 
of our marketing efforts. It enables us to promote ourselves as 
a preferred marketing partner with companies across many 
different industries.

We market our services through advertising and promotions 
in various media forms including popular social media outlets. 
We engage in large multi-market programs, local events and 
sponsorships  across  our  route  network  as  well  as  mobile 
marketing  programs.  Our  targeted  public  and  community 
relations efforts reflect our commitment to the communities we 
serve, promote brand awareness, and complement our strong 
reputation.

Distribution

Our primary and preferred distribution channel to customers is 
through our website, www.jetblue.com, our lowest cost channel. 
Our website allows us to more closely control and deliver the 
JetBlue Experience while also offering the full suite of JetBlue 
Fare Options, Even More® Space and Speed, and other ancillary 
services.

Our participation in global distribution systems, or GDS, supports 
our profitable growth, particularly in the business market. We 
find business customers are more likely to book through a travel 
agency or a booking product which relies on a GDS platform. 
Although the cost of sales through this channel is higher than 
through our website, the average fare purchased through a GDS is 
generally higher and often covers the increased distribution costs. 
We currently participate in several major GDS and online travel 
agents, or OTA. Due to the majority of our customers booking 
travel on our website, we maintain relatively low distribution costs 
despite our increased participation in GDS and OTA in recent 
years.

Customer Loyalty Program

TrueBlue® is our customer loyalty program designed to reward 
and recognize loyal customers. Members earn points based upon 
the amount paid for JetBlue flights and services from certain 
commercial partners. Our points do not expire, the program has no 
black-out dates or seat restrictions, and any JetBlue destination 
can be booked if the TrueBlue® member has enough points to 
exchange for the value of an open seat. Mosaic® is an additional 
level for our most loyal customers who either (1) fly a minimum 
of 30 times with JetBlue and acquire at least 12,000 base flight 
points  within  a  calendar  year  or  (2)  accumulate  15,000  base 
flight points within a calendar year. Nearly 3 million TrueBlue®  
 one-way redemption awards were flown during 2019, representing 
approximately 6% of our total revenue passenger miles.

We currently have co-branded loyalty credit cards available to 
eligible U.S. residents, as well as co-brand agreements in Puerto 
Rico and the Dominican Republic to allow cardholders to earn 
TrueBlue® points. Our current co-branded credit card partnership 
with  Barclaycard®  on  the  MasterCard®  network  exceeded 
expectations for conversion rates and new member enrollments. 
We also have co-branded loyalty credit cards issued by Banco 
Santander Puerto Rico and MasterCard® in Puerto Rico as well 
as Banco Popular Dominicano and MasterCard® in the Dominican 
Republic. These credit cards allow customers in Puerto Rico and 
the Dominican Republic to take full advantage of our TrueBlue® 
loyalty program.

We  have  a  separate  agreement  with  American  Express® 
that  allows  any  American  Express®  cardmember  to  convert 
Membership Rewards® points into TrueBlue® points. In 2016, we 
added a partnership agreement with Citibank® to convert Citi 
ThankYou® Rewards points into TrueBlue® points. We became a 
Chase Ultimate Rewards® point transfer partner in 2018, allowing 
eligible Chase® cardmembers to transfer Ultimate Rewards points 
to TrueBlue® points. We have various agreements with other 
loyalty  partners,  including  hotels  and  car  rental  companies, 
that allow their customers to earn TrueBlue® points through 
participation in our partners’ programs. We intend to continue to 
develop the footprint of our co-branded credit cards and pursue 
other loyalty partnerships in the future.

8

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

Operations and Cost Structure
Historically, our cost structure has allowed us to price fares lower 
than many of our competitors and is a principal reason for our 
profitable growth. Our current cost advantage relative to some 
of our competitors is due to, among other factors, high aircraft 
utilization, new and efficient aircraft, relatively low distribution 
costs,  and  a  productive  workforce.  Because  our  network 
initiatives and growth plans require a low cost platform, we strive 
to stay focused on our competitive costs, operational excellence, 
efficiency improvements, and enhancing critical elements of the 
JetBlue Experience.

During 2016, we introduced an initiative to reduce our structural 
cost with the goal of saving $250 to $300 million by 2020. The 
program  covers  all  cost  categories  including  our  technical 
operations, corporate services, airports, and our distribution 
network. Through a combination of strategic sourcing, planning, 
automation, and a review of our distribution channel strategy, we 
anticipate delivering structural cost savings which will continue 
to allow us to deliver the JetBlue Experience to our customers 
while maintaining a competitive cost structure. We have made 
significant progress in the past three years. For example, we 
have executed agreements to upgrade our Customer Sales and 
Service (“CSS”) system and signed several long-term engine 
maintenance agreements for our fleet. Our efforts enabled us 
to exceed our target by securing approximately $314 million of 
savings through renegotiated contracts, process optimization, 
and other structural cost initiatives.

Route Structure

Our point-to-point system is the foundation of our operational 
structure, with the majority of our routes touching at least one 
of our six focus cities. This structure allows us to optimize costs 
as well as accommodate customers’ preference for nonstop 
itineraries. A vast majority of our operations are centered in 
and around the heavily populated northeast corridor of the U.S., 
which includes the New York and Boston metropolitan areas. This 
airspace is some of the world’s most congested and drives certain 
operational constraints.

Our peak levels of traffic over the course of the year vary by 
route; the East Coast to Florida/Caribbean routes peak from 
October through April and the West Coast routes peak in the 
summer months. Many of our areas of operations in the Northeast 
experience poor winter weather conditions, resulting in increased 
costs associated with de-icing aircraft, canceled flights, and 
accommodating displaced customers. Many of our Florida and 
Caribbean  routes  experience  bad  weather  conditions  in  the 
summer and fall due to thunderstorms and hurricanes. As we 
enter new markets we could be subject to additional seasonal 
variations along with competitive responses by other airlines.

■■ New York metropolitan area - We are New York’s Hometown 
Airline®. Approximately one-half of our flights originate from or 
are destined for the New York metropolitan area, the nation’s 
largest travel market. JFK is New York’s largest airport, and 
we  are  the  second  largest  airline  at  JFK  as  measured  by 
domestic seats. Our 2019 operations accounted for 36% of 

 PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

seats offered on domestic routes from JFK. As JFK is a slot 
controlled airport, we have been able to continue to grow 
our operations by adding more seats per departure with the 
delivery of the Airbus A321 aircraft, restyling of the Airbus A320 
aircraft, as well as continuing to optimize routes based upon 
load factor and costs. We operate from Terminal 5, or T5, which 
includes an international arrivals facility within our current T5 
footprint. We believe T5 enables us to increase operational 
efficiencies, provide savings, streamline our operations and 
improve the overall travel experience for our customers arriving 
from international destinations. We also serve New Jersey’s 
Newark Liberty International Airport, or Newark, New York 
City’s LaGuardia Airport, or LaGuardia, New York’s Stewart 
International Airport, or Newburgh, and New York’s Westchester 
County Airport, or White Plains. We are the leading carrier in 
the average number of flights flown per day between the New 
York metropolitan area and Florida.

■■ Boston  -  We  are  the  largest  carrier  at  Boston’s  Logan 
International Airport, or Boston. At the end of 2019 we flew 
to 68 nonstop destinations from Boston and our operations 
accounted for 29% of all seats offered in Boston. We continue 
to capitalize on opportunities in the changing competitive 
landscape by adding routes, frequencies and increasing our 
relevance to local travelers. Our plan is to grow Boston with a 
general target of 200 flights per day. In 2019, we added more 
flights on 12 of our most popular routes and adjusted schedules 
to offer up to 18 and 14 hourly flights per day to New York and 
Washington D.C., respectively.

■■ Caribbean and Latin America - At the end of 2019, we had 35 
BlueCities in the Caribbean and Latin America and we expect 
our presence to continue to grow. San Juan, Puerto Rico is our 
only focus city outside of the Continental U.S. We are the largest 
airline in Puerto Rico serving more nonstop destinations than 
any other carrier. We are also the largest airline in the Dominican 
Republic, serving five airports. While the Caribbean and Latin 
American region is a growing part of our network, operating 
in this region can present challenges, including working with 
less developed airport infrastructure, political instability, and 
vulnerability to corruption. Political unrest in Puerto Rico and 
recent earthquakes have led to a substantial reduction in traffic 
to the island. In addition, reports of illnesses, increased crime, 
and civil unrest in the Dominican Republic and Port-au-Prince, 
Haiti have also led to reduced traffic to these BlueCities.

■■ Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood - We are the largest carrier at 
Fort  Lauderdale-Hollywood  International  Airport,  or  Fort 
Lauderdale-Hollywood, with approximately 24% of all seats 
offered in 2019. We expect Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to 
continue to be our fastest growing focus city. Flying out of Fort 
Lauderdale-Hollywood instead of nearby Miami International 
Airport helps preserve our competitive cost advantage through 
lower enplanement costs. In 2012, Broward County authorities 
commenced a multi-year refurbishment effort at the airport 
and surrounding facilities including the construction of a new 
south runway. We operate primarily out of Terminal 3 which is 
now connected to the upgraded and expanded international  

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

9

PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

terminal. Terminal 3 allows for easy access to the expanded and 
enhanced airfield and the connection of these terminals has 
streamlined operations for both crewmembers and customers. 
Due to these factors, we believe Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood 
is an ideal location between the U.S. and Latin America as 
well as South Florida’s high-value geography. During 2019, we 
launched nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale to Phoenix, 
St. Maarten, and Guayaquil, Ecuador. These new routes allow 
us to continue to grow our presence in Fort Lauderdale.

■■ Orlando - We are the second largest carrier measured by seats 
at Orlando International Airport, or Orlando, with 12% of all 
seats offered in 2019. Orlando is JetBlue’s fourth largest focus 
city with 31 nonstop destinations and a growing mix of traffic 
including leisure, VFR, and business travelers. Our centralized 
training  center,  known  as  JetBlue  University,  is  based  in 
Orlando. In 2015, we opened the Lodge at OSC which is adjacent 
to our training center and is used for lodging our crewmembers 
when they attend training. In May 2018, the Board of the Greater 
Orlando Airport Authority (“GOAA”) approved a non-binding 
memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) for us to be the leading 
airline to operate out of the new South Terminal that is set to 
open in 2021. With the move to the South Terminal in 2021, 
we anticipate having priority use of 14 gates that are capable 
of both domestic and international operations, compared to  
10 domestic gates today. Under the terms of the MOU, we would 
also have priority rights to access more gates as we grow in the 
years to come.

■■ Los Angeles area - We are the sixth largest carrier in the Los 
Angeles area measured by seats, operating from Long Beach 
Airport, or Long Beach, Los Angeles International Airport, or 
LAX, Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport, or Burbank, and Ontario 
International Airport, or Ontario. We are the largest carrier in 
Long Beach, with 54% of all seats offered in 2019 operated by 
JetBlue.

As part of our West Coast strategy, we made a series of network 
enhancements in 2018 that were designed to better meet the 
needs of coast-to-coast travelers. We launched new nonstop 
services in Ontario, California, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, 
and Bozeman, Montana, further growing our presence in the 
western U.S. We refined our schedule in Long Beach to better 
meet the needs of the market by reducing intra-west flying and 
also increased frequencies on several popular transcontinental 
routes.

As announced in January 2020, we plan to end services at Oakland 
International Airport effective April 29, 2020. In addition, we also 
expect to reduce or eliminate flights on a half dozen short-haul 
flights in Long Beach. The redeployed capacity will enable new 
city, multi-route expansions, and frequency additions within our 
network.

Fleet Structure

We currently operate Airbus A321, Airbus A320 and Embraer E190 
aircraft types. In 2019, our fleet had an average age of 10.6 years 
and operated an average of 11.9 hours per day. By scheduling 
and operating our aircraft more efficiently we are able to spread 
related fixed costs over a greater number of ASMs.

10

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

The reliability of our fleet is essential to ensuring our operations 
run efficiently and we are continually working with our aircraft and 
engine manufacturers to enhance our performance.

We are working with the Federal Aviation Administration, or 
FAA, in efforts towards implementing the Next Generation Air 
Transportation  System,  or  NextGen.  NextGen  technology  is 
expected to improve operational efficiency in the congested 
airspaces in which we operate. As part of NextGen, our aircraft 
will be outfitted with the following:

■■ Automatic  Dependent  Surveillance-Broadcast  Out 
(“ADSB-Out”): ADSB-Out is a global positioning system (“GPS”) 
surveillance technology that give air traffic controllers the 
precise location of aircraft every second. The goal of this 
technology is to safely boost the capacity of our airspace.

■■ Satellite-based Communications: We are putting satellite-
based voice and data communications (“SATCOM”) on our Airbus 
fleet. As planned, every aircraft will be assigned a unique phone 
number, similar to a cell network, aimed at giving us positive 
contact with our aircraft anywhere in the world.

■■ Data Comm: Data Comm makes departures more efficient by 
dramatically speeding up the process of aircraft pilots obtaining 
clearance  from  air  traffic  controllers.  With  Data  Comm, 
controllers can simply push clearance details to the aircraft 
and dispatcher, which the pilot can confirm and automatically 
input into the flight computer with the push of a button.

Fleet Maintenance

Consistent  with  our  core  value  of  safety,  our  FAA-approved 
maintenance  programs  are  administered  by  our  technical 
operations department. We use qualified maintenance personnel 
and ensure they have comprehensive training. We maintain our 
aircraft and associated maintenance records in accordance 
with,  if  not  exceeding,  FAA  regulations.  Fleet  maintenance 
work is divided into three categories: line maintenance, heavy 
maintenance, and component maintenance.

The bulk of our line maintenance is handled by JetBlue technicians 
and inspectors. It consists of daily checks, overnight and weekly 
checks, or “A” checks, diagnostics, and routine repairs.

Heavy maintenance checks, or “C” checks, consist of a series of 
more complex tasks taking from one to four weeks to complete 
and are typically performed once every 15 months. All of our 
aircraft heavy maintenance work is performed by third party 
FAA-approved facilities such as AAR Corp., Hong Kong Aircraft 
Engineering Company Limited (“HAECO”), Aeromantenimiento 
S.A., and Lufthansa Technik AG, and are subject to direct oversight 
by JetBlue personnel. We outsource heavy maintenance as the 
costs are lower than if we performed the tasks internally.

Component maintenance on equipment such as engines, auxiliary 
power units, landing gears, pumps, and avionic computers are 
all performed by a number of different FAA-approved third party 
repair stations. We have time and materials agreements with 
Lufthansa Technik AG and International Aero Engines AG for 
the repair, overhaul, modification, and logistics of our Airbus 
aircraft engines. We also have a maintenance agreement with 

 PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

GE Engine Services, LLC for our Embraer E190 aircraft engines. 
Many of our maintenance service agreements are based on a fixed 
cost per flight hour. These fixed costs vary based upon the age 
of the aircraft and other operating factors impacting the related 

component. Required maintenance not otherwise covered by 
these agreements is performed on a time and materials basis. 
All other maintenance activities are sub-contracted to qualified 
maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.

Aircraft Fuel

Aircraft fuel continues to be one of our largest expenses. Its 
price and availability has been extremely volatile due to global 
economic  and  geopolitical  factors  which  we  can  neither 
control nor accurately predict. We use a third party to assist 

with fuel management service and to procure most of our fuel. 
Our historical fuel consumption and costs for the years ended 
December 31 were:

Gallons consumed (millions)

Total cost (millions)(1)

Average price per gallon(1)

Percent of operating expenses

2019

885

1,847

2.09

$

$

2018

849

1,899

2.24

$

$

2017

792

1,363

1.72

$

$

25.3%

25.7%

22.6%

(1)  Total cost and average price per gallon each include related fuel taxes as well as effective fuel hedging gains and losses.

We attempt to protect ourselves against the volatility of fuel 
prices by entering into a variety of derivative instruments. These 
include swaps, caps, collars, and basis swaps with underlyings of 
jet fuel, crude and heating oil.

■■ Innovation in Distribution, Revenue and Loyalty: Innovations 
in loyalty, e-commerce, distribution, payments, and revenue 
management to enhance revenue, simplify commerce, and 
provide additional options for customers.

Financial Health

We strive to maintain financial strength and a cost structure that 
enables us to grow profitably and sustainably. In the first years 
of our history, we relied on financing activities to fund much of 
our growth. Starting in 2007, our growth has largely been funded 
through internally generated cash from operations. Since 2015, 
while we have invested approximately $5.4 billion in capital assets, 
we have also generated approximately $7.2 billion in cash from 
operations, resulting in approximately $1.8 billion in free cash 
flow. Our improved financial results have resulted in better credit 
ratings, which in turn allows for more attractive financing terms.

JetBlue Technology Ventures

JetBlue Technology Ventures, LLC, or JTV, is a wholly owned 
subsidiary of JetBlue. JTV incubates, invests in and partners with 
early stage startups at the intersection of technology, travel and 
hospitality. The investment focus of JTV is as follows:

■■ Seamless  Customer  Journey:  Technologies  to  provide  a 
seamless travel experience from the moment customers think 
about traveling until they return from the journey.

■■ Technology Powered Magnificent Service: Technologies that 
make it easier for our crewmembers and business partners 
to deliver magnificent customer service at every point of the 
journey.

■■ Future  of  Maintenance  and  Operations:  Technologies  and 
tools for technical, flight, system and airport operations that 
enhance safety, reduce maintenance downtime, and increase 
operational efficiency.

■■ Evolving  Regional  Travel:  Innovations  in  new  modes  of 
transportation, new market places and technologies including 
electric propulsion, robotics, drones, and other disruptions 
in the regional travel ecosystem for traveling distances under 
1,000 miles.

JetBlue Travel Products

In 2018, we launched JBTP, LLC, or JetBlue Travel Products, 
which includes our JetBlue Vacations® brand and other non-air 
travel products such as travel insurance, cruises, and car rental. 
With its Inspiration Center headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, 
we believe JetBlue Travel Products will play an important role in 
delivering our vision of inspiring humanity, extending our reach 
further across the travel ribbon to offer customers an even more 
seamless travel experience.

TWA Flight Center Hotel

In 2015, the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of 
New York & New Jersey, or the PANYNJ approved a construction 
plan to redevelop the TWA Flight Center at JFK on its nearly 
six-acre site into a hotel with over 500 rooms, meeting spaces, 
restaurants,  a  spa  and  an  observation  deck.  As  part  of  the 
plan, a 75-year lease agreement was entered into between the 
PANYNJ and the Flight Center Hotel, LLC, a partnership of MCR 
Development, LLC and JetBlue. The TWA Flight Center Hotel 
was open for business in 2019. We have an approximate 10% 
ownership interest in the hotel.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

11

PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

Culture

Our People

Our success depends on our crewmembers delivering a terrific 
JetBlue Experience in the sky and on the ground. One of our 
competitive strengths is a service oriented culture grounded 
in our five key values: safety, caring, integrity, passion and fun. 
We believe a highly productive and engaged workforce enhances 
customer loyalty. Our goal is to hire, train, and retain a diverse 
workforce of caring, passionate, fun and friendly people who 
share our mission to inspire humanity.

Our culture is first introduced to new crewmembers during the 
screening process and then at an extensive new hire orientation 
program at JetBlue University, our training center in Orlando. 
Orientation focuses on the JetBlue strategy and emphasizes the 
importance of customer service, productivity, and cost control. 
We provide continuous training for our crewmembers including 
technical  training,  a  specialized  captain  leadership  training 
program unique in the industry, a leadership program for current 
company managers, an emerging managers program, regular 
training focused on the safety value and front line training for 
our customer service teams.

Our growth plans necessitate and facilitate opportunities for talent 
development. In 2016, we launched Gateway Select, a program for 
prospective pilots to join us for a rigorous, approximately four-
year training program that incorporates classroom learning, 

extensive real-world flying experience and instruction in full flight 
simulators.

We believe a direct relationship between crewmembers and 
our leadership is in the best interests of our crewmembers, 
our customers, and our shareholders. Except for our pilots and 
inflight crewmembers, our crewmembers do not have third-party 
representation. In April 2014, the Air Line Pilots Association, or 
ALPA, was certified by the National Mediation Board, or NMB, 
as the representative body for JetBlue pilots after winning a 
representation election. We reached a final agreement for our 
first collective bargaining agreement which was ratified by the 
pilots  in  July  2018.  The  agreement  is  a  four-year  renewable 
contract effective August 1, 2018 which included changes to 
compensation,  benefits,  work  rules,  and  other  policies.  In 
April 2018, JetBlue inflight crewmembers elected to be solely 
represented by the Transport Workers Union of America, or 
TWU. The NMB certified the TWU as the representative body for 
JetBlue inflight crewmembers and we are working with the TWU 
to reach a collective bargaining agreement. As of December 31,  
2019,  approximately  47  percent  of  our  full-time  equivalent 
crewmembers were represented by unions. The following table 
sets  forth  our  crewmember  groups  and  the  status  of  their 
respective collective bargaining agreements. 

Crewmember Group

Representative

Crewmembers(1)

Amendable Date(2)

Pilots

Inflight

Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)

Transport Workers Union (TWU)

3,661

5,055

August 1, 2022

In negotiations

(1)  Approximate number of active full-time equivalent crewmembers as of December 31, 2019.
(2)  Our relations with our labor organizations are governed by Title II of the Railway Labor Act of 1926, pursuant to which the collective bargaining agreements between us and 

these organizations do not expire but instead become amendable as of a certain date if either party wishes to modify the terms of the agreement.

We have individual employment agreements with each of our 
non-unionized FAA licensed crewmembers which consist of 
dispatchers, technicians, inspectors, and air traffic controllers. 
Each employment agreement is for a term of five years and 
renews for an additional five-year term, unless the crewmember 
is terminated for cause or the crewmember elects not to renew. 
Pursuant to these employment agreements, crewmembers can 
only be terminated for cause. In the event of a downturn in our 
business, resulting in a reduction of flying and related work hours, 
we are obligated to pay these crewmembers a guaranteed level 
of income and to continue their benefits. We believe that through 
these agreements we provide what we believe to be industry-
leading job protection. We believe these agreements provide 
JetBlue and crewmembers flexibility and allow us to react to 
crewmember needs more efficiently than collective bargaining 
agreements.

A key feature of the direct relationship with our crewmembers 
is our Values Committees which are made up of peer-elected 
frontline crewmembers from each of our major work groups, 
other than pilots and inflight crewmembers. They represent 

the interests of our workgroups and help us run our business 
in a productive and efficient manner. We believe this direct 
relationship  with  crewmembers  drives  higher  levels  of 
engagement and alignment with JetBlue’s strategy, culture, and 
overall goals.

We believe the efficiency and engagement of our crewmembers is 
a result of our flexible and productive work rules. We are cognizant 
of the competition for productive labor in key industry positions 
and new government rules requiring higher qualifications as 
well as more restricted hours that may result in potential labor 
shortages in the upcoming years.

Our leadership team communicates on a regular basis with all 
crewmembers in order to maintain a direct relationship and 
to  keep  them  informed  about  news,  strategy  updates,  and 
challenges  affecting  the  airline  and  the  industry.  Effective 
and frequent communication throughout the organization is 
fostered  through  various  means  including  email  messages 
from our CEO and other senior leaders at least weekly, weekday 
news updates to all crewmembers, crewmember engagement 

12

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

surveys, a quarterly crewmember magazine, and active leadership 
participation in new hire orientations. Leadership is also heavily 
involved in periodic open forum meetings across our network, 
called “pocket sessions” which are often videotaped and posted 
on our intranet. By soliciting feedback for ways to improve our 
service, teamwork and work environment, our leadership team 
works to keep crewmembers engaged and makes our business 
decisions transparent. Additionally, we believe cost and revenue 
improvements are best recognized by crewmembers on the job.

Our average number of full-time equivalent crewmembers for the 
year ended December 31, 2019 consisted of 3,590 pilots, 4,887 
inflight (whom other airlines may refer to as flight attendants), 
4,644 airport operations personnel, 690 technicians (whom other 
airlines may refer to as mechanics), 1,278 reservation agents, 
and 3,446 management and other personnel. For the year ended 
December 31, 2019, we employed an average of 16,495 full-time 
and 5,074 part-time crewmembers.

Crewmember Programs

We are committed to supporting our crewmembers through a 
number of programs including:

■■ Crewmember Resource Groups (CRGs) - These are groups 
formed by and consisting of crewmembers to act as a resource 
for both the group members as well as JetBlue. The groups 
serve  as  an  avenue  to  embrace  and  encourage  different 
perspectives, thoughts and ideas. At the end of 2019, we had 
six CRGs in place: JetPride, Women in Flight, Vets in Blue, Blue 
Conexión, the JetBlue African Diaspora Experience (JADE) 
and Blue Aviasian. All CRGs are committed to supporting the 
following pillars: professional development, JetBlue success, 
and recruitment and retention.

■■ JetBlue Crewmember Crisis Fund (JCCF) - This organization, 
originally  formed  in  2002,  is  a  non-profit  corporation 
independent from JetBlue and recognized by the IRS as of 
that date as a tax-exempt entity. JCCF was created to assist 
JetBlue crewmembers and their immediate family members 
(IRS Dependents) in times of crisis. Funds for JCCF grants come 
directly from crewmember donations via a tax-deductible payroll 
deduction. During 2017 we witnessed several unprecedented 
weather challenges including various hurricanes. JCCF helped 
provide over $2 million in relief to crewmembers impacted by 
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The assistance process is 
confidential with only the fund administrator and coordinator 
knowing the identity of the crewmembers in need.

■■ JetBlue Scholars - Developed in 2015, this program offers a new 
and innovative model to our crewmembers wishing to further 
their education. Crewmembers enrolled in the program can 
earn an undergraduate degree through self-directed online 
college courses facilitated by JetBlue. Since its inception, more 
than 1,000 crewmembers have participated in the program 
with  nearly  700  currently  enrolled.  In  November  2019,  we 
celebrated the graduation of 52 of our crewmembers who took 
the initiative and successfully completed their undergraduate 
college  degrees.  Over  200  degrees  have  been  earned  by 
our  crewmembers  since  the  launch  of  JetBlue  Scholars.  

This  reemphasizes  our  continuous  effort  to  help  provide 
assistance to our most valued asset, our people. To build on 
the program, we introduced the Master’s Pathway program 
in 2019 which is designed to help crewmembers who would 
like to advance their education even further by pursuing a 
master’s degree. The Master’s Pathway program partners with 
five reputable institutions to provide a variety of benefits to 
crewmembers including tuition discounts, scholarships, and 
access to specialized support services.

■■  Lift Recognition Program - Formed in 2012, this crewmember 
recognition program encourages crewmembers to celebrate 
their peers for living JetBlue’s values by sending e-thanks 
through an on-line platform. Our leadership team periodically 
hosts an event for the crewmembers who receive the highest 
number of Lift award recognitions in each quarter of the year. 
In 2019, we saw more than 200,000 Lift awards.

Community Programs

JetBlue is strongly committed to supporting the communities 
and BlueCities we serve through a variety of community programs 
including:

■■ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - The CSR team supports 
not-for-profit organizations focusing on youth and education, 
environment, and community in the BlueCities we serve. The 
team organizes and supports community service projects, 
charitable giving and non-profit partnerships such as KaBOOM!, 
which  builds,  opens  and  improves  playgrounds  to  benefit 
millions of young children, and Soar with Reading, which works 
to get books into the hands of children who need them most, 
including via free book vending machines.

■■ JetBlue  Foundation  -  Organized  in  2013  as  a  non-profit 
corporation, the JetBlue Foundation is a JetBlue-sponsored 
organization to advance aviation-related education and to 
continue our efforts to promote aviation as a career choice for 
students. The foundation intends to do this by igniting interest 
in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The 
foundation is legally independent from JetBlue and has a Board 
of Directors as well as an Advisory Committee, both of which 
are made up of crewmembers. The foundation is recognized by 
the IRS as a tax-exempt entity.

■■ USO  Center  T5/JFK  -  Continuing  our  tradition  of  proudly 
supporting the men, women and families of the U.S. military, in 
September 2014 we opened a USO Center in T5 at JFK. The USO 
Center is open seven days a week, 365 days per year for military 
members and their families traveling on any airline at JFK, not 
just JetBlue. This USO Center is fully stocked with computers, 
televisions, gaming devices/stations, furniture, iPads, food, 
beverages and much more. In conjunction with leading airport 
design  firm  Gensler,  Turner  Construction  Company,  the 
PANYNJ and more than 28 contractors and individual donors, 
100% of the space, services, labor and materials were donated 
to ensure the USO Center would be free of any financial burden. 
Crewmembers donate time throughout the year to help run the 
USO Center.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

13

PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

■■ T5  Farm  -  Creating  a  healthier  airport  environment  is  a 
core pillar of JetBlue’s sustainability philosophy. Through a 
partnership with TERRA brand and support from GrowNYC and 
the PANYNJ, we created the T5 Farm, a blue potato farm and 
produce garden on the roof of T5. The T5 Farm aims to serve as 

an agricultural and educational resource for the community, as 
well as a mechanism to absorb rainwater and runoff, reducing 
the possibility of flooding in the adjacent areas. Produce from 
the T5 Farm is donated to local food pantries.

Regulation
Airlines are heavily regulated, with rules and regulations set by 
various federal, state and local agencies. We also operate under 
specific regulations due to our operations within the high density 
airspace of the northeast U.S. Most of our airline operations are 
regulated by U.S. governmental agencies including:

DOT

The  DOT  primarily  regulates  economic  issues  affecting  air 
service including, but not limited to, certification and fitness, 
insurance,  consumer  protection  and  competitive  practices. 
They set the requirement that carriers cannot permit domestic 
flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours. The 
DOT also requires that the advertised price for an airfare or a tour 
package including airfare (such as a hotel/air vacation package) 
has to be the total price to be paid by the customer, including all 
government taxes and fees. It has the authority to investigate 
and institute proceedings to enforce its economic regulations 
and may assess civil penalties, revoke operating authority and 
seek criminal sanctions.

FAA 

The  FAA  primarily  regulates  flight  operations,  in  particular, 
matters affecting air safety. This includes but is not limited 
to  airworthiness  requirements  for  aircraft,  the  licensing  of 
pilots,  mechanics  and  dispatchers,  and  the  certification  of 
flight attendants. It requires each airline to obtain an operating 
certificate authorizing the airline to operate at specific airports 
using specified equipment. Like all U.S. certified carriers, JetBlue 
cannot fly to new destinations without the prior authorization of 
the FAA. After providing notice and a hearing, the FAA has the 
authority to modify, suspend temporarily or revoke permanently 
our  authority  to  provide  air  transportation  or  that  of  our 
licensed personnel for failure to comply with FAA regulations. 
It can additionally assess civil penalties for such failures as 
well as institute proceedings for the imposition and collection 
of monetary fines for the violation of certain FAA regulations. 
When significant safety issues are involved, it can revoke a U.S. 
carrier’s authority to provide air transportation on an emergency 
basis, without providing notice and a hearing. It monitors our 
compliance with maintenance as well as flight operations and 
safety regulations. It maintains on-site representatives and 
performs frequent spot inspections of our aircraft, crewmembers 
and records. The FAA also has the authority to issue airworthiness 
directives  and  other  mandatory  orders.  This  includes  the 
inspection of aircraft and engines, fire retardant and smoke 
detection devices, collision and windshear avoidance systems, 
noise abatement, and the mandatory removal and replacement 
of aircraft parts that have failed or may fail in the future. We 

14

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

have and maintain FAA certificates of airworthiness for all of our 
aircraft and have the necessary FAA authority to fly to all of the 
destinations we currently serve.

Transportation Security Administration and 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, and the 
U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection, or CBP, operate under the 
Department of Homeland Security and are responsible for all civil 
aviation security. This includes passenger and baggage screening; 
cargo  security  measures;  airport  security;  assessment  and 
distribution of intelligence; security research and development; 
international passenger screening; customs; and agriculture. 
It also has law enforcement powers and the authority to issue 
regulations, including in cases of national emergency, without a 
notice or comment period. It can also assess civil penalties for 
such failures as well as institute proceedings for the imposition 
and collection of monetary fines for the violation of certain 
regulations.

Taxes & Fees 

The airline industry is one of the most heavily taxed in the U.S., 
with taxes and fees accounting for approximately 17% of the total 
fare charged to a customer. Airlines are obligated to fund all of 
these taxes and fees regardless of their ability to pass these 
charges on to the customer. The September 11 Security Fee 
which is set by the TSA and is passed through to the customer, 
is currently $5.60 per enplanement, regardless of the number of 
connecting flights and a round trip fee is limited to a maximum of 
$11.20. Effective December 28, 2015, the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service Aircraft Inspection fee increased from $70.75 
to $225 per international aircraft arriving in the U.S.

State and Local

We are subject to state and local laws and regulations in a number 
of states in which we operate and the regulations of various local 
authorities operating the airports we serve.

Airport Access 

JFK, LaGuardia, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 
or Reagan National, are slot-controlled airports subject to the 
“High Density Rule” and successor rules issued by the FAA, or 
Slots. These rules were implemented due to the high volume of 
traffic at these popular airports located in the northeast corridor 
airspace. The rules limit the air traffic in and out of these airports 

 PART I  |   ITEM 1 BUSINESS

during specific times; however, even with the rules in place, delays 
remain among the highest in the nation due to continuing airspace 
congestion. Additionally, we have Slots at other Slot-controlled 
airports governed by unique local ordinances not subject to 
the High Density Rule, including Westchester County Airport in 
White Plains, NY and Long Beach (California) Municipal Airport. 
Gate access is another common issue at certain airports. As an 
example, we started flying to Atlanta in the first half of 2017 and 
were not granted the agreed upon number of gates.

