Before officially launching as JetBlue in February 2000, the airline was originally founded under the name "NewAir." The founder, David Neeleman (who also co-founded Southwest and WestJet), wanted to create a high-value, low-cost carrier that didn't feel "cheap." The name "NewAir" was used during the initial planning and funding stages in 1998 and 1999. However, the team eventually decided that the name was too generic and didn't reflect the "cool, customer-focused" brand they wanted to build. They went through several other names, including "It" and "Taxi," before settling on JetBlue. In 2026, JetBlue remains famous for its "Blue" branding (with planes named "Blue Monday" or "A Touch of Blue"), which all stems from that final branding pivot away from "NewAir." For 2026 aviation buffs, the original "NewAir" concept is a fascinating look at how a simple name change can redefine an airline's entire market position from a "new startup" to a global "lifestyle" brand.