The Essentials
Airlines Cut Hundreds of U.S. Flights
It’s time to run the numbers—major airlines across the U.S. and Canada, including Southwest, JetBlue, American, Air Canada, WestJet, United, and Spirit, have cut over 800 flights plus 96 routes this summer to and within the United States. The cuts started in May and, perhaps most tellingly, run through at least December.
Southwest Airlines is axing 247 flights leaving St. Louis Lambert International Airport, which serves as one of its largest bases. This will have a significant impact on other airports since so many of Southwest’s long-distance routes connect in St. Louis. Other Southwest cuts include San Jose and San Diego, California — with a 41% reduction.
JetBlue is pulling out of Miami altogether this coming September — that’s 14 flights a day.
United has dropped nearly 400 flights. American is now eliminating 280 flights on 70 routes across the U.S.
Not surprisingly, Air Canada has dropped more than 450 flights. But the airline is adding flights to Europe, where a growing number of Canadians are choosing to fly instead of the U.S.