Travel is back: JetBlue will give this regional airport its first flights in nearly a year
There's another hopeful sign that the travel industry is healing from the pandemic.
JetBlue president Joanna Geraghty was in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Wednesday to announce that the New York-based carrier would at long last resume service there.
JetBlue returning to a small airport in central Massachusetts might not usually make the headlines, but the carrier's resumption of service can be viewed as a harbinger of better things to come for the travel industry. Worcester has been without service on any airline since September 2020 – when the last of its three carriers ended service there amid a worsening pandemic.
With that, Worcester stood as one of the starkest examples of how the pandemic has crushed airports – particularly smaller regional ones. Now, JetBlue's return augers hope not only for Worcester, but that a sustained recovery in travel is taking hold.
Daily flights to New York's JFK Airport will resume on Aug. 19. In October, the frequency will be boosted to two daily flights. Also on Oct. 21, JetBlue will begin daily service to Fort Lauderdale (FLL). That leaves just the Worcester (ORH) to Orlando (MCO) route as the only one of JetBlue's Worcester routes to remain suspended with no definite resumption date.
"With travel on the rebound, we are thrilled to resume service again in central Massachusetts," Geraghty said to WCVB-TV of Boston during Wednesday's press conference.
JetBlue originally cut service to Worcester (ORH) in the middle of 2020, at the height of the pandemic. At the time, the airline said that service was "suspended indefinitely," with no timeline for re-entering the market. Instead, JetBlue would consolidate its greater Boston area flights to its hub at the city's Logan airport.
But, now that travel is rebounding, especially among leisure travelers, JetBlue is ready to return to Worcester. Though Boston is only about 50 miles from the ORH airport, returning to Worcester expands JetBlue's catchment in the region.
The move comes as airlines' domestic schedules are edging closer to pre-pandemic levels. Executives at American, Delta and United have all touted that the domestic recovery is well underway. In some cases, summer schedules are only a few percentage points from the historic highs of 2019.
Cirium schedules show that JetBlue plans to operate roughly 30% fewer domestic flights in June 2019 compared to the same period in 2019. The larger U.S. network carriers are more bullish: United's planning to bring back 400 more flights in July compared to June and operate 80% of its pre-pandemic U.S. schedule.
Related: JetBlue temporarily suspends service to 4 more airports, extends hiatus on 4 others
In addition to boosting existing routes, airlines are returning to (and starting new service) at regional airports. In Worcester, JetBlue's resumption in August will mark the first time the airport has had commercial service in nearly a full year. Delta was the last airline to operate a route there in September 2020 to Detroit (DTW).
JetBlue also is planning to resume flights to several of its other temporarily suspended airports in June, including Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT) and San Jose (SJC) — another sign that travel is on the rebound.
Still, one regional airport isn't faring as well for JetBlue. The carrier pulled out of Newburgh (SWF) in the southern Hudson Valley, about 60 miles from New York City, in April 2020, and currently there aren't any plans to return there, per Cirium schedules.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.