From Quito to Fort Lauderdale with JetBlue

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Today we are going to talk about the flight from Quito to Fort Lauderdale with JetBlue, which I took for personal vacation reasons in August and it was the perfect opportunity to take notes and analyze the details of this flight, which has been in operation for just over a year, started the 25 February 2016 in Mariscal Sucre.

Here you can learn more details about JetBlue and its flights to Quito.

Surely the vast majority of you have heard of JetBlue more than once, but one has rarely heard about what its operation is like from the United States to South America., but above all its service, since this airline is considered low-cost or low-cost, generates more than one doubt or fear in users.

noteworthy, that although JetBlue is low cost, I call it "semi low cost" since its service is greatly differentiated from the traditional low cost companies in the region or the new ultra low cost ones.. For instance, As you can read in the reports of Wingo and VivaColombia, none of these offer free on-board service, which JetBlue does and I will detail it later.

As reference, The passage on this route starts from $380 dollars buying in advance or in low season, if you do it with 1 month in advance, the ticket will cost minimum $800 Dollars (round trip), but in any case the fare will generally be half of the traditional airlines that cover this route directly (American Airlines) or with scale (Avianca, Cup, United, Delta, etc.), so as always, anticipate your purchase!

Let's now go step by step on how to fly with JetBlue:

PASSAGE PURCHASE

The purchase of tickets with JetBlue was made directly on their website and there was no problem using a credit card issued in Ecuador. The website is modern and quite easy to use., but with some problems that I will detail in Check-In.

Another different one from JetBlue, is that it does quote its tickets in the GDS (Global Distribution System) traditional like Despegar.com, Expedia.com or any similar site, Sure, the value increases since these websites will always take a commission for the sale, so I always recommend quoting on these websites, see the cheapest price by airline, but buy directly on the ticket website most convenient for you.

Like a good low cost and like practically all airlines now, At the time of purchase it allows you to anticipate the purchase of additional services, suitcases or pre-select the seat.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

As I said before, si vuelas low cost, you must read the fine print and thus you will save. On JetBlue too, if you select only what you really need for your flight according to your shape and needs, you will spend less than in traditional ones.

• You can pay for the basic rate (Blue) and then add a suitcase, but it will be the same to pay for the second tariff family called Blue Plus, which includes a suitcase of up to 23 kilos. The difference between each rate is only $50 (round trip), but it could vary depending on the destination.
• Second and third suitcase, they cost $35 and $100.
• Overweight, You can only pay at the airport and it costs $100.
• sports teams for $50 each.
• Traveling with pets, has a value of $100.
• unaccompanied minor.
• Change or cancel itinerary, It will depend on the rate and anticipation.
• «Even more space». Special seats with greater space between seats, for $10 dollars per way.
• «Even more speed». Fast security check service, depends on route and airport.

BAGGAGE, ¡Ojo!

It will always be the key point when flying low cost. LCC Airlines, They do not allow you to travel with a suitcase checked in the hold for free, unlike the traditional, so you have to be clear about this if you travel for shopping or for several days and you will surely have to send your suitcase to the hold..

In the case of JetBlue, you can travel with personal backpack type equipment, purse, briefcase or laptop bag plus a carry-on suitcase at no additional cost measuring 22″ L (55.88 cm) x 14″ W (35.56 cm) x 9″ H (22.86 cm) and how clear, you can load to place it on the top of the cabin, since it cannot go under the front seat, although there is no talk of weight, surely it could not exceed the 8 kilos.

Each fare on JetBlue has its restrictions, the basic Blue does not have luggage included, the Blue Plus allows you to carry a, the Blue Flex two suitcases and the Blue Mint too 2, each of the suitcases may not exceed the 50 pounds or 22.7 kilos.

A positive point for them is that they do not charge you more if you buy the additional suitcase at the airport or at the time of web check-in, it will always be the same value, in case you make last minute purchases that force you to buy a new suitcase.

CHECK-IN

JetBlue allows you to check-in from 24 hours before the flight and until 3 before the same. If you can't do it online, At airports they have self check-in kiosks, unless you have to hand over a suitcase to send it to the warehouse, You can do it directly at the counter at no additional cost.

At check-in you may be asked for additional immigration information and you can change your seat to one with more space or to another place on the plane., Sure, only if there is space.

In my specific case, I traveled with my Chilean passport, to take advantage of its advantages for entering the United States with the ESTA – Electronic System for Travel Authorization, but unfortunately, JetBlue's website does not have the option, when selecting the Visa, in the long and rather annoying check-up process, to select the ESTA as a legal form of entry to the United States, so yes or yes, You are obliged to present yourself at the counter at the airport, both in Ecuador and there to verify your documents, which requires you to show up at the counters before.

I read complaints about this in several places more than 5 years and until now the airline has done nothing to provide a solution for those passengers who have ESTA.

AIRPORT AND BOARDING

The service in Quito at the Airport is very normal, attentive and with what I could call, a standard speed. In Mariscal Sucre, the 4 counter assets check open every day at 21 hours, so the lines are quite long, but they move fast. I could notice that at least the 80% of passengers check paid luggage and a 10% remaining could not do the web check-in.

