JetBlue continues to tinker with its route network as it tries to return to profitability, with the latest changes including a surprising retreat from Seattle and more transatlantic reductions. However, the carrier has teased new routes will be announced soon.
Network Shakeup: JetBlue Ends Underperforming International And Domestic Routes, Hints At New Routes
It’s hard to blame JetBlue for all the shuffling to its route network that we’ve seen over the last several months: in a time in which some carriers are enjoying record profitability and stock performance, JetBlue remains unprofitable and mired in a quagmire worsened by a questionable juridical ruling blocking a merger with Spirit Airlines.
JetBlue Modifies Transatlantic Network
Earlier this year, JetBlue announced it would limit winter capacity to Europe, citing profitability concerns. It says this strategy is working and “is really helping us improve the performance of this part of our network.” Now JetBlue is reducing summer capacity is well:
- New York (JFK) – London Gatwick (LGW) will not return
- Second daily summer-only JFK – Paris (CDG) flight will not return
JetBlue says both flights “didn’t meet our financial expectations.” However, JetBlue will continue to fly to London Gatwick from Boston (BOS) and will operate once-daily service to Paris from both Boston and New York. All flights are year-round.
JetBlue also teased multiple new transatlantic routes to be announced in the coming days:
“We’re excited to have some new transatlantic offerings to announce next week!”
JetBlue currently serves Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, London, and Paris. My guess would be new service to Rome or Milan and to Madrid or Barcelona, since JetBlue seems to be targeting traditionally safe transatlantic routes.
JetBlue Domestic Reductions, Including A Surprising Retreat From Seattle
In addition to the transatlantic changes, JetBlue announced a domestic shuffle, including:
- Suspension of service to San Jose, California (SJC)
- Suspension of the following routes:
- New York (JFK)
- Austin (AUS)
- Houston (IAH)
- Miami (MIA)
- Milwaukee (MKE)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) ⇄ Jacksonville (JAX)
- Westchester (HPN) ⇄ Charleston (CHS)
- New York (JFK)
In speaking about why a route like Miami – New York no longer worked, JetBlue blamed competition from American Airlines and Delta Air Lines:
“Florida remains a strong geography for JetBlue, however post-COVID we haven’t been profitable in Miami due to the dominance of legacy carriers like American and Delta there. In particular, our flying between New York and Miami continues to be unprofitable and we are seeing larger legacy competitors consistently outperform us on that route. As we reduce flying in Miami, we’ll focus on other popular Florida destinations and our focus city in Fort Lauderdale, where our flying has a better chance to achieve profitability. We know this is disappointing and we hoped Miami would be a stronger airport for us, however with limited aircraft availability we must place our planes on routes that set us up for success.”
JetBlue will also shift the following year-round routes to seasonal service only:
- Boston (BOS)
- Grenada (GND)
- Phoenix (PHX)
- New York (JFK) ⇄ Tulum (TQO)
Finally, JetBlue will eliminate MINT (business class) service to Seattle (SEA), saying “it has underperformed other markets.”
I’m shocked that JetBlue could not make a premium cabin work from Boston (BOS) or New York (JFK) to Seattle, but at least JetBlue will continue service in an all-economy-class (what JetBlue calls “Core”) aircraft.
CONCLUSION
It appears to me that JetBlue is taking seriously its lack of profitability and making the adjustments necessary to return to profitability. The lack of aircraft is a more structural concern and this latest shuffle may not help, but the status quo was not working and I applaud JetBlue for trying to find the right route network to maximize profits. I’m a big fan of the JetBlue model (extra legroom, free wi-fi) and hope it finds success in 2025 and beyond.
JetBlue didn’t balm anybody. Perhaps they blamed somebody, but I guarantee you that they didn’t balm anybody.
Seriously, though, not surprised at their retrenchments, especially in Seattle. For all the tech money it has, tech is cheap and they do not pay for business class. Coach only for most work travel. No other airline flies a flat bed out of Seattle, and delta has always tried and failed. People just weren’t willing to spend the money on it. No shock.
And I think it will be Lisbon or the Spanish destinations you mention. Italy is a tad too far.
Enjoying your trip. Have fun
Italy is not too far… learn geography. Milan is closer than Barcelona, Frankfurt, or Zurich.
I think maybe you should learn geography.
I used gcmap, which is the trusted source for determining mileage.
JFK-MXP is 3,995 miles.
JFK-BCN is 3,831.
JFK-FRA is 3,856
JFK-ZRH is 3,931
JFK-FCO is 4,227.
JFK-MXP is a longer flight than all of those, save JFK-FCO.
Italy is too far.
Lol maybe switch markets and stop losing to Delta on their turf
Yes, they should leave their two home markets that they started in (BOS/JFK), where they’ve had their strongest performances, and instead go find new turf elsewhere…which they tried and got them into this mess
Just die already so I can open this bottle of champagne I have on ice.
Can the A321s make it all the way from JFK to Milan or Rome? And won’t they be competing with AA and UA and DL on those routes?
You forgot the elephant in the room, i.e. EK’s daily 5th Freedom flight between MXP and JFK!
Look at a map. MXP is literally in Central Europe, closer than ZRH or FRA. Of course it can make it from JFK, FCO is different. And, you forgot EK !
I flew BOS-SEA a lot, always super busy in mint and basically empty in core so not sure what the idea is here. Having mint was a huge differentiator for them because DL and AS don’t run lie flats on this route.
They’re going to have to make some big changes to Mosaic if they want to keep it the size that it is (as they’ve publicly said they do), because they’re cutting every non-leisure out left and right.