JetBlue exits Miami, goes seasonal in Seattle in route map cull

JetBlue no longer sees a future in Miami, dropping the Florida hot spot from its route map as part of a broader effort to shrink to profitability.

The New York-based carrier will end service to Miami International Airport (MIA) on Sept. 3 and shift its flights to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to summer seasonal service Oct. 25, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. The airline will also end three more routes.

JetBlue’s full cuts, according to Cirium, include:

• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) in Grenada: ended in April; seasonal resumption canceled
• BOS to MIA: ends Sept. 3
• BOS to SEA: ends Oct. 25; resumes summer 2026
• Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) in New York to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) in West Palm Beach, Florida: ended in April; seasonal resumption canceled
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to SEA: ends Oct. 25; resumes summer 2026
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Cancun International Airport (CUN) in Mexico: ends Aug. 30

A JetBlue spokesperson confirmed the changes and said they are part of its ongoing program to “regularly make adjustments to best align our flying with demand and to support our broader growth strategy.”

Earlier in June, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty told staff in a memo that the airline would cut underperforming routes and park planes in an effort to slash expenses and return to profitability.

“We’re hopeful demand and bookings will rebound, but even a recovery won’t fully offset the ground we’ve lost this year and our path back to profitability will take longer than we’d hoped,” she said.

Most U.S. airlines have reported weakness in economy-class domestic leisure travel. That disproportionately affects airlines that primarily cater to those travelers, including Frontier Airlines, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines.

At the same time, premium and international travel has remained robust. Geraghty told staff in the same memo that JetBlue was continuing its investments in premium offerings, including a domestic first-class cabin and its first-ever airport lounges. The airline is also moving forward with its new loyalty partnership with United Airlines.

JetBlue executives have also said that the airline’s transatlantic flights are performing very well.

The airline added Miami in 2021 as part of a coronavirus pandemic effort to expand into new markets. JetBlue initially served BOS, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), JFK and later Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL) from MIA. Flights to BDL, LAX and EWR ended in 2024; JFK flights end this month, and BOS flights in September, Cirium data shows.

Historically, airlines like JetBlue and Southwest were able to use economic slowdowns to expand into markets dominated by legacy airlines. They both tried to do the same during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, thanks to the government financial support provided to airlines, legacy carriers maintained their share in many cities through the recovery while many new entrants floundered.

Of the 17 destinations Southwest added during the pandemic, it has cut four — Bellingham International Airport (BLI) in Washington state, Cozumel Airport (CZM) in Mexico, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston and Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) in New York — and pulled back dramatically in others, like Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

For travelers affected by JetBlue’s cuts in Boston, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines continue to fly to Miami, and Alaska Airlines and Delta to Seattle, Cirium schedule show. Alaska and Delta also continue to fly the JFK-to-SEA route.

No other airlines fly between Boston and Grenada or from San Juan to Cancun.

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