Belize Loses Second Airline in Months as JetBlue Exits

Wednesday marked the final JetBlue flight out of the Philip Goldson International Airport, bringing an end to the airline’s New York JFK to Belize City route and leaving the tourism industry to reckon with yet another blow.

The departure was not a surprise. In February, JetBlue confirmed it would cut the route as part of its “JetForward” restructuring programme aimed at returning the carrier to profitability. The exit follows Spirit Airlines, which also discontinued its Belize service just months prior, making JetBlue’s departure the second airline loss in a short span for a tourism-dependent economy that relies heavily on affordable air access.

Efren Perez, president of the Belize Tourism Industry Association, told reporters the industry is feeling it. “The departure of any airline is very critical for the tourism industry. We depend on increasing our airlift so that we can create more overnight stays,” he said.

Perez acknowledged the concern but noted that Belize still maintains strong connections through major carriers including American Airlines, Delta, Copa, and Air Canada. He noted that Air Canada recently launched a direct route from Montreal, which he said opens up same-day connectivity with Europe. 

“I know that the BTB and along with the Ministry of Tourism, they’re working tirelessly right now to ensure that we’re getting more carriers in,” Perez said.

At the same time, authorities are rolling out a “green season” campaign, which encourages hoteliers to offer discounted rates to attract travellers during the low season.