Originally Posted by xyzzy
In my experience this is not the case. It's just another part of the JetBlue mystique. The times I've checked them out I found that the frequency of flights was lacking (ie one or two flights/day). Also, the arrival/departure times were rather inconvenient.
Regarding JetBlue's prices, flying transcon, they start as low as $199 rt, cheap but CO's cheapest trancon fares (which tend to start at about $220) are low, too.
I do a lot of SFO (or OAK) and LAX (or BUR/LGB). I think you'll find that JetBlue has the same frequency, if not more, on these routes than CO, and the flights run from early in the morning to late in the evening.
The real advantage in JetBlue if you're a business traveller is booking a ticket with very little advance purchase. The maximum fare is $499 rt to the West Coast.
When I used to fly CO I occasionally had to buy a full-Y last-minute fare, the kind that is supposed to provide you a guaranteed FC seat. The problem when you buy this kind of ticket at the last second is that FC is often full and then you end up with a middle seat in coach anyway!
The other advantage with JetBlue: Changes are cheap and easy to make. The change fee is $25 online and it's waived if the increase in fare is $100 or more.
To me it's a real relief from the $700 additional cost I've often had to pay to CO to change my return flight, and then ending up in the middle seat in the very back of coach on a completely full flight.
JetBlue is not perfect. Some of the terminals are a little "off," especially LGB, which feels like a 40s bus station.
But for me the most important issue is the 3" of extra legroom and the comfortable seat.
CO not only has the industry-minimum 31" seat pitch but also very uncomfortable rock-hard seats.