JetBlue Blog

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) History Month. At JetBlue, we’re proud to celebrate the diversity of our crewmembers and customers.

Learn more about our support of the LGBT community.

Learn more about LGBT History Month

Whether it’s a special occasion or a spur-of-the moment family getaway, it’s important to select a destination that has something to offer everyone traveling in your party. That’s why I brought my mother and daughter with me to The Homestead for a special, fun-filled weekend. It doesn’t have to be Mother’s Day to celebrate three great generations of women.

When I travel with family members I sometimes like to escape my day-to-day routine, which for me is flying (though I do love flying and taking amazing long distance trips via air!). I welcomed a family road trip to The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia. All three generations of women could catch up and tell each other stories while we enjoyed the picturesque Virginia landscapes.

I have visited The Homestead many times before, and I’m always excited to go back because it always has something new to offer. This resort and spa is located in the middle of the beautiful Allegheny Mountains, and its amenities are as spectacular as its grounds. Built in 1766, The Homestead is a National Historic Landmark that has hosted 22 American presidents. So it’s no wonder guests feel so special during their stay. Even though the resort is centuries old, its countless features keep it timeless.

When planning family trips, always be sure to get everyone’s input. I usually take the lead and organize my family’s getaways. I make sure I do my research and gather all of the information, and then provide everybody with a few different options so we can collectively come up with a vacation that works for us all. This is why my mother, daughter and I chose The Homestead: there’s something there for everyone.

To craft a great getaway that will be enjoyable for all ages, be sure to select a destination that offers a wide array of activities. For our Mother’s Day vacation, my family chose to spend our time relaxing with spa treatments and eating good meals. For the ladies of my family, this weekend was about coming together for a moment in time to enjoy the same things.

I’m always sure to make the reservations for accommodations, dining and activities so that we have an itinerary upon arrival. This way, if we decide to go off and explore the property on our own, we always have an itinerary to bring us back together. What’s special at The Homestead is the opportunity for guests to book reservations for everything from activities to dining in advance of their trips, and upon check-in, guests are handed a printed itinerary for their stay. The key to any multigenerational family vacation is to be sure that there’s a perfect balance of structure and freedom for all travelers so the whole family can make the most of their time together while still spending their trip the way they want to.

During the day we all went swimming in the Jefferson Pools, an historic crystal-clear warm spring on the resort property. To make the experience even more relaxing, I ventured to the resort’s new swimming area where I enjoyed a massage from the waterfall above that cascaded down my shoulders and back into the hot tub. We also spent time walking around The Homestead grounds and taking in the breathtaking views of the Allegheny Mountains.

The Homestead offers a long list of activities, ranging from archery, kayaking and paintballing for the more energetic visitors, to carriage rides and nightly movies for those wanting a more relaxing stay. Although I wanted to avoid creating a schedule full of hustle and bustle during this special weekend so that my mother, daughter and I could spend time enjoying each other’s company, I took advantage of some of The Homestead’s more physically demanding activities in the past and had a great time.

Whether embarking on a weekend jam-packed with activities or taking a trip more focused on R&R, I always recommend booking a few reservations and accommodations ahead of time, and leaving some time open to discover some local gems on your own. Do your homework and uncover great hotspots you think your family would enjoy and include these places in your itinerary. For instance, if you make your way to The Homestead, be sure to have a meal at Sam Snead’s Tavern in Hot Springs, a popular local eatery located right outside the resort. My mother, daughter and I enjoyed the first dinner of our getaway here. We made a point of adding this dining experience into our schedule.

We were able to celebrate a Mother’s Day tradition cherished by the women in my family: Enjoying a meal together that is not prepared by a mother. This is the one day she can truly enjoy herself and savor every moment. We enjoyed breakfast and dinner in the main dining room that provided ballroom dancing and a string band. The wait staff at The Homestead is just amazing. They are all so accommodating, bending over backward for guests. The food is incredible, especially the Allegheny Mountain trout, one of The Homestead’s most popular dishes. And the presentation of the food is as delicious as the taste.

A resort like The Homestead is ideal for a mother-daughter getaway, but it could suit the tastes of just about anyone, regardless of age or gender. Guests are able to follow as strict or loose a schedule as they desire, all within the resort property, appealing to anyone from a child to a grandparent. And although my trip was planned to enjoy Mother’s Day, The Homestead is a great place to celebrate many different occasions throughout the year. You know a resort is truly great when it has something to offer everyone.

I’m so thankful for my wonderful mother and daughter, so it’s important for me to plan something special and memorable to celebrate together. Mother’s Day should be celebrated at any time of the year, and it’s a great time to take off, relax, get pampered and enjoy the company of your loved ones without being the caretaker for once. And The Homestead is the perfect place to unwind and be taken care of at any time of the year.

Follow my travels on Twitter (@Wingwoman_Tracy) and tell me how you pampered your mom on this special day and throughout the year.

Check out Tracy’s column on Huffington Post Travel with images from her trip
Read Tracy’s previous columns
Learn more about our Wingwoman Tracy

We’re excited to announce a partnership with Air Ventures and Royal Waste Services to compost leftovers from select restaurants in Terminal 5 (T5) at John F. Kennedy International Airport.  Air Ventures, the franchisee that owns and operates the Jamba Juice and Dunkin Donuts restaurants in T5 and Royal Waste Services have committed to work with us to separate and haul nearly 300 pounds of food waste each day for composting.

