JetBlue just won a valuable collection of Spirit Airlines’ former flight slots at LaGuardia Airport. Now the airline is considering another move that would bring it back to where its LaGuardia operation started.
JetBlue wants to return to Terminal A, better known as the historic Marine Air Terminal.
On the surface, that may sound like an odd choice. JetBlue currently operates from Terminal B, which is legitimately one of the best new airport terminals in the United States. It has soaring ceilings, public art, plenty of restaurants and several excellent airport lounges.
The Marine Air Terminal is much smaller, much older and considerably less impressive once you leave its historic rotunda.
Still, I think Terminal A could be a much better fit for JetBlue.
JetBlue Won Spirit’s LaGuardia Slots
JetBlue submitted the winning $58.5 million bid for 22 takeoff and landing slots previously controlled by Spirit Airlines.
Those slots could allow JetBlue to operate roughly 12 additional round trips each day from LaGuardia. JetBlue has indicated that the added flights would begin in 2027, with executives pointing toward additional service between New York and Florida.
That would likely mean more flights to existing JetBlue destinations such as Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, although the airline could also add other Florida markets.
For JetBlue, this is a rare chance to expand at one of the most restricted airports in the country. Airlines generally cannot simply decide to add several new LaGuardia flights because the number of takeoffs and landings is tightly controlled.
Winning the slots solves that part of the problem.
Finding the right place to operate those flights is the next step.
JetBlue Wants Spirit’s Former Terminal
JetBlue has said it would like to move its LaGuardia operation from Terminal B into Spirit’s former home at Terminal A.
The airline doesn’t automatically receive those gates as part of the slot purchase. JetBlue still needs to work with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LaGuardia, on its terminal space.
However, both sides appear interested in discussing the possibility.
For JetBlue, the biggest attraction is cost. Airline executives have said Terminal A would be significantly less expensive to operate from than Terminal B. At a time when JetBlue is trying to reduce expenses and return to profitability, that matters more than fountains, shopping and dramatic architecture.
JetBlue also knows the terminal well.
JetBlue operated from the Marine Air Terminal from December 2017 until July 2022, although most of its flights had already moved to Terminal B by late 2021.
Terminal B Is Better, But Terminal A May Be More Convenient
There is no question that Terminal B offers a more impressive passenger experience.
The rebuilt terminal helped transform LaGuardia from an airport people tolerated into one that has received national recognition. It has modern facilities, numerous dining options and lounges operated by American Express, Chase and Air Canada.
When we flew from the Marine Air Terminal, the experience was quite different.
The historic main building is beautiful and worth taking time to explore. Its Art Deco rotunda and massive “Flight” mural make it unlike almost any other airport terminal in the country.
The attached gate area is far less memorable. It feels like a small, older airport concourse because that’s essentially what it is.
Yet Terminal A’s biggest advantage becomes apparent before passengers ever walk inside.
New Yorkers liked JetBlue’s former home because it could save time at both ends of a trip. Terminal A sits apart from LaGuardia’s other terminals, with its own access road, lighter traffic and typically shorter security lines. That can mean leaving for the airport later and getting home sooner after landing.
For many passengers, that convenience matters more than having additional restaurants, shops and lounges. A traveler taking a nonstop flight to Orlando or Fort Lauderdale may prefer a smaller terminal where they can move from the curb to the gate without navigating a sprawling concourse.
Terminal A Fits JetBlue’s LaGuardia Network
JetBlue isn’t trying to build a connecting hub at LaGuardia. Its flights primarily operate point-to-point routes, carrying New Yorkers to destinations such as Florida.
That makes the Marine Air Terminal a logical fit.
JetBlue could operate from a compact terminal of its own rather than occupying several gates inside the much larger Terminal B. It would also have an opportunity to help shape the terminal’s redevelopment and create a space that feels distinctly JetBlue.
The historic rotunda must be preserved, but the Port Authority is planning significant upgrades to the concourse and boarding areas. JetBlue wouldn’t simply be returning to its former LaGuardia home. It could help turn Terminal A into a modern version of what New Yorkers already liked about it: a faster and easier way to fly.
Could JetBlue Add A BlueHouse Lounge?
There’s another intriguing possibility.
Could JetBlue use part of the redeveloped terminal to build a small BlueHouse lounge?
JetBlue opened its first BlueHouse at JFK Terminal 5 and has continued expanding its lounge strategy as part of its push toward more premium products. Lounge access is a major benefit of the JetBlue Premier credit card and is also available to certain Mosaic members and eligible Mint passengers.
The airline hasn’t announced a LaGuardia lounge, and Terminal A currently has no lounge at all.
There are also practical reasons why one may not happen. The terminal only has six gates, JetBlue’s initial LaGuardia network will remain relatively small and most flights will be short domestic routes without Mint service.
Space could be another issue. Any lounge would need to fit into the redeveloped terminal without interfering with gate seating, dining or other basic passenger needs.
Still, a BlueHouse at Terminal A wouldn’t necessarily need to be enormous.
A compact lounge designed around quick visits could make sense for a terminal handling mostly point-to-point flights. It could offer comfortable seating, drinks and grab-and-go food without trying to compete with the sprawling lounges in Terminal B.
It would also give JetBlue’s premium cardholders and Mosaic members a reason to view the move as more than an airline cost-cutting measure.
That may be especially important because moving from Terminal B means giving up easy access to some of LaGuardia’s best lounges.
A Smaller Terminal Could Be The Better Terminal
JetBlue returning to Terminal A would not be an upgrade in every respect.
Passengers would lose Terminal B’s restaurant selection, modern gate areas and collection of premium lounges. The Marine Air Terminal’s attached concourse needs substantial work before it can compete with LaGuardia’s newer facilities.
But it may not need to compete with them.
Terminal A offers something increasingly difficult to find at a major airport: simplicity.
For JetBlue’s mostly point-to-point LaGuardia operation, a smaller dedicated terminal with lower operating costs and easier road access may be more useful than a spectacular building shared with several other airlines.
Add renovated gates, better food options and perhaps even a small BlueHouse lounge, and returning to JetBlue’s former LaGuardia home could make a great deal of sense.
Sometimes moving forward means ending up right back where you started.
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