This summer, US-based hybrid carrier JetBlue is set to paint a second aircraft in a special livery celebrating its considerable presence in Puerto Rico. However, rather than deciding on the paint scheme itself, the airline has opened the matter up to a public vote after compiling a colorful shortlist of three potential designs. Voting is open now, with JetBlue encouraging passengers to pick their favorite livery.
Three potential designs
has been flying to Puerto Rico for over 20 years, and recently underlined its commitment to the community by opening a new crew base in San Juan. This took place in December 2024, and represented the first time that the carrier had opened a base for inflight crewmembers located outside of the continental United States of America. Now, it has followed this up with a new competition for a special livery.
As pictured, JetBlue has compiled a colorful shortlist of three potential designs for the new livery. The first of these was created by Natalia Nicole from 2BLEENE, whose design is “a vibrant tribute to Puerto Rico’s lush flora.” Meanwhile, the second comes from Elizabeth Barretto, whose “design captures the island’s beauty by day and night.” The third is the work of Juan Gutiérrez from The Stencil Network, and has “the proud ‘Jíbaro’ figure on the tail” as a tribute to Puerto Rican identity.
“We take pride in connecting our customers to and from Puerto Rico, but most importantly, in celebrating the people who make the island so special. This livery represents more than just a beautiful design, it’s a tribute to the island’s resilience, creativity, and rich culture. We wish we could pick all three, but we’re excited to see which design resonates most with the public and can’t wait to bring it to life.” – Jayne O’Brien, JetBlue’s Head of Marketing and Customer Support
Voting remains open
The general public is now encouraged to vote for their favorite design, with this process lasting until March 1st. Users can have their say at this link, with a maximum of one vote per person. Once the winner has been chosen, JetBlue will swiftly get the wheels in motion, confirming that “the final design will be unveiled in March before taking to the skies as JetBlue’s latest flying work of art this summer.”
As seen in the video above, JetBlue has made several moves to expand its presence in Puerto Rico in recent years. As well as the opening of a new crew base in December, it has also added new routes such as Raleight Durham – San Juan, and is eyeing more flights from Washington DC. Jenniffer González, who serves as the Governor of Puerto Rico, welcomed the contest for the new livery, explaining that:
“We appreciate JetBlue’s continued commitment to Puerto Rico, now dedicating a second aircraft to showcase our island’s distinctive heritage. This initiative not only strengthens our long-time partnership with the airline, but also provides an incredible platform for our talented artists. We encourage everyone to participate and vote to help select a design that will proudly represent our culture in the skies.”
JetBlue’s second Puerto Rican livery
As alluded to by González, JetBlue already has one aircraft that bears a special livery in tribute to Puerto Rico. The plane in question, as pictured below, is an Airbus
A320-200 registered as N779JB, and it was christened Bluericua back in 2018 as part of the initiative. According to Planespotters.net, the name and livery were applied back in September of that year, and it continues to wear them today.
This aircraft has had multiple names to support various initiatives throughout its career. Indeed, having entered service in March 2009, it was initially named Blue Ribbon, but only until June of that year, when it was renamed Real Blue and had a sticker applied in support of the Real Salt Lake MLS team. This remained the case until October 2012 when it was renamed Blue Ribbon, which it retained (along with a ‘Fewer Delays. Faster Flights’ sticker) until being repainted to celebrate Puerto Rico.