En Fort Lauderdale Terminal 4 exclusive to JetBlue, The panorama changes a lot and you can feel the modernity and great investment in technology that this airline has made.. And FLL, Passengers, using their own means, can print the tags of the suitcases they previously paid for and subsequently, only hand them over to airline staff at the express baggage belts, where the agents confirm that the weight is within what is allowed or otherwise they will tell you that you must go to a special line to pay for these services.

as i told you, In my case I had to go to the normal check-in counters at both airports, but the service was pretty easy and in Fort Lauderdale I also paid for an extra suitcase, It was the second for my rate, i paid $35 dollars and they only accept credit cards for this purpose.

ON BOARD

All JetBlue fares have a free snack and drink included. These snacks can be Cheez-It crackers, Rold Gold Pretzels, PopCorners popcorn chips, Skeeter Nut-Free chocolate chip cookies y TERRA Sweets & Blues potato chips. Cold complementary drinks are varied, Coke / Diet Coke / Coke Zero / Sprite / Sprite Zero^, Seagram’s Ginger Ale, Seagram’s Seltzer Water, Seagram’s Tonic Water, Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail, Ocean Spray Orange Juice, Ocean Spray Apple Juice, Ocean Spray Pineapple Juice, Campbell’s Tomato Juice, Mr. & Mrs. T Bloody Mary Mix, Fuze Iced Tea y Dasani Bottled Water and Dunkin hot drinks’ Donuts Decaf/Original Blend Coffee y Dunkin’ Donuts Original Tea.

You can choose a snack and a drink at no cost (you can ask for ice), They only happen once and if you fell asleep, they won't come back for you, unless you order something from the paid options. I ordered a bottle of water which is mini, some 300 ml y los sweets & blue potato chips.

If you are hungrier, There are large paid packages that include a variety of cookies, snacks, cheeses and even turkey jerky ranging from $5 until $7. If you are even hungrier, there are paid packages with sandwiches, salads, yogurt and more options for refined palates plus coffee. This last option is only available on some flights in the United States and Lima, Peru.

If they paid, use what you paid, I saw some people rejecting the free options, possibly since they didn't know they were free, You always have to read what is included and what is not included in the rate.

IN FLIGHT

The service is pretty good, friendly and welcome you with a smile. Some points draw attention, on the flight to and from Quito, they give all the announcements in Spanish, on the way there by a native-speaker and on the way back by a crew member from Brazil who spoke Spanish very well.. I assume that at all JetBlue destinations in Sur, Central and Caribbean operate in this way with their crews based in Fort Lauderdale., in order to offer a better experience to its passengers from Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and others.

The space between seats. Excellent! Probably one of the best spaces in the industry and especially in the low cost segment with a pitch of 34″. Your Airbus planes 320 (from 130 what do you have in your fleet) with those who fly to Quito, have the capacity to 162 passengers in a single class and are equipped with IFE – In Flight Entertainment System in PTVs option (Personal Screens) where you can watch a wide variety of movies, live television series and programs and DirecTV.

JetBlue Fly-Fi's free WiFi is not available on international flights or flights outside the US coverage area, but they work immediately once the plane reaches the airspace or while it is in the United States.

CONCLUSION

Nothing to fear, Flying with JetBlue or other low cost companies is a normal experience. Nothing to be surprised about, but if we must as always, READ and carefully read the benefits and cons of flying with this concept of operation. What is saved?, you save and that it is a good option when flying to Florida it is. Migration in Fort Lauderdale, from the moment you get off the plane until you leave the terminal lasts only 30 minutes, surely a shorter time than in Miami.

The only drawback was the delays.. Both the flight from Quito, like the return, They had a little more 1 hour of delay, for many reasons, the first for overflight permits in Cuba (It can happen to anyone) and the return due to an accumulated operational delay due to bad weather at some airports in the United States, which delayed the arrival of the crew from New York.

As you can see, nothing out of this world and everything normal. JetBlue is considered the best low-cost airline in the United States and one of the best in the world.. Its operational safety and maintenance are endorsed by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and by the TSA (Transport Security Association), so don't even think that security is at risk.

Additional Information

• JetBlue operates in Quito from Monday to Sunday on Airbus A320 aircraft at the following times:

Fort Lauderdale – Quito

Quito – Fort Lauderdale

• Don't forget to have your visas and passports valid with at least 6 months from the expiration date before traveling, Otherwise they will not be allowed to board..
• Fort Lauderdale is located 45 minutes from Miami (depending on the area of ​​Miami where they go). There are buses that leave from the airport to Miami, You can take a taxi or better rent a car., What is the best means of transportation in the United States for foreigners?.
• Fort Lauderdale operates with interconnected satellite terminals, so they could get lost when looking for their boarding gate.
• Confirm if the boarding ticket has the TSA Rev stamp, This will allow them to pass through quick security filters, It is a special line and they will save a lot of time.
• When leaving the United States, at least from Fort Lauderdale, They will not stamp your passport, so don't worry, It is an automatic system that migration will confirm with the airline records if they traveled or not.
• Don't be scared in Fort Lauderdale, At this airport domestic and international flights operate in the same terminals and next to each other, so while you wait for your flight to Quito, I'm sure one will go to New York next to you.

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