JetBlue Adds Costa Rica, Battles Virgin in Boston

[[JetBlue]] announced it will launch new service to San Jose, Costa Rica, from [[Orlando International Airport – MCO | Orlando]], beginning March 26. San Jose is the first Central American destination on JetBlue’s route map, but is only the latest in a round of new routes to the Caribbean and Latin America. Introductory fares will go for $99 each way, and must be booked by December 23. Average everyday fares will start at $139 each way.

According to the Boston Globe, JetBlue will also reinstate seasonal service between [[Boston Logan Airport – BOS | Boston]] and [[San Francisco International Airport – SFO | San Francisco]]. The move comes in response to news that [[Virgin America]] will begin flying from Boston to San Francisco in February. Prior to Virgin’s move to Logan, JetBlue had shelved plans to add a San Francisco route and maintain its Boston-[[Oakland International Airport – OAK | Oakland]] service instead.

JetBlue is in an interesting place here: expanding its reach while simultaneously defending its home turf. Costa Rica gives JetBlue 12 current and forthcoming destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America, many of which are popular vacation spots and most of which, I’d guess, are pretty strong routes for the airline. On the other hand, Boston is one of JetBlue’s major hubs, second only to New York in terms of flights, and Virgin’s presence at Logan airport means competition with a popular, growth-hungry carrier. Clearly JetBlue is not taking its strength in the Northeast for granted.