As part of an ongoing network reshuffle to cut costs, New York-based JetBlue has announced a raft of changes that will see the carrier adding flights to Puerto Rico while adding its popular ‘Mint’ service on several new routes. However, the airline will reduce its offering from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and will also axe some less popular European flights to free up aircraft capacity to be used elsewhere across the network.
The move comes amid a series of changes at JetBlue designed to get the airline back to profitability after a turbulent couple of years for the company in terms of financial performance.
Puerto Rico sees expansion
Under a plan that the airline describes as “significant network enhancements,” JetBlue has announced that it will add six new destinations from its base at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. These include new nonstop services to cities on the US East Coast, plus Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America.
The new destinations to be served from Puerto Rico will include Providence (PVD), Westchester County (HPN), Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI), Medellín, Colombia (MDE). Cancún, Mexico (CUN), and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands (STX). Once each of these new routes launches towards the end of 2024, JetBlue will serve 18 destinations from Puerto Rico, including an average of 40 daily departures from San Juan Airport.
“JetBlue has been a proud part of the Puerto Rican community for over twenty years, and we’re excited to deepen our roots with this expansion,” said Marty St. George, President of JetBlue. “Our decades-long history with this vibrant community drives our enthusiasm to not only increase our service but also to strengthen our relationships and presence in the region. We are excited to continue growing alongside the Puerto Rican community, ensuring that JetBlue remains a key partner in connecting the people of Puerto Rico.”
Adding to its expansion in San Juan, JetBlue has also announced its intention to fly to two new cities in the Caribbean from New York’s JFK Airport (JFK). The carrier is planning a new nonstop service from JFK to Argyle International Airport (SVD) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while the other new service will see the ‘Big Apple’ linked with Flamingo International Airport (BON) in Bonaire, an island east of Curacao. Dates and frequencies on those routes are yet to be confirmed.
European route cuts are coming
The announcement of the new Caribbean and Latin America routes comes as JetBlue realigns itself to focus more on leisure travel in 2024 amid ongoing efforts to get the airline back to profitability. As part of this drive, several route cuts will begin to kick in as the northern winter season of 2024 approaches.
While recent years have seen JetBlue quickly scale up its transatlantic presence, with new flights to London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Dublin, and another seasonal route launch to Edinburgh is planned for the end of May 2024, the company is reconsidering its European offering in the upcoming off-peak period.
From October 27, 2024, JetBlue will end its services to London-Gatwick Airport (LGW) from both Boston (BOS) and New York-JFK for the 2024/25 winter season. The airline will continue to serve London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) from both US cities daily.
Also on October 27, 2024, JetBlue will reduce its JFK service to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to just one daily frequency for the winter season – a reduction from the twice-daily service planned for summer 2024.
Mint service expands elsewhere
Given that the airline will free up capacity on its intercontinental Airbus A321LR ‘Mint’ fleet through these European service cuts, the carrier will be expanding its premium passenger offering to additional destinations, including Phoenix and Vancouver. This winter, every flight heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) from New York, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale will feature the Mint service.
Additionally, JetBlue will introduce Mint to the Canadian market on JetBlue’s daily flight between New York and Vancouver, British Columbia, while the carrier will also add Mint service between Fort Lauderdale and Las Vegas.
“Our customers repeatedly share their love for our award-winning Mint experience, which is why we’re excited to expand this unique, premium service to even more destinations,” said St. George.
“The JetBlue Mint experience is designed with customer-first, residential touches that seamlessly bring the comforts of home to the sky including fully lie-flat seats, restaurant-quality dining, and thoughtful amenities. We are confident that customers in Phoenix, Vancouver, and San Juan will appreciate this elevated service and the expanded travel possibilities that come with it,” he added.
Cuts at New York-LaGuardia
Elsewhere on the network, JetBlue will be cutting services entirely from New York-La Guardia Airport to Atlanta (ATL), New Orleans (MSY), Nassau (NAS), and Fort Myers (RSW), while frequencies will be reduced from LGA to Boston (BOS), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Orlando (MCO). All these reductions will come into effect on October 27, 2024.
JetBlue has attributed these route cuts to a changing competitive landscape from New York after a federal judge annulled the airline’s Northwest Alliance with American Airlines in 2023 which had prompted JetBlue to upscale services from LaGuardia.
Additionally, the carrier will drop all service to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on June 12, 2024, and will continue to scale back its operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from October 27, 2024, ending nonstop flights to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Orlando.