By the numbers: A snapshot of the merger between JetBlue and Spirit
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
July 28, 2022
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3 min read
By the numbers: A snapshot of the merger between JetBlue and Spirit
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There's big news in the aviation industry, as JetBlue Airways has reached an agreement to buy Spirit Airlines.
Though the acquisition is only in its early stages and will still have to win regulatory approval, the two carriers are already touting future growth as a key driver of the merger. While the implementation isn't estimated to be completed until early 2024, there's still lots to unpack about each carrier.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter.
- Spirit terminates Frontier merger deal, paving way for possible JetBlue acquisition
- JetBlue vs Frontier: Who will win the battle over Spirit and why does it matter?
- 3 reasons JetBlue’s bid for Spirit could raise red flags for regulators
- JetBlue makes yet another offer for Spirit — but this time is different
With that in mind, here's a by-the-numbers breakdown of the two carriers.
| JetBlue | Spirit | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Queens, New York | Miramar, Florida |
| CEO | Robin Hayes | Ted Christie |
| Number of staff | 19,466 (2021) | 9,823 (2021) |
| Number of destinations | 104 | 83 |
| Focus Cities |
|
|
| Daily Departures (scheduled, 2022) | About 950 | About 735 |
| Frequent flyer program | TrueBlue | Free Spirit |
| Expiration of frequent flyer miles | Do not expire | 12 months |
| Top 3 busiest airports by departures (scheduled, 2021) |
|
|
| Fleet | 285 | 180 |
| Seats per aircraft type |
|
|
Sources Diio by Cirium, JetBlue and Spirit website and investor pages.
Featured image by (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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