JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) has applied for authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide new international service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Boston’s Logan International Airport (a).

Punta Cana would be JetBlue’s fourth destination in the Dominican Republic, where the airline has grown substantially in recent years to become the nation’s #1 airline (b). JetBlue intends to begin daily nonstop flights year-round between Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana and New York/JFK on May 6, 2010, and nonstop weekly flights (on Saturdays) from Boston’s Logan International, on May 8, 2010 (a).

“Massport congratulates JetBlue on Punta Cana, its most recently announced destination from Boston Logan International Airport,’’ said Ed Freni, Director of Aviation for the Massachusetts Port Authority. “JetBlue flies nonstop to 35 destinations from Boston and Punta Cana is its ninth Caribbean destination from Boston.’‘

JetBlue will operate its Punta Cana service with spacious 150-seat Airbus A320 aircraft. The A320 offers travelers all of the amenities for which JetBlue has become well-regarded: complimentary seatback television programming including free first-run movies, comfortable leather seats, the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (c), unlimited free snacks and industry-leading customer service.

“Today JetBlue is proud not only to be launching a fourth destination in the Dominican Republic, but also announcing our 35th nonstop destination from Boston,” said Scott Laurence, JetBlue’s vice president of network planning. “We are very happy with our operations in the Dominican Republic and look forward to continuing our growth and sharing the JetBlue Experience - complete with free snacks, drinks, seatback TVs and friendly service - with more travelers to and from the island.”