Similarly to many low-cost airlines, Frontier Airlines found its main market by flying into smaller cities underserved by mainstream airlines.
Especially early after launch, airlines will generally not fly out of the main airport in a major city due to the significantly higher costs for everything from landing fees to gate slots; saving on this is what has traditionally allowed low-cost airlines to seduce customers with lower fares.
Founded in 1994 by former United Airlines pilot Rick Brown and his wife and business partner, Frontier entered New York’s JFK Airport in June 2024 as part of its then-efforts to expand its network and offer more premium routes.
The experiment has not proved to be successful as the airline had hoped and, this week, Frontier announced that it will cancel its last route to JFK from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) by October 5. At its peak, it flew to the airport from eight cities across the U.S.
Frontier Airlines to cut last flight from JFK by October 2026
The city is the last to which Frontier flies from JFK, phasing out routes from cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas earlier this year.
New York, however, will not be undeserved as the airline will continue flying to the city from both LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to which it flies to destinations like Atlanta, Orlando and Dallas Fort Worth.
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“We periodically review and update routes based on market demand, seasonality, costs associated with operating from a particular airport, and other factors,” the airline said in a statement that does not expand on the decision.
When it was planning for its JFK expansion, Frontier has previously expressed intent to operate out of the new Terminal 6 when construction is complete by 2028. The airline did not fully rule out the possibility of returning to JFK at some future point but, for the foreseeable future, Oct. 5 will be the last time passengers can take Frontier out of the airport.
“As with any station closure, [we] will evaluate market conditions going forward to consider a return at some point in the future,” a spokesperson said to The Points Guy.
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Canceled Frontier Flight: These are your refund options
According to the policy stated on Frontier’s website, customers who booked travel on flights that get cut as part of wider network shake-ups are entitled to a full refund to the original form of payment if unsatisfied with the rebooking options. Those with travel on the JFK-Atlanta flight booked for beyond Oct. 5 can either initiate the process through their confirmation code or wait to be contacted by a representative.
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“Refunds will be issued to the original form of payment either upon request or automatically after the scheduled departure date,” Frontier writes of its policy. “Refunds will be processed within seven business days.”
While pulling out of JFK, Frontier has recently announced several network expansions out of cities like Las Vegas and Boise to holiday destinations in Florida and Puerto Rico.
Related: Low-cost airline cancels all flights for 4 weeks, shuts down
