| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | David Gary Neeleman |
| Born | October 16, 1959 |
| Place of Birth | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Age | 64 |
| Nationality | Brazilian-American |
| Graduation | Graduated from the University of Utah |
| College | Brigham Young University |
| Career | Founder or co-founder of several airlines, including JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Morris Air, WestJet, and Breeze Airways |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Businessman |
| Net Worth | Estimated to be around $400 million as of 2024 |
| Achievements | – Revolutionized the airline industry with innovative business models and customer-centric approach – Received various awards for his contributions to aviation and entrepreneurship |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (Approx 1.77m) |
| Weight | (163 lbs) 74 kg |
| Father | Gary Neeleman |
| Mother | Rose Neeleman |
| Sister | Deborah Neeleman |
| Brother | Mark Neeleman |
| Wife | Vicki Neeleman |
| Children | 9 |
| Social Media | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. |
David Neeleman is a Brazilian-American entrepreneur who has founded five commercial airlines: Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, and Breeze Airways. He is also the co-owner of another commercial airline in Europe, TAP Air Portugal, along with Humberto Pedrosa and Aigle Azur.
Neeleman was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1959 and moved to Utah, USA, when he was five years old. He returned to Brazil as a Mormon missionary when he was 19 and later attended the University of Utah. He dropped out of college to start his first business, a travel agency that offered low-cost packages to Hawaii. He then joined June Morris, the founder of Morris Air, a charter airline, and became its president in 1988. He sold Morris Air to Southwest Airlines in 1993 and worked there briefly before leaving to create Open Skies, a reservation system company.
In 1996, Neeleman helped launch WestJet, a Canadian low-cost carrier, and served as a consultant for the airline. In 1999, he founded JetBlue Airways, a US-based budget airline that offered high-quality service and amenities. He was the CEO of JetBlue until 2007, when he was replaced by David Barger. He remained chairman of the board until 2008.
In 2008, Neeleman announced his plans to start a new airline in Brazil, Azul, which aimed to connect underserved markets and offer low fares. Azul became one of the largest airlines in Brazil, and in 2015, Neeleman and his partners acquired a majority stake in TAP Air Portugal, the flag carrier of Portugal.
In 2018, Neeleman revealed his intention to launch another airline in the US, initially named Moxy Airways, later rebranded as Breeze Airways. Breeze Airways began operations in 2021, focusing on secondary and tertiary markets that are not well served by other airlines.
Neeleman is married to Vicki Neeleman and has 10 children. He is also the uncle of Zach Wilson, a professional American football player. He holds the citizenship of Brazil, the US, and Cyprus. He is known for his innovation, customer service, and social responsibility in the aviation industry.
