Aviation Entrepreneur & Airline Industry Innovator; Founder of JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines & Breeze Airways
David Neeleman Biography
David Neeleman is an entrepreneur in the commercial aviation industry, known for founding Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, and Breeze Airways. With more than 40 years of experience, Neeleman serves as chairman of Azul Brazilian Airlines. His career is marked by identifying underserved markets and introducing low-cost, customer-focused air travel, influencing the airline industry across multiple continents.
Neeleman's entry into aviation began with the co-founding of Morris Air alongside June Morris, owner of Salt Lake City-based Morris Travel. After Morris Air was acquired by Southwest Airlines for $130 million, Neeleman served on Southwest's Executive Planning Committee. He later developed a paperless airline reservation system, Open Skies, which was acquired by Hewlett Packard and became Navitaire. Neeleman also co-founded WestJet, contributing to the growth of low-cost air travel in Canada.
He established JetBlue Airways, serving as chief executive officer and chairman. JetBlue became known for combining affordable fares with amenities such as free seatback televisions, expanded legroom, and enhanced customer service. The airline received recognition from J.D. Power and Associates as Top Low Cost Airline for Customer Satisfaction and from Consumer Reports as Best Airline. After JetBlue, Neeleman launched Azul in Brazil, which operates more than 140 aircraft and serves over 100 destinations, including with Embraer E-190 and E-195 jets and ATR-72s. He also partnered with Humberto Pedrosa in the Atlantic Gateway joint venture, which took control of TAP Air Portugal.
Neeleman later founded Breeze Airways, focusing on connecting secondary U.S. cities with affordable nonstop service. He has received the Tony Jannus Award for his contributions to the airline industry. Neeleman's consistent record of building successful carriers positions him as a prominent voice on entrepreneurship, disruption, and leadership in aviation.
Neeleman has spoken publicly about living with ADHD and its impact on his entrepreneurial approach. In an interview with ADDitude Magazine, he discussed how ADHD has contributed to his ability to distill complex information and develop practical solutions. Neeleman's openness about neurodiversity highlights how ADHD can foster risk-taking, lateral thinking, and customer-focused innovation in business. His perspective encourages audiences to consider new approaches to innovation, resilience, and leadership in the aviation sector.
David Neeleman Videos
David Neeleman Talks Future Breeze Plans & Industry Trends
'Serial' airline founder David Neeleman joins Ryan and Kevin of the Inside Aviation podcast to discuss industry trends and the latest happenings...
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What topics does David Neeleman speak about?
David Neeleman is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Business, Business Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Executive Leadership, Innovation, Leadership, Marketing, Sales -
Where does David Neeleman travel from?
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David Neeleman is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book David Neeleman for your event is available upon request. David Neeleman generally travels from Salt Lake City, UT, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Paul Orfalea, Howard Schultz, Scott Kirby, Linzi Boyd and Jenny Fleiss. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling David Neeleman for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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