Dive Brief:
- JetBlue’s efforts to ensure dependable and caring service are paying off with significant gains in customer satisfaction, executives said on a Q2 2025 earnings call Tuesday.
- The airline’s net promoter score was up double digits year over year in the second quarter and for the first half of 2025, CEO Joanna Geraghty said.
- “We believe that on-time performance and customer satisfaction are leading indicators for improved financial performance and that running a strong operation is essential,” she said during the call.
Dive Insight:
As JetBlue pursues JetForward, the airline’s multiyear plan to return to profitability, it is focused on driving more reliablity and offering customers value.
The airline’s quarterly financial results exceeded analysts’ expectations. Still, JetBlue reported a net loss for the second quarter of 2025 of $74 million, and operating revenue decreased 3% year over year to $2.4 billion, according to an earnings report.
Operational improvements and customer satisfaction gains have driven some financial benefit, Geraghty said. The airline improved its on-time performance 3 points year over year and its completion factor by half a point.
“In all, efforts to run a more reliable operation have contributed approximately $15 million of incremental EBIT benefit over the first half of 2025,” Geraghty said.
The airline is also cultivating loyalty with dependable service and fresh initiatives.
“Additionally, we are seeing indications that customers are choosing us more often, proof that the investments we are making in our operations, such as implementing increased schedule buffers and launching new tools to enable customer self-service are having a positive impact,” Geraghty said.
Among JetBlue’s initiatives is Blue Sky, its joint loyalty venture with United Airlines. Geraghty says the collaboration, which won Department of Transportation approval last week, will accelerate JetForward by contributing an expected incremental $50 million in EBIT through 2027.
The program links the United and JetBlue network to increase customer choice, executives said. It also allows JetBlue to reach new customers.
“Frankly, I'm looking forward to having our partnership customers, whether United or Lufthansa or whoever ends up being a partner, come to fly JetBlue because, again, I feel like once you try us, once you'll recognize how much better JetBlue is, and well you very much appreciate the JetBlue experience and look for us in the future,” said Marty St. George, president at JetBlue, during the call.