JetBlue ends all Belize flights and JFK nonstop service on May 21

JetBlue's Belize City exit and the JFK route shutdown

JetBlue is pulling out of Belize entirely, ending its nonstop service between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Belize City on May 21, 2026. The carrier confirmed the cancellation to The Points Guy and local outlets including the San Pedro Sun, citing its "JetForward" profitability plan.

The route launched Dec. 6, 2023 as the first-ever nonstop between New York and Belize City, operating three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Schedule filings show JFK,Belize City, JFK,Guatemala City and JFK,San Pedro Sula all being suspended as part of a broader Central American pullback.

Who loses the nonstop

East Coast travelers headed to Belize lose the only nonstop link from the New York region. Expats running visa trips, family visits or business between the Northeast and Belize will need to add a connection through Houston, Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Atlanta.

Remote workers based in Belize who anchor clients on the East Coast face longer travel days and likely higher fares on one-stop itineraries. The Belize Tourism Board had promoted the JFK link as opening an 11th U.S. nonstop city to the country.

Rebooking and alternative routings

Passengers already ticketed past May 21 are covered by JetBlue's schedule-change policy, which generally allows fee-free rebooking or refunds when the airline cancels a route. Changes can be processed through Manage Trips or customer support.

For continued service to Belize City, the main alternatives from the East Coast run through Florida:

• Spirit Airlines launched nonstop Fort Lauderdale,Belize City flights in late November 2025, marketed as the only nonstop on that city pair at launch.
• Southwest Airlines continues to publish Fort Lauderdale,Belize City service at 1-2 weekly frequencies.
• United and other carriers maintain Belize service from Houston, Dallas, Miami and Atlanta hubs.

U.S. transit rules still apply on connecting itineraries, including ESTA for eligible nationalities. Track ongoing route shifts on our nomad news page.

Read our full Belize guide for the complete picture.