Dave Barger
DAVE BARGER – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

@DavidJBarger

Dave Barger was part of the founding leadership team of JetBlue Airways in 1998, two years before the carrier first took to the skies in its lofty mission to become a low-cost, customer service-focused airline in New York City that would “Bring Humanity Back to Air Travel.” Dave served as the airline’s first President and Chief Operating Officer and in 2007 was named Chief Executive Officer.

He leads JetBlue’s 16,000+ crewmembers in a network that now spans 86 cities from Anchorage, Alaska to Lima, Peru, and from Portland, Maine, to San Diego, California. For nine straight years JetBlue has been recognized by J.D. Power & Associates as the top low cost airline for customer satisfaction in North America.

Dave grew up in Detroit with aviation in his blood, inspired by his father, who was an airline pilot for 37 years. From the earliest age, Dave loved airplanes and was fascinated by the connections airlines create between people and places across our world. As a young man, he joined New York Air, one of the first batch of new carriers launched after the 1978 deregulation of the U.S. airline industry.  He later held leadership roles for Continental Airlines, ultimately as head of its global hub at Newark International Airport.   

Dave is a recognized leader in global aviation, currently serving as a member of the board of governors of both the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for America (A4A). He is also a member of the board of governors of the Flight Safety Foundation; past chair of the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee, which is working to modernize U.S. air traffic control infrastructure; and president emeritus of The Wings Club.

Dave is passionate about community involvement and had made service a cornerstone of the JetBlue culture and brand. He has chaired and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of New York’s PENCIL organization – Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning – and is closely involved with Aviation High School in New York, the country’s largest public aeronautical high school. He is also a member of the board of directors of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans; New York Restoration Project; and the USO of Metropolitan New York.

About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™ and a leading carrier in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Boston, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries 30 million customers a year to 86 cities in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America with an average of 850 daily flights. JetBlue also partners with more than 30 leading airlines across the globe to give customers access to destinations on six continents. JetBlue's fleet totals 200 aircraft, including Airbus A320s, A321s and Embraer 190s. For more information please visit jetblue.com.