JetBlue adds a new Colorado ski town to its map amid flurry of new winter flights
JetBlue Airways is snapping on its ski boots and getting ready to hit the slopes this winter amid a flurry of new air service to the Rocky Mountains.
The New York-based carrier will add Montrose, Colorado (MTJ,) near Telluride to its map starting Dec. 19, JetBlue unveiled on Wednesday. The airline will offer flights to Montrose from Boston (BOS) on Saturdays and Sundays through March 27, 2021, and from its new Los Angeles (LAX) base and New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) on select Saturdays through Feb. 20, 2021. All of the flights will be flown with Airbus A320 jets.
JetBlue joins Southwest Airlines in adding Montrose to its map this winter. Both airlines are adding outdoor-oriented destinations — including ones in the Rocky Mountains as well as desert city Palm Springs — for leisure travelers eager for socially-distanced escapes from their homes.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free new biweekly Aviation newsletter!
"As we take a refreshed approach to evaluating new markets, it's clear to us that travelers are increasingly looking for unique destinations where they can truly escape and enjoy wide open spaces," Andrea Lusso, vice president network planning at JetBlue, said in a statement.
Lusso added that Montrose allows the airline to further "diversify" its map, which has traditionally leaned heavily on Northeast business markets and Florida and Caribbean beaches.
JetBlue is also expanding service to Steamboat Springs, Colorado (HDN) with new nonstop flights to New York.
Related: Airlines are flying some unexpected routes during the pandemic
The addition of Montrose, however, does not make up for what JetBlue has cut. The airline only plans to fly a little over 60% of what it flew a year ago in November, according to Cirium data. December schedules have not been loaded.
In addition, the carrier has suspended flights to a number of major airports, including Baltimore/Washington (BWI) and San Jose, California (SJC), until at least April. Flights to Newburgh/Stewart (SWF) near New York City and Worcester, Massachusetts (ORH) are suspended indefinitely.
In September, JetBlue's senior vice president of airline planning Scott Laurence told TPG that the airline's more than 50 new routes -- most to leisure-oriented destinations -- were "driven out of the fact that we've seen business travel evaporate and is probably not coming back anytime soon."
Related: JetBlue service to Baltimore, some California airports now suspended until April
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month