There isn’t a market extra attention-grabbing than Fort Lauderdale proper now — or shall be relying upon what occurs with Spirit — and JetBlue is doing what it could actually to grab the second. With Spirit hanging on for expensive life, it’s a chess match as airways look to determine what they could have the ability to do there sooner or later.
To essentially perceive what’s occurring, we’ve got to try the state of affairs immediately (and as deliberate sooner or later). So, right here is FLL in all its present and future glory.
There are presently 4 terminals with seven concourses that run from the highest proper to the underside left within the map above. Terminal 5 with 5 new gates is being constructed on the backside center of the picture for JetBlue.
In Terminal 1, Southwest was constructing its empire in each the A and B gates. It has now shrunk again because it relocated its Caribbean hub to Orlando, and it now makes use of seven gates within the central B concourse. (Sure, it makes use of A1, however that ought to actually be a B gate based mostly on location.)
The previous A gates at the moment are occupied by cats and canines. There’s Alaska and its one each day flight together with Avianca, Caribbean, and Copa all bumming round. After which there’s Frontier which seems to be prefer it makes use of one gate full-time after which makes use of different A gates as wanted. In different phrases, it’s not related. Since that is South Florida, there are in all probability just a few DC-3s and MD-80s on airways you’ve by no means heard of that will or could not sometimes use this terminal too. I’m kidding. Type of.
The C concourse has United utilizing someplace between 4 and 5 gates nowadays, after which there’s Allegiant with a mere two gates and a few common-use gates that it seems to be like United and Allegiant each could use at varied instances. Allegiant looks as if it must be larger there, however it’s not. Maybe it appears larger as a result of when JetBlue was going to purchase Spirit, it was going to provide its 5 new gates in Terminal 5 to Allegiant as a concession to the feds.
Terminal 2 and its D gates are primarily the area of Delta. It has seven gates there, although Air Canada has two gates and WestJet makes use of Delta house.
Terminal 3 on the west finish has American with 4 gates alongside cats and canines Avelo, Aptitude, Porter, and Solar Nation on the finish of the E concourse. However the primary tenant is JetBlue which makes use of 11 gates within the terminal. JetBlue additionally has dibs on 4 gates within the Terminal 4 G gates, and it was named as the first tenant within the 5 new gates in Terminal 5 which ought to open subsequent yr.
The final 4 gates in Terminal 3 are Spirit’s, alongside eight that it makes use of in Terminal 4’s G gates. The final couple gates in G are for the cats and canines like Azul and El Al.
Why don’t Spirit and JetBlue simply swap the G and F gates so they’re multi function place? I assume it’s as a result of customs is in Terminal 4 however not in Terminal 3. Good instances.
There’s some gate house accessible now that Southwest has backed off, but it surely’s tight. But when Spirit had been to go away, the query is… who would transfer in and take over that house?
I had questioned if United would have an interest, however as I perceive it, United would need an entire lot extra gates than it may get its palms on. It doesn’t appear prepared to lose cash whereas it tries to construct a hub, or no less than that’s what it says. This might, in fact, be a head faux.
Allegiant and Frontier may be as effectively, however no person is exhibiting as a lot love for FLL nowadays as JetBlue.
JetBlue’s Strikes
Even when Spirit continues to fly, JetBlue may have these 5 new gates approaching. It lately added 9 new locations and elevated capability on 9 extra. Right here’s that rundown:
NEW
Aruba – 3x weekly
Cali (Colombia) – frequency unknown
Cartagena (Colombia) – 4x weekly
Grand Cayman – 3x weekly
Liberia (Costa Rica) – 1x each day
New Orleans – 2x each day
Pittsburgh – 1x each day
St Maarten – 4x weekly
San Pedro Sula (Honduras) – 4x weekly
INCREASE
Atlanta – add 2x each day
Boston – add 1x each day
Cancún – add 5x weekly
Hartford – add 3x weekly
Kingston – add 3x weekly
Punta Cana – add 3x weekly
San Jose (Costa Rica) – add 1x each day
San Juan – add 1x each day
Santiago (DR) – will now fly 1x each day year-round
That is all on prime fo the final announcement from July when it added Atlanta, Austin, Norfolk, and Tampa within the first place. It additionally added an additional each day then to Las Vegas, LA, Phoenix, Raleigh/Durham, and Richmond.
In different phrases, JetBlue is attempting to turn into the dominant participant in Fort Lauderdale, and it’s making some actual progress in positioning itself if Spirit had been to go below. Not all opponents have schedules filed for March and past, however in Jan/Feb of 2026, JetBlue is north of 23 p.c of departing seats. In Jan/Feb 2025, it was nearer to 18 p.c.
I’ll carry on this chart from a latest Cranky Community Weekly to point out what JetBlue has accomplished at the next stage.
Earlier than the pandemic, JetBlue served quite a lot of locations with a good variety of seats. It was a giant Embraer 190 hub for the airline. With the pandemic, JetBlue pulled again. It additionally upgauged so seats didn’t fall practically as a lot. In reality, seats per departure went from about 140 to 160. However now, the expansion begins. The airline now has fewer locations than it had earlier than the pandemic, but it surely has much more seats. It’s trying to have the frequency to turn into extra of a provider of alternative within the space.
That is an funding. If Spirit survives, maybe this finally ends up not understanding. But when Spirit goes, then JetBlue shall be well-positioned to continue to grow much more.