Foreign Operations 

International air transportation is subject to extensive government 
regulation. The availability of international routes to U.S. airlines 
is regulated by treaties and related agreements between the U.S. 
and foreign governments. We currently operate international 
service to Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, 
Bermuda,  the  Cayman  Islands,  Colombia,  Costa  Rica,  Cuba, 
Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, 
Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Saint Lucia, St. Maarten, Trinidad 
and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. We anticipate 
further expanding our network to Guatemala and Guyana in 2020. 
In 2021, we intend to begin service to London, our first destination 
in Europe. To the extent we seek to provide air transportation 
to additional international markets in the future, we would be 
required to obtain necessary authority from the DOT and the 
applicable foreign government.

We believe we are operating in material compliance with DOT, 
FAA, TSA, CBP and applicable international regulations as well as 
hold all necessary operating and airworthiness authorizations and 
certificates. Should any of these authorizations or certificates be 
modified, suspended, or revoked, our business could be materially 
adversely affected.

Other

ENVIRONMENTAL 

We are subject to various federal, state and local laws relating to 
the protection of the environment. This includes the regulation 
of greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, the discharge or disposal of 
materials and chemicals, as well as the regulation of aircraft noise 
administered by numerous state and federal agencies.

The Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 recognizes the right of 
airport operators with special noise problems to implement local 
noise abatement procedures as long as those procedures do not 
interfere unreasonably with the interstate and foreign commerce 
of  the  national  air  transportation  system.  Certain  airports, 
including San Diego and Long Beach airports in California, have 
established restrictions to limit noise which can include limits 
on the number of hourly or daily operations and the time of 
such operations. These limitations are intended to protect the 
local noise-sensitive communities surrounding the airport. Our 
scheduled flights at Long Beach and San Diego are in compliance 
with the noise curfew limits, but on occasion when we experience 
irregular operations, we may violate these curfews. In 2017, we 
entered into an agreement with the Long Beach City Prosecutor 

which requires us to pay a $6,000 fine per violation. The payments 
resulting from curfew violations go to support the Long Beach 
Public Library Foundation. This local ordinance has not had, and 
we believe it will not have, a significant effect on our operations.

Concern over climate change, including the impact of global 
warming, has led to significant U.S. and international legislative 
and regulatory efforts to limit GHG emissions, including our 
aircraft  and  ground  operations  emissions.  In  October  2016, 
the  International  Civil  Aviation  Organization  (“ICAO”)  passed 
a  resolution  adopting  the  Carbon  Offsetting  and  Reduction 
Scheme for International Aviation (“CORSIA”), which is a global, 
market-based emissions offset program intended to promote 
carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020. CORSIA is scheduled to 
take effect by 2021. ICAO continues to develop details regarding 
implementation, but we believe compliance with CORSIA will 
increase our operating costs.

As part of our sustainability and environmental strategy, we 
are  embracing  new  technologies  and  making  changes  that 
will  ultimately  benefit  our  crewmembers,  customers,  and 
shareholders. Some of our sustainability initiatives include:

Reducing and Managing Carbon Dioxide (“CO2”) Emissions 
We  have  been  purchasing  CO2  offsets  since  2008.  In  2019, 
we offset the CO2 emissions for all customers traveling in the 
month of June which allowed us to reduce our flying impact by 
an estimated 700,000 metric tons of CO2. In January 2020, we 
announced plans to offset CO2 emissions from jet fuel for all 
domestic flights beginning in July 2020, making us the first major 
U.S. airline to take this critical step toward reducing the impact 
of our GHG emissions.

Operating a More Sustainable Fleet 

We  are  working  closely  with  the  FAA  towards  implementing 
NextGen. NextGen will allow us to fly more direct routes and 
reduce fuel by optimizing trip durations and improving descent 
patterns. In addition, our Airbus A321neo aircraft will help reduce 
CO2  emissions  with  improved  fuel  economy  through  newly 
designed engine technology and cabin changes.

Electric Ground Support Equipment

In 2018, we began replacing our gas-powered Ground Service 
Equipment (“GSE”) at JFK with electric-powered versions, known 
as eGSE, to reduce fuel consumption, noise, and GHG emissions. 
Another large-scale conversion to eGSE is planned for Boston, 
our second busiest city.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel 

As announced in January 2020, we have agreed to purchase 
sustainable aviation fuel produced entirely from waste and residue 
raw materials. We plan to start flying with sustainable aviation fuel 
in mid-2020 on flights from San Francisco International Airport. 
We believe making the switch will help us significantly reduce 
CO2 emissions and our environmental footprint, with no impact 
on performance or safety.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

15

PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

Reporting 

We report annually on environmental, social, governance (“ESG”) 
issues using the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board and 
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures frameworks. 
The report can be found on our Investor Relations website at 
http://investor.jetblue.com.

FOREIGN OWNERSHIP

Under federal law and DOT regulations, JetBlue must be controlled 
by U.S. citizens. In this regard, our chief executive officer and at 
least two-thirds of our board of directors must be U.S. citizens. 
Further, no more than 24.99% of our outstanding common stock 
may be voted by non-U.S. citizens. We believe we are currently in 
compliance with these ownership provisions.

OTHER REGULATIONS

All airlines are subject to certain provisions of the Communications 
Act  of  1934  due  to  their  extensive  use  of  radio  and  other 
communication facilities. They are also required to obtain an 
aeronautical radio license from the Federal Communications 
Commission,  or  FCC.  To  the  extent  we  are  subject  to  FCC 

requirements, we take all necessary steps to comply with those 
requirements.

Our labor relations are covered under Title II of the Railway Labor 
Act of 1926 and are subject to the jurisdiction of the NMB.

In addition, during periods of fuel scarcity, access to aircraft fuel 
may be subject to federal allocation regulations.

CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET 

We are a participant in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet Program, which 
permits the U.S. Department of Defense to utilize our aircraft 
during national emergencies when the need for military airlift 
exceeds the capability of military aircraft. By participating in 
this program, we are eligible to bid on and be awarded peacetime 
airlift contracts with the U.S. military.

Insurance

We carry various types of insurance customary in the airline 
industry and at amounts deemed adequate to protect us and 
our property as well as comply with both federal regulations and 
certain credit and lease agreements.

Where you can find Other Information
Our website is www.jetblue.com. Information contained on our 
website is not part of this Report. Information we furnish or 
file with the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, 
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K 
and any amendments to or exhibits included in these reports 

ITEM 1A  RISK FACTORS

Risks Related to JetBlue

We operate in an extremely competitive 
industry.

The  domestic  airline  industry  is  characterized  by  low  profit 
margins, high fixed costs and significant price competition in 
an increasingly concentrated competitive field. We currently 
compete with other airlines on all of our routes. Most of our 
competitors are larger and have greater financial resources 
and  name  recognition  than  we  do.  Following  our  entry  into 
new markets or expansion of existing markets, some of our 
competitors have chosen to add service or engage in extensive 
price competition. Unanticipated shortfalls in expected revenues 
as a result of price competition or in the number of passengers 
carried would negatively impact our financial results and harm our 
business. The extremely competitive nature of the airline industry 

16

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

are available for download, free of charge, on our website soon 
after such reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our SEC 
filings, including exhibits filed therewith, are also available at the 
SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

could prevent us from attaining the level of passenger traffic or 
maintaining the level of fares required to maintain profitable 
operations in new and existing markets and could impede our 
profitable growth strategy, which would harm our business.

Furthermore,  there  have  been  numerous  mergers  and 
acquisitions  within  the  airline  industry  in  recent  years.  The 
industry may continue to change. Any business combination could 
significantly alter industry conditions and competition within 
the airline industry and could cause fares of our competitors to 
be reduced. Additionally, if a traditional network airline were to 
fully develop a low cost structure, or if we were to experience 
increased competition from low cost carriers or new entrants, 
our business could be materially adversely affected.

 PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

Our business is highly dependent on the 
availability of fuel and fuel is subject to price 
volatility.

Our results of operations are heavily impacted by the price and 
availability of fuel. Fuel costs comprise a substantial portion of 
our total operating expenses. Historically, fuel costs have been 
subject to wide price fluctuations based on geopolitical factors 
as well as supply and demand. The availability of fuel is not only 
dependent on crude oil but also on refining capacity. When even 
a small amount of the domestic or global oil refining capacity 
becomes unavailable, supply shortages can result for extended 
periods of time. The availability of fuel is also affected by demand 
for home heating oil, gasoline and other petroleum products, as 
well as crude oil reserves, dependence on foreign imports of 
crude oil and potential hostilities in oil producing areas of the 
world. Because of the effects of these factors on the price and 
availability of fuel, the cost and future availability of fuel cannot 
be predicted with any degree of certainty.

Our aircraft fuel purchase agreements do not protect us against 
price increases or guarantee the availability of fuel. Additionally, 
some of our competitors may have more leverage than we do in 
obtaining fuel. We have and may continue to enter into a variety 
of option contracts and swap agreements for crude oil, heating 
oil, and jet fuel to partially protect against significant increases 
in fuel prices. However, such contracts and agreements do not 
completely protect us against price volatility, are limited in volume 
and duration in the respective contract, and can be less effective 
during volatile market conditions and may carry counterparty 
risk. Under the fuel hedge contracts we may enter from time to 
time, counterparties to those contracts may require us to fund 
the margin associated with any loss position on the contracts. 
Meeting our obligations to fund these margin calls could adversely 
affect our liquidity.

Due to the competitive nature of the domestic airline industry, at 
times we have not been able to adequately increase our fares to 
offset the increases in fuel prices nor may we be able to do so in 
the future. Future fuel price increases, continued high fuel price 
volatility or fuel supply shortages may result in a curtailment of 
scheduled services and could have a material adverse effect on 
our financial condition and results of operations.

We have a significant amount of fixed 
obligations and we will incur significantly more 
fixed obligations which could harm our ability 
to service our current obligations or satisfy 
future fixed obligations.

As of December 31, 2019, our debt of $2.3 billion accounted for 34% 
of our total capitalization. In addition to long-term debt, we have 
a significant amount of other fixed obligations under operating 
leases related to our aircraft, airport terminal space, airport 
hangars, other facilities and office space. As of December 31, 
2019, future minimum payments under noncancelable leases and 

other financing obligations were approximately $2.4 billion for 
2020 through 2024 and an aggregate of $1.7 billion for the years 
thereafter. T5 at JFK is under a lease with the PANYNJ that ends 
on the 28th anniversary of the date of beneficial occupancy of T5i. 
The minimum payments under this lease are being accounted 
for as a financing obligation and have been included in the future 
minimum payment totals above.

As of December 31, 2019, we had commitments of approximately 
$8.2  billion  to  purchase  149  additional  aircraft  and  related 
flight equipment through 2026, including estimated amounts 
for contractual price escalations and predelivery deposits. We 
may  incur  additional  debt  and  other  fixed  obligations  as  we 
take delivery of new aircraft or finance unencumbered aircraft 
in our fleet and other equipment and continue to expand into 
new or existing markets. In an effort to limit the incurrence of 
significant additional debt, we may seek to defer some of our 
scheduled deliveries, sell or lease aircraft to others, or pay cash 
for new aircraft, to the extent necessary or possible. The amount 
of our existing debt, and other fixed obligations, and potential 
increases in the amount of our debt and other fixed obligations 
could  have  important  consequences  to  investors  and  could 
require a substantial portion of cash flows from operations for 
debt service payments, thereby reducing the availability of our 
cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other 
general corporate purposes.

Our level of debt and other fixed obligations could:

■■ impact our ability to obtain additional financing to support 
capital expansion plans and for working capital  and other 
purposes on acceptable terms or at all;

■■ divert substantial cash flow from our operations, execution 
of our commercial initiatives and expansion plans in order to 
service our fixed obligations;

■■ require us to incur significantly more interest expense than we 
currently do if rates were to increase, since approximately 10% 
of our debt has floating interest rates; and

■■ place us at a possible competitive disadvantage compared to 
less leveraged competitors and competitors with better access 
to capital resources or more favorable financing terms.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on our debt and other 
fixed obligations will depend on our future operating performance 
and cash flows, which in turn will depend on prevailing economic 
and political conditions and financial, competitive, regulatory, 
business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. 
We are principally dependent upon our operating cash flows and 
access to the capital markets to fund our operations and to make 
scheduled payments on debt and other fixed obligations. We 
cannot assure that we will be able to generate sufficient cash 
flows from our operations or from capital market activities to 
pay our debt and other fixed obligations as they become due. If 
we fail to do so our business could be harmed. If we are unable 
to make payments on our debt and other fixed obligations, we 
could be forced to renegotiate those obligations or seek to obtain 
additional equity or other forms of additional financing.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

17

PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

Our level of indebtedness may limit our 
ability to incur additional debt to meet future 
financing needs.

We typically finance our aircraft through either secured debt, 
lease financing, or through cash from operations. The impact 
on financial institutions from global economic conditions may 
adversely affect the availability and cost of credit to JetBlue as well 
as to prospective purchasers of our aircraft should we undertake 
to sell in the future, including financing commitments we have 
already obtained for purchases of new aircraft or financing or 
refinancing of existing aircraft. To the extent we finance our 
activities with additional debt, we may become subject to financial 
and other covenants that may restrict our ability to pursue our 
strategy or otherwise constrain our operations.

Our maintenance costs will increase  
as our fleet ages.

Our maintenance costs will increase as our fleet ages. In the past, 
we have incurred lower maintenance expenses because most 
of the parts on our aircraft were under multi-year warranties, 
but many of these warranties have expired. If any maintenance 
provider with whom we have a flight hour agreement fails to 
perform or honor such agreements, we could incur higher interim 
maintenance costs until we negotiate new agreements.

Furthermore we expect to implement various fleet modifications 
over the next several years to ensure our aircraft’s continued 
efficiency, modernization, brand consistency and safety. Our 
plans to restyle our Airbus aircraft with new cabins, for example, 
require significant modification time. These fleet modifications 
require significant investment over several years, including taking 
aircraft out of service for several weeks at a time.

Our salaries, wages and benefits costs  
will increase as our workforce ages.

As our crewmembers’ tenure with JetBlue matures, our salaries, 
wages and benefits costs increase. As our overall workforce ages, 
we expect our medical and related benefits to increase as well, 
despite an increased corporate focus on crewmember wellness.

We may be subject to unionization, work 
stoppages, slowdowns or increased labor 
costs and the unionization of the Company’s 
pilots and inflight crewmembers could result in 
increased labor costs.

Our business is labor intensive and the unionization of any of our 
crewmembers could result in demands that may increase our 
operating expenses and adversely affect our financial condition 
and results of operations. Any of the different crafts or classes of 
our crewmembers could unionize at any time, which would require 
us to negotiate in good faith with the crewmember group’s certified 
representative concerning a collective bargaining agreement. In 
addition, we may be subject to disruptions by unions protesting the 
non-union status of our other crewmembers. Any of these events 
would be disruptive to our operations and could harm our business.

18

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

In general, unionization has increased costs in the airline industry. 
On April 22, 2014, approximately 74% of our pilots voted to be 
represented by the Airlines Pilot Association, or ALPA. In July 2018, 
we reached a final agreement for our first collective bargaining 
agreement which was ratified by the pilots and became effective 
on August 1, 2018. In April 2018, JetBlue inflight crewmembers 
elected  to  be  solely  represented  by  the  Transport  Workers 
Union of America, or TWU. The NMB certified the TWU as the 
representative body for JetBlue inflight crewmembers and we are 
working with the TWU to reach a collective bargaining agreement. 
If we are unable to reach agreement on the terms of a collective 
bargaining agreement, or we experience widespread crewmember 
dissatisfaction, we could be subject to adverse actions.

There are risks associated with our presence 
in some of our international emerging markets, 
including political or economic instability and 
failure to adequately comply with existing legal 
and regulatory requirements.

Expansion into new international emerging markets may have 
risks due to factors specific to those markets. Emerging markets 
are countries which have less developed economies and may be 
vulnerable to economic and political instability, such as significant 
fluctuations in gross domestic product, interest and currency 
exchange  rates,  civil  disturbances,  government  instability, 
nationalization and expropriation of private assets, trafficking 
and the imposition of taxes or other charges by governments. 
The occurrence of any of these events in markets served by us 
and the resulting instability may adversely affect our business.

We have expanded and expect to continue to expand our service to 
countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, some of which have 
less developed legal systems, financial markets, and business and 
political environments than the United States, and therefore present 
greater political, legal, regulatory, economic and operational 
risks. We emphasize legal compliance and have implemented 
and continue to implement and refresh policies, procedures and 
certain ongoing training of crewmembers with regard to business 
ethics and compliance, anti-corruption policies and many key 
legal  requirements;  however,  there  can  be  no  assurance  our 
crewmembers or third party service providers in such locations will 
adhere to our code of business conduct, anti-corruption policies, 
other Company policies, or other legal requirements. If we fail to 
enforce our policies and procedures properly or maintain adequate 
record-keeping and internal accounting practices to accurately 
record our transactions, we may be subject to sanctions. In the 
event we believe or have reason to believe our crewmembers have 
or may have violated applicable laws or regulations, we may be 
subject to investigation costs, potential penalties and other related 
costs which in turn could negatively affect our reputation, and our 
results of operations and cash flow.

In addition, to the extent we continue to grow our business both 
domestically and internationally, opening new markets requires us 
to commit a substantial amount of resources even before the new 
services commence. Expansion is also dependent upon our ability 
to maintain a safe and secure operation and requires additional 
personnel, equipment, and facilities.

Our high aircraft utilization rate helps us keep 
our costs low, but also makes us vulnerable 
to delays and cancellations; such delays and 
cancellations could reduce our profitability.

We maintain a high daily aircraft utilization rate which is the 
amount of time our aircraft spend in the air carrying passengers. 
High daily aircraft utilization is achieved in part by reducing 
turnaround times at airports so we can fly more hours on average 
in a day. Aircraft utilization is reduced by delays and cancellations 
from various factors, many of which are beyond our control, 
including adverse weather conditions, security requirements, air 
traffic congestion, and unscheduled maintenance events. The 
majority of our operations are concentrated in the Northeast 
and Florida, which are particularly vulnerable to weather and 
congestion delays. Reduced aircraft utilization may limit our 
ability to achieve and maintain profitability as well as lead to 
customer dissatisfaction.

Our business is highly dependent on the New 
York metropolitan market and increases in 
competition or congestion or a reduction 
in demand for air travel in this market, or 
governmental reduction of our operating 
capacity at JFK, would harm our business.

We are highly dependent on the New York metropolitan market 
where we maintain a large presence with approximately one-half 
of our daily flights having JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Westchester 
County Airport, or Newburgh’s Stewart International Airport 
as either their origin or destination. We have experienced an 
increase in flight delays and cancellations at these airports due 
to airport congestion which has adversely affected our operating 
performance and results of operations. Our business could be 
further harmed by an increase in the amount of direct competition 
we face in the New York metropolitan market or by continued or 
increased congestion, delays or cancellations. Our business would 
also be harmed by any circumstances causing a reduction in 
demand for air transportation in the New York metropolitan area, 
such as adverse changes in local economic conditions, health 
concerns, negative public perception of New York City, acts of 
terrorism, or significant price or tax increases linked to increases 
in airport access costs and fees imposed on passengers.

Extended interruptions or disruptions in 
service at one or more of our focus cities 
could have a material adverse impact on our 
operations.

Our business is heavily dependent on our operations in the New 
York Metropolitan area, particularly at JFK, and at our other focus 
cities in Boston, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, the Los Angeles basin, 
and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Each of these operations includes 
flights that gather and distribute traffic to other major cities. A 
significant interruption or disruption in service at one or more 
of our focus cities could have a serious impact on our business, 
financial condition and results of operations.

 PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

We rely heavily on automated systems to 
operate our business; any failure of these 
systems could harm our business.

We are dependent on automated systems and technology to 
operate our business, enhance the JetBlue Experience, and 
achieve low operating costs. The performance and reliability 
of our automated systems and data centers is critical to our 
ability to operate our business and compete effectively. These 
systems include our computerized airline reservation system, 
flight operations system, telecommunications systems, website, 
maintenance systems, check-in kiosks, and our primary and 
redundant data centers. Our website and reservation system 
must  be  able  to  securely  accommodate  a  high  volume  of 
traffic and deliver important flight information. These systems 
require upgrades or replacement periodically, which involve 
implementation and other operational risks. Our business may 
be harmed if we fail to operate, replace or upgrade our systems 
or data center infrastructure successfully.

We  rely  on  third  party  providers  of  our  current  automated 
systems and data center infrastructure for technical support. 
If  our  current  providers  were  to  fail  to  adequately  provide 
technical support for any one of our key existing systems or if 
new or updated components were not integrated smoothly, we 
could experience service disruptions, which could result in the 
loss of important data, increase our expenses, decrease our 
revenues and generally harm our business, reputation and brand. 
Furthermore,  our  automated  systems  cannot  be  completely 
protected against events beyond our control, including natural 
disasters,  computer  viruses,  cyberattacks,  other  security 
breaches,  or  telecommunications  failures.  Substantial  or 
sustained system failures could impact customer service and 
result in our customers purchasing tickets from other airlines. 
We have implemented security measures and change control 
procedures and have disaster recovery plans. We also require 
our third party providers to have disaster recovery plans; however, 
we cannot assure you these measures are adequate to prevent 
disruptions, which, if they were to occur, could result in the loss 
of important data, increase our expenses, decrease our revenues, 
and generally harm our business, reputation, and brand.

We may be impacted by increases in airport 
expenses relating to infrastructure and 
facilities.

In order to operate within our current markets as well as continue 
to grow in new markets, we must be able to obtain adequate 
infrastructure and facilities within the airports we serve. This 
includes gates, check-in facilities, operations facilities, and 
landing slots, where applicable. The costs associated with these 
airports are often negotiated on a short-term basis with the 
airport authority and we could be subject to increases in costs 
on a regular basis with or without our approval.

In addition, our operations concentrated in older airports may be 
harmed if the infrastructure at those older airports fails to operate 
as  expected  due  to  age,  overuse,  or  significant  unexpected 
weather events.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

19

PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

Our reputation and business may be harmed 
and we may be subject to legal claims 
if there is loss, unlawful disclosure or 
misappropriation of, or unsanctioned access 
to, our customers’, crewmembers’, business 
partners’ or our own information or other 
breaches of our information security.

In the current environment, there are numerous and evolving 
risks to cybersecurity and privacy, including criminal hackers, 
hacktivists, state-sponsored intrusions, industrial espionage, 
employee malfeasance, and human or technological error. High-
profile security breaches at other companies and in government 
agencies have increased in recent years, and security industry 
experts and government officials have warned about the risks 
of hackers and cyberattacks targeting businesses such as ours. 
Computer hackers routinely attempt to breach our networks. 
When the Company learns of security incidents, we investigate 
the incident, which includes making reports to law enforcement, 
as appropriate.

We also are aware that hackers may attempt to fraudulently 
induce  crewmembers,  customers,  or  others  to  disclose 
information or unwittingly provide access to systems or data. 
We make extensive use of online services and centralized data 
processing, including through third party service providers or 
business providers. The secure maintenance and transmission 
of customer and crewmember information is a critical element 
of our operations. Our information technology and other systems 
and those of service providers or business partners, that maintain 
and transmit customer information, may be compromised by a 
malicious third party penetration of our network security, or of 
a business partner, or impacted by deliberate or inadvertent 
actions or inactions by our crewmembers, or those of a business 
partner. The risk of cyberattacks to our Company also includes 
attempted breaches of contractors, business partners, vendors, 
and other third parties. As a result, personal information may 
be  lost,  disclosed,  accessed,  or  taken  without  consent.  We 
transmit confidential credit card information by way of secure 
private retail networks and rely on encryption and authentication 
technology licensed from third parties to provide the security 
and authentication necessary to effect secure transmission and 
storage of confidential information.

While  the  Company  makes  significant  efforts  to  ensure  the 
security  of  its  computer  network,  we  cannot  provide  any 
assurances that our efforts will defend against all cyberattacks. 
Any compromises to our security or computer network could have 
a material adverse effect on the reputation, business, operating 
results, and financial condition of the Company, and could result 
in a loss of customers. Additionally, any material failure by the 
Company to achieve or maintain compliance with the Payment 
Card Industry, or PCI, security requirements or rectify a security 
issue may result in fines and the imposition of restrictions on the 
Company’s ability to accept credit cards as a form of payment. 
Any such loss, disclosure or misappropriation of, or access to, 

customers’, crewmembers’ or business partners’ information 
or other breach of our information security can result in legal 
claims or legal proceedings, including regulatory investigations 
and actions, may have a negative impact on our reputation, 
may lead to regulatory enforcement actions against us, and 
may materially adversely affect our business, operating results, 
and financial condition. Furthermore, the loss, disclosure or 
misappropriation of our business information may materially 
adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial 
condition. The regulations in this area continue to develop and 
evolve. International regulation adds complexity as we expand 
our service and include more passengers from other countries.

Data security compliance requirements could 
increase our costs, and any significant data 
breach could disrupt our operations and harm 
our reputation, business, results of operations 
and financial condition.

The  Company  is  subject  to  increasing  legislative,  regulator, 
and customer focus on privacy issues and data security. Our 
business  requires  the  appropriate  and  secure  utilization  of 
customer, crewmember, business partner, and other sensitive 
information. We cannot be certain that advances in criminal 
capabilities (including cyberattacks or cyber intrusions over the 
Internet, malware, computer viruses, and the like), discovery of 
new vulnerabilities or attempts to exploit existing vulnerabilities 
in our systems, other data thefts, physical system or network 
break-ins or inappropriate access, or other developments will not 
compromise or breach the technology protecting the networks 
that access and store sensitive information. The risk of a security 
breach or disruption, particularly through cyberattack or cyber 
intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments, 
and cyber terrorists, has increased as the number, intensity, and 
sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around 
the world have increased.

Furthermore,  there  has  been  heightened  legislative  and 
regulatory focus on data security in the U.S. and abroad, including 
requirements for varying levels of customer notification in the 
event of a data breach. Many of our commercial business partners, 
including credit card companies, have imposed data security 
standards that we must meet. In particular, we are required by 
the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, founded 
by the credit card companies, to comply with their highest level 
of data security standards. The Company will continue its efforts 
to meet its privacy and data security obligations; however, it is 
possible that certain new obligations may be difficult to meet and 
could increase the Company’s costs.

A significant data security breach or our failure to comply with 
applicable U.S. or foreign data security regulations or other 
data security standards may expose us to litigation, claims for 
contract breach, fines, sanctions or other penalties, which could 
disrupt our operations, harm our reputation, and materially and 
adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial 

20

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

condition. The costs to remediate breaches and similar system 
compromises that do occur could be material. In addition, as cyber 
criminals become more frequent, intense, and sophisticated, 
the costs of proactive defensive measures may increase. Failure 
to address these issues appropriately could also give rise to 
additional legal risks, which, in turn, could increase the size and 
number of litigation claims and damages asserted or subject us 
to enforcement actions, fines and penalties, and cause us to incur 
further related costs and expenses.

Our liquidity could be adversely impacted 
in the event one or more of our credit card 
processors were to impose material reserve 
requirements for payments due to us from 
credit card transactions.

We currently have agreements with organizations that process 
credit card transactions arising from purchases of air travel 
tickets by our customers. Credit card processors have financial 
risk associated with tickets purchased for travel which can occur 
several weeks after the purchase. Our credit card processing 
agreements  provide  for  reserves  to  be  deposited  with  the 
processor in certain circumstances. We do not currently have 
reserves posted for our credit card processors. If circumstances 
were to occur requiring us to deposit reserves, the negative 
impact on our liquidity could be significant which could materially 
adversely affect our business.

If we are unable to attract and retain qualified 
personnel or fail to maintain our company 
culture, our business could be harmed.

We  compete  against  other  major  U.S.  airlines  for  pilots, 
mechanics, and other skilled labor; some of them offer wage and 
benefit packages exceeding ours. As more pilots in the industry 
approach mandatory retirement age, the U.S. airline industry may 
be affected by a pilot shortage. We may be required to increase 
wages and/or benefits in order to attract and retain qualified 
personnel or risk considerable crewmember turnover. If we are 
unable to hire, train, and retain qualified crewmembers, our 
business could be harmed and we may be unable to implement 
our growth plans.

In  addition,  as  we  hire  more  people  and  grow,  we  believe  it 
may  be  increasingly  challenging  to  continue  to  hire  people 
who will maintain our company culture. We believe one of our 
competitive strengths is our service-oriented company culture 
which emphasizes friendly, helpful, team-oriented, and customer-
focused crewmembers. Our company culture is important to 
providing high quality customer service and having a productive 
workforce in order to help keep our costs low. As we continue to 
grow, we may be unable to identify, hire, or retain enough people 
who meet the above criteria, including those in management 
or other key positions. Our company culture could otherwise 
be adversely affected by our growing operations and broader 

geographic diversity. If we fail to maintain the strength of our 
company culture, our competitive ability and our business may 
be harmed.

Our results of operations fluctuate due to 
seasonality, weather, and other factors.

We expect our quarterly operating results to fluctuate due to 
seasonality including high vacation and leisure demand occurring 
on our Florida routes between October and April and on our 
western routes during the summer. Actions of our competitors 
may also contribute to fluctuations in our results. We are more 
susceptible to adverse weather conditions, including snow storms 
and hurricanes, as a result of our operations being concentrated 
on the East Coast, than some of our competitors. Our Florida and 
Caribbean operations are subject to hurricanes. As we enter new 
markets we could be subject to additional seasonal variations 
along  with  any  competitive  responses  to  our  entry  by  other 
airlines. Price changes in aircraft fuel as well as the timing and 
amount of maintenance and advertising expenditures also impact 
our operations. As a result of these factors, quarter-to-quarter 
comparisons of our operating results may not be a good indicator 
of our future performance. In addition, it is possible in any future 
period our operating results could be below the expectations of 
investors and any published reports or analysis regarding JetBlue. 
In such an event, the price of our common stock could decline, 
perhaps substantially.

We are subject to the risks of having a limited 
number of suppliers for our aircraft, engines, 
and our Fly-Fi® product.

Our current dependence on four types of aircraft and engines 
for all of our flights makes us vulnerable to significant problems 
associated with the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan Engines, 
or PW1133G-JM engine on our A321neo fleet, International Aero 
Engines, or IAE V2533-A5 engine on our Airbus A321 fleet, the 
International  Aero  Engines,  or  IAE  V2527-A5  engine  on  our 
Airbus A320 fleet, and the General Electric Engines CF34-10 
engine on our Embraer E190 fleet. This could include design 
defects, mechanical problems, contractual performance by the 
manufacturers, or adverse perception by the public which would 
result in customer avoidance or in actions by the FAA resulting 
in an inability to operate our aircraft. Carriers operating a more 
diversified fleet are better positioned than we are to manage such 
events.

Our Fly-Fi® service uses technology and satellite access through 
our agreement with Thales Avionics, Inc., or Thales. An integral 
component of the Fly-Fi® system is the antenna, which is supplied 
to us by Thales. If Thales were to stop supplying us with its 
antennas for any reason, we would have to incur significant costs 
to procure an alternate supplier. Additionally, if the satellites  
Fly-Fi® uses were to become inoperable for any reason, we would 
have to incur significant costs to replace the service.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

21

PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

Tariffs imposed on commercial aircraft and 
related parts imported from outside the United 
States, or tariffs that may be escalated over 
time, may have a material adverse effect on 
our fleet, business, financial condition and 
results of operations.

Certain of the products and services that we purchase, including 
aircraft and related parts, are sourced from suppliers located 
outside the United States, and the imposition of new tariffs, or 
any increase in existing tariffs, by the U.S. government on the 
importation of such products or services could materially increase 
the amounts we pay for them. On October 2, 2019, the World 
Trade Organization ruled that the United States could impose 
up to $7.5 billion in retaliatory tariffs in response to European 
Union subsidies to Airbus. On October 18, 2019, the United States 
imposed these tariffs on certain imports from the European 
Union,  including  an  ad  valorem  duty  of  10%  on  commercial 
aircraft and related parts. On February 14, 2020, the United States 
announced it would increase the tariff to 15% with an effective 
date of March 18, 2020. These tariffs apply to aircraft and other 
parts that we are already contractually obligated to purchase. The 
imposition of these tariffs could substantially increase the cost 
of, among other things, new Airbus aircraft and parts, which in 
turn could have a material adverse effect on our fleet, business, 
financial condition and results of operations. We may also seek 
to  postpone  or  cancel  delivery  of  certain  aircraft  currently 
scheduled for delivery, and we may choose not to purchase in 
the future as many aircraft as we intended. In addition, should 
additional or different retaliatory tariffs be imposed, our business 
could be harmed. Any such action could have a material adverse 
effect on the size of our fleet, business, financial condition and 
results of operations.

Our reputation and financial results could be 
harmed in the event of an accident or incident 
involving our aircraft.

An accident or incident involving one of our aircraft could involve 
significant potential claims of injured passengers or others in 

addition to repair or replacement of a damaged aircraft and its 
consequential temporary or permanent loss from service. We 
are required by the DOT to carry liability insurance. Although we 
believe we currently maintain liability insurance in amounts and of 
the type generally consistent with industry practice, the amount 
of such coverage may not be adequate and we may be forced to 
bear substantial losses from an accident or incident. Substantial 
claims resulting from an accident or incident in excess of our 
related insurance coverage would harm our business and financial 
results. Moreover, any aircraft accident or incident, even if fully 
insured, could cause a public perception we are less safe or 
reliable than other airlines which would harm our business.

Our business depends on our strong reputation 
and the value of the JetBlue brand.

The JetBlue brand name symbolizes high-quality friendly customer 
service, innovation, fun, and a pleasant travel experience. JetBlue 
is a widely recognized and respected global brand; the JetBlue 
brand is one of our most important and valuable assets. The 
JetBlue brand name and our corporate reputation are powerful 
sales and marketing tools and we devote significant resources to 
promoting and protecting them. Adverse publicity, whether or not 
justified, relating to activities by our crewmembers, contractors, 
or agents could tarnish our reputation and reduce the value of our 
brand. Damage to our reputation and loss of brand equity could 
reduce demand for our services and thus have an adverse effect 
on our financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations, as 
well as require additional resources to rebuild our reputation and 
restore the value of our brand.

