JetBlue wins a bid to acquire Spirit Airlines’ LaGuardia Airport slots for $58.5 million, according to reports from multiple outlets. The winning price is below Spirit’s own estimate for the value of the slots, which one source places at $86.7 million. JetBlue’s acquisition is tied to use of the former Marine Air Terminal, described as abandoned, and the deal is expected to support additional service at LaGuardia. One outlet reports the transaction could result in as many as 12 additional daily departures, depending on how JetBlue integrates the slots into its schedules and operations. Another source characterizes the move as a strategic effort to expand routes and improve profitability by adding capacity where LaGuardia slot holdings can be used to grow service. While one report notes that JetBlue previously indicated LaGuardia is too expensive to operate profitably, the same coverage describes the company moving forward with the purchase. Across the accounts, the key point is that JetBlue secures 22 “ex-Spirit” slots at LaGuardia in a deal valued at $58.5 million, with expected operational expansion following the acquisition.