An offspring of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, Virgin America took flight just as high fuel prices and a recession rocked the airline industry. In 2007 the carrier launched service from San Francisco to Los Angeles and New York, and now serves more than a dozen destinations in the US as well as Canada and Mexico with a fleet of 25-plus Airbus A320 jets. It competes as a low-fare carrier, but distinguishes itself from rivals by providing first-class service and myriad in-flight entertainment options. Virgin America provides service to about 25 cities, mainly in the US, but also in Mexico (Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta).