Summary
- JetBlue to reduce over 50 routes and 15 airports due to financial concerns, focusing on leisure travel.
- Top international routes have over 20,000 seats, especially connecting to the Caribbean from New York City.
- JetBlue's busiest international routes include the Dominican Republic, but strategic cuts are expected.
JetBlue has significantly expanded its international presence. A few days ago, the airline announced it plans to cut more than 50 routes and 15 airports from its network this year , with eliminations on the way, in order to improve revenue performance by doubling down on leisure, VFR (visiting friends and relatives), and transcontinental markets on the East Coast.
As of August 2024, data from Cirium shows the hybrid low-cost airline's top five international routes connecting New York City to popular destinations in the Caribbean.
JetBlue operates a domestic and internationalnetwork covering over 100 destinations
JetBlue began offering transatlantic flights from New York to London in 2021. Since then, the airline has expanded its European destinations and operates 403 monthly flights from the United States to European cities . However, in August 2024, the top five destinations with the most Available Seat Miles (ASMs) are in the Caribbean. All five connect JetBlue's central hub, New York City's JFK airport. But what are they?
John F. Kennedy International Airport - Cibao International Airport
The route with the highest Available Seat Miles (ASMs) connects New York City with the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic, namely Santiago de los Caballeros. Cibao International Airport is the third-largest airport in the Central American country in terms of passenger traffic and aircraft movements, after Punta Cana International Airport and Las Américas International Airport.
New York City (JFK) - Santiago de los Caballeros (STI) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Distance | Operations | Seats | Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,470 mi (2,366 km) | 252 | 46,866 | 68,893,020 |
The New York-based airline also started, in November last year, the launch of two new international routes from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to STI.
John F. Kennedy International Airport - Las Américas International Airport
Another route from New York City to the Dominican Republic. Las Américas International Airport, located in Punta Caucedo, is the second-busiest airport in the country. It is Santo Domingo airport.
New York City (JFK) - Santo Domingo (SDQ) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Distance | Operations | Seats | Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,549 mi (2,493 km) | 178 | 34,498 | 53,437,402 |
However, as mentioned earlier, JetBlue's capacity in the Dominican Republic will be significantly reduced by the end of 2024 . Santo Domingo's Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) will see capacity reduced at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) by nearly 26 operations from the Big Apple.
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The agreement is expected to lower airfares and potentially increase competitiveness.
8
John F. Kennedy International Airport - Punta Cana International Airport
Punta Cana Airport is the busiest airport in the Dominican Republic and the second busiest in the Caribbean, behind only Puerto Rico's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
New York City (JFK) - Punta Cana (PUJ) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Distance | Operations | Seats | Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,554 mi (2500 km) | 155 | 27,466 | 42,682,164 |
JetBlue is the second-busiest carrier to the Dominican Republic, after American Airlines. By 2022, it had operated nearly 2,300 flights to the Dominican Republic.
Last November 2023, JetBlue also added a nonstop route from Orlando to Punta Cana. Nevertheless, according to JetBlue's JetForward strategy (which aims to build on the airline's strengths and address industry challenges), the Fort Lauderdale-Punta Cana route will be canceled by the end of this year.
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They join a handful of other airports that recently saw JetBlue's last flights.
4
John F. Kennedy International Airport - Cancún International Airport
Fourth place still involves the Big Apple but no longer the Dominican Republic. With more than 35 million ASM, Cancún International Airport, Mexico, represents one of the locations JetBlue has focused on the most.
New York City (JFK) - Cancún (CUN) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Distance | Operations | Seats | Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,555 mi (2501 km) | 124 | 22,938 | 35,668,590 |
Cancun Airport is the second-busiest airport in Mexico, after Mexico City International Airport. CUN accounts for 35 % of all international passengers in Mexico. The connection to Cancun will suffer a cut of 18 services from next November, amounting to 2,916 seats each way subtracted from JetBlue's capacity.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
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John F. Kennedy International Airport - Sangster International Airport
The fifth route with more seats is between New York City and Montego Bay in Jamaica, again in the Caribbean. Despite this, services between JFK and Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, will also be reduced later this year.
New York City (JFK) - Montego Bay (MBJ) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Distance | Operations | Seats | Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,544 mi (2501 km) | 124 | 22,482 | 34,712,208 |
JetBlue plans to cut 16 services between Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) and JFK, losing 2,592 seats between the two airports.
There has been an increase in travel to the Caribbean after the pandemic. In line with the general trend of airlines concentrating their efforts on routes with enhanced returns and robust demand, JetBlue is employing a focused strategy on these markets.
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