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The New York-based airline perhaps best known for offering in-flight television service will offer two daily flights between Hobby and Logan airports starting in late July. This will be the second non-stop destination for JetBlue from Houston besides New York’s JFK Airport.
Tom Parsons with BestFares.com says the new connection will create much welcome competition.
“What’s good about Boston is it does put you up in that far northeast corridor and it has been dominated for some time now by the old Continental and now United. So it gives you a little more competition and with that competition, it brings airfares down.”
No other airline currently offers direct flights to Boston from Hobby, and only United Airlines flies to Logan International non-stop from Bush Intercontinental.
Parsons says JetBlue’s addition of a destination is generally a good sign for travelers’ wallets.
“When we look at New York City, we’ve seen those airfares remain very competitive because of JetBlue and wherever else JetBlue flies in America right now, coast to coast or down, they’re real heavy in Florida markets and the tourist destinations like that and then their trans-cons. There we do see them keeping the fares.”
A search for flights in May on each airline’s website shows airfares from Houston to New York ranging from $124 to $219 for JetBlue, and from $662 to $692 for United.
JetBlue offers flights to Boston for $49 between Sep. 3 and Oct. 9 if booked by next Tuesday.
Darian Ward with the Houston Airport System says she expects more passengers will travel from Hobby Airport.
“The growth of JetBlue in the Houston market demonstrates the strengths of our local economy. And what we can also say about Hobby is that this is the first time that we’ve hit the 10 million passenger mark in a year, so we’re really excited about the new service and we believe that more people will be traveling between Houston and Boston.”
Ray Malek, a passenger at Hobby Airport, is happy to hear the news of the new connection. He occasionally travels to Boston and likes JetBlue.
“I think competition is really good for us because we’re consumers. I mean, for us price is what matters.”
Houston’s Hobby Airport is the airline’s 49th destination from Boston.