JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU), Puerto Rico’s largest airline, has officially opened its first-ever crew base outside the continental U.S. at San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), marking a significant milestone in the airline’s expansion. This new crew base will bring hundreds of job opportunities to Puerto Rico. The celebration continues with the launch of new flights from Puerto Rico’s capital to the picturesque island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, further solidifying JetBlue’s investment in the Caribbean.
The new crew base in San Juan will create over 400 jobs, including more than 100 pilot positions and over 300 inflight crewmember roles (flight attendants) by next year. The base, which will primarily support inflight crewmembers, officially opened today, with pilots expected to begin operations in early 2025. Located in Terminal A of the airport, the base will allow crewmembers to begin and end their shifts in San Juan, supporting JetBlue’s operations throughout Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and beyond. The addition of the crew base ensures the airline can quickly respond to operational disruptions. This development follows the opening of JetBlue’s Tech Ops maintenance base in San Juan in 2020.
Warren Christie, JetBlue’s Chief Operating Officer, expressed pride in the airline’s growth in Puerto Rico. “The new crew base strengthens our commitment to investing in the communities we serve, creating opportunities for local talent, and expanding our network to meet the growing demand for Caribbean travel.”
Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi welcomed the expansion, stating, “JetBlue’s continued investment in Puerto Rico highlights its strong partnership with the island. With record growth in tourism over the past few years, this is another positive sign for the people of Puerto Rico.”
Carlos Mercado Santiago, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, added, “The opening of this crew base underscores JetBlue’s commitment to the island, bolstering flight frequency to local airports and supporting new opportunities for expanding connections to domestic and international markets, benefiting the local economy.”
JetBlue has been serving Puerto Rico for over 22 years, offering flights to 18 destinations from the island. With more than 50 daily departures during peak periods this winter, JetBlue’s network expansion will create an additional 70 jobs, bringing its total workforce in Puerto Rico to over 800 crewmembers by 2025, across San Juan, Aguadilla, and Ponce.