We may be subject to competitive risks due to 
the long-term nature of our fleet order book.

At  present,  we  have  existing  aircraft  commitments  through 
2026. As technological evolution occurs in our industry, through 
the  use  of  composites  and  other  innovations,  we  may  be 
competitively disadvantaged because we have existing extensive 
fleet commitments that would prohibit us from adopting new 
technologies on an expedited basis.

Risks Associated with the Airline Industry

The airline industry is particularly sensitive to 
changes in economic condition.

Fundamental and permanent changes in the domestic airline 
industry have occurred over time as a result of several years of 
repeated losses, among other reasons. These losses resulted 
in  airlines  renegotiating  or  attempting  to  renegotiate  labor 
contracts,  reconfiguring  flight  schedules,  furloughing,  or 
terminating crewmembers, as well as considering other efficiency 
and cost-cutting measures. Despite these actions, several airlines 
have reorganized under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code 
to permit them to reduce labor rates, restructure debt, terminate 
pension plans, and generally reduce their cost structure. Since 
2005,  the  U.S.  airline  industry  has  experienced  significant 

consolidation and liquidations. A global economic recession and 
related unfavorable general economic conditions, such as higher 
unemployment rates, a constrained credit market, housing-
related pressures, and increased business operating costs can 
reduce spending for both leisure and business travel. Unfavorable 
economic conditions could also impact an airline’s ability to 
raise fares to counteract increased fuel, labor, and other costs. 
It is possible that further airline reorganizations, consolidation, 
bankruptcies, or liquidations may occur in the current global 
economic environment, the effects of which we are unable to 
predict. We cannot assure you the occurrence of these events, 
or potential changes resulting from these events, will not harm 
our business or the industry.

22

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

A future act of terrorism, the threat of such 
acts or escalation of U.S. military involvement 
overseas could adversely affect our industry.

Acts of terrorism, the threat of such acts or escalation of U.S. 
military involvement overseas could have an adverse effect on the 
airline industry. In the event of an act of terrorism, whether or not 
successful, the airline industry would likely experience increased 
security requirements and significantly reduced demand. We 
cannot assure you these actions, or consequences resulting from 
these actions, will not harm our business or the industry.

Changes in government regulations imposing 
additional requirements and restrictions on 
our operations could increase our operating 
costs and result in service delays and 
disruptions.

Airlines  are  subject  to  extensive  regulatory  and  legal 
requirements, both domestically and internationally, involving 
significant compliance costs. In the last several years, Congress 
has passed laws, and the agencies of the federal government, 
including, but not limited to, the DOT, FAA, CBP, and the TSA 
have  issued regulations relating to the operation of airlines 
that  have  required  significant  expenditures.  We  expect  to 
continue to incur expenses in connection with complying with 
government regulations. Additional laws including executive 
orders, regulations, taxes, and airport rates and charges have 
been proposed from time to time that could significantly increase 
the cost of airline operations or reduce the demand for air travel. 
If adopted or materially amended, these measures could have 
the effect of raising ticket prices affecting the perception of the 
airline industry, reducing air travel demand and/or revenue, and 
increasing costs. We cannot assure you these and other laws 
including executive orders, regulations, or taxes enacted in the 
future will not harm our business.

In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, 
has proposed changes to underground storage tank regulations 
that could affect certain airport fuel hydrant systems. In addition 
to the proposed EPA and state regulations, several U.S. airport 
authorities are actively engaged in efforts to limit discharges of 
de-icing fluid to local groundwater, often by requiring airlines to 
participate in the building or reconfiguring of airport de-icing 
facilities.

Federal budget constraints or federally 
imposed furloughs due to budget negotiation 
deadlocks may adversely affect our industry, 
business, results of operations and financial 
position.

Many of our airline operations are regulated by governmental 
agencies, including, but not limited to, the DOT, FAA, CBP, and 
the TSA. If the federal government were to continue experiencing 
issues in reaching budgetary consensus in the future resulting 
in mandatory furloughs and/or other budget constraints, or if a 

 PART I  |   ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

government shutdown were to continue for an extended period of 
time, our operations and results of operations could be materially 
negatively impacted. The travel behaviors of the flying public 
could also be affected, which may materially adversely impact 
our industry and our business.

Compliance with future environmental 
regulations may harm our business.

Many aspects of airlines’ operations are subject to increasingly 
stringent  environmental  regulations,  and  growing  concerns 
about climate change may result in the imposition of additional 
regulation. Since the domestic airline industry is increasingly 
price  sensitive,  we  may  not  be  able  to  recover  the  cost  of 
compliance with new or more stringent environmental laws and 
regulations from our customers, which could adversely affect our 
business. Although it is not expected the costs of complying with 
current environmental regulations will have a material adverse 
effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash 
flows, no assurance can be made the costs of complying with 
environmental regulations in the future will not have such an 
effect.

We may be affected by global climate change 
or by legal, regulatory or market responses to 
such change.

Concern over climate change, including the impact of global 
warming, has led to significant U.S. and international legislative 
and regulatory efforts to limit GHG emissions, including our 
aircraft and ground operations emissions. In October 2016, the 
ICAO passed a resolution adopting the Carbon Offsetting and 
Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (“CORSIA”), which is 
a global, market-based emissions offset program to encourage 
carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020. CORISA is scheduled to 
take effect by 2021. ICAO continues to develop details regarding 
implementation, but we believe compliance with CORSIA will 
increase our operating costs.

We could be adversely affected by an outbreak 
of a disease or an environmental disaster that 
significantly affects travel behavior.

Any outbreak of a disease affecting travel behavior could have 
a material adverse impact on airlines. In addition, outbreaks of 
disease could result in quarantines of our personnel, business 
partners and their suppliers, or an inability to access facilities or 
our aircraft, which could adversely affect our operations. Similarly, 
if an environmental disaster were to occur and adversely impact 
any of our destination cities, travel behavior could be affected and 
in turn, could materially adversely impact our business.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

23

PART I  |   ITEM 1B UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

ITEM 1B  UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2 

PROPERTIES

Aircraft
As of December 31, 2019, we operated a fleet consisting of 63 Airbus A321 aircraft, 6 Airbus A321neo aircraft, 130 Airbus A320 aircraft 
and 60 Embraer E190 aircraft as summarized below:

Aircraft

Airbus A320

Airbus A321

Airbus A321neo

Embraer E190

Seating 
Capacity

162/ 150(1) (2)

200 / 159(3)

200

100

Owned

Finance
 Leased

Operating 
Leased

116

60

6

30

212

4

2

—

—

6

10

1

—

30

41

Total

130

63

6

60

259

Average Age 
in Years

14.3

3.5

0.2

11.2

10.6

(1)	 During	2019,	we	completed	the	buyout of	one	of	our	aircraft	leases.
(2)  Our Airbus A320 with a restyled cabin configuration has a seating capacity of 162 seats. Our Airbus A320 with a classic cabin configuration has a seating capacity 

of 150 seats.

(3)  Our Airbus A321 with a single cabin layout has a seating capacity of 200 seats. Our Airbus A321 with our Mint® premium service has a seating capacity of 159 seats.

As of December 31, 2019, our aircraft leases had an average 
remaining term of approximately 4 years, with expiration dates 
between 2020 and 2026. We have the option to extend most of 
these leases for additional periods or to purchase the aircraft at 
the end of the related lease term.

the A321XLR. We believe the range of the Airbus A321XLR will allow 
us to expand our relevance in Boston and New York, by adding 
more destinations in Europe. In addition, we also converted 10 
of our options for the Airbus A220-300 aircraft into firm orders 
scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2026.

In connection with our plans to launch flights to London, we 
amended our purchase agreement with Airbus in April 2019 to 
convert  13  Airbus  A321neo  deliveries  into  A321LR  deliveries 
scheduled between 2023 and 2024.

In June 2019, we further amended our purchase agreement with 
Airbus to convert an additional 13 Airbus A321neo deliveries into 

As of December 31, 2019, options for 50 additional A220-300 
aircraft  deliveries  remain  available  to  us  and  we  retain  the 
flexibility to convert certain aircraft to the A220-100 model. Both 
members of the A220 family share commonality in more than  
99 percent of their replaceable parts and utilize the same family 
of engines.

As of December 31, 2019, we had 149 aircraft on order scheduled for delivery through 2026. Our future aircraft delivery schedule is as follows:

Year

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

TOTAL

Airbus A321neo

Airbus A220

Contractual Order Book

7

14

17

15

14

12

—

—

79

—

1

6

8

19

22

12

2

70

Total

7

15

23

23

33

34

12

2

149

24

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART I  |   ITEM 2 PROPERTIES

The  table  above  represents  the  current  delivery  schedule 
set forth in our Airbus order book as of December 31, 2019. In 
October 2018 and May 2019, we received notice from Airbus of 
anticipated delivery delays of the A321neo aircraft. Due to these 

delays, we only took delivery of six A321neo aircraft in 2019 with 
the remaining seven to be delivered beyond their contractual 
delivery  year.  We  expect  to  take  delivery  of  a  maximum  of  
11 A321neo aircraft in 2020.

Ground Facilities

Airports

All of our facilities at the airports we serve are under leases 
or other occupancy agreements. This space is leased directly 
or  indirectly  from  the  local  airport  authority  on  varying 
terms  dependent  on  prevailing  practices  at  each  airport. 
Our passenger terminal service facilities consisting of ticket 
counters, gate space, operations support area, and baggage 
service offices generally have agreement terms ranging from 
less than one year to five years. They can contain provisions 
for  periodic  adjustments  of  rental  rates,  landing  fees,  and 
other charges applicable under the type of lease. Under some 
of these agreements, we are responsible for the maintenance, 
insurance, utilities, and certain other facility-related expenses 
and services.

A summary of our most significant lease agreements are:

■■ JFK - We have a lease agreement with the PANYNJ for T5 
and T5i. We have the option to terminate the agreement in 
2033, five years prior to the end of the original scheduled 
lease term of October 2038. We also executed a supplement 
to this lease agreement for the T6 property, our original base 
of operations at JFK which afforded us the exclusive right to 
develop on the T6 property. T5i, our expansion of T5 that we 
use as an international arrivals facility opened to customers 
in November 2014. Another supplement of the original T5 
lease  was  executed  in  2013.  The  lease,  as  amended,  now 
incorporates a total of approximately 19 acres of space for 
our T5 facilities.

■■ Boston - We had an initial five year lease agreement with 
Massport for five gates in Terminal C that started on May 1, 2005 
and allowed JetBlue to grow to 11 gates by 2008. The agreement 
included extension language which provided for 20 successive 
one-year automatic renewals after the initial five year term. 
With the continued growth of our operations in Boston, we 
have periodically amended our lease to add additional gates 
and support spaces, most recently in 2017 to have the rights 
to six additional gates. As of December 31, 2019, we leased  
27 gates in Boston.

We have entered into use arrangements at each of the airports 
we  serve  providing  for  the  non-exclusive  use  of  runways, 
taxiways, and other airport facilities. Landing fees under these 
agreements  are  typically  based  on  the  number  of  aircraft 
landings and the weight of the aircraft.

Other

We lease the following hangars and airport support facilities at 
our focus cities:

■■ New York - At JFK we have a ground lease agreement which 
expires  in  2030  for  an  aircraft  maintenance  hangar,  an 
adjacent office, and warehouse facility, including a storage 
facility for aircraft parts. These facilities accommodate our 
technical support and catering operations. We also lease a 
building from the PANYNJ which is mainly used for ground 
equipment maintenance work.

■■ Boston - We have a ground lease agreement which expires in 
2022 for a building which includes an aircraft maintenance 
hangar and support space. We also have leases for facilities 
to accommodate our ground support equipment maintenance 
and catering operations.

■■ Orlando - We have a ground lease agreement for a hangar 
which  expires  in  2035.  We  also  occupy  a  training  center, 
JetBlue University, with a lease agreement expiring in 2035 
which we use for the initial and recurrent training of our pilots 
and inflight crewmembers, as well as support training for our 
technical operations and airport crewmembers. This facility is 
equipped with seven full flight simulators, seven flight training 
devices, three cabin trainers, a training pool, classrooms, and 
support areas. We began the planned expansion of JetBlue 
University in April 2019. As we continue to grow, developing 
our crewmembers’ technical, service, and hospitality skills 
that provide our JetBlue Experience is crucial to our continued 
success. The new learning space will include additional flight 
and cabin simulators, an auditorium that can accommodate 
six new classrooms, and a larger ditching pool.

In  2015,  we  opened  the  Lodge  at  OSC  which  is  adjacent  to 
JetBlue University and is used for lodging our crewmembers 
when they attend training.

Our primary corporate offices are located in Long Island City, 
New York with our lease expiring in 2023. Our offices in Salt 
Lake  City,  Utah  contain  a  core  team  of  crewmembers  who 
are responsible for group sales, customer service, at-home 
reservation agent supervision, disbursements and certain other 
finance functions. The lease for our Salt Lake City facility expires 
in 2022. We also maintain other facilities that are necessary to 
support our operations in the cities we serve.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

25

PART I  |   ITEM 3 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

ITEM 3 

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

In the ordinary course of our business, we are party to various legal proceedings and claims which we believe are incidental to the 
operation of our business. Other than as described under Note 12 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 
of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe the ultimate outcome of these proceedings to which we are currently a party will not 
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

ITEM 4  MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

26

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

PART II

ITEM 5 

 MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY; RELATED 
STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF 
EQUITY SECURITIES

Market Information and Stockholder Matters
Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market 
under the symbol JBLU. As of January 31, 2020, there were 
approximately 400 holders of record of our common stock.

We have not paid cash dividends on our common stock and 
have no current intention to do so. Any future determination to 

pay cash dividends would be at the discretion of our Board of 
Directors, subject to applicable limitations under Delaware law. 
This decision would be dependent upon our results of operations, 
financial condition, and other factors deemed relevant by our 
Board of Directors.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchases
On September 10, 2015, our Board of Directors approved a share 
repurchase  program  of  up  to  $250  million  worth  of  JetBlue 
common stock over a three year period beginning in January 
2016. On December 7, 2016, the Board approved certain changes 
to our share repurchase program, or the 2016 Authorization, to 
increase the aggregate authorization to $500 million worth of 
common stock, and to extend the term of the program through  
December 2019. The 2016 Authorization was completed in 2017.

On  September  19,  2019,  the  Board  of  Directors  approved  a 
share repurchase program, or the 2019 Authorization, of up to 
$800 million worth of common stock beginning on October 1, 
2019 and ending no later than December 31, 2021. Our share 
repurchase programs include authorization for repurchases in 
open market transactions pursuant to Rules 10b-18 and/or 10b5-1  
of the Exchange Act, and/or one or more privately-negotiated 
accelerated stock repurchase transactions. The timing, price, 
and volume of any repurchases will be based on market conditions 
and other relevant factors.

On December 8, 2017, the Board of Directors approved a two year 
share repurchase program, or the 2017 Authorization, of up to 
$750 million worth of common stock beginning on January 1, 2018. 
The 2017 Authorization was completed in 2019.

During 2019, the following shares were repurchased under the 
above programs (in millions, except per share data):

Period

March 2019

May 2019

June 2019

August 2019

September 2019

November 2019

TOTAL

Total Number of 
Shares Purchased

Average Price  
Paid Per Share

Total Number of  
Shares Purchased 
as Part of Publicly 
Announced Plans 
or Programs

Approximate Dollar 
Value of Shares that May 
Yet be Purchased Under 
the Plans or Programs

6.1

1.3

5.2

1.5

6.0

8.0

28.1

(1)

(1)

(2)

(2)

(3)

(3)(4)

6.1

1.3

5.2

1.5

6.0

8.0

28.1

$

250

250

125

125

—

640

(1)  On March 11, 2019, JetBlue entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement, or ASR, paying $125 million for an initial delivery of 6.1 million shares. The term of the 
ASR concluded on May 21, 2019 with delivery of 1.3 million additional shares to JetBlue on May 22, 2019. A total of 7.4 million shares, at an average price of $16.93 per share, 
were repurchased under the agreement.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

27

PART II  |   ITEM 5 MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY; RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

(2)  On June 13, 2019, JetBlue entered into an ASR paying $125 million for an initial delivery of 5.2 million shares. The term of the ASR concluded on August 13, 2019 with delivery 
of 1.5 million additional shares to JetBlue on August 15, 2019. A total of 6.7 million shares, at an average price of $18.58 per share, were repurchased under the agreement.
(3)  On September 6, 2019, JetBlue entered into an ASR paying $125 million for an initial delivery of 6.0 million shares. The term of the ASR concluded on November 18, 2019 with 

delivery of 1.1 million additional shares to JetBlue. A total of 7.1 million shares, at an average price of $17.46 per share, were repurchased under the agreement.

(4)  On November 21, 2019, JetBlue entered into an ASR paying $160 million for an initial delivery of 6.9 million shares. The term of the ASR is expected to be completed by the 
end of the first quarter of 2020. The total number of shares to ultimately be purchased by JetBlue will be based on the average volume weighted average prices of JetBlue's 
common stock during the term of the ASR, less a discount.

Stock Performance Graph
This performance graph shall not be deemed “filed” with the SEC or 
subject to Section 18 of the Exchange Act, nor shall it be deemed 
incorporated by reference in any of our filings under the Securities 
Act, as amended.

The  following  line  graph  compares  the  cumulative  total 
stockholder return on our common stock with the cumulative 

total return of the S&P 500 Stock Index and the NYSE Arca 
Airline Index from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2019. The 
comparison assumes the investment of $100 in our common 
stock and in each of the foregoing indices and reinvestment 
of  all  dividends.  The  stock  performance  shown  represents 
historical performance and is not representative of future stock 
performance.

$
180

140

100

60

+158

+126

+83

2019

2015

2016

2017

2018

● JetBlue Airways Corporation ● S&P 500 Stock Index
● NYSE Arca Airline Index

JetBlue Airways Corporation

S&P 500 Stock Index

NYSE Arca Airline Index

12/31/2015

12/31/2016

12/31/2017

12/31/2018

12/31/2019

$

100

100

100

$

99

110

128

$

99

131

134

$

71

123

104

$

83

158

126

28

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 6 SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

ITEM 6 

 SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following financial information for each of the prior five years ending on December 31 has been derived from our consolidated 
financial statements. This information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes 
thereto included elsewhere in this Report.

(in millions except per share data)

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS DATA

Operating revenues

Operating expenses:

Aircraft fuel and related taxes

Salaries, wages and benefits

Landing fees and other rents

Depreciation and amortization

Aircraft rent

Sales and marketing

Maintenance, materials and repairs

Other operating expenses

Special items(3)

Total operating expenses

Operating income

Other income (expense)(4)

Income before income taxes

Income tax expense (benefit)(6)(7)

NET INCOME

Earnings per common share:

Basic

Diluted(2)(3)(4)(6)

Other Financial Data:

Operating margin

Pre-tax margin(5)

2019

2018

2017

2016(1)

2015(1)(2)

$ 8,094

$ 7,658

$

7,012

$ 6,584

$

6,416

1,847

2,320

474

525

99

290

619

1,106

14

7,294

800

(32)

768

199

569

1.92

1.91

$

$

$

1,899

2,044

462

469

104

294

625

1,060

435

7,392

266

(47)

219

30

189

1,363

1,887

438

424

102

271

622

932

—

6,039

973

(55)

918

(222)

$

1,140

0.60

0.60

$

$

3.47

3.45

$

$

$

1,074

1,698

357

393

110

263

 563

866

—

5,324

1,260

(96)

1,164

437

727

2.23

2.13

$

$

$

1,348

1,540

342

345

122

264

490

749

—

5,200

1,216

(119)

1,097

420

677

2.15

1.98

$

$

$

9.9%

9.5%

3.5%

2.9%

13.9%

13.1%

19.1%

17.7%

19.0%

17.1%

Net cash provided by operating activities

$ 1,449

$ 1,200

$

1,379

$

1,632

$

1,598

Net cash (used in) investing activities

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

(1,129)

165

(1,157)

131

(979)

(536)

(1,046)

(472)

(1,134)

(487)

(1)  Amounts prior to 2017 do not reflect the impact of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, adopted as of January 1, 2019. Refer 

to Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements for details.

(2)  Amounts in 2015 do not reflect the impact of ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) of the Codification, adopted as of January 1, 2018.
(3) 

In  2019  and  2018,  we  had  special  items  of  $14  million  and  $435  million,  respectively,  related  to  the  implementation  and  ratification  of  our  pilots’  collective  bargaining 
agreement, and our Embraer E190 fleet transition. The impact of special items to our diluted earnings per share was $0.03 and $1.04, for 2019 and 2018, respectively. Refer 
to Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for details.
In 2019, we recognized a gain on equity method investments of $15 million. The impact of this gain to our diluted earnings per share was $0.04.

(4) 
(5)  Pre-tax margin excluding special items and gain on equity method investments was 9.5% and 8.5%, in 2019 and 2018, respectively.
(6)  Our 2017 results included a $564 million tax benefit, or $1.71 of diluted earnings per share, from the remeasurement of our deferred taxes to reflect the impact of the 

enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

(7)  Our 2018 results included a $28 million tax benefit, or $0.09 of diluted earnings per share, resulting from measurement period adjustments related to the enactment of the 

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

29

PART II  |   ITEM 6 SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

(in millions)

Balance Sheet Data:

Cash and cash equivalents

Investment securities

Total assets

Total debt and finance leases

Common stockholders’ equity

Operating Statistics:

Revenue passengers (thousands)

Revenue passenger miles (millions)

Available seat miles (ASMs) (millions)

Load factor

Aircraft utilization (hours per day)

Average fare

Yield per passenger mile (cents)

Passenger revenue per ASM (cents)

Operating revenue per ASM (cents)

Operating expense per ASM (cents)

Operating expense per ASM, excluding fuel(3)

Departures

Average stage length (miles)

Average number of operating aircraft during period

2019

2018

2017

2016(1)

2015(1)(2)

$

959

372

11,918

2,334

4,799

$

474

416

10,959

1,670

4,685

$

303

392

10,402

1,199

4,805

$

433

628

9,323

1,384

3,933

$

318

607

8,499

1,827

3,210

2019

2018

2017

2016(1)

2015(1)(2)

42,728

53,617

63,841

84.0%

11.9

42,150

50,790

59,881

84.8%

11.8

40,038

47,240

56,007

84.3%

11.7

38,263

45,619

53,620

85.1%

12.0

35,101

41,711

49,258

84.7%

11.9

$ 182.23

$ 175.11

$ 168.88

$ 166.74

$ 167.89

14.52

12.20

12.68

11.43

8.44

14.53

12.33

12.79

12.34

8.37

14.31

12.07

12.52

10.78

8.29

13.99

11.90

12.28

9.93

7.88

14.13

11.96

13.03

10.56

7.82

368,355

366,619

353,681

337,302

316,505

1,140

253.6

1,096

246.8

1,072

233.5

1.72

792

17,118

1,093

218.9

1.41

760

$

1,092

207.9

1.93

700

$

15,696

14,537

Average fuel cost per gallon, including fuel taxes

$

2.09

$

2.24

$

Fuel gallons consumed (millions)

Average number of full-time equivalent crewmembers

885

18,535

849

17,766

(1)  Amounts prior to 2017 do not reflect the impact of ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, adopted as of January 1, 2019. Refer to Note 1 to our consolidated 

financial statements for details.

(2)  Amounts in 2015 do not reflect the impact ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) of the Codification, adopted as of January1, 2018.
(3)  Refer to our “Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for more information on this non-GAAP measure.

Glossary of Airline terminology
Airline terminology used in this section and elsewhere in this Report:

■■ Aircraft  utilization  -  The  average  number  of  block  hours 

operated per day per aircraft for the total fleet of aircraft.

■■ Available  seat  miles  -  The  number  of  seats  available  for 
passengers multiplied by the number of miles the seats are flown.
■■ Average fare - The average one-way fare paid per flight segment 

by a revenue passenger.

■■ Average fuel cost per gallon - Total aircraft fuel costs, including 
fuel taxes and effective portion of fuel hedging, divided by the 
total number of fuel gallons consumed.

■■ Average stage length - The average number of miles flown per 

flight.

■■ Load factor -  The  percentage  of  aircraft  seating  capacity 
actually utilized, calculated by dividing revenue passenger miles 
by available seat miles.

30

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

■■ Operating expense per available seat mile - Operating expenses 

divided by available seat miles.

■■ Operating expense per available seat mile, excluding fuel - 
Operating  expenses,  less  aircraft  fuel,  other  non-airline 
expenses, and special items, divided by available seat miles.
■■ Operating revenue per available seat mile - Operating revenues 

divided by available seat miles.

■■ Passenger revenue per available seat mile - Passenger revenue 

divided by available seat miles.

■■ Revenue passengers - The total number of paying passengers 

flown on all flight segments.

■■ Revenue passenger miles - The number of miles flown by revenue 

passengers.

■■ Yield per passenger mile - The average amount one passenger 

pays to fly one mile.

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

ITEM 7 

 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL 
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

In 2019, we experienced the persistent competitiveness of the 
airline industry and were challenged with unexpected revenue 
headwinds, particularly with an unusually volatile year in our 
Latin and Caribbean markets. Even with these external factors, 
we  managed  to  generate  operating  revenue  growth  of  5.7% 
year-over-year. We remain committed to delivering a safe and 

reliable JetBlue Experience for our customers and increasing 
returns for our shareholders. We believe our continued focus on 
cost discipline, product innovation and network enhancements, 
combined with our commitment to service excellence, will drive 
our future success.

2019 Highlights
■■ We generated $8.1 billion in operating revenue, an increase of 
$436 million compared to 2018, primarily due to a 1.4% increase in 
revenue passengers and a 4.1% increase in average fare.

■■ Operating expense and operating expense per available seat 
mile (CASM) for 2019 decreased by 1.3% to $7.3 billion and 
7.4% to 11.43 cents, respectively. Our 2019 and 2018 operating 
expense included special items of $14 million and $435 million, 
respectively, related to the implementation and ratification of 
our pilots’ collective bargaining agreement, and our Embraer 
E190 fleet transition. These special items contributed 0.02 cents 
and 0.73 cents to our unit costs in 2019 and 2018, respectively. 
Excluding fuel and related taxes, special items, as well as 
operating expenses related to our non-airline businesses, our 
cost per available seat mile (CASM ex-fuel)(1) increased by 0.8% 
to 8.44 cents. In recent years, the benefits from our Structural 
Cost Program have slowed our unit cost growth.

■■ In 2019, we reported net income of $569 million, operating 
income of $800 million, operating margin of 9.9%, and diluted 

Company Initiatives

Balance Sheet

We ended 2019 with unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and 
short-term  investments  of  $1.3  billion  and  undrawn  lines  of 
credit of approximately $750 million. In March 2019, Fitch Ratings 
affirmed our Issuer Default Rating at BB with a positive outlook. 
At December 31, 2019, our unrestricted cash, cash equivalents 
and short-term investments was approximately 16% of trailing 
twelve months revenue. In 2019, we raised $981 million in secured 
aircraft debt and repaid $323 million of regularly scheduled debt. 
During 2019, we acquired approximately 28.1 million shares of 
our common stock for approximately $535 million under our 
share repurchase programs, returning excess capital to our 
shareholders. Our adjusted debt to capitalization ratio(1) was 34% 
at December 31, 2019.

earnings per share of $1.91. This compares to reported net 
income  of  $189  million,  operating  income  of  $266  million, 
operating margin of 3.5%, and diluted earnings per share of 
$0.60 in 2018. 

■■ Our 2019 and 2018 reported results included the effects of 
special items. Adjusting for these one-time items(1), our adjusted 
net income was $568 million, operating income was $814 million, 
and our adjusted operating margin was 10.1% for 2019. This 
compares to adjusted net income of $488 million, operating 
income  of  $701  million,  and  operating  margin  of  9.2%  for 
2018. Excluding one-time items(1), diluted earnings per share 
were $1.90 and $1.55 for 2019 and 2018, respectively.

■■ We  generated  $1.4  billion  in  cash  from  operations.  The 
significant  amount  of  cash  we  generated  provided  the 
opportunity to pay cash for all of our 2019 aircraft deliveries, 
buy out the lease of one aircraft, invest in our infrastructure and 
customer experience, and execute share repurchases.

Aircraft and Airport Infrastructure 
Investments

We  placed  our  first  Airbus  A321neo  aircraft  into  service  in 
September 2019. During 2019, we took delivery of six Airbus A321neo 
aircraft and bought out the lease on one Airbus A320 aircraft.

We  have  made  significant  progress  in  our  cabin  restyle 
program which includes two iterations. Phase 1 of the program 
introduced  our  popular  Airbus  A321  interior  to  our  Airbus 
A320 aircraft. Phase 2, which began in early 2019, includes 
enhancements to provide our customers with a cabin experience 
of the future. It features a new seat design with memory foam 
cushion comfort and adjustable headrests, a next generation 
inflight entertainment system with an expanded collection of 

(1)  Refer to our “Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” at the end of this section for more information on this non-GAAP measure.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

31

PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

on demand movies, television shows including full seasons 
and video content, plus new gaming features, and expanded 
Fly-Fi® coverage over water to support our growing network. 
As of December 31, 2019, Phase 2 of the restyling program was 
completed on 31 of our Airbus A320 aircraft, bringing the total 
number of restyled aircraft to 51.

We continue to introduce self-tagging kiosks to our BlueCities 
in 2019. Quito, Ecuador became the 25th self-tagging lobby in our 
network and the first international BlueCity with our seamless 
lobby experience. Self-tagging kiosks were available at 28 of our 

BlueCities as of December 31, 2019. These kiosks reduce wait time 
for our customers during check-in and allow our crewmembers to 
deliver an even more personalized hospitality experience.

Network

As part of our ongoing network initiatives and route optimization 
efforts,  we  continued  to  make  schedule  and  frequency 
adjustments throughout 2019. As a result, we added one new 
destination to our growing network as well as new routes and 
additional frequencies between existing BlueCities.

Outlook for 2020
We plan to add new destinations and route pairings based upon 
market demand. We are continuously looking to expand our other 
ancillary revenue opportunities, improve our TrueBlue® loyalty 
program, and deepen our portfolio of commercial partnerships. 
As in the past, we intend to continue investing in infrastructure 
and product enhancements in 2020, which we believe will enable 
us to reap future benefits. We also plan to continue strengthening 
the balance sheet.

For the full year 2020, we estimate our operating capacity will 
increase by approximately 5.5% to 7.5% over 2019 with the 
expected delivery of eleven Airbus A321neo aircraft and our 
first Airbus A220 aircraft. We are expecting our 2020 cost per 
available seat mile, excluding aircraft fuel and related taxes, 
operating expenses related to other non-airline businesses, 
and  special  items  (CASM  ex-fuel)(1)  to  decrease  by  between 
approximately (2.0)% to 0.0% year-over-year, carrying forward 
our achievements from 2019. We expect our CASM ex-fuel growth 
to be lower in the second half of 2020 driven by the timing of 
our capacity growth.

We plan to offset carbon dioxide emissions from jet fuel for 
all  domestic  flights  beginning  in  July  2020.  We  anticipate 
contributing to emissions reduction projects around the globe 

Results of Operations

2019 Compared to 2018

OVERVIEW

We reported net income of $569 million, operating income of 
$800 million and operating margin of 9.9% for the year ended 
December 31, 2019. This compares to net income of $189 million, 
operating income of $266 million, and operating margin of 3.5% 
for the year ended December 31, 2018. Diluted earnings per share 
were $1.91 for 2019 compared to $0.60 for 2018.

which  aim  to  reduce  the  amount  of  greenhouse  gas  in  the 
atmosphere in at least one of three ways: avoiding greenhouse 
gas emissions in favor of renewable sources, removing emissions 
from the atmosphere, and destroying emissions when possible. 
In addition, we also plan to start flying with sustainable aviation 
fuel in mid-2020 on flights from San Francisco International 
Airport.

In October 2019, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative 
announced a 10% tariff on new commercial aircraft and related 
parts imported from certain European Union member states, 
which include aircraft and other parts we are already contractually 
obligated to purchase, including those noted above. In February 
2020, the U.S. Trade Representative announced an increase 
in the tariff to 15% which will become effective in March 2020. 
We are working with our business partners, including Airbus, to 
evaluate the potential financial and operational impact of these 
announcements on our future aircraft deliveries. The imposition 
of the tariff could substantially increase the cost of new Airbus 
aircraft and parts. Continued imposition of the tariff, including 
continued escalation of the tariff, could adversely affect our 
aircraft supply chain, growth plans, and our business.

Our 2019 and 2018 reported results included the effects of special 
items. Adjusting for these one-time items(1), our adjusted net 
income was $568 million, operating income was $814 million, and 
our adjusted operating margin was 10.1% for 2019. This compares 
to adjusted net income of $488 million, operating income of  
$701 million, and operating margin of 9.2% for 2018. Excluding 
one-time items(1), diluted earnings per share were $1.90 and $1.55 
for 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(1)  Refer to our “Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” at the end of this section for more information on this non-GAAP measure.

