Air Transport

JetBlue plans to launch competing nonstop flights from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale with Virgin America in November.

JetBlue's flights start 17 November a day ahead of Virgin America's 18 November launch. San Francisco-based Virgin America announced its new service from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale earlier today.

No carrier currently offers nonstop flights from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, but both Delta and JetBlue serve the market with one-stop flights.

JetBlue is offering a single daily nonstop flight on the route, with a red-eye departure from San Francisco and an evening flight out from Fort Lauderdale.

The carrier launched flights to Long Beach from Fort Lauderdale in 2003. JetBlue is touting connections for San Francisco passengers from Fort Lauderdale to destinations it serves in the Caribbean including Nassau, Bahamas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.