By Jace Moseley
JSX Announces Flights to San Diego, Destin
JSX has announced two new destinations to match ever-growing demand as travel continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline has added both Destin, Florida and San Diego to its route map, bringing its total number of destinations served to 16, including one in Mexico.
The carrier will serve the commercially-frequented San Diego International Airport in San Diego, but will use Destin Executive Airport in Destin. While most carriers utilize Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport to serve the beach-side city, JSX continues to approach its services with the goal of providing a more streamlined and exclusive experience. Destin will become the airline’s first destination in Florida as well as its first destination east of Texas.
Flights to San Diego will operate from Las Vegas and will operate five days per week starting April 9. Flights will operate twice on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. On Saturdays, the airline will only operate one round trip between the two cities.
Destin will be served from both Dallas Love Field Airport and Houston’s Hobby Airport three times weekly. Flights will operate on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays starting April 22, connecting two of Texas’ most populous cities with the ever growing Florida destination. While other airlines have recently added Destin-Fort Walton Beach to route maps, JSX will be only one of two carriers using Destin Executive, the other being Southern Airways Express.
“JSX offers Texans a safe getaway to the sandy beaches and blue skies of Destin, Florida, with a crowd-free travel experience from departure to arrival,” the airline said in a press release about the new routes.
JSX currently operates a fleet of 21 Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 aircraft, and the airline has an additional two on order. While some of the aircraft are laid out in an extremely luxurious 1-1 configuration, the new routes will see aircraft featuring a 1-2 configuration. While the extra seat may seem like an inconvenience to some, the aircraft still features 36 inches of legroom and power outlets in each row. And while 36 inches of legroom may not seem like a lot, it is comparable to most domestic first class seats for other U.S. airlines.
The usage of secondary airports in some cities is a key part of JSX’s business model. The airline, which operates under public charter rules, focuses on trying to give passengers “the convenience of private travel at not-so-private fares.”
In addition to relative luxury onboard, the airline advertises hassle free experiences at the airport. Part of the “private” experience for passengers includes the use of private terminals without the crowding seen when flying other commercial airlines. Another perk of the airline’s usage of private terminals is the avoidance of security searches by the Transportation Security Administration. While passengers are still required to go through a security check before boarding the aircraft, the airline states that travelers are only required to show up 20 minutes before departure, a significant change compared to the two hours suggested by most major U.S. carriers.
Being from Seattle, Jace was bitten by the aviation bug at a young age and never outgrew it. Although none of his family is in the industry, he has always wanted to work in aviation in some capacity. He currently in college studying air traffic management.
