JetBlue is making a dramatic exit from Miami International Airport, cutting all remaining flights to and from the hub as of September 3. The move will eliminate its only active route there — between Boston and Miami — and marks a full retreat from one of the country’s busiest airports.
The reason? The math just isn’t mathing.
JetBlue said the Boston–Miami route had been chronically unprofitable, even as other Florida destinations remained strong performers. After a substantial period spent weighing the options and crunching the numbers, the airline decided to pull the plug entirely, redirecting its resources elsewhere.
But “to free aircraft for new routes, we’ve recently made the decision to end a small number of unprofitable flights including between Boston and Miami,” Derek Dombrowski, director of corporate communications, said in a statement to the Miami Herald.
JetBlue customers booked on Miami flights after the cutoff date will be offered full refunds or the option to fly into nearby Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, about 34 miles north. Fort Lauderdale remains a key part of JetBlue’s Florida footprint and will absorb much of the displaced traffic.
Though it’s stepping away from Miami, JetBlue isn’t retreating from Florida altogether. The airline still operates from West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and is expanding its international and seasonal offerings in 2025. New routes include flights from Boston to Halifax, Edinburgh, and Madrid, as well as renewed service to Santo Domingo and Los Angeles.
JetBlue’s decision reflects a broader trend in the post-pandemic airline industry, where carriers are trimming underperforming routes in favor of markets with higher demand and stronger returns. Though Miami is a major airport, competition is stiff and operational costs are high, especially when load factors and pricing don’t consistently support profitability.
For travelers, the change could mean fewer nonstop options between Boston and Miami and potentially higher fares on competing carriers. It’s also a sign that even popular airports aren’t immune when routes don’t pull their weight.
JetBlue’s departure from Miami may come as a surprise to some, but in an era of tightened margins and aggressive route optimization, the move makes clear that even legacy routes have to earn their keep.