32

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

OPERATING REVENUES

(revenues in millions; percent changes based on unrounded numbers)

Passenger revenue

Other revenue

Operating Revenues

Average fare

Yield per passenger mile (cents)

Passenger revenue per ASM (cents)

Operating revenue per ASM (cents)

Average stage length (miles)

Revenue passengers (thousands)

Revenue passenger miles (millions)

Available seat miles (ASMs) (millions)

Load factor

Passenger revenue accounted for 96.2% of our total operating 
revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019. In addition to 
seat revenue, passenger revenue includes revenue from our 
ancillary product offerings such as Even More® Space. Revenue 
generated  from  international  routes,  including  Puerto  Rico, 
accounted for 30.4% of our passenger revenue in 2019. Passenger 
revenue,  including  certain  ancillary  fees  directly  related  to 
passenger tickets, is recognized when the transportation is 
provided. Passenger revenue from unused tickets and passenger 
credits are recognized in proportion to flown revenue based 
on estimates of expected expiration or when the likelihood of 
the customer exercising his or her remaining rights becomes 
remote. We measure capacity in terms of available seat miles, 
which represents the number of seats available for passengers 
multiplied by the number of miles the seats are flown. Yield, or the 
average amount one passenger pays to fly one mile, is calculated 
by dividing Passenger revenue by Revenue passenger miles. We 

OPERATING EXPENSES

Year-over-Year Change

2019

7,786

308

8,094

$

$

$

182.23

14.52

12.20

12.68

1,140

42,728

53,617

63,841

$

$

$

2018

7,381

277

7,658

175.11

14.53

12.33

12.79

1,096

42,150

50,790

59,881

$

405

31

436

7.12

(0.01)

(0.13)

(0.11)

44

578

2,827

3,960

%

5.5

11.0

5.7

4.1

(0.1)

(1.1)

(0.9)

4.0

1.4

5.6

6.6

84.0%

84.8%

(0.8) pts

attempt to increase Passenger revenue primarily by increasing 
our yield per flight which produces higher revenue per available 
seat mile. Our objective is to optimize our fare mix to increase our 
overall average fare while continuing to provide our customers 
with competitive fares.

In 2019, the increase in Passenger revenue was mainly attributable 
to a 1.4% increase in revenue passengers and a 4.1% increase 
in  average  fare.  Fee  revenue  increased  by  $76  million  as  a 
result of changes in our baggage and change fee policies. Our 
largest ancillary product remains the Even More® Space seats, 
generating approximately $301 million in revenue, an increase of 
10% compared to 2018.

Other revenue is primarily comprised of the marketing component 
of the sales of our TrueBlue® points. It also includes revenue from 
the sale of vacations packages, ground handling fees received 
from other airlines, and rental income.

(in millions; per ASM data in cents; percentages based 
on unrounded numbers)

2019

2018

Aircraft fuel and related taxes

$

1,847

$

1,899

Salaries, wages and benefits

Landing fees and other rents

Depreciation and amortization

Aircraft rent

Sales and marketing

Maintenance, materials and repairs

Other operating expenses

Special items

2,320

2,044

474

525

99

290

619

1,106

14

462

469

104

294

625

1,060

435

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

$ 7,294

$ 7,392

Year-over-Year Change

$

(52)

276

12

56

(5)

(4)

(6)

46

(421)

(98)

%

(2.7)

13.5

2.6

12.1

(5.1)

(1.1)

(1.0)

4.2

(96.7)

(1.3)

2019

2.89

3.64

0.74

0.82

0.16

0.46

0.97

1.73

0.02

per ASM

2018 % Change

3.17

3.41

0.77

0.78

0.17

0.49

1.04

1.78

0.73

(8.8)

6.5

(3.7)

5.2

(11.0)

(7.3)

(7.2)

(2.2)

(96.9)

(7.4)

11.43

12.34

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

33

PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Aircraft Fuel and Related Taxes
Aircraft fuel and related taxes represented 25% of our total 
operating expenses in 2019 compared to 26% in 2018. The average 
fuel price decreased 6.7% in 2019 to $2.09 per gallon. This was 
partially offset by a 4.3% increase in our fuel consumption of 
approximately 36 million gallons. Additional fuel consumption was 
mainly due to our increase in the average number of operating 
aircraft. Based on our expected fuel volume for 2020, a 10% per 
gallon increase in the cost of aircraft fuel would increase our 
annual fuel expense by approximately $192 million.

We recognized fuel hedge losses of $5 million and $2 million, 
in 2019 and 2018, respectively. These losses were recorded in 
Aircraft fuel and related taxes. We are unable to predict the 
potential loss from hedge accounting, which is determined on a 
derivative-by-derivative basis, due to the volatility in the forward 
markets for these commodities.

Salaries, Wages and Benefits
Salaries,  wages  and  benefits  represented  32%  of  our  total 
operating  expenses  in  2019  compared  to  28%  in  2018.  The 
increase in salaries, wages and benefits was primarily driven by 
the incremental costs of the new pilots’ collective bargaining 
agreement  which  became  effective  on  August  1,  2018.  Our 
crewmember headcount also increased year-over-year. During 
2019, the average number of full-time equivalent crewmembers 
increased by 4% and the average tenure of our crewmembers was 
7 years. We expect the increasing tenure of our crewmembers, 
rising healthcare costs, and efforts to maintain competitiveness 
in our overall compensation packages to continue to pressure 
our costs in 2020.

Landing Fees and Other Rents
Landing fees and other rents include landing fees, which are at 
premium rates in the heavily trafficked northeast corridor of the 
U.S. where approximately 76% of our operations resided in 2019. 
Other rents primarily consist of rent for airports in our BlueCities. 
Landing fees and other rents increased $12 million, or 2.6%, in 
2019 primarily due to our increased number of departures.

Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization primarily include depreciation 
for our owned and finance leased aircraft, engines, and inflight 
entertainment systems. Depreciation and amortization increased 
$56 million, or 12.1%, primarily driven by a 2.8% increase in the 
average number of aircraft operating in 2019 compared to the 
same period in 2018. We placed five Airbus A321 aircraft into 
service and bought out the lease of one Airbus A320 aircraft in 
2019. In addition, we also completed the cabin restyle on 42 Airbus 
A320 aircraft.

Maintenance, Materials and Repairs
Maintenance,  materials  and  repairs  are  generally  expensed 
when  incurred  unless  covered  by  a  long-term  flight  hour 
services contract. The average age of our aircraft in 2019 was  
10.6 years which is relatively young compared to our competitors.  
However, as our fleet ages our maintenance costs will increase 
significantly, both on an absolute basis and as a percentage of our 

unit costs, as older aircraft require additional, more expensive 
repairs over time. We had an average of 6.8 additional total 
operating aircraft in 2019 compared to 2018.

In  2019,  Maintenance,  materials  and  repairs  decreased  by  
$6 million, or 1.0% compared to 2018. The decrease is attributable 
to lower cost structures achieved through the Structural Cost 
Program and timing of heavy maintenance visits.

Other Operating Expenses
Other operating expenses consist of the following categories: 
outside services (including expenses related to fueling, ground 
handling, skycap, security, and janitorial services), insurance, 
personnel expenses, professional fees, onboard supplies, shop 
and office supplies, bad debts, communication costs, and taxes 
other than payroll and fuel taxes.

In 2019, Other operating expenses increased by $46 million, or 
4.2%, compared to 2018, primarily due to an increase in airport 
services  and  passenger  onboard  supplies  resulting  from  an 
increased number of departures and customers flown.

Special Items
Special items in 2019 consisted of $6 million of one-time costs 
related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and $8 million of one-
time costs related to the implementation of our pilots’ collective 
bargaining  agreement.  Special  items  in  2018  consisted  of  
$362 million of impairment and one-time costs related to the 
Embraer E190 fleet transition, and $73 million of one-time costs 
related to the ratification of our pilots’ collective bargaining 
agreement.

Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate was 25.9% in 2019, compared to 13.9% in 
2018. Our 2018 effective tax rate included a benefit of $28 million 
related to implementation of various provisions of the Tax Cuts 
and Jobs Act of 2017. We estimate that our underlying tax rate in 
2020 will be approximately 26%.

2018 Compared to 2017

OVERVIEW

We reported net income of $189 million, operating income of  
$266 million and operating margin of 3.5% for the year ended 
December 31, 2018. This compares to net income of $1.1 billion, 
operating income of $973 million and operating margin of 13.9% 
for the year ended December 31, 2017. Diluted earnings per share 
were $0.60 for 2018 compared to $3.45 for 2017.

Our 2018 and 2017 reported results included the effects of special 
items and the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 
of 2017. Adjusting for these one-time items(1), our net income 
was $488 million, operating income was $701 million, and our 
adjusted operating margin was 9.2%. for 2018. This compares 
to adjusted net income of $576 million, operating income of 
$973 million, and operating margin of 13.9% for 2017. Excluding  
one-time items(1), diluted earnings per share were $1.55 and  
$1.74 for 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(1)  Refer to our “Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” at the end of this section for more information on this non-GAAP measure.

34

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

OPERATING REVENUES

(revenues in millions; percent changes based on unrounded numbers)

Passenger revenue

Other revenue

OPERATING REVENUES

Average fare

Yield per passenger mile (cents)

Passenger revenue per ASM (cents)

Operating revenue per ASM (cents)

Average stage length (miles)

Revenue passengers (thousands)

Revenue passenger miles (millions)

Available seat miles (ASMs) (millions)

Load factor

Passenger  revenue  accounted  for  over  96.4%  of  our  total 
operating revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018. In 
addition to seat revenue, passenger revenue includes revenue 
from our ancillary product offerings such as Even More® Space. 
Revenue generated from international routes, including Puerto 
Rico, accounted for 29.7% of our passenger revenue in 2018. 
Passenger revenue, including certain ancillary fees directly related 
to passenger tickets, is recognized when the transportation is 
provided. Passenger revenue from unused tickets and passenger 
credits are recognized in proportion to flown revenue based 
on estimates of expected expiration or when the likelihood of 
the customer exercising his or her remaining rights becomes 
remote. We measure capacity in terms of available seat miles, 
which represents the number of seats available for passengers 
multiplied by the number of miles the seats are flown. Yield, or the 
average amount one passenger pays to fly one mile, is calculated 
by dividing Passenger revenue by Revenue passenger miles. We 

Year-over-Year Change

$

$

$

2018

7,381

277

7,658

175.11

14.53

12.33

12.79

1,096

42,150

50,790

59,881

2017

6,761

251

7,012

168.88

$

$

$

$

14.31

12.07

12.52

1,072

40,038

47,240

56,007

$

620

26

646

6.23

0.22

0.26

0.27

24

2,112

3,550

3,874

%

9.2

10.5

9.2

3.7

1.5

2.1

2.1

2.2

5.3

7.5

6.9

84.8%

84.3%

0.5 pts

attempt to increase Passenger revenue primarily by increasing 
our yield per flight which produces higher Revenue per available 
seat mile. Our objective is to optimize our fare mix to increase our 
overall average fare while continuing to provide our customers 
with competitive fares.

In 2018, the increase in Passenger revenue was mainly attributable 
to a 5.3% increase in revenue passengers and a 3.7% increase 
in  average  fare.  Fee  revenue  increased  by  $60  million  as  a 
result of changes in our baggage and change fee policies. Our 
largest ancillary product was Even More® Space, generating 
approximately $274 million in revenue, an increase of over 14% 
compared to 2017.

Other revenue is primarily comprised of the marketing component 
of the sales of our TrueBlue® points. It also includes revenue from 
the sale of vacations packages, ground handling fees received 
from other airlines, and rental income.

OPERATING EXPENSES

(in millions; per ASM data in cents; percentages based on 
unrounded numbers)

Aircraft fuel and related taxes

Salaries, wages and benefits

Landing fees and other rents

Depreciation and amortization

Aircraft rent

Sales and marketing

Maintenance, materials and repairs

Other operating expenses

Special items

2018

$

1,899

$

2,044

462

469

104

294

625

1,060

435

2017

1,363

1,887

438

424

102

271

622

932

—

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

$ 7,392

$

6,039

Year-over-Year Change

per ASM

2017 % Change

$

536

157

24

45

2

23

3

128

435

1,353

%

39.4

8.3

5.4

10.5

2.6

8.4

0.5

13.7

—

2018

3.17

3.41

0.77

0.78

0.17

0.49

1.04

1.78

0.73

2.43

3.37

0.78

0.76

0.18

0.49

1.11

1.66

—

22.4

12.34

10.78

30.4

1.3

(1.4)

3.3

(4.0)

1.4

(6.0)

6.3

—

14.5

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

35

  
PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Aircraft Fuel and Related Taxes

Maintenance, Materials and Repairs

Aircraft fuel and related taxes represented 26% of our total 
operating expenses in 2018 compared to 23% in 2017. The average 
fuel price increased 30.2% in 2018 to $2.24 per gallon. This was 
coupled with an increase in our fuel consumption of approximately 
57 million gallons. Additional fuel consumption was mainly due to 
our increase in the average number of operating aircraft.

Maintenance, materials and repairs are generally expensed when 
incurred  unless  covered  by  a  long-term  flight  hour  services 
contract. The average age of our aircraft in 2018 was 9.8 years 
which was relatively young compared to our competitors. We 
had an average of 13.3 additional total operating aircraft in 2018 
compared to 2017.

In  2018,  Maintenance,  materials  and  repairs  increased  by  
$3 million, or 0.5% compared to 2017. The marginal increase was 
primarily driven by a change in the pricing structure of our Airbus 
A320 engine maintenance program which became effective in 
September 2017 and the timing of engine overhauls.

Other Operating Expenses

Other operating expenses consist of the following categories: 
outside services (including expenses related to fueling, ground 
handling, skycap, security, and janitorial services), insurance, 
personnel expenses, professional fees, onboard supplies, shop 
and office supplies, bad debts, communication costs, and taxes 
other than payroll and fuel taxes.

In 2018, Other operating expenses increased by $128 million, 
or  13.7%,  compared  to  2017,  primarily  due  to  an  increase  in 
airport  services  and  passenger  onboard  supplies  resulting 
from an increased number of passengers flown and additional 
Mint® offerings.

Special Items

Special items in 2018 consisted of $362 million of impairment and 
one-time transition costs related to our Embraer E190 fleet exit, 
and $73 million of one-time costs related to the ratification of our 
pilots’ collective bargaining agreement.

Income Taxes

Our effective tax rate was 13.9% in 2018, compared to a benefit 
of 24.2% in 2017. Our 2018 and 2017 effective tax rates included 
a benefit of $28 million related to implementation of various 
provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or The Act, and 
$564 million benefit in 2017 related to the remeasurement of our 
deferred taxes at the time The Act was enacted.

We believe a healthy liquidity position is a crucial element of our 
ability to weather any part of the economic cycle while continuing 
to execute on our plans for profitable growth and increased 
returns. Our goal is to continue to be diligent with our liquidity, 
maintaining financial flexibility, and allowing for prudent capital 
spending.

In 2018, we recognized fuel hedge losses of $2 million compared 
to $15 million of fuel hedge gains in 2017 and these were recorded 
in Aircraft fuel and related taxes.

Salaries, Wages and Benefits

Salaries, wages and benefits represented approximately 28% of 
our total operating expenses in 2018 compared to 31% in 2017. 
The increase in salaries, wages and benefits was primarily driven 
by the incremental costs of the new pilots’ collective bargaining 
agreement  which  became  effective  on  August  1,  2018.  Our 
crewmember headcount also increased year-over-year. During 
2018, the average number of full-time equivalent crewmembers 
increased by 4% and the average tenure of our crewmembers 
was 7 years.

Our  profit  sharing  is  calculated  as  10%  of  adjusted  pre-tax 
income excluding special items, and reduced by Retirement Plus 
contributions. Profit sharing decreased by $38 million in 2018 
compared to 2017, primarily driven by higher fuel prices which 
negatively impacted our adjusted pre-tax income.

Landing Fees and Other Rents

Landing fees and other rents include landing fees, which are at 
premium rates in the heavily trafficked northeast corridor of 
the U.S. where approximately 75% of our operations resided in 
2018. Other rents primarily consisted of rent for airports in our 
BlueCities. Landing fees and other rents increased $24 million, or 
5.4%, in 2018 primarily due to our increased number of departures.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization primarily include depreciation 
for our owned and finance leased aircraft, engines, and inflight 
entertainment systems. Depreciation and amortization increased 
$45 million, or 10.5%, primarily driven by a 5.7% increase in the 
average number of aircraft operating in 2018 compared to 2017.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
The airline business is capital intensive. Our ability to successfully 
execute our profitable growth plans is largely dependent on the 
continued availability of capital on attractive terms. In addition, 
our ability to successfully operate our business depends on 
maintaining sufficient liquidity. We believe we have adequate 
resources from a combination of cash and cash equivalents, 
investment securities on-hand, and two available lines of credit. 
Additionally, our unencumbered assets could be an additional 
source of liquidity, if necessary.

36

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

As of December 31, 2019, we had unrestricted cash and cash 
equivalents  of  $959  million  and  short-term  investments  of  
$369 million. We believe our current level of unrestricted cash, 
cash equivalents and short-term investments of approximately 
16%  of  trailing  twelve  months  revenue,  combined  with  our 
approximately $750 million in available lines of credit and our 
portfolio of unencumbered assets, provides us with a strong 
liquidity position. We believe we have taken several important 
steps during 2019 in solidifying our strong balance sheet and 
overall liquidity position. Our adjusted debt to capitalization ratio(1) 
at December 31, 2019 was 34%.

During 2017, capital expenditures related to our purchase of flight 
equipment included $759 million for the purchase of 16 new Airbus 
A321 aircraft, and the buyout of three aircraft leases, $128 million 
for flight equipment deposits, $156 million for flight equipment 
work-in-progress, and $61 million for spare part purchases. Other 
property and equipment capital expenditures included ground 
equipment purchases and facilities improvements for $98 million. 
Investing activities also included the net purchase of $236 million 
in investment securities.

We currently anticipate 2020 capital expenditures to be between 
$1.35 billion and $1.55 billion.

Analysis of Cash Flows

FINANCING ACTIVITIES

We had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $959 million 
as of December 31, 2019. This compares to $474 million and 
$303 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. We held 
both short and long-term investments in 2019, 2018 and 2017. Our 
short-term investments totaled $369 million as of December 31, 
2019 compared to $413 million and $390 million as of December 31, 
2018 and 2017, respectively. Our long-term investments totaled 
$3 million as of December 31, 2019 compared to $3 million and  
$2 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Cash flows provided by operating activities totaled approximately 
$1.4 billion in 2019, compared to $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion in 
2018 and 2017, respectively. There was a $249 million increase 
in cash flows from operating activities in 2019 compared to 
2018 principally driven by an increase in operating margin. The 
$179 million decrease in cash flows from operations in 2018 
compared to 2017 was primarily due to lower earnings principally 
driven by an increase in aircraft fuel expenses, partially offset 
by higher operating revenues. We rely primarily on cash flows 
from operations to provide working capital for current and future 
operations.

INVESTING ACTIVITIES  

During 2019, capital expenditures related to our purchase of 
flight  equipment  included  $478  million  for  the  purchase  of 
six new Airbus A321neo aircraft and the buyout of one Airbus 
A320 aircraft lease, $224 million for flight equipment deposits,  
$249 million for flight equipment work-in-progress, and $48 million 
for spare part purchases. Other property and equipment capital 
expenditures included ground equipment purchases and facilities 
improvements for $158 million. Investing activities also included 
the net purchase of $40 million in investment securities.

During 2018, capital expenditures related to our purchase of flight 
equipment included $519 million for the purchase of 10 new Airbus 
A321 aircraft and the buyout of two aircraft leases, $206 million for 
flight equipment deposits, $163 million for flight equipment work-
in-progress, and $130 million for spare part purchases. Other 
property and equipment capital expenditures included ground 
equipment purchases and facilities improvements for $97 million. 
Investing activities also included the net purchase of $28 million 
in investment securities.

Financing activities during 2019 consisted of the net issuance of 
$981 million of debt, $764 million of which relates to the offering of 
our Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates, Series 2019-1 (“2019-1 
EETC”) in November, partially offset by the scheduled repayment 
of $323 million in debt and finance lease obligations. In addition, 
we acquired $542 million in treasury shares of which $535 million 
related to our accelerated share repurchases during 2019. During 
this period, we received $51 million in proceeds from the issuance 
of stock related to employee share-based compensation.

Financing activities during 2018 consisted of the net issuance of 
$687 million of debt partially offset by the scheduled repayment 
of $222 million relating to debt and finance lease obligations. In 
addition, we acquired $382 million in treasury shares of which 
$375 million related to our accelerated share repurchases during 
2018. During this period, we received $48 million in proceeds 
from the issuance of stock related to employee share-based 
compensation.

Financing  activities  during  2017  consisted  of  the  scheduled 
repayment of $194 million relating to debt and finance lease 
obligations. In addition, we acquired $390 million in treasury 
shares of which $380 million related to our accelerated share 
repurchases during 2017. During this period, we received $48 
million in proceeds from the issuance of stock related to employee 
share-based compensation.

In  the  future  we  may  issue,  in  one  or  more  offerings,  debt 
securities, pass-through certificates, common stock, preferred 
stock, and/or other securities.

In March 2019, we filed an automatic shelf registration statement 
with the SEC. Under this shelf registration statement, we may 
offer and sell from time to time common stock, preferred stock, 
debt securities, depositary shares, warrants, stock purchase 
contracts, stock purchase units, subscription rights, and pass-
through  certificates.  We  may  utilize  this  shelf  registration 
statement, or a replacement filed with the SEC, in the future to 
raise capital to fund the continued development of our products 
and services, the commercialization of our products and services, 
to repay indebtedness, or for other general corporate purposes.

None of our lenders or lessors are affiliated with us.

(1)  Refer to our “Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” at the end of this section for more information on this non-GAAP measure.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

37

PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Capital Resources

We have been able to generate sufficient funds from operations 
to  meet  our  working  capital  requirements  and  we  have 
historically paid cash or financed our aircraft through either 
secured  debt  or  lease  financing.  Approximately  50%  of  our 
property and equipment is pledged as security under various 
loan arrangements. We believe our current level of unrestricted 
cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, combined 
with our available lines of credit and portfolio of unencumbered 
assets provide us with a strong liquidity position.

Dependent on market conditions, we anticipate using a mix of 
cash and debt financing for our expected aircraft deliveries in 
2020. To the extent we cannot secure financing on terms we 
deem attractive, we may be required to pay in cash, further modify 
our aircraft acquisition plans, or incur higher than anticipated 
financing costs. Although we believe debt and/or lease financing 
should be available to us if needed, we cannot give assurances we 
will be able to secure financing on terms attractive to us, if at all.

Working Capital

We had a working capital deficit of $877 million as of December 31, 
2019 compared to a deficit of $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2018. 
Working capital deficits can be customary in the airline industry 
since air traffic liability is classified as a current liability.

In 2012, we entered into a revolving line of credit with Morgan 
Stanley for up to approximately $200 million. This line of credit is 
secured by a portion of our investment securities held by Morgan 
Stanley and the borrowing amount may vary accordingly. This line 
of credit bears interest at a floating rate based upon the London 
Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, plus a margin. We did not borrow 
under this facility in 2019 or 2018 and the line was undrawn as of 
December 31, 2019.

In August 2019, we amended and restated our revolving Credit 
and Guaranty Agreement with Citibank N.A. as the administrative 
agent. The amendment increased our borrowing capacity by 

$125 million to $550 million and extended the term of the facility 
through August 2023. Borrowings under the Credit and Guaranty 
Agreement bear interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR, plus a 
margin. The Amended and Restated Facility is secured by Slots at 
JFK, LaGuardia, and Reagan National, and certain other assets. 
Slots are rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a 
specific time period and are a means by which airport capacity and 
congestion can be managed. The Credit and Guaranty Agreement 
includes customary covenants that require us to maintain certain 
minimum balances in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and 
unused commitments available under revolving credit facilities. In 
addition, the covenants restrict our ability to, among other things, 
dispose of certain collateral, or merge, consolidate, or sell assets. 
During 2019 and 2018, we did not borrow on this facility and the 
line was undrawn as of December 31, 2019.

We expect to meet our obligations as they become due through 
available cash, investment securities, and internally generated 
funds, supplemented as necessary by financing activities, as 
they may be available to us. We expect to generate positive 
working capital through our operations. However, we cannot 
predict  what  the  effect  on  our  business  might  be  from  the 
extremely competitive environment we are operating in or from 
events beyond our control, such as volatile fuel prices, economic 
conditions, weather-related disruptions, the spread of infectious 
diseases, the impact of airline bankruptcies, restructurings or 
consolidations, U.S. military actions, or acts of terrorism. We 
believe there is sufficient liquidity available to us to meet our 
cash requirements for at least the next 12 months.

Debt and Finance Leases

As part of our efforts to effectively manage our balance sheet and 
improve return on invested capital, or ROIC, we expect to continue 
to actively manage our debt balances. Our approach to debt 
management includes managing the mix of fixed versus floating 
rate debt, annual maturities of debt, and the weighted average 
cost of debt. Additionally, our unencumbered assets allow some 
flexibility in managing our cost of debt and capital requirements.

Contractual Obligations
Our contractual obligations at December 31, 2019 include the following (in billions):

Total

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Thereafter

Payments due in

Debt and finance lease obligations(1)

$

Operating lease obligations

Flight equipment purchase obligations(2)

Other obligations(3)

TOTAL

2.7

1.1

7.8

2.6

$

0.4

$

0.4

$

0.1

1.1

0.3

1.9

$

0.1

1.5

0.3

2.3

$

0.4

0.1

1.3

0.3

2.1

$

$

0.3

0.1

1.7

0.3

2.4

$

$

0.2

0.1

1.6

0.4

2.3

$

$

1.0

0.6

0.6

1.0

3.2

$

14.2

$

Includes	actual	interest	and	estimated	interest	for	floating-rate	debt	based	on	December 31,	2019	rates.

(1)	
(2)  Amounts represent obligations based on the current delivery schedule set forth in our Airbus order book as of December 31, 2019. Due to production delays, we only took 
delivery  of  six  A321neo  aircraft  in  2019  with  the  remaining  seven  to  be  delivered  beyond  their  contractual  delivery  year.  The  committed  expenditures  for  these  seven 
backlogged A321neo aircraft are not included in the amounts above due to uncertainties in the timing of these deliveries. 

(3)  Amounts include noncancelable commitments for the purchase of goods and services.

38

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The interest rates are fixed for $2.2 billion of our debt and 
finance  lease  obligations,  with  the  remaining  $0.2  billion 
having  floating  interest  rates.  The  floating  interest  rates 
adjust either quarterly or semi-annually based on LIBOR. The 
weighted average maturity of all of our debt was eight years as 
of December 31, 2019.

As of December 31, 2019, we believe we were in compliance 
with  the  covenants  of  our  debt  and  lease  agreements  and 
approximately 50% of our owned property and equipment were 
pledged as security under various loan agreements.

As of December 31, 2019, we had operating lease obligations for 41 
aircraft with lease terms that expire between 2020 and 2026. Our 
aircraft lease agreements contain termination provisions which 
include standard maintenance and return conditions. Our policy 
is to record these lease return conditions when they are probable 
and the costs can be estimated. We also lease airport terminal 
space and other airport facilities in each of our markets, as well 
as office space and other equipment. We have approximately $26 
million of restricted assets pledged under standby letters of credit 
related to certain of our leases which will expire at the end of the 
related leases. As of December 31, 2019, the average age of our 
operating fleet was 10.6 years.

Our firm aircraft order book as of December 31, 2019 was as follows:

Year

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

TOTAL

Airbus A321neo

Airbus A220

Total

7

14

17

15

14

12

—

—

79

—

1

6

8

19

22

12

2

70

7

15

23

23

33

34

12

2

149

The  table  above  represents  the  current  delivery  schedule 
set forth in our Airbus order book as of December 31, 2019. In 
October 2018 and May 2019, we received notice from Airbus of 
anticipated delivery delays of the A321neo aircraft. Due to these 
delays, we only took delivery of six A321neo aircraft in 2019 with 
the remaining seven to be delivered beyond their contractual 
delivery  year.  We  expect  to  take  delivery  of  a  maximum  of  
11 A321neo aircraft in 2020.

Committed expenditures for our firm aircraft and spare engines 
include estimated amounts for contractual price escalations 
and predelivery deposits. We expect to meet our predelivery 
deposit requirements for our aircraft by paying cash or by using  
short-term borrowing facilities for deposits generally required 
six to 24 months prior to delivery. Any predelivery deposits paid 
by the issuance of notes are fully repaid at the time of delivery of 
the related aircraft.

Our Terminal at JFK, T5, is governed by a lease agreement we 
entered into with the PANYNJ in 2005. We are responsible for 
making various payments under the lease. This includes ground 
rents for the terminal site which began at the time of the lease 
execution  in  2005  and  facility  rents  commenced  in  October 
2008 upon our occupancy of T5. The facility rents are based 

on  the  number  of  passengers  enplaned  out  of  the  terminal, 
subject to annual minimums. The PANYNJ reimbursed us for 
construction costs of this project in accordance with the terms 
of the lease, except for approximately $76 million in leasehold 
improvements provided by us. In 2013, we amended this lease 
to include additional ground space for our international arrivals 
facility, T5i, which we opened in November 2014. Minimum ground 
and facility rents at JFK totaling $788 million are included in the 
commitments table above as operating lease obligations.

We enter into individual employment agreements with each of 
our  non-unionized  FAA-licensed  crewmembers,  inspectors, 
and air traffic controllers. Each employment agreement is for 
a term of five years and automatically renews for an additional 
five-year term unless the crewmember is terminated for cause 
or the crewmember elects not to renew it. Pursuant to these 
agreements, these crewmembers can only be terminated for 
cause. In the event of a downturn in our business requiring a 
reduction in flying and related work hours, we are obligated 
to pay these crewmembers a guaranteed level of income and  
to continue their benefits. As we are not currently obligated to 
pay this guaranteed income and benefits, no amounts related 
to these guarantees are included in the contractual obligations 
table above.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Although  some  of  our  aircraft  lease  arrangements  are  with 
variable interest entities, as defined by the Consolidations topic 
of the Codification, none of them require consolidation in our 
financial statements. The decision to finance these aircraft 

through operating leases rather than through debt was based 
on an analysis of the cash flows and tax consequences of each 
financing alternative and a consideration of liquidity implications. 
We are responsible for all maintenance, insurance, and other 

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

39

PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

costs associated with operating these aircraft. However, we are 
not obligated to provide any residual value or other guarantees 
to our lessors.

We have determined that we hold a variable interest in, but are 
not the primary beneficiary of, certain pass-through trusts. The 
beneficiaries of these pass-through trusts are the purchasers 
of equipment notes issued by us to finance the acquisition of 
aircraft. Each trust maintains a liquidity facility whereby a third 
party agrees to make payments sufficient to pay up to 18 months of 
interest on the applicable certificates if a payment default occurs.

We have also made certain guarantees and indemnities to other 
unrelated parties that are not reflected on our consolidated 
balance sheets, which we believe will not have a significant 
impact on our results of operations, financial condition or cash 
flows. We have no other off-balance sheet arrangements. See 
Notes 3, 4, and 12 to our consolidated financial statements for 
a more detailed discussion of our variable interests and other 
contingencies, including guarantees and indemnities.

Critical Accounting Policies And Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in 
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in 
the  United  States,  or  GAAP,  requires  management  to  adopt 
accounting policies as well as make estimates and judgments 
to develop amounts reported in our financial statements and 
accompanying notes. We maintain a thorough process to review 
the application of our accounting policies and to evaluate the 
appropriateness of the estimates that are required to prepare our 
financial statements. We believe our estimates and judgments are 
reasonable; however, actual results and the timing of recognition 
of such amounts could differ from those estimates. In addition, 
estimates  routinely  require  adjustment  based  on  changing 
circumstances and the receipt of new or better information.

Critical accounting policies and estimates are defined as those 
that are reflective of significant judgments and uncertainties 
that could potentially result in materially different results under 
different assumptions and conditions. The policies and estimates 
discussed  below  have  been  reviewed  with  our  independent 
registered public accounting firm and with the Audit Committee 
of our Board of Directors. For a discussion of these and other 
significant accounting policies, see Note 1 to our consolidated 
financial statements.

date. Failure to cancel a refundable fare prior to departure will 
result in the cancellation of the original ticket and an issuance 
of a credit for future travel. Passenger credits can be used for 
future travel up to a year from the date of issuance. Passenger 
breakage revenue from unused tickets and passenger credits will 
be recognized in proportion to flown revenue based on estimates 
of  expected  expiration  when  the  likelihood  of  the  customer 
exercising his or her remaining rights becomes remote. Breakage 
revenue consists of non-refundable tickets that remain unused 
past the departure date, have continued validity, and are expected 
to ultimately expire unused, as well as passenger credits that are 
not expected to be redeemed prior to expiration. JetBlue uses 
estimates based on historical experience of expired tickets and 
credits and considers other factors that could impact future 
expiration patterns of tickets and credits. Tickets which do not 
have continued validity past the departure date are recognized as 
revenue after the scheduled departure date has lapsed.

Passenger  ticket  costs  primarily  include  credit  card  fees, 
commissions paid, and global distribution systems booking fees. 
Costs are allocated entirely to the purchased travel services and 
are capitalized until recognized when travel services are provided 
to the customer.

Passenger Revenue

Loyalty Program

Ticket sales and the fees collected for related ancillary services 
are initially deferred in air traffic liability. Air traffic liability 
represents tickets sold but not yet flown, credits which can be 
used for future travel, and a portion of the liability related to our 
TrueBlue® loyalty program. We allocate the transaction price to 
each performance obligation identified in a passenger ticket on 
a relative standalone basis. Passenger revenue, including certain 
ancillary fees directly related to passenger tickets, is recognized 
when the transportation is provided. Taxes that we are required 
to collect from our customers, including foreign and U.S. federal 
transportation taxes, security taxes, and airport facility charges, 
are excluded from passenger revenue. Those taxes and fees are 
recorded as a liability upon collection and are relieved from the 
liability upon remittance to the applicable governmental agency.

The majority of the tickets we sell are non-refundable. Non-
refundable  fares  may  be  canceled  prior  to  the  scheduled 
departure date for a credit for future travel. Refundable fares 
may be canceled at any time prior to the scheduled departure 

Customers may earn points under our customer loyalty program, 
TrueBlue®, based on the fare paid and fare product purchased for a 
flight. Customers can also earn points through business partners 
such as credit card companies, hotels, car rental companies, and 
our participating airline partners.

