JetBlue Airways is making its final scheduled flight to Antigua and Barbuda today, September 8, bringing the curtain down earlier than previously expected on the airline’s nonstop service between New York and V.C. Bird International Airport.

The final southbound flight, B6743, is scheduled to operate from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Antigua (ANU) today. Aviation schedule data list the flight as departing JFK at 10 a.m. and arriving in Antigua at approximately 2:37 p.m.

The aircraft will subsequently operate the return service to New York as B6740, marking the end of JetBlue’s presence in Antigua after more than a decade of service to the destination.

The airline’s own booking system currently lists September 8 as the final available date for a nonstop JFK-Antigua flight, while no further nonstop service is being offered later this month.

The development represents an earlier exit than was initially announced.

In July, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda said JetBlue had removed its nonstop JFK-ANU service from its reservation system beyond October 31, 2026. At the time, Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez described the decision as disappointing but said Antigua was not alone in facing changes as airlines reviewed their networks and aircraft deployment.

However, subsequent airline schedule changes brought the withdrawal forward considerably. Aviation schedule publication AeroRoutes now lists September 8 as the last day of JetBlue’s New York JFK-Antigua operation, noting that a planned resumption of the service from October 31 has been cancelled.

JetBlue is making a series of cuts across its network as it shifts aircraft to support a major expansion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The carrier previously said it intends to grow its Fort Lauderdale operation to 150 daily flights and is ending several underperforming routes elsewhere to free aircraft for that expansion. Along with Antigua, routes involving Daytona Beach, Vero Beach, Chicago and Nashville are among those affected by the restructuring.

For Antigua and Barbuda, JetBlue’s departure means the loss of a longstanding direct connection with one of the destination’s most important tourism and diaspora markets.

The airline began serving Antigua in 2015, connecting the twin-island state directly with New York and providing another option for travellers alongside other carriers serving the northeastern United States.

When the withdrawal was first disclosed, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority said it would continue working with airline partners to strengthen airlift and maintain the country’s accessibility to visitors.

Director of Tourism for the United States Dean Fenton said the authority would continue collaborating with carriers to protect Antigua and Barbuda’s position in the North American market.

With B6743 arriving at V.C. Bird International Airport and B6740 departing for New York today, JetBlue’s familiar blue tail will make its final scheduled appearance on the Antigua route, ending an 11-year chapter in air links between the country and New York.