A JetBlue jet lifted off from John Glenn Columbus International Airport on Tuesday bound for Fort Lauderdale, marking the airline's first flight out of central Ohio in more than 18 years. The new daily nonstop route gives Columbus travelers a fresh path to South Florida and, from there, connections across the Caribbean and Latin America.
JetBlue last flew out of Columbus in 2008, and its return closes a long gap in the airline's Midwest presence, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The route was announced in May to help fill gaps left by Spirit Airlines, which shut down operations on May 2. As reported by ABC6 On Your Side, the carrier is now launching nonstop daily service between John Glenn and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Daren Griffin, president and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, framed the new flight as a boost for travelers across the region. He said the service is “connecting Ohio with the world, offering more options and more flexibility than ever before,” per the station's report. The flight departs daily from Concourse C, according to an airport authority press release.
A New Gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood has become a new hub for JetBlue, and the airport offers dozens of nonstop routes with international connections across the Caribbean and Latin America. Airport officials pointed to potential onward connections including Aruba, Montego Bay, Nassau, Cali, Cartagena and Guatemala City, the same report notes.
To mark the launch, JetBlue is offering limited one-way fares between Fort Lauderdale and Columbus starting at $59 in Main cabin and $138 in EvenMore, sold on jetblue.com.
Filling a Hole Spirit Airlines Left Behind
JetBlue's arrival comes as John Glenn works to stabilize passenger traffic after Spirit's collapse. The airport recorded 5,210,564 passengers from January through July 2026, down 1,696 from the same stretch in 2025, according to Columbus CEO. Seven of the airport's nine commercial carriers actually carried more passengers during that period, but Spirit's losses more than offset those gains.
Spirit carried just 85,807 passengers through John Glenn from January through July before shutting down on May 2, compared with 362,380 passengers over the same months in 2025, the outlet reported. Earlier in the year, before Spirit's exit, John Glenn had actually been running ahead of 2025 figures, with 2,725,648 passengers in the first four months of the year — an increase of 18,771 travelers over the same period last year.
Columbus Travelers Already Had Options to Fort Lauderdale
JetBlue isn't the only carrier flying between Columbus and South Florida. Southwest Airlines already operates Fort Lauderdale service from Columbus, according to Fly Columbus. Allegiant Air flies the route from nearby Rickenbacker International Airport on Fridays and Mondays, while Frontier Airlines has offered flights on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays, with plans to grow to daily service by summer.
Despite this year's dip tied to Spirit's shutdown, Columbus-area airports are coming off a record year. John Glenn and Rickenbacker together handled a combined 9,355,742 passengers in 2025, their highest total ever, per Columbus CEO's reporting. JetBlue's return gives the region one more nonstop option as airport officials look to keep that momentum going.
