Tallahassee International Airport is seeing an increase in passenger traffic following JetBlue’s debut.
A decade in the making, the New York-based, low-fare carrier launched its first flight service from Tallahassee to Fort Lauderdale in early January. Tallahassee Airport Director David Pollard said the city is “very pleased with the response so far .”
“Back during the launch, we asked and hoped that the community would respond, and the community is responding,” Pollard told the Tallahassee Democrat. “That’s being reflected in our passenger numbers.”
| Airlines | 2023 | 2024 | % Change 2023 and 2024 | 2024 % of Total |
| Passenger Departures | ||||
| American Airlines | 49,776 | 55,146 | 10.79% | 50.27% |
| Delta Airlines | 41,439 | 41,188 | -.61% | 37.55% |
| JetBlue Airlines | 0 | 9,450 | N/A | 8.61% |
| Silver Airlines | 4,805 | 3,912 | -18.58% | 3.57% |
| Total Enplanements | 96,020 | 109,696 | 14.24% | 100.00% |
| Passenger Arrivals | ||||
| American Airlines | 50,469 | 57,433 | 13.80% | 50.76% |
| Delta Airlines | 41,692 | 41,321 | -0.89% | 36.52% |
| JetBlue Airlines | 0 | 9,606 | N/A | 8.49% |
| Silver Airlines | 5,329 | 4,784 | -10.23% | 4.23% |
| Total Deplanements | 97,490 | 113,144 | 16.06% | 100.00% |
| Total Passengers | 193,510 | 222,840 | 15.16% |
In a recent discussion with JetBlue representatives, Pollard said the airline was “pleased as well.”
Tallahassee airport officials release a monthly report for departures and arrivals. He said there’s been a year-over-year increase of 15.16% for passenger traffic. From March 2023 to last month, passenger traffic is up 11.48%.
When asked if JetBlue’s flight is at capacity every day, Pollard didn’t provide clarity on the daily outlook. Instead, he said the airport provides a monthly passenger report and “I’m not able to speak to the specifics of that.”
JetBlue did not respond to inquiries for a statement on Tallahassee’s new flight service.
The direct flight to South Florida provides international access to more than 100 destinations, including Latin America, South America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Tallahassee’s new flight is the latest route for JetBlue as it expands its air travel network throughout Florida. Its most recent in-state travel route was launched in Jacksonville with direct flights to Fort Lauderdale.
“Overall, we are very pleased with the service and where it’s at today,” Pollard said. “We, certainly, hope the community will continue to respond. If (residents) do, then potentially we’ll get some additional frequency and possibly even additional destinations.”
Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at [email protected] and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.
