FAA Gives Final Approval to JetBlue's US$58.5m Spirit LaGuardia Slot Deal

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted final approval for JetBlue Airways (B6) to acquire 22 former Spirit Airlines (NK) slots at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA), clearing the regulatory hurdle for the US$58.5m transaction.

The exemption takes effect on publication in the Federal Register, scheduled for October 8. It replaces the tentative approval covered in Airways' earlier analysis of JetBlue's LaGuardia slot purchase.

JetBlue cannot lease or trade any of the acquired slots to another airline until after April 2028. The FAA also waived minimum-use requirements through April 2027, giving the carrier time to prepare new services or add flights on existing routes.

Spirit stopped passenger operations on May 2, 2026. JetBlue's US$58.5m winning bid at the subsequent bankruptcy auction exceeded Frontier Airlines' (F9) US$57.5m alternate bid by US$1m. The bankruptcy court approved the transfer on July 22, subject to regulatory approvals, according to the FAA notice.

What the 22 Slots Represent

The transfer agreement's slot schedule lists 12 daily departure authorizations and ten arrival authorizations. Each permits an aircraft operation during a specified period; the package does not translate into 11 new routes.

For round trips, each departure needs a corresponding arrival. Using all 12 departure authorizations for round trips would therefore involve two arrivals outside the purchased package. Their timing and source would depend on JetBlue's schedule.

Dividing the purchase price by 22 produces an average of about US$2.66m per authorization. That calculation does not establish the value of any individual slot or the cost of adding a complete round trip. The number of destinations served will depend on whether JetBlue uses the rights for new routes, additional frequencies or a combination of both.

JetBlue said in July that it was evaluating options for up to 12 additional LaGuardia round-trip flights in 2027, Reuters reported. That was a network planning statement, rather than a published route schedule. The FAA's final notice does not identify destinations, aircraft assignments or launch dates.

Competition Behind the Approval

The FAA said returning Spirit's unused slots to service under JetBlue's low-fare business model would benefit passengers and strengthen competition. JetBlue would still hold less than 5% of LaGuardia's slot interests after the transfer, the agency found.

Some commenters argued that an ultra-low-cost carrier would provide greater benefits. The FAA responded that its public-interest test did not require it to select the transfer offering the greatest possible benefit or evaluate alternative buyers. It also said the size of JetBlue's winning bid was not relevant to its determination.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sought a five-year restriction on subsequent transfers. The FAA retained the April 2028 limit, saying it would give travelers sufficient opportunity to benefit from JetBlue's service and pricing.

The slots remain subject to FAA control. Even after April 2028, a lease or trade would require agency approval; another sale would need a further exemption. The decision authorizes a change in who holds existing operating rights, without increasing LaGuardia's authorized operations. The passenger impact will depend on the schedule JetBlue builds around them.