With questions about the future of Spirit Airlines, JetBlue has been pushing for low-cost airlines’ backyards. And it might just be the beginning.
Last week, JetBlue announced a major expansion at Fort Lauderdale-Gollywood International Airport (FLL), providing services to Latin America and a handful of U.S. cities, including a range of route spirit services.
Expect to see more sources. “The bet we made [Fort] Lauderdale is a pretty big bet,” JetBlue chairman Marty St. George spoke at an industry conference last week. “We have more to it. ”
So far this year, JetBlue has added 17 new routes to the FLL and supports flights in more than a dozen other cities. This includes much greater presence in the Caribbean, Central and South America.
All you have to do is look at the map to see growth – check out JetBlue’s international roadmap for FLL in January 2025, as shown in Cirium.
That’s what January 2026 looks like – San Martin, Honduras, Colombia, Aruba, Costa Rica, you can say.
The southward expansion is not over yet.
“There are a lot of places south of Fort Lauderdale where we want to fly, and there are a lot of places,” St. George said at the Morgan Stanley Laguna meeting in California on September 11.
All in all, the airline expects that this winter, the airline will depart from Fort Lauderdale this winter, according to Cirium data.
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As St. George said, airlines view the airport as a large hub to the southeast and a large hub to Boston – the third “tentpole” to complement John Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
Opportunities in Fort Lauderdale
JetBlue has regained significant growth outside the Northeast, which is worth noting that in 2024, seeing a significant retreat from carriers in other parts of the country, as part of a series of actions aimed at regaining profitability for the company.
However, the timing of the carrier Fort Lauderdale is no coincidence. JetBlue has long wanted more doors on FLL.
The airport’s top airline (Spirit Airlines) is now involved in Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year (and less than two years after the plan to merge with the JetBlue program). The spirit has raised concerns about its long-term financial viability and has recently begun cutting flights from its network – opening up the gate space for Fort Lauderdale in the process.
“As our biggest competitor [cut back] Fortunately, St. George said, “We are taking advantage of it.”
The same goes for other competitors. United Airlines recently announced a considerable Florida expansion, while Spirit’s low-cost rival Frontier Airlines has increased its winter departure from FLL by 40%.
Earlier this month, Spirit told TPG that other airlines’ online moves equal “wishful thinking” competitors who want to eliminate operators in Dania Beach.
Regardless of motivation, JetBlue and others feel a big growth opportunity — perhaps a decade — pushing hard at Fort Lauderdale, now perhaps one of the biggest flash points of the airline industry’s upcoming year.
“We are pleased to welcome the new routes recently announced by existing operators and/or increased flight frequencies,” the Broward County Aviation Department, which oversees the FLL, told TPG in a statement.
FAQ: Spirit Airlines bankruptcy and how it might affect your travel
JetBlue’s future plans in Europe
In addition to adding new short-distance international routes to Latin America, JetBlue also prompts its future long-distance international flights to Europe.
Just four years ago, the airline began its first transatlantic flight to London. Then there are Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin, Edinburgh and Madrid. But while JetBlue doesn’t rule out another European destination, it expects its rapid growth trajectory in the pond to be upgraded.
St. George said the airline could only receive two aircraft that could reach Europe and between 2031: “We’re just reaching the first plateau of transatlantic growth,” St. George said.
Still, operators are bullish on their still breeding European services.
In the winter, operators start pulling back (some) on their transatlantic flights, and instead deploying these aircraft (equipped with the most beautiful mint pods) to popular warm weather and ski destinations, especially after they are deployed.
“In winter, good sun market balance, and then European markets in summer and autumn bring us a very, very good profit combination,” said St. George.
Double the premium European services
JetBlue’s Long Haul Europe Service will be on the ground later this year when the airline unveiled its first airport lounge at Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and offers the opportunity to take these flights with mint passengers.
The second post will open on the BOS next year.
While the lounge will cater to JetBlue’s highly paid travelers flying to Europe, customers will have other ways to get in. The airline will provide the club with access to the top Mosaic 4 Elite identity member, as well as TrueBlue loyalists carrying the airline’s new premium credit card.
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