JetBlue Axes New Northeast Routes as Trump’s Policies Dampen Travel Demand

JetBlue has scrapped two new routes from Boston, including one to Long Island, as the airline industry grapples with lower travel demand sparked by several of President Donald Trump’s policies.

The airline has decided to cancel its scheduled summertime route connecting Boston Logan International Airport and Long Island MacArthur Airport located in Islip, New York. A representative from JetBlue informed the Daily Voice about this cancellation on Wednesday, April 30.

JetBlue mentioned that the tickets for the route did not sell well.

The excitement around launching our summer seasonal service from Islip to Boston has been dampened as we’ve decided to cancel the start of this route due to booking numbers falling short of projections,” stated the spokesperson. “This decision is part of several measures being implemented to navigate the lower-than-anticipated travel demand and current economic uncertainties. We understand how disheartening this might be for travelers who have made reservations, and we deeply regret any inconvenience caused.

Passengers with tickets for Boston-Islip flights have the option to obtain a reimbursement or opt to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport instead.

JetBlue has temporarily halted its entry into a key city in the Canadian Maritimes. The carrier will not launch its planned summertime flights from Boston to Halifax, located in Nova Scotia.

Passengers on flights between Boston and Halifax will receive refunds or have their bookings rearranged.

The spokesperson stated that they will keep assessing the potential for starting services to Halifax next summer.

The flights to Boston were part of a
broader Northeast expansion
JetBlue made an announcement in January, shortly before Trump’s return to the White House. These flights remain scheduled and will cover routes such as those from JFK to Connecticut and Rhode Island, plus a newly planned route connecting Newark, New Jersey, with the Dominican Republic.

JetBlue’s retreat comes as domestic and international travel demand in the US is declining.

CNBC
It has been reported that executives from airlines such as American, Delta, Southwest, and United have expressed concerns that Americans are not making domestic travel reservations with the enthusiasm initially anticipated. This situation arises even though there was increased optimism at the beginning of the year.

During recent earnings discussions, key figures in the industry highlighted Trump’s frequently altering tariff decisions, market volatility, and broad economic upheaval as contributing factors.

“Nobody really relishes uncertainty when they’re talking about what they could do on a vacation and spend hard-earned dollars,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said during a call on Thursday, April 24.

International travelers have also visited the US less.

In addition to financial fluctuations, numerous prospective international visitors have been concerned that Trump’s strict approach to immigration might disrupt their travel arrangements.
U.S. Travel Association
indicated that federal statistics revealed international trips to the U.S. decreased roughly 14% in March when contrasted with the corresponding month in 2024.

The suspension of flights from Halifax is probably due to a reduced number of Canadians traveling south of their border. Data from Statistics Canada indicates that in March, there was a 26% decline compared to the previous year in overnight road trips to the U.S., with air travel seeing a drop of 14%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, plane ticket prices fell by 5.3% in March when compared to the same period in 2024 due to decreasing demand.