David Neeleman Net Worth (2023) | Jetblue Founder Net Worth
If you’ve ever flown on JetBlue or Azul, you have David Neeleman to thank for that sweet, sweet in-flight entertainment and free snacks. But who exactly is this guy, and how did he become the king of budget airlines?
David Neeleman is well known as steve jobs of the airline industry is an American commercial entrepreneur and businessman. Mr. David Neeleman is born in São Paulo, Brazil, and grew up in Utah, united states.
This article will go through David Neelman’s net worth in 2023, his business life, and more. So keep reading.
David Neeleman Business Life and Education
David Neelman is 63 years old as of 2023 and his birthdate is 16th October 1959. He is born to Gary Neeleman (Father) who is an author and Rose Neeleman (Mother) who is also an author. His family was of Dutch descent, which explains why his last name sounds like a sneeze.
David Neeleman did his schooling at Brighton high school and after that, he attended the University of Utah for higher studies but couldn’t complete it. He studied for 3 years there and then dropped out of college.
From a young age, David Neeleman was diagnosed with ADHD and school life wasn’t easy for David.
David Neeleman has founded 5 commercial airlines till now and below are the names of the same:
The Birth of Morris Air
David Neeleman co-founded Morris Air in 1984 when he was in his early 20’s. He called it Morris Air, after his friend and business partner, June Morris. Morris Air was unique in that it offered direct flights between smaller airports, something that major airlines weren’t doing at the time.
David Neeleman served as the executive vice president of Morris Air from 1984 to 1988 and later was appointed as the president of Morris Air in the year 1988 and served as the president till 1994. The airline was a success, and in 1993, it was bought by Southwest Airlines for $129 million.
WestJet
Later David Neeleman founded another airline company known as WestJet in 1994. WestJet which went international in 2004 is now Canada’s 2nd largest airline with more than 100 destinations being in its network. David Neeleman has been the main reason for the great success of WestJet!
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways is also one of the popular airlines founded by Mr. David Neeleman in the year 1999 incorporated in Delaware, united states. Previously JetBlue was named as NewAir but later they changed it to JetBlue. The airline’s first flight took off on February 11, 2000, from New York City to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
David Neeleman served as the CEO of JetBlue Airways from 2000 to 2007 and he was receiving a salary of $200K with $90K bonus in the year 2002.
Azul Brazilian Airlines
David Neeleman had to leave JetBlue Airways in the year 2007 because JetBlue was unable to cope with the bad weather conditions in which JetBlue had trouble taking off. After leaving Azul Brazilian Airlines David went on to found another airline known as Azul Brazilian Airlines.
Azul Brazilian Airlines was founded in 2008 by him and the word Azul means Blue in Portuguese. As David Neeleman was born in Brazil, this was his first airline company in the Brazilian Land. Azul quickly became a hit with Brazilians, who appreciated the airline’s affordable prices and comfortable planes.
Breeze Airways
David’s craze for starting news airlines doesn’t end because he founded yet another airline known as Breeze Airways in the year 2018. David Neeleman is the current CEO of Breeze Airways and works to better the Airways each day.
Don’t be surprised if David Neeleman starts his 6th commercial airline anytime soon because he is very much passionate about planes and the work he does for the betterment of the world.
David Neeleman Net Worth (2023)
With such a successful career in the airline business, it’s natural to wonder what David Neeleman’s net worth is and how much he earns.
According to Forbes, David Neeleman net worth is estimated to be more than 400 million dollars as of 2023.
David Neeleman’s primary source of income is his ownership in the airlines he’s founded. He owns a significant stake in JetBlue, Azul, and the recently launched Breeze Airways. These airlines have been highly successful, and Neeleman’s ownership in them has contributed significantly to his net worth.
David Neeleman net worth might be way more than $400 million because he has invested in many different companies as well.
David Neeleman Family
Not just business life, David Neeleman had a pretty good personal life as well. He was married to Vicki Vranes in the year 1980 and they both have 10 children. But for some reason, David Neeleman and Vicki Vranes had to go on different roads in 2013 when they got divorced.
David Neeleman also has 4 siblings with whom he grew up. Currently, David Neeleman isn’t married to anyone and prefers to stay that way.
Thoughts on David Neeleman
The biggest genius in the Aviation industry is Mr. David Neeleman. He has done a lot for the commercial airline industry by starting many different airlines over a period of time. David Neeleman may not be a household name like Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, but he’s certainly made a name for himself in the airline industry.
We hope David’s newest Breeze Airways gains a lot of success in the years to come. What are your thoughts on David Neeleman? Let us know in the comments!
FAQ’s on David Neeleman
How much is David Neeleman worth in 2023?
It is estimated that David Neeleman is worth more than $400M
How old is David Neeleman?
As of 2023, David Neeleman is 63 years old.
What is David Neeleman’s full name?
David Neeleman’s full name is David G. Neeleman where G stands for Gary which is his father’s name.
Is David Neeleman married?
At the moment, David Neeleman isn’t married but previously he was in a good healthy relationship with Vicki Vranes for almost 33 years.
What airlines have David Neeleman started?
David Neeleman has started 5 different airlines namely Morris Air, JetBlue, Azul, WestJet, and Breeze Airways.
Has David Neeleman ever faced any controversies in his career?
In 2007, David Neeleman resigned as CEO of JetBlue Airways following a major service disruption that left thousands of passengers stranded on the tarmac for hours. The incident led to criticism of the airline’s operational and customer service policies.
Where does David Neeleman live now?
David Neelman currently lives in his custom-built 13,300-square-foot mansion. The mansion is located in New Canaan and its value is estimated to be more than $8.3 million!
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