POINTS EARNED FROM A TICKET PURCHASE 

When a TrueBlue® member travels, we recognize a portion of the 
fare as revenue and defer in air traffic liabilities the portion that 
represents the value of the points net of spoilage, or breakage. We 
allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation on 
a relative standalone basis. We determine the standalone selling 
price of TrueBlue® points issued using the redemption value 
approach. To maximize the use of observable inputs, we utilize the 
actual ticket value of the tickets purchased with TrueBlue® points. 
The liability is relieved and passenger revenue is recognized when 
the points are redeemed and the free travel is provided.

40

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

POINTS SOLD TO TRUEBLUE® PARTNERS 

Our  most  significant  contract  to  sell  TrueBlue®  points  is 
with our co-branded credit card partner. Co-branded credit 
card partnerships have the following identified performance 
obligations: air transportation; use of the JetBlue brand name, 
and access to our frequent flyer customer lists; advertising; and 
other airline benefits. In determining the estimated selling price, 
JetBlue considers multiple inputs, methods, and assumptions, 
including: discounted cash flows; estimated redemption value, 
net of fulfillment discount; points expected to be awarded and 
redeemed; estimated annual spending by cardholders; estimated 
annual royalty for use of JetBlue's frequent flyer customer lists; 
and estimated utilization of other airline benefits. Payments 
are typically due monthly based on the volume of points sold 
during the period, and the terms of our marketing contracts are 
generally from one to seven years. The overall consideration 
received is allocated to each performance obligation based on 
their standalone relative selling prices. The air transportation 
element is deferred and recognized as passenger revenue when 
the points are utilized. The other elements are recognized as 
other revenue when the performance obligation related to those 
services are satisfied, which is generally the same period as when 
consideration is received from the participating company.

Amounts  allocated  to  the  air  transportation  element  which 
are initially deferred include a portion that are expected to be 
redeemed during the following twelve months (classified as 
a component of Air traffic liability), and a portion that are not 
expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months 
(classified  as  Air  traffic  liability  -  loyalty  non-current).  We 
periodically update this analysis and adjust the split between 
current and non-current liabilities as appropriate.

Points earned by TrueBlue® members never expire. TrueBlue® 
members  can  pool  points  between  small  groups  of  people, 
branded  as  Points  Pooling™.  Breakage  is  estimated  using 
historical redemption patterns to determine a breakage rate. 
Breakage rates used to estimate breakage revenue are evaluated 
annually.  Changes  to  breakage  estimates  impact  revenue 
recognition prospectively.

Accounting for Long-Lived Assets

In accounting for long-lived assets, we make estimates about the 
expected useful lives, projected residual values, and the potential 
for impairment. In estimating useful lives and residual values of 
our aircraft, we have relied upon actual industry experience with 
the same or similar aircraft types and our anticipated utilization 
of the aircraft. Changing market prices of new and used aircraft, 
government  regulations,  and  changes  in  our  maintenance 
program or operations could result in changes to these estimates.

Our  long-lived  assets  are  evaluated  for  impairment  when 
events and circumstances indicate the assets may be impaired. 
Indicators include operating or cash flow losses, significant 
decreases in market value, or changes in technology.

To determine whether impairment exists for aircraft used in 
operations, we group assets at the fleet-type level (the lowest 
level for which there are identifiable cash flows) and then estimate 
future cash flows based on projections of capacity, passenger 
yield, fuel costs, labor costs, and other relevant factors. If an 

impairment occurs, the impairment loss recognized is the amount 
by which the fleet’s carrying amount exceeds its estimated fair 
value. We estimate aircraft fair value using published sources, 
appraisals, and bids received from third parties, as available.

In 2018, we recorded an impairment charge of flight equipment 
and other property and equipment related to the Embraer E190 
fleet transition. Refer to Note 18 to our consolidated financial 
statements for details.

Lease Accounting 

We operate airport facilities, office buildings, and aircraft under 
operating leases with minimum lease payments. We recognize 
the costs associated with these agreements as rent expense 
on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term. Within 
the provisions of certain leases, there are minimum escalations 
in payments over the base lease term. There are also periodic 
adjustments of lease rates, landing fees, and other charges 
applicable under such agreements, as well as renewal periods. 
The effects of the escalations and other adjustments have been 
reflected in rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease 
term. This includes renewal periods when it is deemed to be 
reasonably assured at the inception of the lease that we would 
incur an economic penalty for not renewing. The amortization 
period for leasehold improvements is the term used in calculating 
straight-line rent expense or their estimated economic life, 
whichever is shorter.

Derivative Instruments used for Aircraft Fuel 

We utilize financial derivative instruments to manage the risk 
of changing aircraft fuel prices. We do not purchase or hold 
any  derivative  instrument  for  trading  purposes.  Fair  values 
are  determined  using  commodity  prices  provided  to  us  by 
independent third parties. When possible, we designate these 
instruments as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes, as 
defined by the Derivatives and Hedging topic of the Codification 
which permits the deferral of the effective portions of gains or 
losses until contract settlement.

The  Derivatives  and  Hedging  topic  is  a  complex  accounting 
standard. It requires us to develop and maintain a significant 
amount of documentation related to:

(1)  our fuel hedging program and fuel management approach,

(2)  statistical analysis supporting a highly correlated relationship 
between the underlying commodity in the derivative financial 
instrument and the risk being hedged, i.e. aircraft fuel, on both 
a historical and prospective basis, and

(3)  cash flow designation for each hedging transaction executed, 
to be developed concurrently with the hedging transaction.

This documentation requires us to estimate forward aircraft fuel 
prices since there is no reliable forward market for aircraft fuel. 
These prices are developed through the observation of similar 
commodity futures prices, such as crude oil and/or heating oil, 
and adjusted based on variations to those like commodities. 
Historically, our hedges have settled within 24 months; therefore, 
the deferred gains and losses have been recognized into earnings 
over a relatively short period of time.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

41

PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Regulation G Reconciliation of Non-Gaap Financial Measures
We sometimes use non-GAAP financial measures in this report. Non-
GAAP financial measures are financial measures that are derived from 
the consolidated financial statements, but that are not presented 
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the 
United States, or GAAP. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures 
provide a meaningful comparison of our results to others in the airline 
industry and our prior year results. Investors should consider these 
non-GAAP financial measures in addition to, and not as a substitute 
for, our financial performance measures prepared in accordance 
with GAAP. Further, our non-GAAP information may be different 
from the non-GAAP information provided by other companies. 
The information below provides an explanation of each non-GAAP 
financial measure and shows a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial 
measures used in this filing to the most directly comparable GAAP 
financial measures.

Operating expenses per available seat mile, or CASM, is a common 
metric used in the airline industry. We exclude aircraft fuel and 
related taxes, operating expenses related to other non-airline 
businesses,  such  as  our  subsidiaries,  JetBlue  Technology 
Ventures and JetBlue Travel Products, and special items from 
operating expenses to determine CASM ex-fuel, which is a non-
GAAP financial measure. During the periods presented below, 
special items include one-time costs related to the Embraer 
E190 fleet transition as well as one-time costs related to the 
ratification and implementation of our pilots’ collective bargaining 
agreement. We believe that CASM ex-fuel is useful for investors 
because it provides investors the ability to measure financial 
performance excluding items beyond our control, such as fuel 
costs, which are subject to many economic and political factors, 
or not related to the generation of an available seat mile, such as 
operating expense related to other non-airline businesses. We 
believe this non-GAAP measure is more indicative of our ability 
to manage airline costs and is more comparable to measures 
reported by other major airlines.

Operating Expense per Available Seat Mile, 
excluding fuel and related taxes, other non-
airline operating expenses, and special items 
(“CASM Ex-Fuel”)

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE 
RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSE PER ASM, EXCLUDING FUEL

2019

2018

2017

2016(1)

2015(1)

(in millions; per ASM data in cents)

$ per ASM

$ per ASM

$ per ASM

$ per ASM

$ per ASM

Total operating expenses

$ 7,294

11.43

$ 7,392

12.34

$ 6,039

10.78

$ 5,324

9.93

$ 5,200

10.56

Less:

Aircraft fuel and related taxes

1,847

Other non-airline expenses(2)

Special items

Operating expenses,  
excluding fuel

2.89

0.08

0.02

1,899

44

435

3.17

0.07

0.73

1,363

35

—

2.43

0.06

—

1,074

26

—

2.00

0.05

—

1,348

2.74

—

—

—

—

46

14

$ 5,387

8.44 $ 5,014

8.37

$ 4,641

8.29

$ 4,224

7.88

$ 3,852

7.82

(1)  Amounts prior to 2017 do not reflect the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, adopted as of January 1, 2019. Refer to Note 1 to our 

consolidated financial statements for details.

(2)  Other non-airline expenses for 2016 includes operating expenses related to JetBlue Technology Ventures only.

With respect to JetBlue’s CASM Ex-Fuel guidance, we are not able 
to provide a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure 
to  the  most  directly  comparable  GAAP  financial  measure 
because the excluded items have not yet occurred and cannot 
be reasonably predicted. The reconciling information that is 
unavailable would include a forward-looking range of financial 
performance measures beyond our control, such as fuel costs, 
which are subject to many economic and political factors.

Reconciliation of Operating Expense, Income 
before Taxes, Net Income and Earnings 
per Share, excluding special items, gain on 
equity method investments, and impact of 
tax reform

Our GAAP results in the applicable periods were impacted by 
the following: (a) the 2017 tax reform, (b) gain on equity method 
investments, and (c) charges that are deemed special items. We 
believe the impact of these items make our results difficult to 
compare to prior periods as well as future periods and guidance, 
and, as a result, we exclude these items from the calculation 
of adjusted operating expense, adjusted income before taxes, 
adjusted net income, and adjusted earnings per share, which 
are non-GAAP financial measures. During the periods presented 
below,  special  items  include  one-time  costs  related  to  the 
Embraer E190 fleet transition, as well as one-time costs related to 
the implementation of our pilots’ collective bargaining agreement. 
We believe the impacts of these items distort our overall trends 
and that our metrics and results are more comparable with the 
presentation of our results excluding the impact of these items 
and therefore is more useful for investors. 

42

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The table below provides a reconciliation of our GAAP reported amounts to the non-GAAP amounts excluding the impacts of these items.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE 
RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSE, INCOME BEFORE TAXES, NET INCOME AND EARNINGS PER SHARE 
EXCLUDING SPECIAL ITEMS, GAIN ON EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS, AND IMPACT OF TAX REFORM

Year Ended December 31,

(in millions except per share amounts)

Total Operating Revenues

Total Operating Expenses

Less: Special items

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES EXCLUDING SPECIAL ITEMS

Operating Income

Add back: Special items

Operating Income Excluding Special Items

Operating Margin Excluding Special Items

Income Before Income Taxes

Add back: Special items

Less: Gain on equity method investments

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES EXCLUDING SPECIAL ITEMS AND GAIN ON 
EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS

Pre-Tax Margin Excluding Special Items

Income before Income Taxes Excluding Special Items and Gain  
on Equity Method Investments

Less: Income tax expense (benefit)

Less: Income tax benefit related to special items

Less: Income tax (expense) related to gain on equity method investments

Less: Income tax benefit related to tax reform

NET INCOME EXCLUDING SPECIAL ITEMS, GAIN ON EQUITY METHOD  
INVESTMENTS, AND TAX REFORM IMPACT

Earnings Per Common Share:

Basic

Add back: Special items, net of tax

Less: Gain on equity method investments, net of tax

Less: Tax reform impact

BASIC EXCLUDING SPECIAL ITEMS, GAIN ON EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS,  
AND TAX REFORM IMPACT

Diluted

Add back: Special items, net of tax

Less: Gain on equity method investments, net of tax

Less: Tax reform impact

Diluted Excluding Special Items, Gain on Equity Method  
Investments, and Tax Reform Impact

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

2019

8,094

7,294

14

7,280

800

14

814

10.1%

768

14

15

767

9.5%

767

199

4

(4)

—

568

1.92

0.04

0.04

—

1.92

1.91

0.03

0.04

—

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

2018

7,658

7,392

435

6,957

266

435

701

9.2%

219

435

—

654

8.5%

654

30

108

—

28

488

0.60

1.05

—

0.09

1.56

0.60

1.04

—

0.09

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

2017

7,012

6,039

—

6,039

973

—

973

13.9%

918

—

—

918

13.1%

918

(222)

—

—

564

576

3.47

—

—

1.72

1.75

3.45

—

—

1.71

$

1.90

$

1.55

$

1.74

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

43

PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Return on Invested Capital

Return on invested capital, or ROIC, is an important financial 
metric which we believe provides meaningful information as to 
how well we generate returns relative to the capital invested in our 
business. Our ROIC in 2019 was 9.5% compared to 8.6% in 2018, 
primarily due to an increase in adjusted operating income driven 
by cost savings realized from the execution of our Structural 
Cost Program and lower fuel prices. We are committed to taking 

appropriate actions which will allow us to produce returns greater 
than our cost of capital while adding capacity and continuing to 
grow.

We  believe  this  non-GAAP  financial  measure  provides  a 
meaningful comparison of our results to the rest of the airline 
industry and our prior year results. Investors should consider this 
non-GAAP financial measure in addition to, and not as a substitute 
for, our financial performance measures prepared in accordance 
with GAAP.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE 
RECONCILIATION OF RETURN ON INVESTED CAPITAL

(in millions)

Operating Income

Add: Interest income

Add: Interest component of aircraft lease commitments(1)

Add: Special items(2)

Subtotal

Less: Income tax expense impact

Operating Income after Tax, Adjusted

Average stockholders’ equity

Average total debt

Average aircraft lease commitments

Invested Capital

Return on Invested Capital

(1) 

Interest component of aircraft lease commitments

Average aircraft lease commitments

Interest component of aircraft lease commitments (Imputed interest at 7.5%)

Twelve Months Ended December 31,

$

$

$

$

$

2019

800

19

17

14

850

219

631

4,710

1,735

229

6,674

9.5%

229

17

$

$

$

$

$

2018

266

11

22

435

734

186

548

4,660

1,389

287

6,336

8.6%

287

22

(2)  During the periods presented above, special items include one-time costs related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition as well as one-time costs related to the ratification 

and implementation of our pilots’ collective bargaining agreement.

Free Cash Flow

The table below reconciles cash provided by operations determined in accordance with GAAP to Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP financial 
measure. We believes that Free Cash Flow is a relevant metric in measuring our financial strength and is useful in assessing our ability 
to fund future capital commitments and other obligations. Investors should consider this non-GAAP financial measure in addition to, 
and not as a substitute for, our financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE 
RECONCILIATION OF FREE CASH FLOW

Year Ended December 31,

(in millions)

2019

2018

2017

2016(1)

2015(1)(2)

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

1,449

$

1,200

$

1,379

$

1,632

$

1,598

Less: Capital expenditures

Less: Predelivery deposits for flight equipment

(932)

(224)

(908)

(206)

(1,074)

(128)

Free Cash Flow

$

293

$

86

$

177

$

(850)

(161)

621

$

(837)

(104)

657

(1)  Amounts prior to 2017 do not reflect the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, adopted as of January 1, 2019. Refer to Note 1 to our 

consolidated financial statements for details.

(2)  Amounts  in  2015  do  not  reflect  the  impact  of  the  adoption  of  ASU  2014-09,  Revenue  from  Contracts  with  Customers  (Topic  606)  of  the  Codification,  adopted  as  of 

January 1, 2018.

44

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 
 
 PART II  |   ITEM 7 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Adjusted Debt to Capitalization Ratio

Adjusted debt to capitalization ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure which we believe is relevant in assessing the Company’s overall 
debt profile. Adjusted debt includes aircraft operating lease liabilities, in addition to total debt and finance lease obligations. Adjusted 
capitalization represents total equity plus adjusted debt. Investors should consider this non-GAAP financial measure in addition to, 
and not as a substitute for, our financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE 
ADJUSTED DEBT TO CAPITALIZATION RATIO

(in millions)

Long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Operating lease liabilities - aircraft

Adjusted Debt

Long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Operating lease liabilities - aircraft

Stockholders’ equity

Adjusted Capitalization

Adjusted Debt to Capitalization Ratio

December 31,

2019

$

1,990

$

$

344

183

2,517

1,990

344

183

4,799

$

$

$

2018

1,361

309

256

1,926

1,361

309

256

4,685

$

7,316

$

6,611

34%

29%

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

45

PART II  |   ITEM 7A QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

ITEM 7A 

 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT 
MARKET RISK

The risk inherent in our market risk sensitive instruments and 
positions is the potential loss arising from adverse changes to the 
price of fuel and interest rates as discussed below. The sensitivity 
analyses presented do not consider the effects such adverse 
changes may have on the overall economic activity, nor do they 
consider additional actions we may take to mitigate our exposure 

to such changes. Variable-rate leases are not considered market 
sensitive financial instruments and, therefore, are not included 
in the interest rate sensitivity analysis below. Actual results may 
differ from the sensitivity analyses. See Notes 1, 3 and 13 to our 
consolidated financial statements for accounting policies and 
additional information.

Aircraft fuel 
Our results of operations are affected by changes in the price 
and availability of aircraft fuel. Market risk is estimated as a 
hypothetical 10% increase in the December 31, 2019 cost per 
gallon of fuel. Based on projected 2020 fuel consumption, such 
an increase would result in an increase to aircraft fuel expense 
of approximately $192 million in 2020. This is compared to an 
estimated $180 million for 2019 measured as of December 31, 2018. 
As of December 31, 2019, we had hedged approximately 10% of our 
projected 2020 fuel requirements. All hedge contracts existing 
as of December 31, 2019 settle by June 30, 2020.

Interest
Our earnings are affected by changes in interest rates due to the 
impact those changes have on interest expense from variable-rate 
debt instruments and on interest income generated from our cash 
and investment balances. The interest rate is fixed for $2.1 billion 
of our debt and finance lease obligations, with the remaining 
$217 million having floating interest rates. If interest rates were 
on average 100 basis points higher in 2020 than they were during 
2019, our interest expense would increase by approximately  
$2 million. This amount is determined by considering the impact of 
the hypothetical change in interest rates on our variable rate debt.

The financial derivative instrument agreements we have with 
our counterparties may require us to fund all, or a portion of, 
outstanding loss positions related to these contracts prior to 
their scheduled maturities. The amount of collateral posted, if 
any, is periodically adjusted based on the fair value of the hedge 
contracts.

If interest rates were an average 100 basis points lower in 2020 
than they were during 2019, our interest income from cash and 
investment balances would decrease by approximately $3 million. 
This amount is determined by considering the impact of the 
hypothetical interest rates on our cash and cash equivalents and 
short-term investment securities balances.

46

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

ITEM 8 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of JetBlue 
Airways Corporation

Basis for Opinion

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance 
sheets  of  JetBlue  Airways  Corporation  (the  Company)  as  of 
December  31,  2019  and  2018  and  the  related  consolidated 
statements of operations, comprehensive income, cash flows 
and stockholders’ equity for each of the three years in the period 
ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes and financial 
statement schedule listed in Item 15(2) (collectively referred to 
as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the 
consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material 
respects, the consolidated financial position of JetBlue Airways 
Corporation at December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the consolidated 
results  of  its  operations  and  its  cash  flows  for  each  of  the 
three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, in conformity 
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the 
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting 
as of December 31, 2019, based on criteria established in Internal 
Control-Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of 
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 
framework) and our report dated February 18, 2020 expressed 
an unqualified opinion thereon.

Adoption of New Accounting Standard

As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company 
changed its method of accounting for leases in 2019 due to the 
adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases 
(Topic 842), and the related amendments.

These  financial  statements  are  the  responsibility  of  the 
Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an 
opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our 
audits.  We  are  a  public  accounting  firm  registered  with  the 
PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the 
Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws 
and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and 
Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of 
the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform 
the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 
financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether 
due to fraud or error. Our audits included performing procedures 
to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial 
statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing 
procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included 
examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and 
disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included 
evaluating  the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant 
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall 
presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our 
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising 
from the current period audit of the financial statements that 
was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit 
committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that 
are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our 
especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The 
communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any 
way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken 
as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit 
matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit 
matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

47

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Accounting for Loyalty Program - Breakage

Description of the 
Matter

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, under the customer loyalty program, the Company 
issues  points  to  customers  based  upon  the  fare  paid  for  a  ticket  purchase  or  through  sales  to  business  partners, 
including JetBlue’s co-branded credit card partners. The Company defers a portion of the transaction price allocable 
to  points  issued  and  recognizes  revenue  when  the  points  are  utilized  for  travel.  The  Company  estimates  breakage 
for  issued  points  using  historical  redemption  patterns  and  records  revenue  for  points  that  are  not  expected  to  be 
redeemed. Estimates of breakage are evaluated annually, and changes to breakage estimates prospectively impact 
Passenger revenue and Air traffic liability. The balance of the Company’s Air traffic liability associated with the loyalty 
program was $661 million at December 31, 2019.

Auditing management’s estimates and calculations used in its accounting for the loyalty program is significant to our 
audit as the related impact to Passenger revenue and Air traffic liability is material and sensitive to changes in the 
breakage  rate.  The  estimate  of  breakage  by  management  requires  the  Company  to  forecast  redemption  patterns, 
which  involves  the  application  of  judgment  and  estimation.  As  a  result,  auditing  the  Company’s  accounting  for  the 
loyalty program required complex auditor judgement.

How We Addressed 
the Matter in Our 
Audit

We  obtained  an  understanding,  evaluated  the  design,  and  tested  the  operating  effectiveness  of  controls  over  the 
Company’s  accounting  for  the  loyalty  program,  including  controls  over  management’s  estimation  of  breakage  rates 
and review of the significant assumptions underlying the determination of estimated redemption patterns.

Our  audit  procedures  included,  among  others,  evaluating  the  significant  assumptions  and  the  accuracy  and 
completeness of the underlying data used in management’s calculation including the total number of points issued to 
and redeemed by customers. We involved our valuation professionals to assist us in our evaluation of the methodology 
used by the Company to estimate expected redemption patterns. We performed a sensitivity analysis of management’s 
estimate of points expected to be redeemed to evaluate the impact on Passenger revenue and Air traffic liability. We 
also tested the calculation used to determine the amount recognized as revenue for the period.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2001.

New York, New York 
February 18, 2020

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of JetBlue 
Airways Corporation

Basis for Opinion

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial 
Reporting

We have audited JetBlue Airways Corporation’s internal control 
over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2019,  based  on 
criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework 
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the 
Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our 
opinion, JetBlue Airways Corporation (the Company) maintained, 
in all material respects, effective internal control over financial 
reporting as of December 31, 2019, based on the COSO criteria.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the 
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB),  the  2019  consolidated  financial  statements  of  the 
Company and our report dated February 18, 2020 expressed an 
unqualified opinion thereon.

The  Company’s  management  is  responsible  for  maintaining 
effective internal control over financial reporting and for its 
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial 
reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report 
on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility 
is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  Company’s  internal  control 
over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public 
accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be 
independent with respect to the Company in accordance with U.S. 
federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of 
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the 
PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective 
internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all 
material respects.

48

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control 
over  financial  reporting,  assessing  the  risk  that  a  material 
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating 
effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and 
performing such other procedures as we considered necessary 
in  the  circumstances.  We  believe  that  our  audit  provides  a 
reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control 
Over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process 
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability 
of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements 
for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted 
accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial 
reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain 
to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail, 
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of 
the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that 

transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation 
of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted 
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the 
company are being made only in accordance with authorizations 
of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide 
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection 
of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s 
assets  that  could  have  a  material  effect  on  the  financial 
statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial 
reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Also, 
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are 
subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because 
of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with 
the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York 
February 18, 2020

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

49

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in millions, except per share data)

ASSETS

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents

Investment securities

Receivables, less allowance (2019 - $1; 2018-$1)

Inventories, less allowance (2019 - $22; 2018-$18)

Prepaid expenses and other

Total current assets

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

Flight equipment

Predelivery deposits for flight equipment

Total flight equipment and predelivery deposits, gross

Less accumulated depreciation

Total flight equipment and predelivery deposits, net

Other property and equipment

Less accumulated depreciation

Total other property and equipment, net

Total property and equipment, net

OPERATING LEASE ASSETS

OTHER ASSETS

Investment securities

Restricted cash

Other

Total other assets

TOTAL ASSETS

$

December 31,

2019

2018

$

959

369

231

81

146

1,786

10,332

433

10,765

2,768

7,997

1,145

528

617

8,614

912

3

59

544

606

474

413

211

78

212

1,388

9,525

293

9,818

2,448

7,370

1,074

461

613

7,983

1,056

3

59

470

532

$

11,918

$

10,959

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

50

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in millions, except per share data)

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Accounts payable

Air traffic liability

Accrued salaries, wages and benefits

Other accrued liabilities

Current operating lease liabilities

Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Total current liabilities

LONG-TERM DEBT AND FINANCE LEASE OBLIGATIONS

LONG-TERM OPERATING LEASE LIABILITIES

DEFERRED TAXES AND OTHER LIABILITIES

Deferred income taxes

Air traffic liability - loyalty non-current

Other

Total deferred taxes and other liabilities

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTES 11 & 12) 

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

$

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 25 shares authorized, none issued

Common stock, $0.01 par value; 900 shares authorized, 427 and 422 shares issued and 
282 and 306 shares outstanding at 2019 and 2018, respectively

Treasury stock, at cost; 145 and 116 shares at 2019 and 2018, respectively

Additional paid-in capital

Retained earnings

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

Total stockholders’ equity

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

$

December 31,

2019

2018

401

1,119

376

295

128

344

2,663

1,990

690

1,251

481

44

1,776

—

4

(1,782)

2,253

4,322

2

4,799

11,918

$

$

437

1,035

313

298

133

309

2,525

1,361

798

1,112

447

31

1,590

—

4

(1,272)

2,203

3,753

(3)

4,685

10,959

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

51

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION 

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in millions, except per share data)

OPERATING REVENUES

Passenger

Other

Total operating revenues

OPERATING EXPENSES

Aircraft fuel and related taxes

Salaries, wages and benefits

Landing fees and other rents

Depreciation and amortization

Aircraft rent

Sales and marketing

Maintenance, materials and repairs

Other operating expenses

Special items

Total operating expenses

OPERATING INCOME

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)

Interest expense

Capitalized interest

Gain on equity method investments

Interest income and other

Total other income (expense)

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense (benefit)

NET INCOME

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

Basic

Diluted

Years Ended December 31,

2019

2018

$

7,786

$

7,381

$

308

8,094

1,847

2,320

474

525

99

290

619

1,106

14

7,294

800

(79)

14

15

18

(32)

768

199

569

1.92

1.91

$

$

$

277

7,658

1,899

2,044

462

469

104

294

625

1,060

435

7,392

266

(70)

10

—

13

(47)

219

30

189

0.60

0.60

$

$

$

$

$

$

2017

6,761

251

7,012

1,363

1,887

438

424

102

271

622

932

—

6,039

973

(71)

10

—

6

(55)

918

(222)

1,140

3.47

3.45

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

52

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(in millions)

NET INCOME

Changes in fair value of derivative instruments, net of reclassifications 
into earnings, net of tax benefit (expense) of $(1), $2, and $8 in 2019, 
2018, and 2017, respectively

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Years Ended December 31,

2018

$

189

$

(3)

(3)

2019

569

5

5

574

$

186

$

2017

1,140

(13)

(13)

1,127

$

$

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

53

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in millions)

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Years Ended December 31,

2019

2018

2017

Net income

$

569

$

189

$

1,140

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided  
by operating activities:

Deferred income taxes

Depreciation

Impairment of long-lived assets

Amortization

Stock-based compensation

Changes in certain operating assets and liabilities:

(Increase) decrease in receivables

(Increase) decrease in inventories, prepaid and other

Increase in air traffic liability

Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities

Other, net

Net cash provided by operating activities

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Capital expenditures

Predelivery deposits for flight equipment

Purchase of held-to-maturity investments

Proceeds from the maturities of held-to-maturity investments

Purchase of available-for-sale securities

Proceeds from the sale of available-for-sale securities

Other, net

Net cash used in investing activities

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

Proceeds from issuance of common stock

Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt

Repayment of long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Acquisition of treasury stock

Other, net

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND 
RESTRICTED CASH

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

139

474

—

51

31

(3)

188

118

(91)

(27)

90

423

319

46

28

46

(178)

131

103

3

1,449

1,200

(932)

(224)

(374)

534

(1,000)

880

(13)

(1,129)

51

981

(323)

(542)

(2)

165

485

533

(908)

(206)

(429)

505

(979)

875

(15)

(1,157)

48

687

(222)

(382)

—

131

174

359

533

$

(309)

383

—

41

29

(52)

21

101

47

(22)

1,379

(1,074)

(128)

(207)

244

(245)

444

(13)

(979)

48

—

(194)

(390)

—

(536)

(136)

495

359

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period (1)

$

1,018

$

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

54

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

(in millions)

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION

Years Ended December 31,

2019

2018

2017

Cash payments for interest (net of amount capitalized)

$

Cash payments for income taxes (net of refunds)

NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS

$

62

(52)

$

59

11

Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities

$

7

$

20

$

(1)  Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets:

Cash and cash equivalents

Restricted cash

TOTAL CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH

December 31,

$

$

2019

959

59

1,018

$

$

2018

474

59

533

$

$

60

139

51

2017

303

56

359

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

55

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(in millions)

Common 
Shares

Common 
Stock

Treasury 
Shares

Treasury 
Stock

Additional 
Paid-In  
Capital

Retained 
Earnings

Accumulated 
Other  
Comprehensive  
Income (Loss)

Total

BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2016

414 $

Cumulative Effect for the adoption 
of ASU 2016-02

Net income

Other comprehensive (loss)

Vesting of restricted stock units

Exercise of stock options

Stock compensation expense

Stock issued under Crewmember 
Stock Purchase Plan

Shares repurchased

—

—

—

1

—

—

3

—

BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2017

418 $

Net income

Other comprehensive (loss)

Vesting of restricted stock units

Stock compensation expense

Stock issued under Crewmember 
Stock Purchase Plan

Shares repurchased

—

—

1

—

3

—

BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2018

422 $

Net income

Other comprehensive income

Vesting of restricted stock units

Stock compensation expense

Stock issued under Crewmember 
Stock Purchase Plan

Shares repurchased

—

—

2

—

3

—

BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2019

427 $

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

4

77 $

(500) $

2,050 $ 2,366 $

13 $ 3,933

—

—

—

1

—

—

—

19

—

—

—

(10)

—

—

—

(380)

—

—

—

—

4

29

44

—

58

1,140

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(13)

—

—

—

—

—

58

1,140

(13)

(10)

4

29

44

(380)

97 $

(890) $

2,127 $ 3,564 $

— $ 4,805

—

—

—

—

—

19

—

—

(7)

—

—

(375)

—

—

—

28

48

—

189

—

—

—

—

—

—

(3)

—

—

—

—

189

(3)

(7)

28

48

(375)

116 $ (1,272) $

2,203 $ 3,753 $

(3) $ 4,685

—

—

—

—

—

29

—

—

(6)

—

—

—

—

—

31

51

(504)

(32)

569

—

—

—

—

—

—

5

—

—

—

—

569

5

(6)

31

51

(536)

145 $ (1,782) $

2,253 $ 4,322 $

2 $ 4,799

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

56

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

JetBlue Airways Corporation, or JetBlue, is New York’s Hometown 
Airline®.  We  believe  our  differentiated  product  and  service 
offerings combined with our competitive cost advantage enables 
us to effectively compete in the high-value geography we serve. 

As of December 31, 2019, we served 99 destinations in 30 states, 
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
U.S. Virgin Islands, and 21 countries in the Caribbean and Latin 
America.

NOTE 1 

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

Restricted Cash

JetBlue provides air transportation services across the United 
States,  the  Caribbean,  and  Latin  America.  Our  consolidated 
financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or 
GAAP, and include the accounts of JetBlue and our subsidiaries. 
All  majority-owned  subsidiaries  are  consolidated  with  all 
intercompany transactions and balances being eliminated.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements and 
accompanying notes in conformity with GAAP requires us to make 
certain estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ 
from those estimates.

Fair Value

The  Fair  Value  Measurements  and  Disclosures  topic  of  the 
Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting 
Standards  Codification®,  or  Codification,  establishes  a 
framework  for  measuring  fair  value  and  requires  enhanced 
disclosures about fair value measurements. This topic clarifies 
that fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that 
would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in 
an orderly transaction between market participants. The topic 
also requires disclosure about how fair value is determined for 
assets and liabilities and establishes a hierarchy for which these 
assets and liabilities must be grouped, based on significant 
levels of inputs. Refer to Note 14 to our consolidated financial 
statements for more information.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Our cash and cash equivalents include short-term, highly liquid 
investments  which  are  readily  convertible  into  cash.  These 
investments include money market securities, commercial paper, 
and time deposits with maturities of three months or less when 
purchased.

Restricted cash primarily consists of security deposits, funds held 
in escrow for estimated workers’ compensation obligations, and 
performance bonds for aircraft and facility leases.

Accounts and Other Receivables

Accounts and other receivables are carried at cost. They primarily 
consist of amounts due from credit card companies associated 
with sales of tickets for future travel. We estimate an allowance 
for doubtful accounts based on known troubled accounts, if any, 
and historical experience of losses incurred.

Investment Securities

Investment securities consist of available-for-sale investment 
securities and held-to-maturity investment securities. When sold, 
we use a specific identification method to determine the cost of 
the securities.

AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE INVESTMENT SECURITIES

Our available-for-sale investment securities include highly liquid 
investments  such  as  time  deposits,  U.S.  Treasury  bills  with 
maturities between three and twelve months, commercial paper, 
and convertible debt securities which are stated at fair value.

