JetBlue Expects More Soft Demand, Cuts Capacity

JetBlue said Tuesday it is anticipating more softened demand in the second quarter and plans to cut capacity. 

Marty St, George, JetBlue’s president, said in a statement that the carrier had seen strong booking trends in January, but that strength started to deteriorate in February and March. 

“We expect softened demand for off-peak travel to continue into the second quarter, where the booking curve is more exposed to macro uncertainty and deteriorating consumer confidence,” St. George said. 

JetBlue also pulled its 2025 forecast, which most U.S. airlines have done in response to economic uncertainty. 

However, St. George noted that the carrier saw some encouraging trends in premium and international travel, along with loyalty. 

Premium and international travel have become increasingly important for airlines as domestic travel demand weakens. United chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said during a call with analysts on April 16 that the airline had not seen a “deterioration in high-end consumers' willingness to purchase a premium experience.”

JetBlue reported a net loss of $208 million for the first quarter, which was an improvement from its $716 million loss in 2024. The carrier also netted $2.1 billion in revenue, a 3.1% decrease from the same period last year. 

For the second quarter, JetBlue forecasts capacity to be down 0.5% to 3.5%. 

The carrier said it was “well positioned to manage through a range of economic outcomes,” pointing to its deferral of $3 billion worth of aircraft and its decision to raise $3.2 billion of capital.