Preserving the environment and creating a healthier planet is a core pillar of our sustainability philosophy.  Compost is good for the environment, reduces the amount of solid waste that goes into landfills, redirects it to become a useful product and decreases the production of greenhouse gases.

If a seagull flies over the sea, what flies over the Jamaica Bay on final approach to JFK? You guessed it! JetBlue!

This collaboration is our most recent effort to reduce waste in landfills. Rather than tossing food into the trash, Air Ventures will throw compostable food scraps into bins which Royal Waste Services will then transport to a composting facility to turn it into fertilizer and nutrient rich soil for local farms including McEnroe Organic Farm in upstate New York.  We hope to extend this partnership to other vendors in JFK’s T5, as well as other airports throughout our network.

At JetBlue, preserving the environment is a top priority. We’re creating a healthier planet through a variety of efforts.  We recently accepted Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Carbon Challenge to reduce carbon gas emissions in New York City. We also took an environmentally-friendly approach during the construction of our new corporate support center in Long Island City, adding to the building’s recognition by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as having achieved Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED EB) Silver certification.

Since 2008, we’ve partnered with Carbonfund.org, a nonprofit organization that allows customers to offset carbon dioxide emissions generated by their individual air travel. We also offset all crewmember business travel. Carbon offsets balance out carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from a flight by supporting projects that reduce CO2 elsewhere. Additionally, over the past six years through its One Thing That’s Green, we’ve planted 1,333 trees and cleaned up nearly three tons of trash throughout New York City in an effort to improve air quality. These trees will remove 34,658 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the course of their lives.

Earlier this week we attended PENCIL’s annual gala honoring New York City business leaders’ contributions to education. We were honored to receive the PENCIL Corporate Partner Award, a recognition of the support we give to five PENCIL partnership schools in Queens, New York including Aviation High School and Channel View School for Research. We’re committed to playing a role in education by partnering with PENCIL to enhance public education through innovative programs. In fact, Dave, our CEO, serves as the Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors.

On this Memorial Weekend we celebrate many things, including the unofficial official kickoff to the summer travel season.

We also take the time this weekend to honor those brave men and women who put their own lives on the line to protect ours. On behalf of our 15,000 crewmembers, we salute you.

Learn more about our support of those who serve.

Learn more about Memorial Day

Another win for the “Yanks!” The Metropolitan Police Department of London returned to challenge our JetBlue crewmembers, British Airways, NYPD and TSA in the ultimate muscle test at their Annual Plane Pull at JFK.

The teams tugged at an A320 to raise awareness for the Joining Against Cancer in Kids (J.A.C.K) Foundation. J.A.C.K is a UK-based charity dedicated to raising funds for Neuroblastoma research, a rare childhood brain cancer. Visit http://j-a-c-k.org/for more information and to make a donation.

Every May 24 we celebrate National Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Day, honoring technicians’ vital role in aviation. Thank you to our Maintenance Technicians (and to all of our Tech Ops Crewmembers) for ensuring the well-being of our fleet!

This day is significant for being the birthday of Charles E. Taylor, who is known as the father of aviation maintenance. His title is well deserved — Charles E. Taylor hand built and maintained the engine that powered the Wright brothers’ first flight. You can read the complete U.S. House of Representatives Resolution establishing May 24 as AMT Day by clicking here.

There is an amazing amount of experience across our Tech Ops department. Take a look at the numbers below to get an idea. These are the combined number of years of service at JetBlue for our Maintenance Technicians, Lead Maintenance Technicians, Quality Inspectors and Lead Quality Inspectors at our two largest maintenance stations and across our network.

The last several months have been especially eventful for Tech Ops crewmembers. The Boston Tech Ops team moved into a new hangar in December, and in February, JFK Crewmembers performed the world’s first production retrofit of Sharklets on an A320.

Yesterday we kicked off service to our 78th BlueCity: Philadelphia! From our great customer service to loyal customer base in Boston, we’re confident travelers will come to depend on our new service. Our E190 fleet will make five daily non-stops from Boston Logan, where we’re the largest carrier. Inaugural activities were in full swing at both locations, complete with a Rocky impersonator and Philly cheesesteaks!

Did you know that one of Philly’s main highways (I-476) is locally called the “Blue Route?” We think our new service was meant to be!

We’re excited to launch service to our 78th city, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Starting today, we’ll serve Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) with five daily nonstop flights from Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS).

To celebrate our 78th destination, today through May 30, flights to/from Philadelphia are on sale from $39 one way for travel between May 1 and September 28, 2013 (blackout dates apply) on jetblue.com.

Also, in partnership with First Book, we’ll donate 1,776 books to Stonehurst Hills Elementary in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania and KenCrest Services, an Infant/Toddler Home Community Program with 325 pre-K students with developmental disabilities located in Philadelphia. First Book provides new reading materials to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books.

Our entrance to the City of Brotherly Love reinforces our commitment to offer the business traveler options for affordable air travel.  Adding Philadelphia to our growing route map helps solidify JetBlue’s already strong relevance for the business traveler, particularly at Logan International Airport, where we now offer service to 17 of the highest demand routes for business travel.  Our service from Boston to Philadelphia will provide more options for the traveling public, inviting customers to experience comfy leather seats with the most legroom of any other domestic airline in coach , free snacks and drinks, free live entertainment and very soon in-flight Wi-Fi service.

Our schedule between Boston and Philadelphia: