We're all incredibly excited to see JetBlue launch flights to London soon. However, before this, the American airline will be launching flights to Ecuador which will be their longest current route.

JetBlue is currently attempting to completely disrupt the transatlantic travel market by launching flights to London with their Mint business class cabin. However, while they're busy preparing for that, they're not taking their eye off the ball. In fact, the carrier is set to crush its current longest route by 200nmi in December, when it launches a new route to Guayaquil in Ecuador. The route is 2,970 miles as the crow flies, shorter than the planned 3,451-mile route to London.

Second Ecuadorian city

Guayaquil is JetBlue's second city in Ecuador, behind Quito. The carrier already flies to Guayaquil from Fort Lauderdale. However, it is set to launch a new service to the city from JFK in New York. Indeed, the carrier currently serves a total of six destinations on the South American continent.

Tickets on the new route are already on sale according, to a JetBlue press release, with the route scheduled for launch on the 5th of December. The route is 200 nautical miles longer than JetBlue's current longest route, and will be operated daily.

JFK to Guayaquil JetBlue
The route from JFK to Guayaquil. Photo: GCMaps

JetBlue Airbus A321neo

JetBlue will be using their Airbus A321neo aircraft on the route. The airline states that the aircraft is perfect for the route due to its extended range and fuel efficiency. Onboard, passengers are in for a treat as the aircraft is kitted out with the Collins Meridian seat. The airline touts this as "the widest seat available for the single-aisle Airbus family of aircraft".

New route schedule

The new route to Guayaquil will be operated with one rotation daily. This will see the airline utilising the following schedule, should everything go to plan:

  • JetBlue flight 1769 is scheduled to depart from New York's JFK at 14:00 local. After flying 2,970 miles, the aircraft will touch down at Guayaquil at 21:04 local.
  • JetBlue flight 1770 is then scheduled to depart Guayaquil at 22:55 local. The overnight flight is scheduled to touch down at JFK at 05:13 local the next day.
JetBlue Airbus A321 JFK to Guayaquil
JetBlue will launch the route on December 5th this year. Photo: BriYYZ via Flickr

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Busting high fares

It appears that, like their planned London route, JetBlue is intending to disrupt the JFK to Guayaquil market, and a route which is currently dominated by LATAM. Andrea Lusso is JetBlue's director of route planning. He told media,

“Today, the existing New York-Guayaquil market suffers from high fares and limited service choices.” Before going on to add: “Broadening our service in Guayaquil will also help us grow our network and will introduce yet another incredible destination for JetBlue customers in New York while also expanding JetBlue’s international footprint.”

Would you fly from New York to Guayaquil with JetBlue? Let us know in the comments!