JetBlue reported strong demand in close-in bookings in the fourth quarter, as passenger revenue increased 12.1 percent year over year to $1.9 billion. The carrier's average fare rose 6.6 percent year over year to $183.62. Traffic rose 8.6 percent as capacity jumped 9.3 percent, and load factor decreased 0.6 percentage points to 82.5 percent. JetBlue reported a net income of $169 million, compared with $654 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, when the carrier saw a $483 million income tax benefit. For the full year, JetBlue's net income was $188 million, down from $1.1 billion in 2017. In addition to the income tax benefit impact, JetBlue's fuel expenses increased more than $500 million in 2018.
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