JetBlue cuts 14 routes, drops a city in big network shake-up
JetBlue Airways is making several cuts to its network, nearly all of which are focused on the Northeast.
The carrier is dropping 14 routes and pulling out of one city, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
The cuts are extensive and all but one touch either New York or Boston. You'll find the full list of cuts below, but highlights include pulling out of Burlington, Vermont, and dropping service between New York and Washington, D.C.
These routes will be phased out over the coming weeks, with the first tranche ending right after the holidays during the first week of January, followed by a second tranche at the end of March.
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)-Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)-Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)-Miami International Airport (MIA)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)-Burlington International Airport (BTV)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)-Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)-Charleston International Airport (CHS)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Nashville International Airport (BNA)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Charleston International Airport (CHS)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Denver International Airport (DEN)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Cape Cod Gateway Airport (HYA)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Portland International Jetport (PWM)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)-Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)
Perhaps the most notable drop is Burlington, which has been served pretty consistently by JetBlue for over two decades. This exit will give Delta Air Lines a monopoly on the routes from New York to Burlington, while United Airlines will continue to serve the city from its hub at Newark.
Another interesting cut is service from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which will end in early January.
This route just commenced on Sept. 16, and it'll now be cut just a few months later on Jan. 3, 2024. It's not often that an airline launches a new route and then pulls out of the market after less than a full season.
JetBlue explains that it's making these drastic cuts for two reasons.
The first is the disbanding of the Northeast Alliance with American Airlines that launched in early 2021.
The pact was designed as a way for American and JetBlue to boost their relevance in New York and Boston — two key Northeast cities that are difficult for either airline to provide service to on its own against entrenched rivals, the two carriers claimed.
So, instead of competing with each other, American and JetBlue used the Northeast Alliance to coordinate schedules in the Northeast, launch a slew of new domestic and international routes, offer codesharing and loyalty perks, and more.
In order to better align their schedules, the carriers traded slots — basically takeoff and landing permissions — at LaGuardia to facilitate this network growth.
But, now that the tie-up has since been disbanded following a successful Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit, JetBlue needs to give slots back to American. While American is appealing the judge's ruling, both carriers have already mostly undone the alliance.
For JetBlue, this means it needs to either reduce frequencies or drop existing routes entirely — and the carrier is mostly going with the latter strategy.
In addition to these slot swaps at LaGuardia, JetBlue says it's also making cuts "due to the government’s ongoing ATC staffing challenges," a carrier spokesperson told TPG.
JetBlue is referring to the temporary slot waiver for flights at New York's two busiest airports that was recently extended by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Slots are typically use-it-or-lose-it, meaning that if JetBlue weren't able to fill its entire slot schedule, then it would risk losing a valuable slot to one of its competitors.
But because of this temporary slot waiver (put in place primarily due to the air traffic controller shortages in the Northeast), airlines can drop about 10% of their flights at LaGuardia and JFK, allowing JetBlue to adjust its New York schedule without worrying about losing assets with immense long-term value.
If you're booked on one of these affected routes, JetBlue will either offer you alternate flight options or a full refund back to your original payment method.
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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
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- 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.
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- $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.