Frontier Airlines to exit JFK on October 5

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New York's biggest airport is losing service on one of America's top budget airlines.

Frontier Airlines plans to wind down all operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in early October.

Flights will officially end on Oct. 5, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed Friday.

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The move doesn't come as a major shock.

Earlier this year, Frontier cut most of its flights at JFK , keeping only its Atlanta route.

Now, the carrier also plans to end that daily service to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

Frontier Airlines aircraft at Denver International Airport (DEN). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY In a statement, Frontier pointed to a handful of factors — including the high costs required to operate at JFK.

"We periodically review and update routes based on market demand, seasonality, costs associated with operating from a particular airport, and other factors," the carrier said.

A 2-year run at JFK

In the end, Frontier lasted a little more than two years at JFK. The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier launched service from the airport in June 2024 while in the midst of a major network shakeup.

At the time, it was a bit of a gamble and left-turn, of sorts, for the airline, opting to operate at an airport that's one of the nation's most premium markets for long-haul international travel.

As recently as last summer, the discounter served eight nonstop destinations from JFK — and had announced plan s to operate from the airport's new Terminal 6 that's currently under construction.

It appears that's now unlikely to happen.

Frontier will stay at LaGuardia, Newark

Frontier does still have a presence at the other two major hubs in the New York area.

The carrier serves four destinations from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) — Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).

It also offers Atlanta, Dallas and Orlando flights from nearby Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

Worth noting: Frontier's old foe, Spirit Airlines, had been the No. 2 airline in Newark before its collapse.

SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY So far, Frontier hasn't made a major push to backfill EWR routes abandoned by Spirit.

The airline's CEO, James Dempsey, has preached a more methodical route-planning approach in the wake of its former rival.

"We'll be cherry-picking what we think is the right path and market to go into the future," he told me in July, speaking about the airline's broader strategy. "But there will be some former Spirit routes that we look at."

Read more: Frontier wants to be an airline you'd choose to fly. Will first class and new perks do the trick?

Looking ahead

Frontier did leave the door to a potential return to JFK down the road.

"As with any station closure," a spokesperson said, "[We] will evaluate market conditions going forward to consider a return at some point in the future."

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