JetBlue Embraces Blue in Its First Major Livery Update in Two Decades

As if JetBlue Airways didn't have enough on its plate, the airline has unveiled a branding refresh with a new all-blue livery for its fleet.

The new livery drops the standard white aircraft fuselage that JetBlue has used since its launch in 2000 for an all-blue one. The carrier also enlarged its name on the side of planes, and added its logo to the bottom for easy spotting from the ground. JetBlue will continue to use a myriad of different tail designs across its fleet.

“Liveries have always been a part of our identity," JetBlue Head of Marketing and Loyalty Jayne O’Brien said. “The new livery helps us stand out among a sky of legacy carriers, and is a stunning reflection of our role as a disruptor that uniquely combines lower fares and great service.”

One does have to question the timing of JetBlue's livery announcement. The airline just lost an antitrust case with the U.S. Justice Department and may, pending a possible appeal, need to end its lucrative partnership with American Airlines. The Justice Department has also sued to block its proposed merger with Spirit Airlines, which JetBlue executives have said is critical to its future competitiveness. And the airline continues to face challenges with elevated costs — making the investment in a new look now questionable.

And, to paraphrase former American CEO Doug Parker after he orchestrated a merger with US Airways in 2013, travelers don't buy tickets based on the exterior look of the plane.

JetBlue plans to update the look of its fleet as aircraft come in for regular paint refreshes. That process can take years. The first plane sporting the livery, an Airbus A321neo, will enter passenger service at New York JFK on June 15.