JetBlue to Start Fort Lauderdale-Aruba Flights on January 4

Aruba is the latest destination to be added to JetBlue Airways' route map from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

On Monday, New York-based JetBlue announced plans to begin daily nonstop service between the Fort Lauderdale airport and Aruba's Queen Beatrix International Airport on Jan. 4.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood will be JetBlue's third U.S. airport with nonstop flights to Aruba, behind New York and Boston.

"With miles of picturesque beaches, a variety of outdoor and beach activity options and fantastic resorts, Aruba continues to be a destination JetBlue customers can't get enough of," said Dave Clark, JetBlue's vice president network planning, in a news release. "With new flights from Fort Lauderdale, we are making it easier than ever to get to Aruba no matter where our customers are flying from."

The flight from Fort Lauderdale is expected to depart at 11:22 a.m. to arrive in Aruba at 3:24 p.m., according to JetBlue. Returning, it would leave Aruba at 4:20 p.m. for arrival in Fort Lauderdale at 6:25 p.m.

Introductory fares for the new route start at $99 one-way and are available for purchase by midnight Tuesday at JetBlue.com, for travel for between Jan. 4 and March 8.

"This new daily service allows Aruba to cater to our key Fort Lauderdale market, while also serving as a crucial feeder market for U.S. westerners who have shown an increased propensity to visit Aruba in recent years," said Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes, CEO of Aruba Tourism Authority.

Spirit Airlines also flies nonstop to Aruba from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, an airport official said. Spirit's Aruba route currently operates Saturdays only, according to Spirit.com.

Aruba follows several new JetBlue route launches this year from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, as it works to grow operations there from about 100 daily flights now in peak periods to up to 140 daily flights in coming years. Those launches have included new service to Nashville; San Diego; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Quito, Ecuador.

Next up would be JetBlue's new service to Santa Clara, Cuba, on Wednesday — the first of four routes to the island that the airline plans to offer from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood once final Cuban government approval is granted.

JetBlue is the busiest airline at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, with 23.9 percent of passenger traffic this year through July, the latest airport data show.

Source: The Sun Sentinel (Orlando)