JetBlue to Receive Spirit’s LaGuardia Slots Pending Court and Regulatory Approval

JetBlue Airways has won Spirit Airlines' takeoff and landing slots at LaGuardia Airport for up to 12 roundtrip flights. The slots were previously held by Spirit until the carrier ceased operations in May. JetBlue announced the acquisition in a note to staff on Monday.

The airline said any expansion using the slots would not take place until 2027. It also plans to move its operations to Terminal A, the Art Deco Marine Air Terminal that Spirit used until early May and that JetBlue occupied years earlier. Spirit Airlines shut down in May after failing to secure a $500 million bailout from the Trump administration.

The carrier filed for bankruptcy for the second time in under two years. Its assets are being handled through U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. Spirit lost $1.61 for every dollar of revenue according to its March operations report and had employed more than 17,000 staffers while operating hundreds of daily flights.

JetBlue last month announced it would close its flight attendant base at Newark Liberty International Airport and its tech operations bases at Newark and LaGuardia. The carrier is undertaking a major expansion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. The 12 roundtrip slots remain subject to final court and regulatory approvals.