JetBlue Airways Corp. said Thursday it will launch four daily nonstop flights from Boston to Baltimore in June, following a similar move earlier this month by rival Southwest Airlines Co.
The Forest Hills, N.Y.-based carrier said Thursday it will begin four daily flights to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) on Sept. 9. It already runs six daily flights between Boston and Washington Dulles.
JetBlue said fares for the new route will start at $39. It has launched aggressive sales on various routes as competition from Southwest and Virgin America heats up.
Southwest plans to begin service at Boston's Logan Airport on Aug. 16 with 10 daily nonstop flights to Chicago and Baltimore.
Dallas-based Southwest said it would operate five flights to Baltimore starting at $49 each way.
JetBlue also said Thursday it plans to launch service from New York to Barbados, adding to a large number of flights from its home base at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Caribbean. Pending government approval, flights will start on Oct. 1. JetBlue will also begin service to Jamaica on May 21.
Earlier Thursday, JetBlue posted a first-quarter profit as it paid less for fuel and reined in other costs.
It was the first time the carrier made a profit in the first three months of the year — historically a weak period for airlines — since 2005.
