Delta, American & JetBlue All Moving At LaGuardia – Here’s What You Need To Know

an aerial view of a large building

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There’s a reshuffle going on at New York’s LaGuardia airport and it sees Delta, American Airlines & JetBlue all moving their operations around to, hopefully, make things easier for the traveling public. Three other airlines will also be moving (Alaska, Spirit & Frontier) but I’m going to focus on the first three airlines for now.

LaGuardia is undergoing quite a bit of redevelopment right now and, in case you’re wondering why, here’s what then Vice President Joe Biden said about LaGuardia back in 2014:

If I took you and blindfolded you and took you to LaGuardia Airport in New York, you’d think, ‘I must be in some third-world country

As part of the redevelopment American Airlines will finally house all its flights in one terminal, JetBlue is getting a temporary home while the central terminal gets a makeover and Delta is consolidating its flights into two terminals.

Here’s a map to help you follow along with the moves (click to enlarge)…..

a map of a port authority

…and here’s what’s happening airline-by-airline:

Delta’s LaGuardia Move

Starting from 9 December 2017 Delta will consolidate its LaGuardia operations into the airport’s C & D Terminals, a move which the airline is describing as “a significant step toward the construction of Delta’s own state-of-the-art facility at the airport

The main crux of the move will see Delta Shuttle flights to Chicago and Washington D.C. moving from the Marine Air Terminal to Terminal C where they will join the Delta Shuttle flights to Boston.

Per Delta:

In Terminal C, Shuttle customers will have access to dedicated check-in counters; expedited security with Clear, dedicated TSA Precheck lanes, and a Shuttle security line; a 7,600-square-foot Delta Sky Club; and chef-driven restaurants, an expansive food hall and upscale retail. Shuttle customers will also continue to enjoy:

  • Check-in as close as 15 minutes prior to departure without bags or 30 minutes with checked bags
  • Dedicated gates with access to complimentary coffee and newspapers for all customers
  • Expedited security screening with access to dedicated TSA Precheck lanes and a Shuttle security line
  • Advanced seat selection on all Delta Shuttle flights and complimentary access to Delta Comfort+ seats for SkyMiles Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members, when available
  • Three classes of service with complimentary upgrades for SkyMiles Medallion members when available
  • Complimentary onboard snacks including breakfast cookies in the morning before 9:45 a.m. or gourmet nut mix for flights after 9:45 a.m.
  • Complimentary beverages in-flight, including craft beer and wine in all classes of service
  • Complimentary spirits in First Class and Comfort+; available for purchase in economy
  • Access to in-flight Wi-Fi on all Shuttle flights including free messaging
  • Complimentary In-Flight Entertainment on your personal device powered by Delta Studio streaming

It doesn’t look as if the timings of the shuttle flights will be changing as….

  • Weekday flights to Washington will continue departing near the top of the hour beginning at 6 a.m.
  • Flights to Chicago will continue to depart at 15 minutes past the hour beginning at 6:15 a.m.
  • Weekday flights to Boston will continue departing near the top of the hour beginning at 6 a.m

American Airlines’ LaGuardia Move

From 9 December 2017 American Airlines will consolidate all of its LaGuardia flights into Terminal B….although the flights will still be split across all four of the terminal’s concourses.

a map of a runway

This ends American’s tenancy over in Terminal C and, as the Amex Centurion Lounge is in Terminal B, this should be a boost to some of American’s flyers.

Here’s what American Airlines has had to say:

Moving our entire operation under one roof will not only make travel easier for our customers traveling to, from and through LaGuardia but our team members will enjoy upgraded spaces and be better able to work together.

Customers will know exactly which terminal to check in to, they won’t have to travel far for their connections and Admirals Club members can enjoy our upgraded club featuring one of the best views of New York City.

To ensure smooth travels for passengers, American’s customer assistance representatives will be stationed throughout Terminal B to guide customers and answer questions. Customers are encouraged to check the American app or aa.com for the most up to date flight information.

Having all of American’s flights under one terminal roof is definitely and improvement over what travelers have had to put up with in the past….but don’t be fooled – it’s still quite a walk between some of the gates even if they are all under one roof.

JetBlue’s LaGuardia Move

From 9 December 2017 you’ll find JetBlue operating its LaGuardia flights out of the “Marine Air Terminal” (a.k.a Terminal A) as the area it occupied in Terminal B is renovated.

JetBlue customers should note that this is a temporary move as the airline intends to move back to Terminal B when it bears a little more resemblance to a 21st century facility.

Here’s what JetBlue had to say about its move:

JetBlue will be the main tenant at the Marine Air Terminal, an aviation landmark, occupying four gates once the transition is completed in December – just in time for the start of the busy holiday travel season. This move will alleviate traffic and congestion as construction on the Central Terminal gets underway.

While honoring the historic design of the Marine Air Terminal, JetBlue will add its own modern touches creating an airport experience in line with the award-winning service its customers receive onboard. With the needs of both business and leisure travelers in mind, including customers traveling on JetBlue’s popular Boston-LaGuardia route, customers can:

  • Avoid the congestion of the Central Terminal area
  • Request pick-up and drop-off points right at the Marine Air Terminal curb
  • Secure taxis with shorter lines and less congestion
  • Park conveniently next to the terminal
  • Access multiple city bus services

Bottom Line

If you fly out of LaGuardia with any regularity don’t switch on to auto-pilot after December 8th as you could well find yourself in the wrong terminal.

I don’t have any idea how long the work at LaGuardia is supposed to take (you can probably add at least 2-3 years to whatever estimates are already in the public domain) but these terminal moves are here to stay for a while.

To sum up, from 9 December 2017:

JetBlue – All flights depart from Terminal A

American Airlines – All flights depart from Terminal B

Delta – All flights depart from Terminals C & D