HELD-TO-MATURITY INVESTMENT SECURITIES

Our held-to-maturity investments consist of investment-grade 
interest bearing instruments, such as corporate bonds and U.S. 
Treasury notes, which are stated at amortized cost. We do not 
intend to sell these investment securities and the contractual 
maturities are not greater than 24 months. Those with maturities 
less than twelve months are included in short-term investments 
on  our  consolidated  balance  sheets.  Those  with  remaining 
maturities in excess of twelve months are included in long-term 
investments on our consolidated balance sheets. We did not 
record any material gains or losses on these securities during 
the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 or 2017. The estimated 
fair value of these investments approximated their carrying value 
as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

57

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The carrying values of investment securities consisted of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions):

Available-for-sale securities

Time deposits

U.S. Treasury

Commercial paper

Debt securities

Total available-for-sale securities

Held-to-maturity securities

U.S. Treasury

Corporate bonds

Total held-to-maturity securities

TOTAL INVESTMENT SECURITIES

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

$

325

$

—

20

6

351

—

21

21

$

372

$

190

39

—

7

236

180

—

180

416

Equity Method Investments

Inventories

Investments  in  which  we  can  exercise  significant  influence 
are accounted for using the equity method in accordance with 
Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures of 
the Codification. The carrying amount of our equity method 
investments,  which  is  recorded  within  other  assets  on  our 
consolidated balance sheets, was $38 million and $11 million as 
of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In September 2019, 
we recognized a gain of $15 million on one of our equity method 
investments related to its fair value measurement upon the 
closing of a subsequent financing round.

Derivative Instruments

Our derivative instruments include fuel hedge contracts, such as 
jet fuel call options and call option spreads, which are stated at 
fair value, net of any collateral postings. Derivative instruments 
are included in other current assets and other current liabilities 
on our consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 13 to our 
consolidated financial statements for more information.

Inventories  consist  of  expendable  aircraft  spare  parts  and 
supplies that are stated at average cost, as well as aircraft fuel 
that is accounted for on a first-in, first-out basis. These items are 
expensed when used or consumed. An allowance for obsolescence 
on aircraft spare parts is provided over the remaining useful life 
of the related aircraft fleet.

Property and Equipment

We record our property and equipment at cost and depreciate 
these assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful 
lives to their estimated residual values. We capitalize additions, 
modifications  enhancing  the  operating  performance  of  our 
assets, and the interest related to predelivery deposits used to 
acquire new aircraft and the construction of our facilities.

Estimated useful lives and residual values for our property and equipment are as follows:

Property and Equipment Type

Estimated Useful Life

Residual Value

Aircraft

Inflight entertainment systems

Aircraft parts

25 years

5-10 years

Fleet life

Flight equipment leasehold improvements

Lower of lease term or economic life

Ground property and equipment

Leasehold improvements—other

Buildings on leased land

2-10 years

Lower of lease term or economic life

Lease term

20%

0%

10%

0%

0%

0%

0%

58

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Property under finance leases is initially recorded at an amount 
equal to the present value of future minimum lease payments 
which is computed on the basis of our incremental borrowing 
rate  or,  when  known,  the  interest  rate  implicit  in  the  lease. 
Amortization of property under finance leases is on a straight-
line basis over the expected useful life to their estimated residual 
values and is included in depreciation and amortization expense.

We  record  impairment  losses  on  long-lived  assets  used  in 
operations when events and circumstances indicate the assets 
may  be  impaired  and  the  undiscounted  future  cash  flows 
estimated to be generated by the assets are less than the assets’ 
net book value. If impairment occurs, the loss is measured by 
comparing the fair value of the asset to its carrying amount.

Software

We  capitalize  certain  costs  related  to  the  acquisition  and 
development of computer software. We amortize these costs 
using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of 
the software, which is generally five years. The net book value 
of computer software, which is included in other assets on our 
consolidated balance sheets, was $102 million and $96 million 
as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Amortization 
expense related to computer software was $52 million, $46 million 
and $41 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 
2017, respectively. As of December 31, 2019, amortization expense 
related to computer software is expected to be approximately 
$35 million in 2020, $26 million in 2021, $22 million in 2022, 
$15 million in 2023, and $4 million in 2024.

Intangible Assets

Our  intangible  assets  consist  primarily  of  acquired  take-off 
and landing slots, or Slots, at certain domestic airports. Slots 
are the rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a 
specific time period of the day and are a means by which airport 
capacity and congestion can be managed. We account for Slots 
at High Density Airports, including Reagan National Airport in 
Washington, D.C., LaGuardia Airport, and JFK Airport, both in 
New York City, as indefinite life intangible assets which result in 
no amortization expense. We evaluate our intangible assets for 
impairment at least annually or when events and circumstances 
indicate they may be impaired. Indicators include operating or 
cash flow losses as well as various market factors to determine 
if events and circumstances could reasonably have affected 
the fair value. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, our intangible 
assets for Slots at High Density Airports with indefinite lives were 
$139 million.

Passenger Revenue

Ticket sales and the fees collected for related ancillary services 
are initially deferred in air traffic liability. Air traffic liability 
represents tickets sold but not yet flown, credits which can be 
used for future travel, and a portion of the liability related to our 
TrueBlue® loyalty program. We allocate the transaction price to 

each performance obligation identified in a passenger ticket on 
a relative standalone basis. Passenger revenue, including certain 
ancillary fees directly related to passenger tickets, is recognized 
when the transportation is provided. Taxes that we are required 
to collect from our customers, including foreign and U.S. federal 
transportation taxes, security taxes, and airport facility charges, 
are excluded from passenger revenue. Those taxes and fees are 
recorded as a liability upon collection and are relieved from the 
liability upon remittance to the applicable governmental agency.

The  majority  of  the  tickets  sold  are  non-refundable. 
Non-refundable fares may be canceled prior to the scheduled 
departure date for a credit for future travel. Refundable fares 
may be canceled at any time prior to the scheduled departure 
date. Failure to cancel a refundable fare prior to departure will 
result in the cancellation of the original ticket and an issuance 
of a credit for future travel. Passenger credits can be used for 
future travel up to a year from the date of issuance. Passenger 
breakage revenue from unused tickets and passenger credits will 
be recognized in proportion to flown revenue based on estimates 
of  expected  expiration  when  the  likelihood  of  the  customer 
exercising his or her remaining rights becomes remote. Breakage 
revenue consists of non-refundable tickets that remain unused 
past the departure date, have continued validity, and are expected 
to ultimately expire unused, as well as passenger credits that are 
not expected to be redeemed prior to expiration. JetBlue uses 
estimates based on historical experience of expired tickets and 
credits and considers other factors that could impact future 
expiration patterns of tickets and credits. Tickets which do not 
have continued validity past the departure date are recognized as 
revenue after the scheduled departure date has lapsed.

Passenger  ticket  costs  primarily  include  credit  card  fees, 
commissions paid, and global distribution systems booking fees. 
Costs are allocated entirely to the purchased travel services and 
are capitalized until recognized when travel services are provided 
to the customer.

Loyalty Program

Customers may earn points under our customer loyalty program, 
TrueBlue®, based on the fare paid and fare product purchased for a 
flight. Customers can also earn points through business partners 
such as credit card companies, hotels, car rental companies, and 
our participating airline partners.

POINTS EARNED FROM A TICKET PURCHASE

When a TrueBlue® member travels, we recognize a portion of the 
fare as revenue and defer in air traffic liabilities the portion that 
represents the value of the points net of spoilage, or breakage. We 
allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation on 
a relative standalone basis. We determine the standalone selling 
price of TrueBlue® points issued using the redemption value 
approach. To maximize the use of observable inputs, we utilize the 
actual ticket value of the tickets purchased with TrueBlue® points. 
The liability is relieved and passenger revenue is recognized when 
the points are redeemed and the free travel is provided.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

59

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

POINTS SOLD TO TRUEBLUE® PARTNERS

Our  most  significant  contract  to  sell  TrueBlue®  points  is 
with our co-branded credit card partner. Co-branded credit 
card partnerships have the following identified performance 
obligations: air transportation; use of the JetBlue brand name 
and access to our frequent flyer customer lists; advertising; and 
other airline benefits. In determining the estimated selling price, 
JetBlue considered multiple inputs, methods and assumptions, 
including: discounted cash flows; estimated redemption value, 
net of fulfillment discount; points expected to be awarded and 
redeemed; estimated annual spending by cardholders; estimated 
annual royalty for use of JetBlue’s frequent flyer customer lists; 
and estimated utilization of other airline benefits. Payments 
are typically due monthly based on the volume of points sold 
during the period, and the terms of our marketing contracts are 
generally from one to seven years. The overall consideration 
received is allocated to each performance obligation based on 
their standalone relative selling prices. The air transportation 
element is deferred and recognized as passenger revenue when 
the points are utilized. The other elements are recognized as 
other revenue when the performance obligation related to those 
services are satisfied, which is generally the same period as when 
consideration is received from the participating company.

Amounts  allocated  to  the  air  transportation  element  which 
are initially deferred include a portion that are expected to be 
redeemed during the following twelve months (classified as 
a component of Air traffic liability), and a portion that are not 
expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months 
(classified  as  Air  traffic  liability  -  loyalty  non-current).  We 
periodically update this analysis and adjust the split between 
current and non-current liabilities as appropriate.

Points earned by TrueBlue® members never expire. TrueBlue® 
members  can  pool  points  between  small  groups  of  people, 
branded  as  Points  Pooling™.  Breakage  is  estimated  using 
historical redemption patterns to determine a breakage rate. 
Breakage rates used to estimate breakage revenue are evaluated 
annually.  Changes  to  breakage  estimates  impact  revenue 
recognition prospectively.

Airframe and Engine Maintenance and Repair

Regular  airframe  maintenance  for  owned  and  leased  flight 
equipment is charged to expense as incurred unless covered 
by a third-party long-term flight hour service agreement. We 
have separate service agreements in place covering scheduled 
and unscheduled repairs of certain airframe line replacement 
unit components as well as the engines in our fleet. Certain of 
these agreements, whose original terms generally range from 
10 to 15 years, require monthly payments at rates based either 
on the number of cycles each aircraft was operated during each 
month or the number of flight hours each engine was operated 
during each month, subject to annual escalations. These power 
by the hour agreements transfer certain risks, including cost 
risks, to the third-party service providers. They generally fix the 
amount we pay per flight hour or number of cycles in exchange 
for maintenance and repairs under a predefined maintenance 

60

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

program, which are representative of the time and materials that 
would be consumed. These costs are expensed as the related 
flight hours or cycles are incurred.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs, which are included in sales and marketing, 
are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was $66 million 
in 2019, $72 million in 2018 and $66 million in 2017.

Share-Based Compensation

We  record  compensation  expense  for  share-based  awards 
based on the grant date fair value of those awards. Share-based 
compensation expense includes an estimate for pre-vesting 
forfeitures and is recognized over the requisite service periods 
of the awards on a straight-line basis.

Income Taxes

We  account  for  income  taxes  utilizing  the  liability  method. 
Deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences 
of temporary differences between the tax and financial statement 
reporting bases of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance for 
deferred tax assets is provided unless realizability is judged by 
us to be more likely than not. Our policy is to recognize interest 
and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a 
component of income tax expense.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

New accounting rules and disclosure requirements can impact our 
financial results and the comparability of our financial statements. 
The authoritative literature which has recently been issued and 
that we believe will impact our consolidated financial statements 
is described below. There are also several new proposals under 
development. If and when enacted, these proposals may have a 
significant impact on our financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—
Credit  Losses  (Topic  326):  Measurement  of  Credit  Losses  on 
Financial  Instruments.  The  update  requires  the  use  of  an 
“expected loss” model on certain types of financial instruments 
and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and 
supportable information to calculate credit loss estimates. For 
trade receivables, loans, and held-to-maturity debt securities, 
entities will be required to estimate lifetime expected credit 
losses. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be 
required to recognize an allowance for credit losses rather than 
a reduction to the carrying value of the asset. The new standard 
is effective for us on January 1, 2020 and we are required to adopt 
its provisions using a modified retrospective transition approach 
by recording a cumulative effect adjustment in retained earnings 
as of the beginning of the year of adoption. We have substantially 
completed our assessment of the new standard and do not expect 
its  adoption  to  have  a  material  impact  on  our  consolidated 
financial statements.

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

In  August  2018,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2018-13,  Fair  Value 
Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the 
Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The update 
eliminates, adds, and modifies certain disclosure requirements 
for fair value measurements. The new standard is effective for 
us on January 1, 2020. We have substantially completed our 
assessment of the new standard and do not expect its adoption to 
have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statement 
disclosures.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes 
(Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The 
update eliminates, clarifies, and modifies certain guidance 
related  to  the  accounting  for  income  taxes.  ASU  2019-12 
is  effective  for  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  after 
December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are still 
evaluating the full impact of adopting the amendments on our 
consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 
842) of the Codification, which requires lessees to recognize leases 
on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing 
arrangements. Topic 842 was subsequently amended by ASU 
2018-01, Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 
842; ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases; 
ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements; ASU 2018-20, Narrow-Scope 
Improvements for Lessors; and ASU 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842): 
Codification Improvements. Under the new standard, a lessee 
will recognize liabilities on the balance sheet, initially measured 
at the present value of the lease payments, and right-of-use 
(ROU) assets representing its right to use the underlying asset 
for the lease term. For leases with a term of 12 months or less 
at the commencement date, a lessee is permitted to make an 

accounting policy election not to recognize lease assets and 
lease liabilities. The new standard also eliminates the build-to-
suit lease accounting guidance which results in the derecognition 
of build-to-suit assets and liabilities that remained on the balance 
sheet after the end of the construction period.

We adopted the requirements of ASU 2016-02 as of January 1, 
2019, utilizing the modified retrospective method of transition 
for all leases existing at or commencing after the date of initial 
application. We recorded a $58 million cumulative adjustment 
to  retained  earnings  as  of  January  1,  2017,  the  beginning  of 
the retrospective reporting period, for the impact of the new 
accounting standard. The adjustments to retained earnings 
were  driven  principally  by  the  derecognition  of  our  existing 
assets constructed for others and construction obligation related 
to our Terminal 5 (T5) build-to-suit project at John F. Kennedy 
International Airport in New York.

We elected to use the package of transition provisions available 
for expired or existing contracts, which allowed us to carryforward 
our historical assessment of whether contracts are or contain 
leases, lease classification, and initial direct costs. Refer to Note 4 
to our consolidated financial statements for more information.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill 
and Other— Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s 
Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing 
Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. The update provides 
guidance for determining if a cloud computing arrangement is 
within the scope of internal-use software guidance, and would 
require capitalization of certain implementation costs. ASU 
2018-15 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after 
December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the 
requirements of ASU 2018-15 on April 1, 2019 using the prospective 
transition method. The adoption of ASU 2018-15 did not have a 
material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

NOTE 2 
The Company categorizes the revenue received from contracts with its customers by revenue source as we believe it best depicts the 
nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of our revenue and cash flow. The following table provides the revenue recognized by revenue 
source for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 (in millions):

Passenger Revenue

Passenger travel

Loyalty revenue - air transportation

Other Revenue

Loyalty revenue

Other revenue

TOTAL REVENUE

2019

2018

2017

$

7,395 $

7,061 $

391

201

107

320

168

109

6,508

253

140

111

$

8,094 $

7,658 $

7,012

For 2019, TrueBlue® points earned from ticket purchases are presented as a reduction to Passenger travel within passenger revenue. 
Amounts presented in Loyalty revenue - air transportation represent the revenue recognized when TrueBlue points have been redeemed 
and the travel has occurred. The corresponding amounts for 2018 and 2017 have been reclassified to be comparable with the current 
year presentation. These reclassifications do not impact total passenger revenue.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

61

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Contract Liabilities

Our contract liabilities primarily consist of ticket sales for which transportation has not yet been provided, unused credits available to 
customers, and outstanding loyalty points available for redemption (in millions):

Air traffic liability - passenger travel

Air traffic liability - loyalty program (air transportation)

Deferred revenue

TOTAL

December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018

$

$

$

929

661

10

892

580

10

1,600

$

1,482

During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized 
passenger revenue of $878 million and $823 million respectively, 
that was included in passenger travel liability at the beginning of 
the respective periods.

The Company elected the practical expedient that allows entities 
to not disclose the amount of the remaining transaction price and 
its expected timing of recognition for passenger tickets if the 
contract has an original expected duration of one year or less or if 
certain other conditions are met. We elected to apply this practical 

expedient to our contract liabilities relating to passenger travel 
and ancillary services as our tickets or any related passenger 
credits expire one year from the date of issuance.

TrueBlue® points are combined in one homogeneous pool and are 
not separately identifiable. As such, the revenue is comprised of 
the points that were part of the air traffic liability balance at the 
beginning of the period as well as points that were issued during 
the period.

The table below presents the activity of the current and non-current air traffic liability for our loyalty program, and includes points 
earned and sold to participating companies (in millions):

Balance at December 31, 2017

TrueBlue® points redeemed

TrueBlue® points earned and sold

Balance at December 31, 2018

TrueBlue® points redeemed

TrueBlue® points earned and sold

Balance at December 31, 2019

$

$

502

(320)

398

580

(391)

472

661

The timing of our TrueBlue® point redemptions can vary; however, the majority of our points are redeemed within approximately three 
years of the date of issuance.

62

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

NOTE 3 

 Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings and Finance Lease 
Obligations

Long-term debt and finance lease obligations and the related weighted average interest rate at December 31, 2019 and 2018 consisted 
of the following (in millions):

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Secured Debt

Floating rate equipment notes, due through 2028(1)

$

Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023(2)

Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes:(3)

Series AA, due through 2032

Series A, due through 2028

Fixed rate equipment notes, due through 2028(4)

Fixed rate specialty bonds, due through 2036(5)

Finance Leases(6)

Total Debt and Finance Lease Obligations

Less: Current maturities

Less: Debt acquisition cost

4.3% $

4.5%

2.8%

3.0%

4.2%

4.9%

4.8%

201

134

589

183

1,113

43

89

2,352

(344)

(18)

LONG-TERM DEBT AND FINANCE LEASE OBLIGATIONS

$

1,990

$

4.9%

4.5%

—%

—%

4.7%

4.9%

4.7%

247

152

—

—

1,131

43

107

1,680

(309)

(10)

1,361

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

Interest rates adjust quarterly or semi-annually based on LIBOR, plus a margin. In 2018, we issued $120 million in floating rate equipment notes due through 2028, which are 
secured by six Airbus A320 aircraft and one Airbus A321 aircraft.
In March 2014, we completed a private placement of $226 million in pass-through certificates, Series 2013-1. The certificates were issued by a pass-through trust and are 
not obligations of JetBlue. The proceeds from the issuance of the pass-through certificates were used to purchase equipment notes issued by JetBlue and secured by 14 
of our aircraft. Principal and interest are payable semi-annually.
In November 2019, we completed a public placement of equipment notes in an aggregate principal amount of $772 million secured by 25 Airbus A321 aircraft. The equipment 
notes were issued in two series: (i) Series AA, bearing interest at the rate of 2.75% per annum in the aggregate principal amount equal to $589 million, and (ii) Series A, 
bearing interest at the rate of 2.95% per annum in the aggregate principal amount equal to $183 million. Principal and interest are payable semi-annually.
In 2019, we issued $219 million in fixed rate equipment notes due through 2027, which are secured by 10 Airbus A320 aircraft and two Airbus A321 aircraft. In 2018, we issued 
$567 million in fixed rate equipment notes due through 2028, which are secured by 14 Airbus A320 aircraft and 10 Airbus A321 aircraft.
In  November  2005,  the  Greater  Orlando  Aviation  Authority,  or  GOAA,  issued  special  purpose  airport  facilities  revenue  bonds  to  JetBlue  as  reimbursement  for  certain 
airport facility construction and other costs. In April 2013, GOAA issued $42 million in special purpose airport facility revenue bonds to refund the bonds issued in 2005. The 
proceeds from the refunded bonds were loaned to us and we recorded the issuance of $43 million, net of $1 million premium, as long-term debt on our consolidated balance 
sheets.

(6)  As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, four finance leased Airbus A320 aircraft and two finance leased Airbus A321 aircraft were included in property and equipment at a cost 
of $250 million and $253 million, respectively, with accumulated amortization of $80 million and $72 million, respectively. The future minimum lease payments under these 
non-cancelable leases are $35 million in 2020, $39 million in 2021, $9 million in 2022, $9 million in 2023, $5 million in 2024 and no payments in the years thereafter. Included 
in the future minimum lease payments is $8 million representing interest, resulting in a present value of finance leases of $89 million with a current portion of $31 million 
and a long-term portion of $58 million.

As of December 31, 2019, we believe we were in material compliance with all of our covenants in relation to our debt and lease agreements.

Maturities of our debt and finance leases, net of debt acquisition costs, for the next five years are as follows (in millions):

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Thereafter

$

Maturities

341

340

319

298

169

867

Aircraft, engines, and other equipment and facilities having a net book value of $4.3 billion at December 31, 2019 were pledged as security 
under various financing arrangements. Cash payments for interest related to debt and finance lease obligations, net of capitalized 
interest, aggregated $62 million, $59 million and $60 million in 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

63

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our long-term debt, net of debt acquisition costs, at December 31, 2019 and 2018 
were as follows (in millions):

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Carrying Value

Estimated  
Fair Value

Carrying Value

Estimated  
Fair Value

Public Debt

Fixed rate special facility bonds, due through 2036

$

42

$

46

$

42

$

44

Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes:

Series AA, due through 2032

Series A, due through 2028

Non-Public Debt

Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023

Floating rate equipment notes, due through 2028

Fixed rate equipment notes, due through 2028

581

181

133

201

1,107

TOTAL(1)

$

2,245

$

(1)  Total excludes finance lease obligations of $89 million and $107 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

586

186

141

207

1,201

2,367

—

—

151

245

1,125

$

1,563

$

—

—

153

245

1,135

1,577

The estimated fair values of our publicly held long-term debt are 
classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. The fair values 
of our enhanced equipment notes and our special facility bonds 
were based on quoted market prices in markets with low trading 
volumes. The fair value of our non-public debt was estimated 
using a discounted cash flow analysis based on our borrowing 
rates for instruments with similar terms and therefore classified 
as  Level  3  in  the  fair  value  hierarchy.  The  fair  values  of  our 
other financial instruments approximate their carrying values. 
Refer to Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements for an 
explanation of the fair value hierarchy structure.

We have financed certain aircraft with Enhanced Equipment Trust 
Certificates, or EETCs. One of the benefits of this structure is 
being able to finance several aircraft at one time, rather than 
individually. The structure of EETC financing is that we create 
pass-through trusts in order to issue pass-through certificates. 
The proceeds from the issuance of these certificates are then 
used to purchase equipment notes which are issued by us and 
are secured by our aircraft. These trusts meet the definition of 
a variable interest entity, or VIE, as defined in the Consolidations 
topic of the Codification, and must be considered for consolidation 
in  our  financial  statements.  Our  assessment  of  our  EETCs 
considers both quantitative and qualitative factors including the 
purpose for which these trusts were established and the nature 
of the risks in each. The main purpose of the trust structure is 
to enhance the credit worthiness of our debt obligation through 
certain bankruptcy protection provisions and liquidity facilities, 
and also to lower our total borrowing cost. We concluded that 
we are not the primary beneficiary in these trusts because our 
involvement in them is limited to principal and interest payments 
on the related notes, the trusts were not set up to pass along 
variability created by credit risk to us and the likelihood of our 
defaulting on the notes. Therefore, we have not consolidated 
these trusts in our financial statements.

Short-term Borrowings

CITIBANK LINE OF CREDIT

In August 2019, we amended and restated our revolving Credit 
and Guaranty Agreement with Citibank, N.A. as the administrative 
agent. The amendment increased our borrowing capacity by 
$125 million to $550 million and extended the term of the facility 
through August 2023. Borrowings under the Credit and Guaranty 
Agreement bear interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR, plus a 
margin. The Credit and Guaranty Agreement is secured by Slots 
at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and 
Reagan National Airport, as well as certain other assets. Slots are 
rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a specific 
time period during the day and a means by which airport capacity 
and  congestion  can  be  managed.  The  Credit  and  Guaranty 
Agreement includes covenants that require us to maintain certain 
minimum balances in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and 
unused commitments available under revolving credit facilities. 
In addition, the covenants restrict our ability to, among other 
things, dispose of certain collateral, or merge, consolidate, or 
sell assets. As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 
2018, we did not have a balance outstanding or borrowings under 
this line of credit.

MORGAN STANLEY LINE OF CREDIT

We have a revolving line of credit with Morgan Stanley for up 
to approximately $200 million. This line of credit is secured by 
a portion of our investment securities held by Morgan Stanley 
and the amount available to us under this line of credit may 
vary accordingly. This line of credit bears interest at a floating 
rate based upon LIBOR, plus a margin. As of and for the years 
ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we did not have a balance 
outstanding or borrowings under this line of credit.

64

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Leases

NOTE 4 
As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, 
we adopted ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, 
as of January 1, 2019. The new standard requires leases with 
durations greater than twelve months to be recognized on the 
balance sheet. Our 2018 and 2017 financial statements have 
been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the new 
standard.

commencement date based on the estimated present value of 
lease payments over the lease term. When available, we use the 
rate implicit in the lease to discount lease payments to present 
value. For leases that do not provide a readily determinable 
implicit rate, we estimate our incremental borrowing rate to 
discount the lease payments based on information available at 
lease commencement.

Operating lease assets represent our right to use an underlying 
asset  for  the  lease  term,  and  lease  liabilities  represent  our 
obligation  to  make  lease  payments  arising  from  the  lease. 
Operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease 

Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the 
balance sheet. Our lease agreements do not contain any residual 
value guarantees. For facility leases, we account for the lease and 
non-lease components as a single lease component.

The table below presents the lease-related assets and liabilities recorded on our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 
and 2018 (in millions):

Assets

Classification on Balance Sheet

Operating lease assets

Operating lease assets

Finance lease assets

Property and equipment, net

Total lease assets

Liabilities

Current:

Classification on Balance Sheet

Operating lease liabilities

Current operating lease liabilities

Finance lease liabilities

Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Long-term:

Operating lease liabilities

Long-term operating lease liabilities

Finance lease liabilities

Long-term debt and finance lease obligations

Total lease liabilities

Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term (in Years)

Operating leases

Finance leases

Weighted Average Discount Rate

Operating leases

Finance leases

Flight Equipment Leases

We operated a fleet of 259 aircraft as of December 31, 2019. Of 
our fleet, 41 aircraft were under operating leases and six aircraft 
were under finance leases. Our aircraft leases generally have long 
durations with remaining terms of one month to six years.

$

$

$

$

As of December 31,

2019

912

171

1,083

128

31

690

58

907

$

$

$

$

2018

1,056

181

1,237

133

18

798

89

1,038

As of December 31,

2019

2018

11

3

5.95%

4.75%

11

4

5.95%

4.73%

The majority of aircraft operating leases can be renewed at rates 
based on fair market value at the end of the lease term for one or 
two years. None of our aircraft operating leases have variable rent 
payments. We have purchase options for 41 of our aircraft leases 
at the end of their lease terms. These purchase options are at 
fair market value and have a one-time option during the term at 
fixed amounts that were expected to approximate the fair market 
value at lease inception.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

65

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Facility Leases

Our facility leases are primarily for space at the airports we serve. 
These leases are classified as operating leases and reflect our 
use of passenger terminal service facilities consisting of ticket 
counters, gate space, operations support area, and baggage 
service offices. We generally lease space directly or indirectly 
from the local airport authority on varying terms dependent on 
prevailing practices at each airport. The remaining terms of our 
airport leases vary from eight months to 15 years. Our leases 
at certain airports contain provisions for periodic adjustments 
of rental rates based on the operating costs of the airports or 
the frequency of use of the facilities. Because of the variable 

nature of the rates, these leases are not recorded as operating 
lease assets and operating lease liabilities on our consolidated 
balance sheets.

We also have leases for our corporate offices, training center, and 
various hangars and airport support facilities at our focus cities.

Other Ground and Property Equipment

We  lease  certain  IT  assets,  ground  support  equipment,  and 
various other pieces of equipment. The lease terms of our ground 
support equipment are less than 12 months, while the amount of 
other equipment we have is not significant.

Lease Costs

The table below presents certain information related to our lease costs during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017  
(in millions):

Operating lease cost

Short-term lease cost

Finance lease cost:

Amortization of assets

Interest on lease liabilities

Variable lease cost

Sublease income

TOTAL NET LEASE COST

Other Information

2019

2018

$

180

$

185

$

2

9

3

391

(19)

2

10

3

379

(15)

$

566

$

564

$

2017

180

2

10

4

358

(14)

540

The table below presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 
2017 (in millions):

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

Operating cash flows for operating leases

Operating cash flows for finance leases

Financing cash flows for finance leases

2019

2018

2017

$

136

$

151

$

5

17

5

17

150

6

16

66

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Lease Commitments

The table below presents scheduled future minimum lease payments for operating and finance leases recorded on our consolidated 
balance sheets, as of December 31, 2019 (in millions):

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Thereafter

Total minimum lease payments

Less: amount of lease payment representing interest

Present value of future minimum lease payment

Less: current obligations under leases

LONG-TERM LEASE OBLIGATIONS

As of December 31, 2019

Operating Leases

Finance Leases

$

$

128

122

114

104

95

565

1,128

(310)

818

(128)

690

$

$

35

39

9

9

5

—

97

(8)

89

(31)

58

We did not have any lease commitments that have not yet commenced as of December 31, 2019.

JFK Terminal 5
NOTE 5 
We operate out of T5 at JFK and our occupancy is governed by 
various lease agreements with the PANYNJ. Under the terms 
of the facility lease agreement, we were responsible for the 
construction of the 635,000 square foot 26-gate terminal, a 
parking  garage,  roadways,  and  an  AirTrain  Connector,  all  of 
which are owned by the PANYNJ and collectively referred to 
as the T5 Project. In 2014, we completed construction of an 
international arrivals facility and additional gates, T5i. T5i includes 
six international arrival gates comprised of three new gates and 
three converted gates from T5, as well as an international arrivals 
hall with full U.S. Customs and Border Protection services.

We executed an extension to the original T5 lease in 2013. The 
lease, as amended, now incorporates a total of approximately 
19  acres  of  space  for  our  T5  facilities  and  ends  on  the 
28th anniversary of the date of beneficial occupancy of T5i. We 
have the option to terminate the agreement in 2033, five years 
prior to the end of the original scheduled lease term of October 
2038.  We  are  responsible  for  various  payments  under  the 
leases, including ground and facility rents which are reflected 
in the future minimum lease payments table in Note 4 to our 
consolidated financial statements. The facility rents are based 
upon the number of passengers enplaned out of the terminal, 
subject to annual minimums.

We were previously considered the owner of the T5 Project for 
financial reporting purposes and were required to reflect an 
asset for costs incurred on our consolidated balance sheets 

since  construction  commenced  in  2005.  The  total  costs 
incurred  for  elements  of  the  T5  Project  were  $637  million, 
of which $561 million was classified as Assets Constructed 
for  Others  and  the  remaining  $76  million  was  classified  as 
leasehold improvements on our consolidated balance sheets 
as  of  December  31,  2018.  The  PANYNJ  has  reimbursed  us 
for the amounts included in Assets Constructed for Others. 
These reimbursements and related interest were reflected as 
Construction Obligation on our consolidated balance sheets. 
When the facility rents were paid, they were treated as a debt 
service on the Construction Obligation, with the portion not 
relating to interest reducing the principal balance. The balance 
classified as Construction Obligation was $424 million as of 
December 31, 2018. The T5 Project was derecognized from our 
consolidated balance sheets upon the adoption of ASC 842, 
Leases, on January 1, 2019. Following the derecognition of 
these assets and liabilities, we recognized a ROU asset and 
lease liability representing the fixed component of the lease 
payments.

Our construction of T5i is accounted for at cost with no financing 
obligation. Total expenditures relating to T5i were approximately 
$207 million, all of which were incurred prior to 2016 and are 
classified  as  leasehold  improvements  in  our  consolidated 
balance sheets.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

67

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Stockholders’ Equity

NOTE 6 
On September 10, 2015, our Board of Directors approved a share 
repurchase  program  of  up  to  $250  million  worth  of  JetBlue 
common stock over a three year period beginning in January 2016. 
On December 7, 2016, the Board approved certain changes to our 
share repurchase program, or the 2016 Authorization, to increase 
the aggregate authorization to $500 million worth of common 
stock, and to extend the term of the program through December 
2019. The 2016 Authorization was completed in 2017.

On December 8, 2017, the Board of Directors approved a two year 
share repurchase program, or the 2017 Authorization, of up to 
$750 million worth of common stock beginning on January 1, 2018. 
The 2017 Authorization was completed in 2019.

On  September  19,  2019,  the  Board  of  Directors  approved  a 
share repurchase program, or the 2019 Authorization, of up to 
$800 million worth of common stock beginning on October 1, 2019 
and ending no later than December 31, 2021.

Our  share  repurchase  programs  include  authorization  for 
repurchases in open market transactions pursuant to Rules 10b-18 
and/or 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, and/or one or more privately-
negotiated accelerated stock repurchase transactions.

In 2017, we entered into three separate ASR agreements for a sum 
of $380 million. A total of 18.7 million shares were repurchased 
under these ASR agreements with an average price paid per share 
of $20.36.

In 2018, we entered into three separate ASR agreements for a sum 
of $375 million. A total of 19.1 million shares were repurchased 
under these ASR agreements with an average price paid per share 
of $19.60.

In 2019, we entered into four separate ASR agreements for a sum 
of $535 million. A total of 28.1 million shares were repurchased 
under these ASR agreements with an average price paid per share 
of $19.02.

