JetBlue expands Fort Lauderdale push after Spirit shutdown
JetBlue plans more flights, international routes and a possible lounge as it builds Fort Lauderdale into a larger South Florida base.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
JetBlue Airways is accelerating its expansion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after Spirit Airlines shut down, giving the New York-based carrier more room to grow in one of South Florida’s busiest travel markets. The move matters because Fort Lauderdale is becoming a larger piece of JetBlue’s effort to rebuild profits and compete for leisure and international travelers.
CNBC reported that JetBlue is now the largest airline at the Broward County airport. Cirium data cited by CNBC shows JetBlue has 36% of Fort Lauderdale capacity in 2026, up from about 24% a year earlier.
JetBlue President Marty St. George told CNBC this month that “Lauderdale has been a star for us.” The airline had already been planning a bigger Fort Lauderdale operation before Spirit, previously the airport’s top carrier, ceased operations on May 2 after years of financial pressure and debt, according to CNBC.
Cirium data shows JetBlue has about 106 daily flights scheduled from Fort Lauderdale on average this year, compared with about 68 a day last year, CNBC reported. Its scheduled flights from the airport are set to rise to 38,800 in 2026 from 25,000 in 2025, according to the Cirium figures cited by CNBC.
Spirit’s presence at the airport has moved in the other direction. Cirium data cited by CNBC shows Spirit’s scheduled Fort Lauderdale flights falling to 10,300 in 2026 from 29,000 in 2025, with a note that the Florida-based airline stopped flying on May 2.
JetBlue added 5% more capacity from May to June while major rivals reduced flying during Florida’s slower travel season, according to Cirium data reported by CNBC. JetBlue also raised its annual revenue forecast on June 1, citing stronger demand, CNBC reported.
St. George told CNBC he was “very, very bullish” about customer response to the airline’s Fort Lauderdale growth. JetBlue is planning for additional expansion as gates once used by Spirit become available, though CNBC reported that some of those gates remain involved in bankruptcy court proceedings.
More flights and a premium push
JetBlue’s plan calls for about 150 daily flights from Fort Lauderdale during peak winter periods, including Presidents Day weekend and school vacation weeks, according to CNBC. That level would put Fort Lauderdale roughly in line with JetBlue’s Boston Logan International Airport hub, which CNBC described as the airline’s largest base after New York.
The airline’s Fort Lauderdale plan also includes more international service and a greater focus on premium travelers, CNBC reported. JetBlue is adding higher-end products as part of a broader plan to return to profitability; CNBC reported that the airline’s last profitable quarter was two years ago.
St. George told CNBC that JetBlue has been looking at possible sites for a Fort Lauderdale lounge, which would be its third after lounges at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Boston. He said the airport also appeared interested in having a lounge, but the airline still needs to find the right location.
Miami remains the bigger rival
Fort Lauderdale’s main South Florida competitor is Miami International Airport, where American Airlines has a major hub, CNBC reported. The airports both serve leisure travelers and people visiting friends and relatives in Latin America and the Caribbean, though Miami is much larger.
St. George told CNBC that some travelers will continue to prefer Miami and that JetBlue is not trying to win all of them over. He said broader service from Fort Lauderdale would make that airport more useful to more customers.
American said Friday it plans to fly to a record 100 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America from the United States, including 77 from Miami, CNBC reported. The additions include Miami service to Maracaibo, Venezuela, starting July 14 and Cap-Haitien, Haiti, starting Nov. 1.
JetBlue recently announced service between Fort Lauderdale and Caracas, Venezuela, according to CNBC. American said in January it would resume U.S.-Venezuela flights for the first time since 2019, CNBC reported.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.