Share-Based Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

We have various equity incentive plans under which we have granted stock awards to our eligible crewmembers and members of our Board of Directors. These include the JetBlue Airways Corporation Restated and Amended 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, or 2002 Plan, which was replaced by the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan, or 2011 Plan. We additionally have a Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan, or CSPP, that is available to all eligible crewmembers. Both the 2011 Plan and CSPP were amended in 2015 by shareholders at our annual meeting.

Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense, which was approximately $25.3 million as of December 31, 2019, related to a total of 2.5 million unvested restricted stock units, or RSUs, performance stock units, or PSUs, and deferred stock units, or DSUs, under our 2011 Plan. We expect to recognize this stock-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of approximately two years.

The total stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 was $31 million, $28 million, and $29 million, respectively.

2011 Incentive Compensation Plan

At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 26, 2011, our shareholders approved the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan. Upon inception, the 2011 Plan had 15.0 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. The 2011 Plan, by its terms, will terminate no later than May 2021. RSUs vest in annual installments over three years which can be accelerated upon the occurrence of a change in control. Under this plan, we grant RSUs to certain crewmembers. Our policy is to grant RSUs based on the market price of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Under this plan, we grant DSUs to members of our Board of Directors, and PSUs to certain members of our executive leadership team.

The 2011 Plan was amended and restated effective January 1, 2014, to include the definition of retirement eligibility. Once a crewmember meets the definition, they will continue to vest their shares as if they remained employed by JetBlue, regardless of their actual employment status with the Company. In accordance with the Compensation-Stock Compensation topic of the Codification, the grant’s explicit service condition is non-substantive and the grant has effectively vested at the time retirement eligibility is met.

At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 21, 2015, our shareholders approved amendments to the 2011 Plan increasing the number of shares of Company common stock that remain available for issuance under the plan by 7.5 million.

Restricted Stock Units

The following is a summary of RSU activity under the 2011 Plan for the year ended December 31, 2019 (in millions except per share data):



	Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested at beginning of year	1.7		$	20.59
Granted	1.3		17.27
Vested	(0.9	)	20.29
Forfeited	(0.1	)	18.99
Nonvested at end of year	2.0		18.59

The total intrinsic value, determined as of the date of vesting, for all RSUs that vested during the year ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 was $15 million, $16 million and $20 million, respectively. The weighted average grant-date fair value of share awards during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 was $17.27, $20.62, and $19.76, respectively.

The vesting period for DSUs under the 2011 Plan is either one or three years of service. Once vested, shares are issued six months and one day following a Director’s departure from our Board of Directors. During the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, we granted a nominal amount of DSUs, almost all of which remain outstanding at December 31, 2019. In 2019, 2018, and 2017, we granted a nominal amount of PSUs to members of our executive leadership team, payment of which are based upon achievements of certain performance criteria.

Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan

In May 2011, our shareholders approved the 2011 Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan, or the CSPP. At inception, the CSPP had 8 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. The CSPP, by its terms, will terminate no later than the last business day of April 2021.

At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 21, 2015, our shareholders approved amendments to the CSPP increasing the number of shares of Company common stock that remain available for issuance under the plan by 15 million.

The CSPP has a series of six month offering periods, with a new offering period beginning on the first business day of May and November each year. Crewmembers can enroll in CSPP nearly year-round, with the exception of specific blackout dates. Crewmembers may contribute up to 10% of their pay towards the purchase of common stock via payroll deductions. Purchase dates occur on the last business day of April and October each year. The purchase price is the stock price on the purchase date, less a 15% discount. The compensation cost relating to the discount is recognized over the offering period. The total expense recognized relating to the CSPP for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 was approximately $9 million, $9 million and $8 million, respectively. Under this plan, crewmembers purchased 3.2 million, 3.2 million, and 2.5 million new shares for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively, at weighted average prices of $16.06, $15.21, and $17.46 per share, respectively.

Under the CSPP, should we be acquired by merger or sale of substantially all of our assets or sale of more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities, all outstanding purchase rights will automatically be exercised immediately prior to the effective date of the acquisition at a price equal to 85% of the fair market value per share immediately prior to the acquisition.

Taxation

The Compensation-Stock Compensation topic of the Codification requires deferred taxes be recognized on temporary differences that arise with respect to stock-based compensation attributable to nonqualified stock options and awards. However, no tax benefit is recognized for stock-based compensation attributable to incentive stock options, or ISO, or CSPP shares until there is a disqualifying disposition, if any, for income tax purposes. A portion of our historical stock-based compensation was attributable to CSPP shares; therefore, our effective tax rate was subject to fluctuation.