JetBlue is the latest airline to open up some middle seats before Christmas

JetBlue says it plans to increase the number of seats it will fill on planes starting in December.

That makes JetBlue the latest airline to retreat from blocking middle seats to give passengers more space because of the pandemic.

A JetBlue spokesman said Thursday that the airline still plans to limit seating through the holidays but hasn't decided how many seats to leave empty.

A statement on their website reads: "JetBlue is currently blocking the vast majority of middle seats on larger planes (and most aisle seats on smaller ones) for all flights through 12/1/20. We’ll continue to block seats and limit the number of travelers on JetBlue flights through the holiday season, in order to provide additional space between those not traveling together while helping families and others who are traveling together to sit together where possible."

Southwest plans to end blocking middle seats on Dec. 1.

Delta and Alaska Airlines say they will limit capacity on flights through Jan. 6, but will end the policy early next year.

The airlines are backing away from seat blocking as the number of passengers slowly rises.