FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) – JetBlue is spreading its wings in South Florida, betting big on Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Airline CEO Joanna Geraghty spoke to 7News about the major expansion, saying the additional flights will make the Broward airport one of the airline’s biggest hubs.
“It’s really just rounding out Fort Lauderdale into one of our biggest hubs,” she said.
Starting Wednesday, even more JetBlue flights will begin departing the runway at FLL. New nonstop routes include Baltimore, Charlotte, Nashville, Chicago, and Detroit. Additionally, there will be two new destinations in Colombia.
“One hundred and thirty flights this week leaving Fort Lauderdale. We’re going to grow to 150 [flights] by the end of the year. Three hundred and seventy connecting opportunities, so just a really great opportunity for JetBlue, but I think even more importantly for the people of South Florida,” said Geraghty.
The New York-based airline is eyeing roughly 30 of Spirit’s former gates to launch dozens of new daily flights in the wake of Spirit’s closure.
“This is an opportunity to really sort of double down and listen. South Florida is where the growth is. You’ve got a ton of people moving from the Northeast down here. It’s also a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Spirit’s departure meant less revenue for FLL. It accounted for roughly 30% of the airport’s incoming and departing flights. This meant loss of tourism dollars, airport fees, and jobs.
But Geraghty said that with this latest JetBlue expansion, it is more than just affordable flights.
“Jobs, it brings business, it brings tourism. You know, I think what Broward County has done with the convention center and the opportunities that it’s going to present to the cruise industry down here. JetBlue really wants to be a part of that,” she said.
The CEO said they will also be debuting first-class products at the end of the year.
“We have the most lie-flat seats to the West Coast out of South Florida,” she said.
Since Spirit’s closure, airlines across South Florida have filled the void with the promise of competitive airfare. JetBlue says they are also offering great options for passengers.
“Pricing matters, but value matters too, and having a great experience on board matters. The whole product offering, whether it’s the experience on the ground or in the air, and the affordability of that product is going to be critical for JetBlue and our success here,” said Geraghty.
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