The total shares purchased by JetBlue under each of the ASRs 
in  2019,  2018,  and  2017  were  based  on  the  volume  weighted 
average prices of JetBlue’s common stock during the terms of 
the respective agreements.

As of December 31, 2019, we had a total of 18.3 million shares 
of our common stock reserved for issuance. These shares are 
primarily related to our equity incentive plans. Refer to Note 8 to 
our consolidated financial statements for further details on our 
share-based compensation.

As of December 31, 2019, we had a total of 144.6 million shares of 
treasury stock.

Earnings Per Share

NOTE 7 
The following table shows how we computed basic and diluted earnings per common share for the years ended December 31 (dollars 
and share data in millions):

Net Income(1)

Weighted Average Basic Shares

Effect of dilutive securities

Weighted average diluted shares

Earnings Per Common Share

Basic

Diluted

2019

2018

$

569

$

189

$

296.6

1.8

298.4

312.9

1.6

314.5

$

$

1.92

1.91

$

$

0.60

0.60

$

$

2017

1,140

328.7

1.7

330.4

3.47

3.45

(1)  As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, we adopted ASC 842, Leases, as of January 1, 2019. The adoption of this standard increased previously 
reported net income by approximately $1 million for 2018, and $15 million or $0.04 per diluted share for 2017. It did not have a material impact on our earnings per diluted 
share in 2018.

As discussed in Note 6 to our consolidated financial statements, 
JetBlue entered into various ASR agreements in 2019, 2018, and 
2017 and purchased approximately 28.1 million, 19.1 million, and 
18.7 million shares, respectively, for $535 million, $375 million, and 

$380 million, respectively. The number of shares repurchased 
are based on the volume weighted average prices of JetBlue’s 
common stock during the term of the ASR agreements.

68

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Share-Based Compensation
NOTE 8 
We have various equity incentive plans under which we have 
granted stock awards to our eligible crewmembers and members 
of our Board of Directors. These include the JetBlue Airways 
Corporation Restated and Amended 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, or 
2002 Plan, which was replaced by the JetBlue Airways Corporation 
2011 Incentive Compensation Plan, or 2011 Plan. We additionally 
have a Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan, or CSPP, that is available 
to all eligible crewmembers. Both the 2011 Plan and CSPP were 
amended in 2015 by shareholders at our annual meeting.

Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense, which was 
approximately $25.3 million as of December 31, 2019, related 
to  a  total  of  2.5  million  unvested  restricted  stock  units,  or 
RSUs, performance stock units, or PSUs, and deferred stock 
units, or DSUs, under our 2011 Plan. We expect to recognize this  
stock-based compensation expense over a weighted average 
period of approximately two years.

The total stock-based compensation expense for the years ended 
December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 was $31 million, $28 million, and 
$29 million, respectively.

2011 Incentive Compensation Plan

At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 26, 2011, our 
shareholders approved the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

Incentive Compensation Plan. Upon inception, the 2011 Plan had 
15.0 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. 
The 2011 Plan, by its terms, will terminate no later than May 2021. 
RSUs vest in annual installments over three years which can be 
accelerated upon the occurrence of a change in control. Under 
this plan, we grant RSUs to certain crewmembers. Our policy 
is to grant RSUs based on the market price of the underlying 
common stock on the date of grant. Under this plan, we grant 
DSUs to members of our Board of Directors, and PSUs to certain 
members of our executive leadership team.

The 2011 Plan was amended and restated effective January 1, 
2014, to include the definition of retirement eligibility. Once 
a  crewmember  meets  the  definition,  they  will  continue  to 
vest  their  shares  as  if  they  remained  employed  by  JetBlue, 
regardless of their actual employment status with the Company. 
In  accordance  with  the  Compensation-Stock  Compensation 
topic of the Codification, the grant’s explicit service condition is  
non-substantive and the grant has effectively vested at the time 
retirement eligibility is met.

At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 21, 2015, our 
shareholders approved amendments to the 2011 Plan increasing 
the number of shares of Company common stock that remain 
available for issuance under the plan by 7.5 million.

The following is a summary of RSU activity under the 2011 Plan for the year ended December 31, 2019 (in millions except per share data):

Nonvested at beginning of year

Granted

Vested

Forfeited

NONVESTED AT END OF YEAR

The total intrinsic value, determined as of the date of vesting, 
for all RSUs that vested during the year ended December 31, 
2019, 2018 and 2017 was $15 million, $16 million and $20 million, 
respectively. The weighted average grant-date fair value of share 
awards during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 
was $17.27, $20.62, and $19.76, respectively.

The vesting period for DSUs under the 2011 Plan is either one or 
three years of service. Once vested, shares are issued six months 
and one day following a Director’s departure from our Board of 
Directors. During the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 
2017, we granted a nominal amount of DSUs, almost all of which 
remain outstanding at December 31, 2019. In 2019, 2018, and 
2017, we granted a nominal amount of PSUs to members of our 
executive leadership team, payment of which are based upon 
achievements of certain performance criteria.

Shares

Weighted Average 
Grant Date Fair Value

$

1.7

1.3

(0.9)

(0.1)

2.0

20.59

17.27

20.29

18.99

18.59

Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan

In May 2011, our shareholders approved the 2011 Crewmember 
Stock Purchase Plan, or the CSPP. At inception, the CSPP had 
8 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. The 
CSPP, by its terms, will terminate no later than the last business 
day of April 2021.

At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 21, 2015, our 
shareholders approved amendments to the CSPP increasing 
the number of shares of Company common stock that remain 
available for issuance under the plan by 15 million.

The CSPP has a series of six month offering periods, with a new 
offering period beginning on the first business day of May and 
November each year. Crewmembers can enroll in CSPP nearly 
year-round,  with  the  exception  of  specific  blackout  dates. 

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

69

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Crewmembers may contribute up to 10% of their pay towards 
the purchase of common stock via payroll deductions. Purchase 
dates occur on the last business day of April and October each 
year. The purchase price is the stock price on the purchase 
date,  less  a  15%  discount.  The  compensation  cost  relating 
to the discount is recognized over the offering period. The 
total expense recognized relating to the CSPP for the years 
ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 was approximately 
$9 million, $9 million and $8 million, respectively. Under this plan, 
crewmembers purchased 3.2 million, 3.2 million, and 2.5 million 
new shares for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 
2017, respectively, at weighted average prices of $16.06, $15.21, 
and $17.46 per share, respectively.

Under the CSPP, should we be acquired by merger or sale of 
substantially all of our assets or sale of more than 50% of our 
outstanding voting securities, all outstanding purchase rights 

will automatically be exercised immediately prior to the effective 
date of the acquisition at a price equal to 85% of the fair market 
value per share immediately prior to the acquisition.

Taxation

The Compensation-Stock Compensation topic of the Codification 
requires deferred taxes be recognized on temporary differences 
that  arise  with  respect  to  stock-based  compensation 
attributable to nonqualified stock options and awards. However, 
no tax benefit is recognized for stock-based compensation 
attributable to incentive stock options, or ISO, or CSPP shares 
until there is a disqualifying disposition, if any, for income tax 
purposes. A portion of our historical stock-based compensation 
was attributable to CSPP shares; therefore, our effective tax 
rate was subject to fluctuation.

Note 9 
Our income tax expense (benefit) consisted of the following for the years ended December 31 (in millions):

Income Taxes

2019

2018

Deferred:

Federal

State

Foreign

Deferred income tax expense (benefit)

Current:

Federal

State

Foreign

Current income tax expense (benefit)

$

$

119

20

—

139

36

19

5

60

TOTAL INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT) 

$

199

$

82

7

1

90

(61)

(5)

6

(60)

30

$

2017

(356)

24

23

(309)

94

18

(25)

87

$

(222)

The  Tax  Cuts  and  Jobs  Act,  or  The  Act,  was  enacted  on 
December 22, 2017. The Act made significant changes to the 
federal tax code, including a reduction in the federal corporate 
statutory tax rate from 35% to 21%. At December 31, 2017, the 
Company was able to make a reasonable estimate of the tax 
effects of enactment of The Act as written, on the existing 
deferred  tax  balances.  As  a  result  of  these  estimates,  the 
Company recognized a provisional benefit in the amount of 
$551 million. During 2018, the Company continued to refine the 
calculations as we gained a more thorough understanding of The 
Act, including those related to the deductibility of purchased 
assets,  state  tax  treatment,  deferred  revenue,  as  well  as 

changes in interpretations of The Act and additional regulatory 
guidance that was issued. The calculations of measurement 
period adjustments of $28 million were completed by December 
22, 2018. As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial 
statements, we adopted the requirements of ASU 2016-02, 
Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification as of January 1, 2019 
utilizing  the  modified  retrospective  method  of  transition, 
which recast amounts previously reported for 2018 and 2017. 
This adoption also increased our previously reported benefit 
from the enactment of The Act from $551 million to $564 million 
for 2017.

70

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The effective tax rate on income before income taxes differed from the federal income tax statutory rate for the years ended December 31 
for the following reasons (in millions):

Income tax expense at statutory rate

$

State income tax, net of federal benefit

Adjustment of net deferred tax liability from enacted  
tax rate change

Nondeductible expenses

Foreign rate differential

Other, net

$

2019

161

31

—

8

(3)

2

TOTAL INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT)

$

199

$

2018

45

8

(28)

5

(2)

2

30

$

$

2017

322

28

(564)

3

(7)

(4)

(222)

The components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 are as follows (in millions):

2019

2018

Deferred Tax Assets:

Deferred revenue/gains

Employee benefits

Foreign tax credit

Net operating loss carryforward

Operating lease liabilities

Rent expense

Total deferred tax assets

Valuation allowance

Deferred tax assets, net

Deferred Tax Liabilities:

Accelerated depreciation

Operating lease assets

Other

Total deferred tax liabilities

NET DEFERRED TAX LIABILITY

$

127

$

47

42

31

212

17

476

(31)

445

(1,423)

(236)

(37)

(1,696)

$

(1,251) $

106

35

32

28

241

20

462

(21)

441

(1,270)

(266)

(17)

(1,553)

(1,112)

We have a U.S. foreign tax credit carryforward of $3 million which 
expires in 2028.

In evaluating the realizability of the deferred tax assets, we 
assess whether it is more likely than not that some portion, or 
all, of the deferred tax assets, will be realized. We consider, among 
other things, the generation of future taxable income (including 

reversals of deferred tax liabilities) during the periods in which 
the related temporary differences will become deductible. At 
December 31, 2019, we provided a $31 million valuation allowance 
to reduce the deferred tax assets to an amount that we consider 
is more likely than not to be realized. The $10 million net change 
in our valuation allowance during 2019 relates to foreign NOL 
carryforwards.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in millions):

Unrecognized Tax Benefits at January 1,

Increases for tax positions taken during a prior period

Increases for tax positions taken during the period

Decreases for tax positions taken during a prior period

UNRECOGNIZED TAX BENEFITS DECEMBER 31,

$

$

2019

33

—

6

(3)

36

$

$

2018

31

—

5

(3)

33

$

$

2017

26

2

6

(3)

31

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

71

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Interest and penalties accrued on unrecognized tax benefits were 
not significant. If recognized, $15 million of the unrecognized tax 
benefits as of December 31, 2019 would impact our effective tax 
rate. We do not expect any significant change in the amount of 

the unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months. As 
a result of net operating losses and statute of limitations in our 
major tax jurisdictions, years 2004 through 2018 remain subject 
to examination by the relevant tax authorities.

NOTE 10  Crewmember Retirement Plan
We sponsor a retirement savings 401(k) defined contribution plan, 
or the Plan, covering all of our crewmembers where we match 
100% of our crewmember contributions up to 5% of their eligible 
wages. The contributions vest over three years and are measured 
from a crewmember’s hire date. Crewmembers are immediately 
vested in their voluntary contributions.

JetBlue and the Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPA, in lieu of 
the above 401(k) Company matching contribution, Retirement 
Plus, and Retirement Advantage contributions. Refer to Note 11 to 
our consolidated financial statements for additional information. 
The Company’s non-elective contribution of 15% of eligible pilot 
compensation vests after three years of service.

Another  component  of  the  Plan  is  a  Company  discretionary 
contribution of 5% of eligible non-management crewmember 
compensation, which we refer to as Retirement Plus. Retirement 
Plus contributions vest over three years and are measured from 
a crewmember’s hire date.

Certain  Federal  Aviation  Administration,  or  FAA,  licensed 
crewmembers receive an additional contribution of 3% of eligible 
compensation, which we refer to as Retirement Advantage.

Effective August 1, 2018, pilots receive a non-elective Company 
contribution of 15% of eligible pilot compensation per the terms 
of  the  finalized  collective  bargaining  agreement  between 

Our non-management crewmembers are eligible to receive profit 
sharing, calculated as 10% of adjusted pre-tax income before 
profit sharing and special items up to a pre-tax margin of 18% 
with the result reduced by Retirement Plus contributions and the 
equivalent of Retirement Plus contributions for pilots. If JetBlue’s 
resulting  pre-tax  margin  exceeds  18%,  non-management 
crewmembers will receive 20% profit sharing on amounts above 
an 18% pre-tax margin.

Total  401(k)  company  match,  Retirement  Plus,  Retirement 
Advantage, pilot retirement contribution, and profit sharing 
expensed for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 
were $196 million, $172 million, and $182 million, respectively.

NOTE 11 

Commitments

Flight Equipment Commitments

As  of  December  31,  2019,  our  firm  aircraft  orders  consisted 
of 79 Airbus A321neo aircraft and 70 Airbus A220 aircraft, all 
scheduled for delivery through 2026. Committed expenditures for 
these aircraft and related flight equipment, including estimated 
amounts  for  contractual  price  escalations  and  predelivery 
deposits, is approximately $1.1 billion in 2020, $1.5 billion in 2021, 
$1.3 billion in 2022, $1.7 billion in 2023, $1.6 billion in 2024 and 
$0.6 billion thereafter. We are scheduled to receive 14 new Airbus 
A321neo aircraft in 2020.

The amount of committed expenditures stated above represents 
the current delivery schedule set forth in our Airbus order book as 
of December 31, 2019. In October 2018 and May 2019, we received 
notice from Airbus of anticipated delivery delays of the A321neo 
aircraft. Due to these delays, we only took delivery of six A321neo 
aircraft in 2019 with the remaining seven to be delivered beyond 
their contractual delivery year. The committed expenditures for 
these seven backlogged A321 neo aircraft are not included in 
the amounts above due to uncertainties in the timing of these 
deliveries.  We  expect  a  delivery  of  a  maximum  of  11  Airbus 
A321neo aircraft in 2020 as a result of the delays.

In October 2019, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative 
announced a 10% tariff on new commercial aircraft and related 
parts imported from certain European Union member states, 
which include aircraft and other parts we are already contractually 

72

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

obligated to purchase, including those noted above. In February 
2020, the U.S. Trade Representative announced an increase 
in the tariff to 15% which will become effective in March 2020. 
We are working with our business partners, including Airbus, to 
evaluate the potential financial and operational impact of these 
announcements on our future aircraft deliveries. The imposition 
of the tariff could substantially increase the cost of new Airbus 
aircraft and parts.

Other Commitments

We utilize several credit card processors to process our ticket 
sales. Our agreements with these processors do not contain 
covenants, but do generally allow the processor to withhold 
cash reserves to protect the processor from potential liability for 
tickets purchased, but not yet used for travel. While we currently 
do not have any collateral requirements related to our credit card 
processors, we may be required to issue collateral to our credit 
card processors, or other key business partners, in the future.

As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately $34 million pledged 
related to our workers’ compensation insurance policies and other 
business partner agreements, which will expire according to the 
terms of the related policies or agreements.

In April 2014, ALPA was certified by the National Mediation Board, 
or  NMB,  as  the  representative  body  for  JetBlue  pilots  after 
winning a representation election. We reached a final agreement 

for our first collective bargaining agreement which was ratified 
by the pilots in July 2018. The agreement is a four-year, renewable 
contract, which became effective August 1, 2018 and included 
compensation, benefits, work rules, and other policies.

In April 2018, JetBlue inflight crewmembers elected to be solely 
represented by the Transport Workers Union of America, or TWU. 
The NMB certified the TWU as the representative body for JetBlue 
inflight crewmembers and we are working with the TWU to reach 
a collective bargaining agreement.

As of December 31, 2019, approximately 47 percent of our full-time 
equivalent crewmembers were represented by unions.

Except as noted above, our crewmembers do not have third party 
representation.

NOTE 12  Contingencies
We self-insure a portion of our losses from claims related to 
workers’ compensation, environmental issues, property damage, 
medical insurance for crewmembers, and general liability. Losses 
are accrued based on an estimate of the ultimate aggregate 
liability for claims incurred, using standard industry practices 
and our actual experience.

We  are  a  party  to  many  routine  contracts  under  which  we 
indemnify  third  parties  for  various  risks.  These  indemnities 
consist of the following:

All of our bank loans, including our aircraft mortgages obligate 
us to reimburse the bank for any increased costs arising from 
regulatory changes, including changes in reserve requirements 
and bank capital requirements; these obligations are standard 
terms present in loans of this type. These indemnities would 
increase the interest rate on our debt if they were to be triggered. 
In all cases, we have the option to repay the loan and avoid the 
increased costs. These terms match the length of the related loan 
up to 15 years.

Under  both  aircraft  leases  with  foreign  lessors  and  aircraft 
mortgages with foreign lenders, we have agreed to customary 
indemnities concerning withholding tax law changes. Under 
these contracts we are responsible, should withholding taxes be 
imposed, for paying such amount of additional rent or interest as 
is necessary to ensure that the lessor or lender still receives, after 
taxes, the rent stipulated in the lease or the interest stipulated 
under the loan. The term of these indemnities matches the length 
of the related lease or loan up to 20 years.

We have various leases with respect to real property as well as 
various agreements among airlines relating to fuel consortia or 
fuel farms at airports. Under these contracts we have agreed to 
standard language indemnifying the lessor against environmental 
liabilities associated with the real property or operations described 
under the agreement, even if we are not the party responsible 
for the initial event that caused the environmental damage. In 
the case of fuel consortia at airports, these indemnities are 
generally joint and several among the participating airlines. We 
have purchased a standalone environmental liability insurance 
policy  to  help  mitigate  this  exposure.  Our  existing  aviation  
hull and liability policy includes some limited environmental 

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

We enter into individual employment agreements with each of 
our non-unionized FAA-licensed crewmembers which include 
dispatchers, technicians, and inspectors as well as air traffic 
controllers. Each employment agreement is for a term of five 
years and automatically renews for an additional five years unless 
either the crewmember or we elect not to renew it by giving at 
least 90 days’ notice before the end of the relevant term. Pursuant 
to these agreements, these crewmembers can only be terminated 
for cause. In the event of a downturn in our business that would 
require a reduction in work hours, we are obligated to pay these 
crewmembers a guaranteed level of income and to continue their 
benefits if they do not obtain other aviation employment.

coverage  when  a  cleanup  is  part  of  an  associated  single 
identifiable covered loss.

Under certain contracts, we indemnify specified parties against 
legal liability arising out of actions by other parties. The terms of 
these contracts range up to 25 years. Generally, we have liability 
insurance  protecting  ourselves  for  the  obligations  we  have 
undertaken relative to these indemnities.

We  are  unable  to  estimate  the  potential  amount  of  future 
payments under the foregoing indemnities and agreements.

Under a certain number of our operating lease agreements we 
are required to restore certain property or equipment to its 
original form upon expiration of the related agreement. We have 
recorded the estimated fair value of these retirement obligations 
of approximately $5 million as of December 31, 2019. This liability 
may increase over time.

Legal Matters

Occasionally, we are involved in various claims, lawsuits, regulatory 
examinations, investigations, and other legal matters involving 
suppliers, crewmembers, customers, and governmental agencies, 
arising, for the most part, in the ordinary course of business. The 
outcome of litigation and other legal matters is always uncertain. 
The Company believes it has valid defenses to the legal matters 
currently pending against it, is defending itself vigorously, and has 
recorded accruals determined in accordance with GAAP, where 
appropriate. In making a determination regarding accruals, using 
available information, we evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable 
outcome in legal or regulatory proceedings to which we are a 
party and record a loss contingency when it is probable a liability 
has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably 
estimated. These subjective determinations are based on the 
status of such legal or regulatory proceedings, the merits of our 
defenses, and consultation with legal counsel. Actual outcomes 
of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ 
from our current estimates. It is possible that resolution of one or 
more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened could 
result in losses material to our consolidated results of operations, 
liquidity, or financial condition.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

73

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

To date, none of these types of litigation matters, most of which are 
typically covered by insurance, has had a material impact on our 
operations or financial condition. We have insured and continue 
to insure against most of these types of claims. A judgment on 

any claim not covered by, or in excess of, our insurance coverage 
could materially adversely affect our consolidated results of 
operations, liquidity, or financial condition.

NOTE 13  Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management
As part of our risk management techniques, we periodically 
purchase over the counter energy derivative instruments and 
enter into fixed forward price agreements, or FFPs, to manage 
our exposure to the effect of changes in the price of aircraft fuel. 
Prices for the underlying commodities have historically been 
highly correlated to aircraft fuel, making derivatives of them 
effective at providing short-term protection against volatility 
in average fuel prices. We also periodically enter into jet fuel 
basis swaps for the differential between heating oil and jet fuel, 
to further limit the variability in fuel prices at various locations. 
We do not hold or issue any derivative financial instruments for 
trading purposes.

Ineffectiveness  occurs,  in  certain  circumstances,  when  the 
change in the total fair value of the derivative instrument differs 
from the change in the value of our expected future cash outlays 
for the purchase of aircraft fuel. ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and 
Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for 
Hedging Activities, eliminated the requirement for companies 
to separately measure and record ineffectiveness after initial 
qualification. If a hedge does not qualify for hedge accounting, 
the periodic changes in its fair value are recognized in interest 
income and other. When aircraft fuel is consumed and the related 
derivative contract settles, any gain or loss previously recorded 
in other comprehensive income is recognized in aircraft fuel 
expense. All cash flows related to our fuel hedging derivatives 
are classified as operating cash flows.

Aircraft fuel derivatives

We attempt to obtain cash flow hedge accounting treatment for 
each fuel derivative that we enter into. This treatment is provided 
for under the Derivatives and Hedging topic of the Codification 
which allows for gains and losses on the effective portion of 
qualifying hedges to be deferred until the underlying planned jet 
fuel consumption occurs, rather than recognizing the gains and 
losses on these instruments into earnings during each period they 
are outstanding. The effective portion of realized aircraft fuel 
hedging derivative gains and losses is recognized in aircraft fuel 
expense in the period the underlying fuel is consumed.

First Quarter 2020

Second Quarter 2020

Third Quarter 2020

Fourth Quarter 2020

Our current approach to fuel hedging is to enter into hedges on a 
discretionary basis without a specific target of hedge percentage 
needs. We view our hedge portfolio as a form of insurance to help 
mitigate the impact of price volatility and protect us against 
severe spikes in oil prices, when possible.

The following table illustrates the approximate hedge percentages 
of our projected 2020 fuel usage by quarter as of December 31, 
2019, related to our outstanding fuel hedging contracts that were 
designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes.

Jet fuel call option 
spread agreements

20%

19%

—%

—%

Total

20%

19%

—%

—%

The table below reflects quantitative information related to our derivative instruments and where these amounts are recorded in our 
financial statements (dollar amounts in millions):

Fuel Derivatives

Asset fair value recorded in prepaid expenses and other(1)

Longest remaining term (months)

Hedged volume (barrels, in thousands)

Estimated amount of existing (gains) losses expected  
to be reclassified into earnings in the next 12 months

74

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

As of December 31,

2019

8

6

2,112

$

(2)

$

2018

—

6

756

4

$

$

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

FUEL DERIVATIVES

Hedge effectiveness (gains) losses recognized  
in aircraft fuel expense

Hedge (gains) losses on derivatives recognized in  
comprehensive income

Percentage of actual consumption economically hedged

$

$

Year Ended December 31,

2019

2018

2017

$

$

5

(1)

6%

$

$

2

6

4%

(15)

6

10%

(1)  Gross asset of each contract prior to consideration of offsetting positions with each counterparty and prior to impact of collateral paid.

Any outstanding derivative instrument exposes us to credit loss in 
connection with our fuel contracts in the event of nonperformance 
by the counterparties to the agreements, but we do not expect 
any of our counterparties will fail to meet their obligations. The 
amount of such credit exposure is generally the fair value of our 
outstanding contracts for which we are in a receivable position. 
To manage credit risks we select counterparties based on credit 
assessments, limit our overall exposure to any single counterparty, 
and monitor the market position with each counterparty. Some 
of our agreements require cash deposits from either JetBlue or 
our counterparty if market risk exposure exceeds a specified 
threshold amount.

We have master netting arrangements with our counterparties 
allowing us the right of offset to mitigate credit risk in derivative 
transactions. The financial derivative instrument agreements 
we have with our counterparties may require us to fund all, or a 
portion of, outstanding loss positions related to these contracts 
prior to their scheduled maturities. The amount of collateral 
posted, if any, is periodically adjusted based on the fair value 
of the hedge contracts. Our policy is to offset the liabilities 
represented by these contracts with any cash collateral paid to 
the counterparties.

There  were  no  offsetting  derivative  instruments  as  of 
December 31, 2019 and 2018.

NOTE 14  Fair Value
Under the Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures topic of the 
Codification, disclosures are required about how fair value is 
determined for assets and liabilities and a hierarchy for which 
these assets and liabilities must be grouped is established, based 
on significant levels of inputs as follows:

Level 1 quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or 
liabilities;

Level 2 quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and 
liabilities and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability; 
or

Level 3 unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, such as 
discounted cash flow models or valuations.

The determination of where assets and liabilities fall within this 
hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant 
to the fair value measurement.

The following is a listing of our assets and liabilities required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis and where they are 
classified within the fair value hierarchy (in millions):

Assets

Cash equivalents

Available-for-sale investment securities

Aircraft fuel derivatives

Assets

Cash equivalents

Available-for-sale investment securities

Aircraft fuel derivatives

As of December 31, 2019

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

$

611

$

—

—

$

30

351

8

$

—

—

—

641

351

8

As of December 31, 2018

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Total

$

198

$

39

—

$

—

197

—

$

—

—

—

198

236

—

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

75

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The carrying values of all other financial instruments approximated 
their fair values at December 31, 2019 and 2018. Refer to Note 3 to 
our consolidated financial statements for fair value information 
related to our outstanding debt obligations as of December 31, 
2019 and 2018.

Cash equivalents

Our  cash  equivalents  include  money  market  securities, 
commercial  paper,  and  time  deposits  which  are  readily 
convertible into cash, have maturities of 90 days or less when 
purchased, and are considered to be highly liquid and easily 
tradable. The money market securities are valued using inputs 
observable in active markets for identical securities and are 
therefore classified as Level 1 within our fair value hierarchy. The 
fair values of remaining instruments are based on observable 
inputs in non-active markets, which are therefore classified as 
Level 2 in the hierarchy.

Available-for-sale investment securities

Our available-for-sale investment securities include investments 
such as time deposits, U.S. treasury bills, commercial paper, and 

convertible debt securities. The U.S. treasury bills are valued using 
inputs observable in active markets for identical securities and 
are therefore classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. 
The fair values of remaining instruments are based on observable 
inputs in non-active markets, which are therefore classified as 
Level 2 in the hierarchy. We did not record any material gains or 
losses on these securities during the years ended December 31, 
2019, 2018, and 2017.

Aircraft fuel derivatives

Our aircraft fuel derivatives include call option spreads and 
call options which are not traded on public exchanges. Their 
fair values are determined using a market approach based 
on inputs that are readily available from public markets for 
commodities and energy trading activities; therefore, they are 
classified as Level 2 inputs. The data inputs are combined into 
quantitative models and processes to generate forward curves 
and volatilities related to the specific terms of the underlying 
hedge contracts.

NOTE 15  Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income (loss) includes changes in fair value of our aircraft fuel derivatives which qualify for hedge accounting. A 
rollforward of the amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes for the years ended December 31, 
2019, 2018, and 2017 is as follows (in millions):

Balance of Accumulated Income, at December 31, 2016

Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit of $6

Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $2

Balance of Accumulated Income, at December 31, 2017

Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit of $0

Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $2

Balance of Accumulated (Losses), at December 31, 2018

Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax (expense) of $(1)

Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $0

Aircraft Fuel 
Derivatives(1)

$

13 $

(9)

(4)

—

1

(4)

(3)

4

1

Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2019

$

2 $

(1)  Reclassified to aircraft fuel expense.

Total

13

(9)

(4)

—

1

(4)

(3)

4

1

2

76

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

NOTE 16  Geographic Information
Under the Segment Reporting topic of the Codification, disclosures 
are required for operating segments that are regularly reviewed 
by chief operating decision makers. Air transportation services 
accounted for substantially all of the Company’s operations in 
2019, 2018 and 2017.

Operating  revenues  are  allocated  to  geographic  regions,  as 
defined by the Department of Transportation, or DOT, based 
upon the origination and destination of each flight segment.  

Domestic

Caribbean & Latin America

TOTAL

As of December 31, 2019, we served 31 locations in the Caribbean 
and Latin American region, or Latin America as defined by the 
DOT. However, our management includes our three destinations 
in Puerto Rico and one destination in the U.S. Virgin Islands in our 
Caribbean and Latin America allocation of revenues. Therefore, 
we have reflected these locations within the Caribbean and 
Latin America region in the table below. Operating revenues 
by geographic regions for the years ended December 31 are 
summarized below (in millions):

$

$

2019

5,633 $

2,461

8,094 $

2018

5,386 $

2,272

7,658 $

2017

4,999

2,013

7,012

Our tangible assets primarily consist of our fleet of aircraft, which is deployed systemwide, with no individual aircraft dedicated to any 
specific route or region; therefore our assets do not require any allocation to a geographic area.

NOTE 17  Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
Quarterly results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 are summarized below (in millions, except per share 
amounts):

2019

Operating revenues

Operating income(1)(2)

Net income(1)(2)

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share(1)(2)

2018

Operating revenues

Operating income(3)

Net income(3)(4)

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share(3)(4)

First 
Quarter

Second 
Quarter

Third 
Quarter

Fourth 
Quarter

1,871 $

2,105 $

2,086 $

76

42

0.14 $

0.14 $

250

179

0.60 $

0.59 $

247

187

0.63 $

0.63 $

1,754 $

1,928 $

2,008 $

125

90

0.28 $

0.28 $

(152)

(121)

(0.39) $

(0.39) $

78

50

0.16 $

0.16 $

2,031

227

161

0.56

0.56

1,968

216

170

0.55

0.55

$

$

$

$

$

$

(1)  Our 2019 reported results include special items related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and the ratification of our pilots’ collective bargaining agreement. We recorded 
special items of $12 million or ($0.02) per diluted share in the first quarter and $2 million or ($0.01) per diluted share in the second quarter of 2019. See Note 18 to our 
consolidated financial statements for details.

(2)  During the third quarter of 2019, we recorded a gain of $15 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, on one of our equity method investments related to its fair value measurement 

upon the closing of a subsequent financing round.

(3)  Our 2018 reported results include special items related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and the ratification of our pilots’ collective bargaining agreement. We recorded 
special items of $319 million or ($0.76) per diluted share in the second quarter, $112 million or ($0.27) per diluted share in the third quarter, and $4 million or ($0.01) per 
diluted shares in the fourth quarter of 2018. See Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for details.

(4)  Our 2018 reported results include tax benefits related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We recorded benefits of $7 million or $0.02 per diluted share in the 

first quarter, $4 million or $0.01 per diluted share in the third quarter, and $17 million or $0.06 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The sum of the quarterly results may not equal the annual amount reported due to immaterial rounding differences.

The sum of the quarterly earnings per share amounts does not equal the annual amount reported since per share amounts are computed 
independently for each quarter and for the full year based on respective weighted average common shares outstanding and other 
dilutive potential common shares.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

77

PART II  |   ITEM 8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

NOTE 18  Special Items
The following is a listing of special items presented on our consolidated statements of operations (in millions):

Special Items

Embraer E190 fleet transition costs(1)

Union contract costs(2)

TOTAL

Year Ended December 31,

2019

2018

2017

$

$

6 $

8

14 $

362 $

73

435 $

—

—

—

(1) 

(2) 

In July 2018, we announced our decision to exit the Embraer E190 fleet and order 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier CS300, for expected 
deliveries beginning in 2020 with the option for 60 additional aircraft. For the year ended December 31, 2018, fleet transition costs include a $319 million impairment 
charge  of  flight  equipment  and  other  property  and  equipment  related  to  our  fleet  review  and  certain  termination  costs  associated  with  the  transition.  We  assessed 
our Embraer E190 asset group by comparing projected undiscounted cash flows over the remaining time period we expect to utilize the aircraft to the book value of the 
asset group and determined the book value was in excess of the cash flows. We estimated the fair value of our Embraer E190 asset group using third party valuations 
and considering specific circumstances of our fleet such as aircraft age, maintenance requirements and condition, and therefore classified as Level 3 in the fair value 
hierarchy. We reassessed our Embraer E190 assets and adjusted the depreciable lives and salvage value to align with our expected transition dates to the Airbus A220-300 
through 2025.
Fleet transition costs for the year ended December 31, 2019 include certain contract termination costs associated with the transition.
In April 2014, ALPA was certified by NMB as the representative body for JetBlue pilots after winning a representation election. We reached a final agreement for our first 
collective bargaining agreement which was ratified by the pilots in July 2018. The agreement is a four-year renewable contract, which became effective August 1, 2018 
and included changes to compensation, benefits, work rules, and other policies. For the year ended December 31, 2018, contract costs include the one-time $50 million 
ratification bonus and other negotiated contractual provisions related to our pilots’ collective bargaining agreement. Union contract costs for the year ended December 
31, 2019 include various one-time costs incurred to implement the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement into our IT systems.

