JetBlue takes aim at Spirit in 9-route Fort Lauderdale expansion; adds new South America city
JetBlue is making a big push in South Florida, where it will add a host of routes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) later this year.
The New York-based carrier’s expansion unveiled Wednesday includes the return of several international destinations from the airport — and some it’s never served from Fort Lauderdale. Among them: Cali, Colombia, an all-new destination for JetBlue.
When to go: These are the best times to buy an international flight
As part of this Sunshine State expansion, the carrier will also bring back its FLL flights to Cartagena, Colombia; Aruba; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and St. Maarten. It'll also connect FLL travelers to Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province for the first time. And, JetBlue revealed it will boost its flight offerings on nine additional routes spanning domestic, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America destinations.
It’s the latest in a series of expansions JetBlue has announced at FLL in recent months, doubling down on the airport as a key area of focus after the carrier in 2024 pulled back on its flying in other parts of the country.
Even prior to Wednesday’s announcement, the carrier’s total departures out of FLL during the final quarter of 2025 were on track to be up nearly 6% over last year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Going after Spirit?
Where JetBlue decided to add or bolster its service in Wednesday's announcement can't be overlooked, either.
JetBlue overlaps with top Fort Lauderdale competitor Spirit Airlines on 16 of the 18 new, returning or boosted routes it announced Wednesday. That comes as Spirit faces a precarious financial situation: The Dania Beach, Florida-based budget airline is now embroiled in Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year, and has already begun slashing flights from its schedule.
While JetBlue did not make mention of Spirit — which it once sought to merge with — the company did note its increased strength at FLL:
“As the top airline in Fort Lauderdale, with more departures than any other carrier on peak travel days, JetBlue is proud to keep raising the bar for customers in South Florida," said Dave Jehn, JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships, in a statement announcing Wednesday's expansion.
Related: United Airlines adds flights in case Spirit fails
JetBlue’s 9 new routes from FLL
Here’s the full rundown of JetBlue’s nine new and returning flights from Fort Lauderdale.
You’ll see the return of several routes the carrier flew earlier this decade, along with some destinations the airline hasn’t previously served from the airport.
| Route | Launch date | Details |
|---|---|---|
FLL to Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO) near Cali, Colombia | Not yet announced | All-new route and destination for JetBlue. |
FLL to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) | Dec. 4 | Three times weekly.
Last flown regularly in 2022. |
FLL to Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) | Dec. 4 | Four times weekly.
Last flown in 2022. |
FLL to Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) | Dec. 4 | Three times weekly.
Last flown in 2022. |
FLL to Liberia, Costa Rica’s Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) | Dec. 4 | Daily service.
All-new route. |
FLL to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) | Nov. 1 | Twice daily.
Last flown in 2024. |
FLL to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) | Nov. 1 | Daily service.
Last flown in 2021. |
FLL to Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) in San Pedro Sula, Honduras | Dec. 4 | Four times weekly.
All-new route. |
FLL to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten | Dec. 4 | Four times weekly.
Last flown in 2022. |
Bolstering service on other routes
On top of the new and returning routes announced from FLL on Wednesday, JetBlue also said it will bolster its flying on a host of additional domestic and short-haul international flights.
Those include FLL service to the following nine cities:
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Cancun
- Hartford
- Kingston, Jamaica
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- San Jose, Costa Rica
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Booking JetBlue flights with points
All of these flights can of course be booked using JetBlue’s TrueBlue points.
Members without enough points in their loyalty account can transfer flexible rewards from several major programs. Those include:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards (points transfer at a 1:1 ratio)
- Capital One (5:3 ratio)
- American Express Membership Rewards (250:200 ratio)
- Citi ThankYou Rewards (1:1, or 5:4 for cards that earn limited ThankYou points)
Related: JetBlue retires its smallest plane
Florida focus
JetBlue's increased Florida focus goes beyond more flights out of Fort Lauderdale. The carrier earlier this year announced a new partnership with private rail operator Brightline, allowing passengers to book air-and-rail connections in the Sunshine State.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.