It looks like both American and Delta will consolidate terminals at New York LaGuardia next month.

American has been operating both out of the Central Terminal (legacy American gates) and the C terminal (legacy US Airways gates) and that looks like it will soon change.

New York LaGuardia Central Terminal

Delta — which has had a strong presence in the C terminal ever since it picked up a good chunk of the US Airways operation at LaGuardia — moves into the gates that American will give up. They’ll use those gates to consolidate their own operations and move out of the Marine Air Terminal. (Other airlines, perhaps Alaska and JetBlue, move in to the Marine terminal.)

It appears that American may lose two gates in the process, receiving fewer gates in the Central Terminal than they’re giving up in C. Notably,

• American has a lounge currently both in the C terminal and the Central Terminal. This will put them down to one lounge at LaGuardia presumably for the same number of passengers.

• However all American passengers will have access to the American Express Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia which is before security in the Central terminal.

• American’s gates will apparently be spread out in the Central Terminal rather than all being on the same pier, meaning that it won’t be convenient to connect or to access the American lounge for all flights. Although there’s a shuttle bus connecting piers similar to Washington National airport where gates are behind security on different piers (there American has lounges on both piers where they have gates).

American describes their New York operation as ’boutique’ aimed at serving business markets. They aren’t really running a connecting operation and many of their domestic routes seem timed towards bringing passengers from other markets to New York rather than serving the needs of New Yorkers. They’re retrenching their international flying somewhat out of JFK in favor of Philadelphia as well.

American Airlines New York JFK

The changes at LaGuardia are rumored to be happening on or about November 12. It’s further rumored that Delta — which I’d argue is getting the biggest benefit out of the move, consolidating operations in C and D — is paying the costs of the move.

Delta has the most juice with the Port Authority as well, since they’ve been willing to fund major renovation costs at the airport though in return they’ll receive a significant income stream from concessions going forward (and have had support as they try to gain exceptions or a lifting of the perimeter rule for flights at LaGuardia).

Moving out of the Marine terminal must also say something about what Delta thinks of the white elephant
plan for ferries to bring passengers from Manhattan and dock at the terminal.

(HT: @JonNYC)