JetBlue wins landing rights in Washington, NY

JetBlue is buying landing rights in New York and Washington in a $72 million deal that reshuffles some of the players in air travel to those cities. The deal wraps up a major trade of landing rights at LaGuardia airport in New York and Reagan National Airport in Washington between Delta Air Lines Inc. and US Airways Group Inc. The Transportation Department approved the Delta-US Airways deal as long as they agreed to sell off eight pairs of daily takeoff and landing slots at Reagan and 16 pairs at LaGuardia to spread out air service at those airports. JetBlue Airways Corp. is paying $40 million for eight slot pairs at Reagan and $32 million for eight pairs at LaGuardia, the Transportation Department said. Canadian discounter WestJet announced on Nov. 23 that it will pay $17.6 million for eight slots at LaGuardia. Read More