De Puerto Rico al Cielo: JetBlue Unveils Isla del Bluencanto, Boricua-Inspired Painted Aircraft
Airline's newest livery, chosen by the public, celebrates Puerto Rico's creativity and cultural pride, featuring unique icons and elements of Isla del Encanto while showcasing local artistic talent
JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU), Puerto Rico's largest airline, today unveiled Isla del Bluencanto, a vibrant new aircraft livery designed by Puerto Rican artist Juan Gutiérrez Rovira, also known as The Stencil Network. Selected by public vote in March, the bold design of the newly unveiled Airbus A320 celebrates Puerto Rico's rich culture and spirit while showcasing iconic symbols of Puerto Rican heritage.
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Photo courtesy of JetBlue.
The name Isla del Bluencanto combines Puerto Rico's affectionate nickname, Isla del Encanto, with JetBlue, symbolizing the bond between the island and the airline. The aircraft's new look was revealed today at The Flight Park in San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), where community members, local leaders, and JetBlue crewmembers gathered to celebrate the colorful tribute to the island.
"Puerto Rico has been at the heart of JetBlue's story since we launched service to the island in 2002, and we are honored to dedicate our newest special livery, Isla del Bluencanto, to this vibrant community," said Marty St. George, JetBlue's president. "Created by a homegrown artist as a tribute to the island, the design reflects Puerto Rico's pride and heritage while reaffirming JetBlue's deep and lasting commitment. Isla del Bluencanto is a celebration of Puerto Rico's culture, history, and people, and with this aircraft, we proudly carry a piece of the island wherever it flies, inspiring more travelers to discover this beautiful destination."
"We thank JetBlue for its continued investment in Puerto Rico and for honoring our people and culture through Isla del Bluencanto," said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. "This initiative supports economic development, strengthens our tourism sector, and highlights Puerto Rico's vital role within the United States. With JetBlue as a trusted private-sector partner, we are proud to showcase the strength, talent, and determination of Puerto Ricans to travelers from across the nation and around the world."
"Expanding air access and increasing promotional opportunities remain top priorities for the Puerto Rico Tourism Company as we continue strengthening the Island's position as a leading travel destination," said Willianette Robles Cancel, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. "A robust and growing route network is essential to the economic development of Puerto Rico's tourism sector. We are proud to continue our partnership with JetBlue, whose commitment to expanding connectivity with key markets across the Americas is vital to our efforts. Today, we are especially excited to unveil this new aircraft livery, which proudly carries Puerto Rico's image across the skies and reinforces our shared mission of showcasing the Island to the world."
"We enthusiastically celebrate this JetBlue initiative, which extraordinarily elevates the richness of Puerto Rican culture and projects our destination through its designs and in the minds of travelers," said Jorge L. Pérez, Chief Executive Officer of Discover Puerto Rico. "No other place in the world offers an authentically Boricua experience like ours, with its unmatched blend of flavors, music, dance, and history. JetBlue, as a close ally of our tourism industry, honors us with this cultural tribute showcased on one of its aircraft."
"On behalf of Aerostar Puerto Rico and the 8,000 professionals who are part of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport community, we proudly celebrate JetBlue's initiative to showcase Puerto Rico's rich culture and identity," said Jorge Hernández, President and CEO of Aerostar. "This initiative underscores the extraordinary talent of our people and brings well-deserved recognition to our artists."
Isla del Bluencanto: A Tribute in Flight
Featuring iconic cultural symbols, Isla del Bluencanto stands as both a celebration of the island's people, including many proud JetBlue crewmembers, and a visual connection between Puerto Rico and its diaspora living across JetBlue's network. More than a design, it is a powerful emblem of Puerto Rican pride, allowing Boricuas to feel seen, connected, and represented, while also showcasing the island as a premier destination. The livery incorporates iconic design elements including:
- The Jíbaro: At the heart of the design is the iconic jíbaro figure, proudly placed on the tail. Portraying the nobility and resilience of Puerto Rico's rural heritage, the jíbaro is shown with his harvest, an image chosen not only for its historical and visual impact, but as an aspirational symbol of the values that unite Puerto Ricans in both celebration and adversity.
- Fruits and Flora of the Island: Surrounding the design are vibrant depictions of Puerto Rico's tropical fruits and native flora, capturing the island's spirit, warmth, and rich biodiversity. These colorful elements add movement and life, reflecting the rhythm and joy embedded in everyday Puerto Rican culture.
- "Somos Boricua": Underscoring the message from every angle, the phrase "Somos Boricua" ("We are Puerto Rico") is emblazoned on the belly of the aircraft. It serves as a bold declaration of identity, unity, and pride, visible from below as the aircraft travels across the skies.
"Designing Isla del Bluencanto has been an honor and an unforgettable experience," said Juan Gutiérrez. "Creating this design inspired by Puerto Rico is my way of paying tribute to the island where I was born and raised. I chose the jíbaro, fruits, and flowers to reflect the richness of our culture and the pride of our people. On the belly of the plane, I added the words ‘SOMOS BORICUA' along with our flag so there is no doubt about who we are and where we come from. My wish is for this plane to be a living symbol of Puerto Rico."
Celebrating Puerto Rican Art and Community
Earlier this year, JetBlue launched an initiative inviting fans and customers to vote for their favorite livery design from three concepts created by Puerto Rican artists Juan Gutiérrez, Elizabeth Barreto, and Natalia Nicole. Gutiérrez's design ultimately received the most votes. The debut of Isla del Bluencanto marks the second special livery design JetBlue has dedicated to Puerto Rico, following Bluericua in 2018.
Building on this celebration of local talent, just a day before the livery unveiling, JetBlue partnered with the Ricky Martin Foundation, a nonprofit based on the island. Guided by The Stencil Network, local children were invited to design their own tailfin, and their creations were proudly displayed at today's aircraft event. The initiative showcased the next generation of Puerto Rican creativity and reinforced JetBlue's commitment to community engagement. As part of this partnership, JetBlue also made a donation to support the foundation's ongoing programs, helping expand opportunities for youth across Puerto Rico.
JetBlue's Commitment to Puerto Rico
JetBlue has maintained strong ties with Puerto Rico for more than 23 years, continually strengthening its position as the island's largest carrier over that time with expanded service from San Juan, Aguadilla, and Ponce. Since 2012, San Juan has served as one of JetBlue's six major focus cities.
This winter, the airline will operate more than 45 daily flights to and from Puerto Rico as it continues to expand its network, adding more flights between the island, key mainland cities, Latin America and the Caribbean. JetBlue offers more seats from Puerto Rico to the continental U.S. and international destinations than any other airline, along with the most destinations to the U.S. mainland, reaffirming its role as the island's leading carrier.
Most recently, JetBlue announced increased service on the popular Fort Lauderdale–San Juan route to meet growing demand, making it easier for Puerto Ricans to travel for business, leisure, or to reconnect with loved ones. Beyond air service, JetBlue remains committed to Puerto Rico's future by partnering with local organizations to boost tourism, create jobs, and invest in Puerto Rico's communities.
The airline employs nearly 800 crewmembers on the island, underscoring its role as both a major employer and a vital contributor to Puerto Rico's economy. In December 2024, JetBlue opened its first crew base outside the continental U.S. in San Juan, beginning with inflight crewmembers and expanding this year to include San Juan-based pilots.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline® and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, and Europe. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com.
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JetBlue Corporate Communications Team
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