JetBlue Expands Fort Lauderdale Network with 8 New Routes, More Mint Flights

JetBlue is not slowing down its plans to grow, and focus, its operations out of Florida.

The carrier is adding nonstop daily service from Fort Lauderdale to eight new destinations: Baltimore (BWI), Charlotte (CLT), Nashville (BNA), Houston (IAH), Detroit (DTW), Chicago (ORD), Cleveland (CLE), and Ponce (PSE).

The Baltimore, Charlotte, Nashville, and Houston additions will operate three times daily; the Detroit and Chicago flights will run twice daily; and the Cleveland and Ponce flights will operate once daily.

JetBlue has boosted its Fort Lauderdale service by more than 75% year-over-year. Right now, the airline is up to 125 daily departures to over 55 destinations. The long-term goal for JetBlue is to get that number up to approximately 150 daily flights by this winter.

Part of that growth strategy includes a major push for its premium Mint service out of South Florida. Starting November 19, JetBlue will introduce the only lie-flat seat product between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego, giving transcon travelers a high-end option on that route. The airline also plans to roll out additional Mint-equipped flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco this winter.

In the announcement, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty called Fort Lauderdale “a cornerstone of our network.” The airline is headquartered in Long Island City, New York.