A Tweet They Couldn't Refuse

By JONATHAN LLOYD

Updated 3:40 PM EDT, Thu, Aug 20, 2009

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Happy Jettiing -- and tweeting -- for those of you who jumped on JetBlue's travel deal.

JetBlue said its "All-You-Can-Fly Pass" would be available "while supplies last" -- and they didn't last long, thanks in part to a massive following on Twitter.

The airline suspended sales just more than one week after announcing unlimited travel to its 57 cities, which include Burbank, Los Angeles and Long Beach. The travel must be completed between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8.

"Sales of the pass have really exceeded all our expectations," JetBlue spokesman Sebastian White told USA Today.

The deal allows travelers to buy a pass for $599. JetBlue said the passes would be available through Friday night or "while supplies last."

A banner on top of the company's website Thursday read, "The response to our All-You-Can-Jet Pass has been swift and huge, and we're now sold out."

It's a good bet a lot of the pass holders follow JetBlue on Twitter. The company had 1,082,093 followers as of 10 a.m., Thursday.

Only a few brands rival JetBlue when it comes to followers. Time magazine's website reported Thursday on JetBlue's social media movement:

"JetBlue has over a million Twitter followers, more than any other brand besides Whole Foods, the NBA, and Zappos, according to trackingtwitter.com. News of the deal spread across the Twitter-sphere, and about a dozen websites and blogs, like wherewejet.com, have popped up dedicated to chronicling JetBlue adventures, sharing itinerary ideas, and finding cheap places to sleep. One traveler, Jennifer Milano, has even organized a New York City meeting to organize group trips: she says 20 travelers have committed to attending. To its credit, JetBlue may have started a social media movement."

TrackingTwitter.com, a real-time listing of feeds followed on Twitter, says of JetBlue, "They do it just right. Period."

The company uses its Twitter account to communicate with customers and publicize deals, like the unlimited flights and this trip to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival in San Francisco.

Did you get a pass? Tell us about your plans below.