JetBlue has ordered 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft with deliveries scheduled from 2020 to 2025.
The low-cost carrier will use the 130- to 160-seat aircraft to replace its fleet of 100-seat Embraer E190s. JetBlue also has an option to acquire 60 additional A220s after 2025.
In its announcement Monday, JetBlue said the range and seating capacity of the A220 will add flexibility to its network strategy, including providing more options for transcontinental flying and opening up potential markets that would be unprofitable with the carrier's existing fleet.
The A220-300 will deliver approximately 40% less fuel burn per seat than JetBlue's existing E190 fleet, the airline said. The A220-300 has a range of 3,800 miles according to Airbus. JetBlue also touted the A220's wide seats and large amount of overhead bin space.
"We expect the A220 to be an important long-term building block in our goal to deliver superior margins and create long-term shareholder value," Steve Priest, the carrier's executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in a prepared statement. "We are confident the A220 will perform well in every aspect, including network, cost, maintenance, or customer experience. Simply put -- our crewmembers, customers and owners are going to love this aircraft."
JetBlue announced its A220 order the same day that Airbus formally changed the name of what had been called the Bombardier CS300 to the A220-300. Airbus took controlling interest of the Bombardier C-Series on July 1. The C-Series also included the smaller CS100, which is now called the A220-100. JetBlue has the option of converting A220-300 options to A220-100s on aircraft that would be delivered after 2025.