WORCESTER, Mass. - JetBlue and Massport announced Monday they will be adding daily round trip service from the Worcester Regional Airport to Orlando and winter seasonal service to Fort Myers.

Starting June 15, JetBlue will resume flights from Worcester to Orlando. The airline stopped the service during the capacity reductions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Fort Myers flight will start January 4 with twice-weekly service, before increasing to daily service starting in mid-February through the end of the Red Sox spring training.

City leaders said during Monday’s announcement that the flights opens Worcester up to destinations around the globe.

“What we've been doing in Orlando is we've been expanding our network in Orlando to a number of Caribbean and Latin American markets,” said JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes. “So, it's also going to expand on connecting options."

"Your expansion to Orlando and connecting flights to Latin America will be wonderful for this community," said Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty.

Rep. Jim McGovern said years ago, some were looking to have the airport shut down for good. But in recent years, Massport has invested more than $150 million into the facility and three major airlines now service the airport.

McGovern said Monday’s announcement is another example as to why Worcester made the right decision in keeping it operating.

“They wanted to build a casino here, they wanted to build housing here, but they all talked about the fact that there was no future here,” McGovern said. “Worcester airport is not only surviving, but it's thriving."