Struggling JetBlue shuts down key Newark, LaGuardia operations as New York airport costs soar

JetBlue is shutting down key operations at Newark and LaGuardia airports as the struggling carrier shifts resources to booming South Florida in its latest bid to restore profitability.

The Queens-based airline said it will still fly to those hubs, but plans to close its flight attendant base at Newark and its technical operations bases there and at LaGuardia this fall as part of a broader effort to cut costs and expand service in Florida.

JetBlue said no employees will lose their jobs as a result of the switch and that affected workers will be able to bid for positions or transfer to other bases.

JetBlue is closing its flight attendant base at Newark Liberty International Airport as part of a broader effort to cut costs and shift resources to Florida. Getty Images

“JetBlue is making targeted schedule adjustments, ending seasonal service between Newark (EWR) and Los Angeles (LAX) and Las Vegas (LAS), to support growth in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport,” the airline said in a statement to The Post.

The move marks another retrenchment in the New York-New Jersey market for JetBlue, which has spent years trimming underperforming routes while searching for a path back to consistent profitability.

The latest reductions point to JetBlue’s growing frustration with the cost of operating in the New York region — particularly at LaGuardia, where executives have complained that fees have soared following the airport’s multibillion-dollar redevelopment.

“We are much, much smaller at LaGuardia than we were four years ago because it’s a $40 airport for us,” JetBlue President Marty St. George said in March, referring to “enplanement” fees charged per customer.

“And the fountain is really pretty, but … I think people would rather have low fares than a really nice fountain,” he added, referring to the airport’s 25-foot water feature inside Terminal B.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is emerging as JetBlue’s fastest-growing hub following the collapse of rival Spirit Airlines. Matthew Tighe – stock.adobe.com

Public fee schedules show LaGuardia’s landing fees have climbed steadily in recent years following the airport’s roughly $8 billion overhaul, making it one of the most expensive airports in the region for airlines to operate from.

JetBlue has steadily reduced its footprint there as costs have mounted.

Despite the cuts, JetBlue remains deeply tied to the region.

The airline is headquartered in Long Island City and continues to market itself as “New York’s Hometown Airline.”

In its most recent annual report, JetBlue said the New York metropolitan region remained its largest focus area, accounting for 118 nonstop routes and a 13% seat share across John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark, LaGuardia, Westchester County Airport and Long Island MacArthur Airport.

JetBlue is shifting aircraft and resources to Fort Lauderdale as it cuts costs and trims operations in the New York region. Skórzewiak – stock.adobe.com

Still, Newark and LaGuardia have become increasingly peripheral to JetBlue’s operations compared with JFK.

In 2025, JetBlue carried roughly 14.5 million passengers through Kennedy, representing more than 23% of the airport’s total traffic.

By contrast, the airline carried about 1.9 million passengers through Newark and 1.1 million through LaGuardia, accounting for just 4% and 3.4% of those airports’ passenger volumes, respectively.

The airline’s growing emphasis on Florida has accelerated following the collapse of rival Spirit Airlines earlier this year.

The carrier has cited rising airport fees at LaGuardia following the airport’s multibillion-dollar redevelopment. Bloomberg via Getty Images

JetBlue is already the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale and has aggressively expanded there since Spirit ceased operations May 2.

Earlier Wednesday, JetBlue announced that it would add more premium Mint service from Fort Lauderdale, including expanded flights to San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The carrier has also unveiled plans to launch 11 new destinations from Fort Lauderdale and expects to operate nearly 130 daily departures there this summer — its most expansive schedule ever at the airport.

The Post has sought comment from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees all area airports.