The budget airline JetBlue will offer daily, nonstop flights from Tampa to Cancun starting Nov. 19.
The announcement comes as U.S. carriers are tweaking their routes in response to shifting demand trends amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Corporate and long-haul demand has plummeted while demand has increased for domestic and near-international leisure and social trips, according to Aviation Week.
Tampa previously had weekly service to Cancun on Delta, but that route has been moribund since the pandemic began.
The flights are part of the New York City-based carrier’s plan to launch a total of 24 new routes later this year aimed at “immediately generating cash and capturing traffic” on new, nonstop routes — many never flown before by the airline.
“This is the latest example of JetBlue’s ability to be nimble and play offense as we quickly adjust to new customer behaviors and booking patterns,” said Scott Laurence, head of revenue and planning for JetBlue, in a statement. “This latest series of new routes — even in the current environment — advances our revised network strategy, returns more aircraft to the skies and doubles down on our ability to generate more cash sooner.”
All the new flights will be operated on Airbus A320s.
Additionally, JetBlue plans to launch New York City-LaGuardia flights from TPA on Oct. 1, along with new service to Providence and Washington D.C.-National on the same date.
JetBlue will also be returning flights from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport to Boston, New York and Newark, New Jersey in October.
With information from Aviation Week and Tampa Bay Business Journal