78

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 
 PART II  |   ITEM 9B OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 9 

 CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON 
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

ITEM 9A  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined 
in Rule 13a-15(e) or Rule 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that 
are  designed  to  ensure  that  information  required  to  be 
disclosed by us in reports that we file under the Exchange Act 
is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the 
time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and that such 
information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file 
under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated 

to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer, or 
CEO, and our Chief Financial Officer, or CFO, to allow timely 
decisions  regarding  required  disclosure.  Management,  with 
the participation of our CEO and CFO, performed an evaluation 
of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures 
as of December 31, 2019. Based on that evaluation, our CEO and 
CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were 
effective as of December 31, 2019.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining 
adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in 
Rule 13a-15(f) or Rule 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Under 
the supervision and with the participation of our management, 
including our CEO and CFO, we conducted an evaluation of the 
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting 
based  on  the  framework  in  Internal  Control—Integrated 
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based on that 
evaluation, our management concluded that our internal control 
over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2019 

Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting 
firm that audited our consolidated financial statements included 
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, audited the effectiveness of 
our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 
2019. Ernst & Young LLP has issued their report which is included 
elsewhere herein.

to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of 
financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial 
statements  for  external  reporting  purposes  in  accordance 
with GAAP.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) under the Exchange 
Act) identified in connection with the evaluation of our controls performed during the quarter ended December 31, 2019 that have 
materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B  OTHER INFORMATION

None.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

79

PART III

ITEM 10 

 DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Code of Ethics
We adopted a Code of Ethics within the meaning of Item 406(b) of 
SEC Regulation S-K. This Code of Ethics applies to our principal 
executive  officer,  principal  financial  officer,  and  principal 
accounting officer. This Code of Ethics is publicly available on 
our website at http://investor.jetblue.com. If we make substantive 

Executive Officers of the Registrant
Certain information concerning JetBlue’s executive officers as of 
the date of this Report follows. There are no family relationships 
between any of our executive officers.

Robin  Hayes,  age  53,  is  our  Chief  Executive  Officer.  He  was 
promoted to Chief Executive Officer on February 16, 2015 and 
served  as  our  President  from  January  2014  to  May  2018.  He 
joined JetBlue as its Chief Commercial Officer in 2008, after 
nineteen  years  at  British  Airways.  In  his  last  role  at  British 
Airways, Mr. Hayes served as Executive Vice President for The 
Americas and before that he served in a number of operational 
and commercial positions in the UK and Germany.

Joanna Geraghty, age 47, is our President and Chief Operating 
Officer.  She  was  appointed  to  the  position  in  May  2018. 
Ms. Geraghty joined JetBlue in 2005 and was most recently our 
Executive Vice President Customer Experience from 2015 to 2018. 
She served as Executive Vice President Chief People Officer 
from 2010 to 2014 and was previously the airline's Vice President 
and Associate General Counsel and Director of Litigation and 
Regulatory Affairs.

Steve Priest, age 49, is our Chief Financial Officer, a position he 
has held since February 2017. Mr. Priest joined JetBlue in August 
2015 as our Vice President Structural Programs. Prior to JetBlue, 
he worked at British Airways from 1996 to 2015 where he served as 
Senior Vice President of the carrier’s North Atlantic joint venture 
business with American Airlines, Iberia, and Finnair, as well as 
several other leadership roles.

amendments to this Code of Ethics or grant any waiver, including 
any implicit waiver, we will disclose the nature of such amendment 
or waiver on our website or in a report on Form 8-K within four 
days of such amendment or waiver.

Brandon Nelson, age 45, is our General Counsel and Corporate 
Secretary. He was appointed to the position in November 2018. 
Mr.  Nelson  joined  JetBlue  in  2005  and  previously  served  as 
Director, Corporate Counsel and Assistant Secretary before being 
promoted in 2009 to Vice President, Associate General Counsel. 
Prior to JetBlue, Mr. Nelson practiced corporate and business 
litigation  law  at  firms  in  California  and  New  York,  including 
Shearman & Sterling LLP.

Eash  Sundaram,  age  48,  is  our  Chief  Digital  &  Technology 
Officer. Mr. Sundaram joined JetBlue in March 2012 as our Chief 
Information Officer. Prior to joining JetBlue, Mr. Sundaram served 
as the Chief Information Officer at Pall Corporation and has also 
held various leadership positions in the Healthcare and Supply 
Chain Management industries.

Alexander Chatkewitz, age 55, is our Vice President and Chief 
Accounting Officer, a position he has held since December 2014. 
Prior  to  joining  JetBlue,  Mr.  Chatkewitz  worked  at  Philip 
Morris  International,  where  he  served  as  Vice  President  & 
Controller  -  Financial  Reporting  &  Accounting  Research 
since 2008. Prior to Phillip Morris, he served for a decade as 
Altria Group’s Vice President Assistant Controller - Financial 
Reporting & Consolidations. Mr. Chatkewitz also held positions 
at Marsh & McLennan Companies as well as the audit practice of 
Deloitte & Touche.

The other information required by this Item will be included in 
and is incorporated herein by reference from our definitive proxy 
statement for our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed 
with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the 
end of our 2019 fiscal year, or our 2020 Proxy Statement.

80

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

 PART III  |   ITEM 14 PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

ITEM 11 

 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The information required by this Item will be included in and is incorporated herein by reference from our 2020 Proxy Statement.

ITEM 12 

 SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS 
AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The table below provides information relating to our equity compensation plans, including individual compensation arrangements, 
under which our common stock is authorized for issuance as of December 31, 2019, as adjusted for stock splits:

Plan Category

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

TOTAL

Number of securities 
to be issued 
upon exercise of 
outstanding options,
warrants and rights

Weighted average
exercise price 
of outstanding 
options, warrants
and rights

Number of securities
remaining available
for future issuance under 
equity compensation plans
(excluding securities
reflected in first column)

3,060,375

—

3,060,375

$

$

17.60

—

17.60

15,191,355

—

15,191,355

Refer to Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements for further information regarding the material features of the above plans.

Other information required by this Item will be included in and is incorporated herein by reference from our 2020 Proxy Statement.

ITEM 13 

 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, 
AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

The information required by this Item will be included in and is incorporated herein by reference from our 2020 Proxy Statement.

ITEM 14 

 PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

The information required by this Item will be included in and is incorporated herein by reference from our 2020 Proxy Statement.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

81

PART IV

ITEM 15  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

1.

Financial statements:

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Consolidated Balance Sheets — December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018

Consolidated Statements of Operations — For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income — For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows — For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity — For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

2.

Financial Statement Schedules:

Schedule II — Valuation of Qualifying Accounts and Reserves

All other schedules have been omitted because they are inapplicable, not required, or the information is included elsewhere  
in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

3.

Exhibits: See accompanying Exhibit Index included after the signature page of this Report for a list of the exhibits filed or  
furnished with or incorporated by reference in this Report.

ITEM 16  FORM 10-K SUMMARY

Omitted.

82

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

PART IV

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report 
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 18, 2020

By:

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION 
(Registrant) 
/s/ Alexander Chatkewitz
Vice President, Controller, and
Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person 
whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Brandon 
Nelson his or her attorney-in-fact with power of substitution for 
him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments, 
supplements or other documents relating to this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K which he or she deems necessary or appropriate, 
and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents 
in  connection  therewith,  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange 

Commission,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such 
attorney-in-fact or their substitute may do or cause to be done 
by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, this Report has been signed below by the following persons 
on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates 
indicated (and, as indicated with an asterisk, representing at least 
a majority of the members of the Board of Directors).

Signature

/S/ ROBIN HAYES

Robin Hayes

/S/ STEVE PRIEST

Steve Priest

/S/ ALEXANDER CHATKEWITZ

Alexander Chatkewitz

/S/ B. BEN BALDANZA

B. Ben Baldanza*

/S/ PETER BONEPARTH

Peter Boneparth*

/S/ VIRGINIA GAMBALE

Virginia Gambale*

/S/ STEPHAN GEMKOW

Stephan Gemkow*

/S/ ELLEN JEWETT

Ellen Jewett*

/S/ TERI P. MCCLURE

Teri P. McClure*

/S/ SARAH ROBB O'HAGAN

Sarah Robb O'Hagan*

/S/ JOEL PETERSON

Joel Peterson*

/S/ VIVEK SHARMA

Vivek Sharma*
/S/ FRANK SICA

Frank Sica*
/S/ THOMAS WINKELMANN

Thomas Winkelmann*

Capacity

Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer) 

Chief Financial Officer 
(Principal Financial Officer) 

Date

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting 
Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)

February 18, 2020

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

February 18, 2020

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

83

PART IV

Exhibit Index

2.1

2.1(a)

2.1(b)

3.1

3.2

3.3

4.1

4.2

4.2(a)

4.2(b)

4.2(c)

4.2(d)

4.3

4.3(a)

4.3(b)

4.3(c)

4.3(d)

4.3(e)

Membership Interest Purchase Agreement among Harris Corporation and Thales Avionics In-Flight Systems, LLC and 
In-Flight Liquidating, LLC and Glenn S. Latta and Jeffrey A. Frisco and Andreas de Greef and JetBlue Airways Corporation, 
dated as of September 9, 2002 relating to the interests in LiveTV, LLC—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to our 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 27, 2002 (File No. 000-49728).

Purchase agreement between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Thales Avionics, Inc., dated as of March 13, 
2014—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2014.

Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Thales Holding Corporation, 
dated June 10, 2014—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2014.

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 20, 2016 (File No. 000-49728).

Amended and Restated Bylaws of JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Current 
Report on Form 8-K dated January 8, 2018.

Certificate of Designation of Series A Participating Preferred Stock dated April 1, 2002—incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 3.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 10, 2003 (File No. 000-49728).

Specimen Stock Certificate—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as 
amended (File No. 333-82576).

Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 10, 2000, by and among JetBlue Airways 
Corporation and the Stockholders named therein—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registration Statement 
on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-82576).

Amendment No. 1, dated as of June 30, 2003, to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of 
August 10, 2000, by and among JetBlue Airways Corporation and the Stockholders named therein—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed on July 3, 2003, as amended on July 10, 2003 
(File No. 333-106781).

Amendment No. 2, dated as of October 6, 2003, to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as 
of August 10, 2000, by and among JetBlue Airways Corporation and the Stockholders named therein—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed on October 7, 2003 (File No. 333-109546).

Amendment No. 3, dated as of October 4, 2004, to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as 
of August 10, 2000, by and among JetBlue Airways Corporation and the Stockholders named therein—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated October 4, 2004 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 4, dated as of June 22, 2006, to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of 
August 10, 2000, by and among JetBlue Airways Corporation and the Stockholders named therein—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.19 to our Registration Statement on Form S-3 ASR, filed on June 30, 2006 (File No. 333-135545).

Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of November 12, 2019, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Wilmington 
Trust Company—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Trust Supplement No. 2019-1AA, dated as of November 12, 2019, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Wilmington 
Trust Company, as Class AA Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement dated as of November 12, 2019—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Trust Supplement No. 2019-1A, dated as of November 12, 2019, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Wilmington 
Trust Company, as Class A Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement dated as of November 12, 2019—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.3 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Form of Pass Through Trust Certificate, Series 2019-1AA (included in Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.3(a))—incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 4.4 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Form of Pass Through Trust Certificate, Series 2019-1A (included in Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.3(b))—incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 4.5 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Intercreditor Agreement (2019-1), dated as of November 12, 2019, among JetBlue Airways Corporation, Wilmington 
Trust Company, as Trustee of the JetBlue Airways Pass Through Trust 2019-1AA and the JetBlue Airways Pass Through 
Trust 2019-1A, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, acting through its New York Branch, as Class AA Liquidity 
Provider and Wilmington Trust Company—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to our Current Report on Form 8-K 
dated November 12, 2019.

84

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

PART IV

Exhibit Index

4.3(f)

4.3(g)

4.3(h)

4.3(i)

4.3(j)

Revolving Credit Agreement (2019-1AA), dated as of November 12, 2019, between Wilmington Trust Company, as 
Subordination Agent, as agent and trustee for the trustee of JetBlue Airways Pass Through Trust 2019-1AA and as 
Borrower, and Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, acting through its New York Branch, as Class AA Liquidity 
Provider—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Revolving Credit Agreement (2019-1A), dated as of November 12, 2019, between Wilmington Trust Company, as 
Subordination Agent, as agent and trustee for the trustee of JetBlue Airways Pass Through Trust 2019-1A and as Borrower, 
and Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, acting through its New York Branch, as Class A Liquidity Provider—
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.8 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

Participation Agreement (N976JT), dated as of November 12, 2019, among JetBlue Airways Corporation, Wilmington 
Trust Company, as Pass Through Trustee under the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust Company, as 
Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust Company, as Loan Trustee, and Wilmington Trust Company, in its individual 
capacity as set forth therein*—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 
12, 2019.

Indenture and Security Agreement (N976JT), dated as of November 12, 2019, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and 
Wilmington Trust Company, as Loan Trustee†—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.10 to our Current Report on Form 8-K 
dated November 12, 2019.

Form of Series 2019-1 Equipment Notes (included in Exhibit 4.3(i))—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 to our Current 
Report on Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019.

4.3(k)

Schedule I†

4.4

4.5

4.5(a)

4.9

4.9(f)

4.9(g)

4.9(h)

4.9(i)

4.10

4.10(a)

4.11

4.12

Summary of Rights to Purchase Series A Participating Preferred Stock—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the 
Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-82576).

Stockholder Rights Agreement—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
ended December 31, 2002 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment to the Stockholder Rights Agreement, dated as of January 17, 2008, by and between JetBlue Airways 
Corporation and Computershare Trust Company, N.A.—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5(a) to our Current Report on 
Form 8-K dated January 23, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Indenture, dated as of March 16, 2005, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, 
relating to the Company’s debt securities—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K 
dated March 10, 2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 9, 2009 between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Wilmington Trust 
Company, as Trustee-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 9, 2009 
(File No. 000-49728).

Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 9, 2009 between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Wilmington Trust 
Company, as Trustee-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 9, 2009 (File No. 
000-49728).

Form of Global Debenture-6.75% Convertible Debenture due 2039 (Series A)-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to 
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 9, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Form of Global Debenture-6.75% Convertible Debenture due 2039 (Series B)-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to 
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 9, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 13, 2007, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Deutsche 
Lufthansa AG—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 13, 2007 
(File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 1, dated as of January 22, 2008, to the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 13, 2007, 
between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Deutsche Lufthansa AG—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11(a) to our 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 23, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 22, 2008, by and between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Deutsche 
Lufthansa AG—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 23, 2008 
(File No. 000-49728).

Supplement Agreement, dated as of May 27, 2008, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Deutsche Lufthansa 
AG—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 28, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

85

PART IV

Exhibit Index

4.13

10.3**

10.3(a)**

10.3(b)**

10.3(c)**

10.3(d)**

10.3(e)**

10.3(f)**

10.3(g)**

10.3(h)**

10.3(i)**

10.3(j)**

10.3(k)**

10.3(l)**

10.3(m)**

10.3(n)**

10.3(o)**

Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of April 5, 2012, among JetBlue Airways Corporation, Deutsche Lufthansa AG and 
Lufthansa Malta Blues LP—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.22 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 5, 
2012 (File No. 000-49728).

V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, including Side Letters 
No. 1 through No. 3 and No. 5 through No. 9—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registration Statement on 
Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-82576).

Side Letter No. 10 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated April 25, 2002—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2002 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 11 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated February 10, 2003—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2002 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 12 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated March 24, 2003—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2003 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 13 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated April 23, 2003—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 30, 2003 
(File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 14 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated October 3, 2003—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2003 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 15 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated November 10, 2003—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2003 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 16 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated February 20, 2004—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended March 31, 2004 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 17 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated June 11, 2004—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2004 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 18 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and NewAir Corporation, 
dated November 19, 2004—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 18, 
2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 19 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and New Air Corporation, 
dated July 21, 2005—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 20 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and New Air Corporation, 
dated July 6, 2006—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2006 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 21 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and New Air Corporation, 
dated January 30, 2007—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended March 31, 2007 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 22 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and New Air Corporation, 
dated March 27, 2007—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2007 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 23 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines AG and New Air Corporation, 
dated December 18, 2007—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(n) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for 
the year ended December 31, 2007 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 24 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated April 2, 2008—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

86

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

PART IV

Exhibit Index

10.3(p)**

10.3(q)**

10.3(r)**

10.3(s)**

10.3(t)**

10.3(u)**

10.3(v)**

10.3(w)**

10.3(x)**

10.3(y)**

10.3(z)**

10.3(aa)**

10.3(ab)**

10.3(ac)**

10.3(ad)**

10.3(ae)**

10.3(af)**

Side Letter No. 25 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated May 27, 2008—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 26 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
January 27, 2009—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(q) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Side Letter No. 27 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
June 5, 2009–incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(r) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 28 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
August 31, 2010—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(s) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2010 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 29 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
March 14, 2011—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(t) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2011 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 30 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
August 17, 2011—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(u) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2011(File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 31 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
September 27, 2011—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(v) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2011 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 32 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
November 8, 2011—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(w) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2011 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 33 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
December 1, 2011—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(x) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2011 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 34 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
February 21, 2012—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(y) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 35 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
March 15, 2012—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(z) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 36 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
May 1, 2012—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(aa) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 
30, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 37 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, dated 
November 9, 2012—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(ab) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

Side letter No. 38 to V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated October 2, 2013—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(ac) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2014.

Amendment No.1 to the V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated December 15, 2014—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(ad) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
ended December 31, 2014.

Amendment No. 2 to the V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated December 4, 2015—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3(ae) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
ended December 31, 2015.

Amendment No. 3 to the V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated August 15, 2017—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2017.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

87

PART IV

Exhibit Index

10.3(ag)

10.15

10.17**

10.17(a)**

10.17(b)**

10.17(c)**

10.17(d)**

10.17(e)**

10.17(f)**

10.17(g)**

10.17(h)**

10.17(i)**

10.17(j)**

10.17(k)**

10.17(l)**

10.17(m)**

10.17(n)**

Amendment No. 4 to the V2500 General Terms of Sale between IAE International Aero Engines and New Air Corporation, 
dated March 20, 2018—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
March 31, 2018.

Form of Director/Officer Indemnification Agreement—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to the Registration 
Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-82576) and referenced as Exhibit 10.19 in our Current Report on Form 8-K 
dated February 12, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Embraer-190 Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated June 9, 2003, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira de 
Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to our Current Report on 
Form 8-K dated June 30, 2003 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 1 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of July 8, 2005, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileria 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on 
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 2 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of January 5, 2006, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileria de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22(b) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 3 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of December 4, 2006, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileria de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21(c) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 4 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of October 17, 2007, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileria de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(d) to our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 5 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of July 18, 2008, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on 
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 6 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of February 17, 2009, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(f) to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 7 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of December 14, 2009, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(g) to our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 8 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of March 11, 2010, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(h) to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 9 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of May 24, 2010, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(i) to our Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 10 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of September 10, 2010, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(j) to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2010 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 11 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of October 20, 2011, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(k) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 12 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of October 25, 2011, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(l) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 13 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of July 20, 2012, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(m) to our Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 14 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of December 3, 2012, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(n) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

88

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

PART IV

Exhibit Index

10.17(o)**

10.17(p)**

10.17(q)**

10.17(r)**

10.17(s)**

10.17(t)**

10.18**

10.18(a)**

10.18(b)**

10.18(c)**

10.18(d)**

10.18(e)**

10.18(f)**

10.18(g)**

10.18(h)**

10.18(i)**

10.18(j)**

Amendment No. 15 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of December 19, 2012, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17(o) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 16 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of January 31, 2013 between Embraer S.A. (formerly 
known as Embraer - Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.17(p) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

Amendment 17 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of May 14, 2013 between Embraer S.A. (formerly known 
as Embraer—Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.17(q) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

Amendment 18 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of June 25, 2013 between Embraer S.A. (formerly known 
as Embraer—Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.17(r) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

Amendment No. 19 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of October 1, 2013 between Embraer S.A. (formerly 
known as Embraer—Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A.) and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.17(s) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Amendment No. 20 to Purchase Agreement DCT-025/2003, dated as of October 24, 2013 between Embraer S.A. (formerly 
known as Embraer - Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.17(t) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated June 9, 2003, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. 
and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
June 30, 2003 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 1, dated as of July 8, 2005, to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira de 
Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to our Quarterly Report on 
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 2, dated as of January 5, 2006, to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22(b) to our Annual Report 
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 3, dated as of December 4, 2006, to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22( c) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 4, dated as of October 17, 2007, to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileria de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18(d) to our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 5 to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated as of March 6, 2008, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on 
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 6 to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated as of July 18, 2008, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira de 
Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on 
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 7 to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated as of February 17, 2009, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18(g) to the 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 8 to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated as of December 14, 2009, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18(h) to the Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 9 to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated as of March 11, 2010, between Embraer-Empresa Brasileira 
de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18(i) to the Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 (File No. 000-49728).

Amendment No. 10 to Letter Agreement DCT - 026/2003, dated as of November 18, 2010, between Embraer-Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18(j) to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

89

PART IV

Exhibit Index

10.18(k)**

10.20

10.20(a)

10.21*

10.22*

Amendment No. 11 to Letter Agreement DCT-026/2003, dated as of October 24, 2013 between Embraer - Empresa 
Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18(k) to our Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Agreement of Lease (Port Authority Lease No. AYD-350), dated November 22, 2005, between The Port Authority of New 
York and New Jersey and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.30 to our Annual Report on 
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 (File No. 000-49728).

Supplement No. 3 to Agreement of Lease, dated July 1, 2012 between The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20(a) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended March 31, 2013.

Amended and Restated 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, dated November 7, 2007, and form of award agreement—incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to the Annual Report for Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 (File No. 000-49728).

JetBlue Airways Corporation Executive Change in Control Severance Plan, dated as of June 28, 2007—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 28, 2007 (File No. 000-49728).

10.22(a)*

JetBlue Airways Corporation Severance Plan, dated May 22, 2014—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current 
Report on Form 8-K dated May 22, 2014.

10.30**

10.31*

10.31(a)*

10.31(b)*

10.31(c)*

10.31(d)*

10.31(e)*

10.31(f)*

10.31(g)*

10.31(h)*

10.31(i)*

10.31(j)*

10.33**

Sublease by and between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company—incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.30 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2010 (File No. 000-49728).

JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31(a) to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011.

Amended and Restated JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan—incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2015.

JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan forms of award agreement—incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.31(b) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011.

JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan form of Performance Share Unit Award 
Agreement—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 12, 2013.

JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan forms of amended award agreement—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.31(d) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Form of Performance Share Unit Award Agreement as amended—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014.

Amended and Restated JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan form of Restricted Stock Unit 
Award Agreement—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2(a) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2015.

Amended and Restated JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan form of Deferred Stock Unit 
Award Agreement—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2(b) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2015.

Amended and Restated JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan form of Performance Share Unit 
Agreement (2015)—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2(c) to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2015.

JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Amendment and Restatement form of Performance Share Unit Award 
Agreement—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 12, 2013.

Form of Performance Share Unit Award Agreement as amended—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1(a) to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated October 19, 2011, between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue Airways Corporation, 
including Letter Agreements 1-8, each dated as of same date—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33 to our 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

10.33(a)**

Letter Agreement 9 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated December 19, 2012, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33(a) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2012.

90

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

PART IV

Exhibit Index

10.33(b)**

10.33(c)**

10.33(d)**

10.33(e)**

10.33(f)**

10.33(g)**

10.33(h)**

10.33(i)**

10.33(j)**

10.33(k)**

10.33(l)***

Amendment No. 1 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2013, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation, including Amended and Restated Letter Agreements 1, 2, 3 and 6, each dated as of the same 
date—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33(b) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Amendment No. 2 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 19, 2014, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation, including Amended and Restated Letter Agreements 1 and 3, each dated as of the same 
date—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33(c) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Amendment No. 3 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 26, 2016, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended September 30, 2016.

Amendment No. 4 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 26, 2016, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation, including Amended and Restated Letter Agreements 1, 2, 3 and 6 and Letter Agreement 9, 
each dated as of the same date-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended September 30, 2016.

Amendment No. 5 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2016, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended September 30, 2016.

Amendment No. 6 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 11, 2017, between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue 
Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
June 30, 2017.

Amendment No. 7 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 25, 2017, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended June 30, 2017.

Amendment No. 8 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2017, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33(i) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
ended December 31, 2017.

Amendment No. 9 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2018, between Airbus S.A.S. and 
JetBlue Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter 
ended March 31, 2018.

Amendment No. 10 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 7, 2018, between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue 
Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2018.

Amendment No. 11 to Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 7, 2018, between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue 
Airways Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33(l) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2018.

10.33(m)**** Amendment No. 12 to Airbus Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2019, between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue Airways 
Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.

10.33(n)****

Amendment No. 13 to Airbus Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 20, 2019, between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue Airways 
Corporation-incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.

10.34**

10.34(a)**

10.35*

10.36

10.36(a)

Letter Agreement dated as of July 23, 2015 between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015.

Letter Agreement dated as of April 11, 2016 between Airbus S.A.S. and JetBlue Airways Corporation-incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016.

Amended and Restated JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan—incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2015.

Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of April 6, 2017 among JetBlue Airways Corporation, as 
Borrower, the Subsidiaries of JetBlue party thereto from time to time, as guarantors, the Lenders party thereto from time 
to time, and Citibank, N.A., as Administrative Agent—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on 
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

First Amendment, dated August 1, 2019, to the Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of April 
6, 2017, among JetBlue Airways Corporation, as Borrower, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower party thereto as Guarantors, 
the Lenders party thereto and Citibank, N.A., as Administrative Agent—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2019.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

91

PART IV

Exhibit Index

10.37

10.37(a)

10.38**

10.38(a)**

10.39*

10.41*

10.41(a)*

10.44*

10.44(a)*

10.45**

21.1

23

31.1

31.2

32

Slot and Gate Security Agreement dated as of April 23, 2013 between JetBlue Airways Corporation, as Grantor, and 
Citibank, N.A., as Administrative Agent—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

Security Agreement Ratification, dated as of April 6, 2017 between JetBlue Airways Corporation, as Borrower, and Citibank, 
N.A., as Administrative Agent—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Engine Services Agreement between JetBlue Airways Corporation and GE Engine Services, LLC, dated as of 
May 1, 2013—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

Amendment No. 1 to Engine Services Agreement between JetBlue Airways Corporation and GE Engine Services, LLC, 
dated as of December 23, 2014—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.38(a) to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2014.

JetBlue Airways Corporation Retirement Plan, amended and restated effective as of January 1, 2013—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.39 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Employment Agreement, dated February 12, 2015, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Robin Hayes—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.41 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Amendment No. 1 to the Employment Agreement, dated February 16, 2017, between JetBlue Airways Corporation and Robin 
Hayes—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.41(a) to our current report on Form 8-K filed on February 22, 2017.

Separation Agreement dated May 17, 2018 by and between James Hnat and JetBlue Airways Corporation—incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 18, 2018.

Separation Agreement and General Release dated July 15, 2019 by and between Martin St. George and JetBlue Airways 
Corporation—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2019.

Amended and Restated PW100G-JM Engine Purchase and Support Agreement by and between International Aero Engines, 
LLC and JetBlue Airways Corporation, dated as of March 30, 2018—incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to our 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.

List of Subsidiaries.

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Executive Officer.

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Financial Officer.

Section 1350 Certifications, furnished herewith.

101.INS

XBRL Instance Document

101.SCH

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

101.DEF

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

101.CAL

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

101.LAB

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document

101.PRE

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

104

† 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

Pursuant to Instruction 2 to Item 601 of Regulation S-K, Exhibit 4.3(k) filed herewith contains a list of documents applicable to each Aircraft (other than Aircraft bearing 
Registration No. N976JT) that relate to the offering of the JetBlue Airways Pass Through Certificates, Series 2019-1, which documents are substantially identical to 
those  which  are  filed  herewith  as  Exhibits  4.3(h)  and  4.3(i),  except  for  the  information  identifying  such  Aircraft  in  question  and  various  information  relating  to  the 
principal  amounts  of  the  Equipment  Notes  relating  to  such  Aircraft.  Exhibit  4.3(k)  sets  forth  the  details  by  which  such  documents  differ  from  the  corresponding 
representative sample of documents filed herewith as Exhibits 4.3(h) and 4.3(i) with respect to Aircraft bearing Registration No. N976JT.
Compensatory plans in which the directors and executive officers of JetBlue participate.

* 
**  Pursuant to a Confidential Treatment Request under Rule 24b-2 filed with and approved by the SEC, portions of this exhibit have been omitted.
***  Pursuant to 17 CFR 240.24b-2, confidential information has been omitted and has been provided separately to the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to a 

Confidential Treatment Request filed with the Commission.

****  Information in this exhibit identified by brackets is confidential and has been excluded pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K because it (i) is not material and 

(ii) would likely cause competitive harm to the Company if publicly disclosed.

92

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION 
SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

(in millions)

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets

Allowance for obsolete inventory parts

Allowance for doubtful accounts

TOTAL

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets

Allowance for obsolete inventory parts

Allowance for doubtful accounts

TOTAL

Year Ended December 31, 2017

Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets

Allowance for obsolete inventory parts

Allowance for doubtful accounts

TOTAL

Inventory scrapped.

(1) 
(2)  Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries.
(3)  Relates to foreign NOL carryforwards.

Balance at
beginning of 
period

Additions Charged  
to Costs and 
Expenses

Deductions

Balance at end  
of period

$

$

$

$

$

$

21

18

1

40

1

14

1

16

—

12

5

17

$

$

$

$

$

$

10

4

—

14

20

4

2

26

1

2

—

3

$

$

$

$

$

$

— (3)

— (1)

— (2)

—

—

— (1)

2 (2)

2

—

— (1)

4 (2)

4

$

$

$

$

$

$

31

22

1

54

21

18

1

40

1

14

1

16

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

93

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

EXHIBIT 21.1  List of Subsidiaries
As of December 31, 2019

BlueBermuda Insurance, LTD (Bermuda corporation)

JetBlue Technology Ventures, L.L.C. (Delaware corporation)

JBTP, LLC (Delaware corporation)

94

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

EXHIBIT 23  Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration Statements:

(1) Registration  Statement  (Form  S-8  No.  333-86444)  pertaining  to  the  JetBlue  Airways  Corporation  2002  Stock  Incentive  Plan  and 

the JetBlue Airways Corporation Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan,

(2) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-129238) pertaining to the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2002 Stock Incentive Plan and the 

JetBlue Airways Corporation Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan,

(3) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-161565) pertaining to the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2002 Stock Incentive Plan and the 

JetBlue Airways Corporation Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan,

(4) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-174947) pertaining to the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan 

and the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan,

(5) Registration Statement (Form S-3 ASR No. 333-202143) of JetBlue Airways Corporation,

(6) Registration Statement (Form S-3 ASR No. 333-230007) of JetBlue Airways Corporation; and

(7) Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-207242) pertaining to the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan 

and the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan

of our reports dated February 18, 2020, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of JetBlue Airways Corporation, the effectiveness of 
internal control over financial reporting of JetBlue Airways Corporation and the financial statement schedule of JetBlue Airways Corporation listed 
in Item 15(2) included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) of JetBlue Airways Corporation for the year ended December 31, 2019.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York
February 18, 2020

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

95

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

EXHIBIT 31.1 

 Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Executive 
Officer

I, Robin Hayes, certify that:

1.

2.

3.

4.

I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of JetBlue Airways Corporation; 

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary 
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to 
the period covered by this report; 

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects 
the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; 

The  registrant’s  other  certifying  officer  and  I  are  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure  controls  and  procedures 
(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 
13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: 

a)

b)

c)

d)

designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our 
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known 
to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed 
under  our  supervision,  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of 
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions 
about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on 
such evaluation; and

disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s 
most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is 
reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial 
reporting,  to  the  registrant’s  auditors  and  the  audit  committee  of  the  registrant’s  board  of  directors  (or  persons  performing  the 
equivalent functions):

a)

b)

all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which 
are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; 
and

any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s 
internal control over financial reporting.

Date: February 18, 2020 

By: 

/s/ ROBIN HAYES

Chief Executive Officer

96

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

EXHIBIT 31.2 

 Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Financial 
Officer

I, Steve Priest, certify that:

1.

2.

3.

4.

I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of JetBlue Airways Corporation; 

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary 
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to 
the period covered by this report; 

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects 
the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; 

The  registrant’s  other  certifying  officer  and  I  are  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure  controls  and  procedures 
(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 
13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: 

a)

b)

c)

d)

designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our 
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known 
to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed 
under  our  supervision,  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of 
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions 
about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on 
such evaluation; and

disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s 
most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is 
reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.

The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial 
reporting,  to  the  registrant’s  auditors  and  the  audit  committee  of  the  registrant’s  board  of  directors  (or  persons  performing  the 
equivalent functions):

a)

b)

all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which 
are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; 
and

any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s 
internal control over financial reporting.

Date: February 18, 2020

By: 

/s/ STEVE PRIEST

Chief Financial Officer

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |    2019 ANNUAL REPORT

97

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

EXHIBIT 32  Section 1350 Certifications

In connection with the Annual Report of JetBlue Airways Corporation on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18, 2020 (the “Report”), the undersigned, in the capacities and on the dates indicated 
below, each hereby certify pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that 
the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) and 
the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of JetBlue 
Airways Corporation.

Date: February 18, 2020

Date: February 18, 2020

By: 

/s/ ROBIN HAYES

Chief Executive Officer

By: 

/s/ STEVE PRIEST

Chief Financial Officer

98

JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION    |   2019 ANNUAL REPORT

This page intentionally left blank

This page intentionally left blank

Annual Report Cover - 2019 Final2_Back.pdf   1   3/11/20   12:10 PM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K