It's no secret that JetBlue has plans across the Atlantic that extend beyond London.
Last week, the airline disclosed the specifics of its eagerly awaited new route between New York and Paris, with flights beginning on June 29.
Later this year, additional flights from Boston to Paris are anticipated.
JetBlue's network planners are probably already considering what comes after this summer's significant Paris debut, even though the airline may be getting ready for it.
After all, this year will see the delivery of five new Airbus A321LR, or long-range, aircraft, to the airline.
Starting in 2024, it will also add 13 extra-long-range A321XLR jets.
So where will JetBlue travel after that? Top contenders are listed below.
Amsterdam
Aviation enthusiasts shouldn't be very surprised by this one.
With some luck (and a lot of nagging), Amsterdam will be JetBlue's next stop.
Recently, the carrier requested assistance from the US Department of Transportation to gain access to slots at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
The airline has so far been unable to acquire takeoff and landing privileges to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The capacity of others to grow is being hampered by entrenched legacy carriers and long-standing joint ventures, according to Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer of JetBlue.
JetBlue will increase its flight schedule to Amsterdam if it ever acquires the necessary slots. In the hopes that they would eventually answer and invite us in, we will keep knocking on their door, Geraghty added.
Dublin
Dublin is another potential option.
JetBlue would probably have no trouble packing a 138-seat plane from New York or Boston to Dublin because there has consistently been high demand for flights from the Northeast to Ireland.
Also, the two airlines share offices in Boston and New York and have a codeshare agreement with Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus. JetBlue might introduce new flights to supplement Aer Lingus' current schedule.
Lisbon, Portugal.
In the past, JetBlue and TAP Air Portugal had a codeshare agreement.
As a result of the agreement, passengers may now book flights to and from Portugal through JetBlue, a New York-based airline that serves as the domestic feed for TAP's U.S. gateways.
Despite the partnership's termination, JetBlue's feed accounted for up to 17% of all transatlantic passenger traffic on TAP in 2017.
There doesn't seem to be a dearth of passengers flying between the United States and Europe, even though demand patterns fluctuate over time. Thus, it's possible that JetBlue will try Lisbon on its own.
Copenhagen
Speaking of the rising demand for transatlantic travel, Copenhagen appears to be another market where JetBlue may have a chance.
It's possible for JetBlue to turn Copenhagen into a seasonal market because there is a constant flow of travelers going to or from the Danish city, especially during the warmer months.
The Airbus A321LR has a 4,000 nautical mile range (though it can vary depending on the cabin configuration).
Certainly within that distance from New York and Boston is Copenhagen (3,340 and 3,179 nautical miles, respectively).
Rome
Rome may perhaps be on JetBlue's future route map as another significant European city. But, it might be difficult to reach the Italian capital using its current A321LR fleet.
This is due to the fact that Rome is 3,700 nautical miles from New York, which is likely testing the A321LR's range, especially while the aircraft is travelling against strong headwinds in the west.
Rome might not be immediate, but it's probably a top contender for JetBlue's new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which have 700 more nautical miles of range than the LR model.
With an order for 13 XLRs, JetBlue will have the flexibility to determine how it deploys these jets. This will probably enable the airline to expand into more of continental Europe as well as provide more routes to current European locations from farther away in the U.S.
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