JetBlue may soon begin offering flights between the US and Ireland. The airline has shared its ambitions to expand its transatlantic route network. The airline currently flies only two transatlantic routes. Both fly to London from Boston and New York. It has a codeshare agreement with Aer Lingus, based in Dublin, Ireland. If JetBlue operated regular flights from New York or Boston to Dublin, the airline would expand its outreach deep into Europe through this partnership. JetBlue's recent acquisition of Airbus A321LR aircraft has made these routes possible. Once the Airbus A321XLR aircraft are delivered, the airline's range will be extended even further.

Transatlantic connection

JetBlue may soon offer direct non-stop service from the northeastern US to Dublin, Ireland. The airline has declared its intentions to expand its transatlantic network further to reach more European destinations. The airline flies two routes between Europe and the US. One of the routes stretches from Boston to London; the other connects New York and London. The airline has seen great success along these routes. These are just the first of many routes it hopes to service for years to come.

The airline is in a codeshare agreement with Aer Lingus. This agreement allows passengers to book a flight on JetBlue's website to fly on Aer Lingus flights. JetBlue will provide its passengers with 13 additional European destinations if it expands its network to reach Dublin. The destinations passengers could reach through Dublin with this new codeshare agreement include Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich, Zurich, Paris, Lyon, Milan, Naples, and Rome. Simple Flying has reached out to JetBlue regarding this potential route and will update this article once a response has been received.

Meet the fleet

JetBlue is one of the largest airlines in the US. It has grown rapidly in recent years as it is also one of the youngest in the country. Despite this rapid growth and expansion, the airline only recently began flying to Europe. The reason is that its fleet's range has hindered the airline. Its fleet consists primarily of Airbus A320 series aircraft. This aircraft line traditionally lacks the necessary range to complete a transoceanic journey.

The airline has recently received its first Airbus A321LR aircraft. The LR stands for Long Range. These aircraft boast an impressive range capacity of 4,000 miles. This number is calculated, presuming the plane has full fuel and is carrying no passengers or cargo. Even with a full flight, the aircraft retains plenty of range to reach the westernmost cities in Europe from the northeastern US. This is the aircraft that the airline uses to fly its London routes. As the airline acquires more A321LR airliners, it is likely to begin expanding its outreach further.

Airbus is manufacturing its next model of A321, the A321XLR, for JetBlue. This aircraft will add another 700 miles in range. The A321XLR is not set for delivery until 2024. The airline has stuck with the A320 series for fleet commonality. Limiting the types of aircraft it flies reduces its maintenance costs and allows more of its aircraft to be interchangeable between routes. This is why the airline has not sprung for an aircraft with greater range, such as the A350 or B787.