JetBlue and Spirit Push Their Merger and Plan to Offer 250 flights at Fort Lauderdale

JetBlue plans to offer more than 250 daily operations from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) beginning in 2027 after its merger with Spirit, providing consumers with affordable flights. The airline will introduce a new route between FLL and Tallahassee (TLH).

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«We applaud JetBlue’s plans to offer new nonstop jet service from FLL to Tallahassee next January, an option sought for many years, and are encouraged by its support of FLL’s Master Plan,» said Mark E. Gale, FLL’s chief executive officer and executive director.

The company is committed to supporting a new Terminal 5 and is ready to partner with the airport to increase capacity. Its long-term plans call for the following:

• The company would offer service to more than 30 markets that Spirit and JetBlue do not currently serve and would add operations in an additional 30 markets.

• JetBlue and Spirit serve 66 of the top 100 markets in Miami (MIA) from Fort Lauderdale (FLL). Upon completion of its expansion, JetBlue will serve approximately 90 of the top 100 markets in Miami (MIA), making Fort Lauderdale (FLL) a more attractive destination for consumers traveling to South Florida.

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• JetBlue, in a more competitive position, plans to offer transatlantic service between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Europe, offering its Mint Suites product on its Airbus A321LRs and soon on A321XLRs, providing more affordable fares to the Old Continent.

• The possibility of new routes that are not possible today includes destinations to Antigua (ANU), Belize (BZE), Cincinnati (CVG), Liberia-Guanacaste (LIR), Minneapolis (MSP), Memphis (MEM), and Savannah (SAV).

«As a customer-centric alternative to the high-fare legacy airline that dominates South Florida, we have achieved rapid growth in Fort Lauderdale and are poised to drive further expansion once we combine with Spirit,» said Robin Hayes, JetBlue CEO.

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) Master Plan

JetBlue has continuously collaborated with Broward County to improve the customer experience at Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL), including the development of a new Terminal 3 baggage system and improvements to concourses and other facilities.

Currently, the airline is partnering with the airport to design and build the new Terminal 5, a five-gate facility with a connection to Terminal 4, new roadways, an elevated bridge to the parking garage, and new remote aircraft parking positions. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2026.

JetBlue estimates the creation of approximately 1,000 additional jobs at the airline’s Fort Lauderdale (FLL) operations, bolstering economic activity throughout the region. In addition, JetBlue’s furlough-free policy will provide Spirit employees who wish to remain with the airline with a role in the company.

Currently, JetBlue and Spirit employ nearly 13,000 people in Florida and serve 10 airports throughout the state. Also, the company is committed to ceding slots to other ultra low-cost competitors and maintaining healthy competition.