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JetBlue has completed the retirement of its Embraer E190 aircraft, ending nearly 20 years of service for the type in its fleet. The move marks a significant shift for the airline, which now operates an all-Airbus lineup consisting of the Airbus A220-300, A320-200, A321-200, and A321neo.
The Embraer E190 first joined JetBlue’s fleet in 2005 after the airline became the launch customer for the model in 2003. Over eight years, JetBlue took delivery of 63 E190s. The aircraft, configured with 100 seats, enabled JetBlue to expand into smaller markets and serve cities that could not support larger jets like the Airbus A320-200. This allowed JetBlue to increase frequency on existing routes and strengthen its market presence.
As aviation technology advanced and operating economics shifted, JetBlue began transitioning away from the E190. Although some of JetBlue’s A320s are older than its retiring E190s, age was not cited as the main reason for phasing out the aircraft. Instead, economic factors played a larger role; smaller jets like the E190 have higher per-seat costs due to fixed expenses being spread over fewer passengers.
