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JetBlue Airways announced a support package for travelers affected by the sudden closure of Spirit Airlines on May 2.
The announcement includes rescue fees on basic tickets and the expansion with 11 new routes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The airline offers fares starting at $99 per trip to passengers with proof of a valid Spirit itinerary for the same route, with travel until this Wednesday, May 6.
Those interested should call 1-800-JETBLUE with their confirmation number.
"With significant operations in Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, we are in a unique position to help Spirit customers reach their destinations and ensure that flights remain affordable despite the increased demand," stated Joanna Geraghty, CEO of JetBlue.
Since May 1st, JetBlue has also capped all Blue Basic fares at $299 for non-stop routes to and from Fort Lauderdale and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which Spirit was also operating in April.
The limit applies to purchases made until May 8, for trips between the 2nd and the 8th of the same month.
Expansion with 11 new routes from Fort Lauderdale
In response to the gap left by Spirit, JetBlue announced 11 new cities with nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale: Barranquilla and Cali in Colombia; Baltimore, Charlotte, Columbus, and Indianapolis, among others.
Additionally, it will add flights to Nashville, Detroit, Houston, Chicago, and Ponce, Puerto Rico, all starting on July 9, 2026.
With this expansion, JetBlue expects to operate nearly 130 daily departures from Fort Lauderdale this summer, an increase of more than 75% compared to 2025, marking the airline's largest historical operation at that airport.
"We are doubling down on our commitment to Fort Lauderdale to ensure the availability of air service in this market," stated Marty St. George, president of JetBlue.
Equal status for loyal members of Spirit
For frequent travelers who had accumulated benefits with Spirit, JetBlue launched a loyalty status match program.
Free Spirit Silver members will be able to match their status to JetBlue's Mosaic 1, and Free Spirit Gold members to Mosaic 2, with benefits such as priority boarding and no-fee flight changes.
“We know that many Spirit customers feel the loss of the loyalty they built over time. Our status match is designed to acknowledge that commitment and provide them with a smooth transition to JetBlue,” said St. George.
Support for Spirit employees
JetBlue has extended its use agreement for technical seats for two weeks for Spirit pilots and crew members who are trying to get home, and announced interview opportunities for qualified staff from the Spirit team, which lost 17,000 jobs overnight.
Spirit ceased all operations on May 2 at 3:00 a.m., immediately canceling all its flights.
The airline has accumulated losses exceeding $2.5 billion since 2020 and was the dominant player in Fort Lauderdale with a market share of 28%.
Thousands of passengers were left without flights or luggage at airports across the country.
Experts warn that the disappearance of Spirit - which offered fares between 30% and 50% lower than traditional airlines - could result in an average fare increase of 23% on its former routes, making the price containment measures announced by JetBlue particularly significant.
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