JetBlue has doubled its London presence from New York with the start of flights to Gatwick.
The US carrier is to run four flights a week on the route in October, rising to a daily frequency in November – timed for the long-awaited easing of US entry requirements for travellers from the UK and other European destinations.
The airline started serving Heathrow in August as its first transatlantic venture.
The sixth largest US carrier is deploying single aisle Airbus A321 long range aircraft on the route with 24 Mint suites and 114 in economy.
Flights to Gatwick now bring the airline’s London service in line with its multi-airport approach in New York, Los Angeles, South Florida and other regions, where the airline can serve a wider range of travellers across large metropolitan areas.
A London service from Boston remains on track to start in summer 2022.
President and chief operating officer Joanna Geraghty said: “With a 500% increase in JetBlue’s UK bookings following news of easing US entry requirements for international travellers, it’s clear there is significant pent up demand for travel between our two countries and that our Gatwick launch is well timed to meet the growing number of customers returning to the skies.
“JetBlue’s new service at Gatwick – complemented by our recently launched flights at Heathrow – introduces an all-new choice for London travellers who won’t have to choose between an attractive fare and great service as they reunite with family, friends and colleagues on either side of the Atlantic.”
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “Travel restrictions between the UK and US start falling away in just days, so fully vaccinated customers can now book this exciting new route with confidence.
“London to New York is historically the world’s most popular international route and – given JetBlue’s extremely competitive pricing and high-quality service – I expect this new route to be in high demand.”
VisitBritain chief marketing officer for the Americas, Sheelagh Wylie, added: “The launch of JetBlue’s service between New York and London has been a most welcome addition to the transatlantic market, and following the recent announcements of simplified travel rules between the US and the UK, the new service to Gatwick will provide even greater accessibility for Americans to book their next trip to Britain.”