JetBlue cuts 7 cities, trims 24 routes with new focus on New England


JetBlue is pausing or cutting service on two dozen routes and pulling seven cities off its route map entirely as part of its latest network shakeup.

The New York-based carrier, which has its sights set on returning to profitability, announced a slew of changes Wednesday.

JetBlue is adding seven new routes, mostly from airports in New England. And it’s bringing its Mint cabin to more domestic routes.

But the route eliminations are the real headline.

Value check: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?

JetBlue will seasonally suspend or outright eliminate service on 24 routes. It will completely end service to more than a half-dozen cities, including a few major U.S. airports — from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and San Antonio International Airport (SAT).

It’s also making the latest trim to its winter transatlantic schedule, eliminating flights from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Amsterdam between late October and late March.

DAVID SLOTNICK/THE POINTS GUY

It’s not all schedule trims and cutbacks, though.

JetBlue is adding a handful of new routes, with a heavy emphasis on flying between the Northeast and Florida.

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

The additions include the airline’s first-ever service from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in New Hampshire. It’s all part of a broader effort to beef up service across New England, with new routes also being added in Providence and Portland, Maine, and additional flights from Hartford, Connecticut.

Previous network shakeup: JetBlue adds Caribbean and Mint service, but cuts slew of routes

Route additions

Starting with the good news, here’s the rundown of JetBlue’s route additions.

Route Launches
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) Oct. 26, winter seasonal
Providence’s T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers Oct. 27, winter seasonal
PVD to Tampa International Airport (TPA) Oct. 27, winter seasonal
Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Maine to Orlando International Airport (MCO) Oct. 28, winter seasonal
MHT-MCO Jan. 23, 2025
MHT-RSW Jan. 23, 2025
MHT to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) Jan. 24, 2025

These “strategic changes,” JetBlue said, are designed to help the carrier “invest and grow across New England.” It’s planning for 20% seat growth in the region this winter versus last year.

JetBlue has long had a strong presence at the region’s largest airport, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), but has gotten far stiffer competition in recent years as Delta Air Lines has bolstered its presence in Boston with its hub.

“Our commitment to Boston and our loyal customers across New England is unwavering as we continue to innovate and enhance our product,” JetBlue president Marty St. George said in a statement announcing the news.

Another warm-weather Mint route

As part of the network adjustments, JetBlue is bolstering frequency on some existing routes out of Boston and other New England. airports.

Among the changes, JetBlue plans to add a second daily nonstop flight from Boston to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and bring a Mint-equipped jet to the route. As St. George explained in an exclusive interview with TPG last month, the carrier is sending far more of its Mint seats to warm-weather destinations this winter.

DAVID SLOTNICK/THE POINTS GUY

All of JetBlue’s flights between Boston and Phoenix this winter will offer the premium Mint cabin, the airline said Wednesday.

Providence, Hartford growth

JetBlue is also tripling its seat growth in Providence this winter, over last, while upping its frequency out of Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL) as well — both airports where newcomer Breeze Airways has focused a lot of attention.

JetBlue’s route cuts

As mentioned, JetBlue is making dozens of additional network adjustments. These changes involve pulling out of cities entirely, ending some routes, suspending other seasonal routes and — in some cases — simply not resuming service on some seasonal service.

City eliminations

JetBlue is completely ending service to the following airports:

  • Charlotte
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul
  • San Antonio
  • Burbank International Airport (BUR) in California
  • Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) in Florida
  • Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) in California
  • Pointe-a-Pitre International Airport (PTP) in Guadeloupe

Route cuts

Including the above city eliminations, here’s the full list of the 18 routes JetBlue is ending — or not resuming when winter rolls around.

Route End date
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Nassau (NAS) in the Bahamas Sept. 7
BOS-CLT Oct. 26
BOS-MSP Oct. 26
BOS-SAT Oct. 26
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) Oct. 26
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to BUR Oct. 26
JFK-SAT Oct. 26
LAX to San Jose del Cabo (SJD) in Mexico Oct. 26
LAX to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) Oct. 26
Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) to Cancun International Airport (CUN) Oct. 26
RDU-MCO Oct. 26
FLL-Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) in Florida Oct. 27
EWR to Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo, D.R. Jan. 6, 2025
FLL to Jose Joaquin del Olmedo International Airport (GYE) in Guayaquil, Ecuador Jan. 6, 2025
FLL to San Diego International Airport (SAN) Jan. 6, 2025
JFK-PSP Won’t resume seasonal service
JFK-PTP Won’t resume seasonal service
BDL-MIA Won’t resume seasonal service

Seasonal suspensions

JetBlue announced a half-dozen routes currently operated as year-round will now be suspended for the winter season, resuming in 2025.

Route Suspension effective Resumes
BOS to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) Oct. 26 March 29, 2025
BOS to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) Oct. 26 April 30, 2025
BOS-SLC Oct. 27 June 12, 2025 – but will still fly during peak winter periods
BUF-LAX Oct. 27 April 29, 2025 – but will still fly during peak winter periods
JFK to Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS Oct. 27 April 30, 2025
JFK to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) Oct. 27 April 30, 2025

The seasonal pause in Amsterdam is JetBlue’s latest wintertime pullback of its transatlantic schedule announced.

In another network adjustment earlier this year, the carrier announced it would trim its winter flying to Paris and eliminate all winter service to London Gatwick Airport (LGW).

Speaking with TPG last month, St. George noted the success of JetBlue’s three-year-old transatlantic foray, but said the airline sees better opportunities for some of its Mint-equipped Airbus A321 aircraft in short-haul warm-weather destinations during the cold winter months.

“Every airplane we fly has to sort of live by the best and highest use of the airplane,” he said. “Looking at the level of services we’ve had in Europe in the wintertime, when the seasonality is pretty extreme, and then looking at the opportunities in the domestic North America market, it seemed like a no-brainer to be trying to make these shifts.”

JetBlue first launched Amsterdam service in August 2023.

JORDAN WALLER/THE POINTS GUY

Profitability push

There’s a financial backdrop to all of these changes. JetBlue hasn’t been profitable since the pandemic, and CEO Joanna Geraghty, who assumed her post this past winter, has embarked on a mission to cut unprofitable flying and otherwise boost the company’s financial performance.

In recent months, numerous airlines have bemoaned stiff competition that’s driven fares down and hurt profitability — prompting a slew of network changes.

Though the trends have been most stark among budget airlines, even Delta Air Lines’ profits came in below Wall Street expectations earlier this month — and United Airlines executives tempered expectations about the late-summer months last week.

Related reading:



Source link

Comments (0)
Add Comment