TL;DR: Leg 3 of my JetBlue 25 for 25 challenge mixed planes, trains, buses, and a fair bit of confusion. Over three days I hit four destinations, racked up 4,404 miles, spent 10h 37m in the air, and added $629.75. Highlights included working remotely from airport seats in Tampa, nearly getting on the wrong bus, making it to Miami before JetBlue ends service there, and hitting my 20th destination milestone in Philadelphia.
Day 1: Train to New York
I started this leg with a train ride from DC up to New York. Once there, I navigated the subway to my cousin’s house and settled in for the night. A simple start, but necessary fuel for the whirlwind ahead.
Day 2: LGA → TPA → PVD → BOS
Day 2 kicked off early with a bus and train combo to LaGuardia. Breakfast in the lounge fueled me for the day. From there, I flew down to Tampa. Tampa turned out to be one of my longest layovers without lounge access, so I claimed a few comfortable seats and worked remotely, not glamorous, but it got the job done.
From Tampa I flew up to Providence, and in classic JetBlue 25 fashion, I managed to board the correct bus in the wrong direction. Luckily, Amtrak was delayed (shocker, I know) so I still made the train I needed. I was banking on the delay, because if I’d taken the next train, I would have had to wait another hour. After that detour and a quick Uber to the train station, I hopped the Amtrak up to Boston. A quick bus ride brought me to a friend’s house, where I spent the night.
Day 3: BOS → MIA → FLL → PHL → DC
The next morning involved a carefully orchestrated bus-train-bus shuffle to Logan. I arrived just as boarding was starting, but managed a quick lounge stop for a bite before sprinting to my gate. Next up: Miami. Fun fact: JetBlue will be ending service to Miami next month, so I was glad to check it off now.
From Miami, I took the train up to Fort Lauderdale, grabbed some food in the lounge, and then flew to Philadelphia. Hitting Philadelphia marked my 20th destination, a major milestone in the challenge. From there, SEPTA got me to the train station, and I boarded the Amtrak back to DC. A whirlwind of transit, but it all came together in the end.
Looking Back on Leg 3
Leg 3 was a transportation masterclass: planes, trains, buses, and a few unexpected detours. Between working in airport seats, nearly taking the wrong bus, and hitting my 20th destination, it reminded me that flexibility and a sense of humor are essential for surviving the JetBlue 25 for 25 challenge.
Next up: Leg 4, where the pace continues to pick up.
Stats
| Airports Visited | 7 |
| Unique Destinations | 4 |
| Segments (Individual Flights) | 4 |
| Newest Aircraft Age | 3 |
| Oldest Aircraft Age | 25 |
| On and Off the Same Airplane | 0 |
| Aisle Seat Count | 3 |
| Middle Seat Count | 0 |
| Window Seat Leg | 1 |
| Total Distance (miles) | 4,404 |
| Total Time (Air + Taxi) | 11:59 |
| Total Air Time | 10:37 |
| Time Saved (Early Flights) | 0:29 |
| Time Lost (Delayed Flights) | 1:11 |
| Times Through Security | 3 |
| Times Randomly Selected | 1 |
| Times Bag Pulled | 0 |
| Lounge Visited | 3 |
Costs
| Planned | Actual | Difference | |
| jetBlue Flights | $408.62 | $408.62 | +/-$0.00 |
| Other Costs | $110.20 | $221.13 | +$55.28 |
| Total | $518.82 | $629.75 | +$110.93 |
| Avg | $129.71 | $157.44 | +$27.73 |