United pulled its only routes to JFK in October of 2015, and moved them to EWR (Newark), because of comparatively poorer profitability on those routes, from Los Angeles and San Francisco. JFK didn't have enough room for United to operate a hub to complement its domestic US and its international networks.

United Airlines' departure from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has been a saga of slot disputes and strategic consolidation. The airline originally left JFK in 2015 to focus its transcontinental "p.s." (Premium Service) operations at its massive hub in Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). However, they returned to JFK in early 2021 with a limited schedule to capture high-end travelers who preferred the Queens-based airport. This return was short-lived; in October 2022, United suspended all JFK service again after a failed attempt to secure more "slots" (takeoff and landing rights) from the FAA. United argued that its small presence (only four daily flights) was not competitive or economically viable, while the FAA maintained that the airport was at capacity. By 2026, United continues to focus almost entirely on its Newark hub for the New York market, leveraging its dominant position there to offer more destinations, while the lack of expansion opportunities at JFK remains the primary barrier to their return.