Airlines are stepping up with new flights to fill the gap left by Spirit Airlines.
American Airlines, Avianca, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have all added flights and routes in former Spirit markets since the discount carrier shut down May 2, airline statements and schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium show.
Spirit flew just under 2% of all domestic flights and seats, according to Cirium data — not a large airline but not an insignificant one either. Its five largest destinations (by seats) were: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
Other airlines’ additions, at least so far, are at airlines one would expect: Delta at DTW, JetBlue at FLL, and Southwest at MCO and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas — all existing bases or hubs for each respective carrier.
No airline is taking advantage of Spirit’s collapse to open a new base or hub — at least not yet.
Here are the airlines that have added former Spirit routes in the past week (but note that future schedules are subject to change):
American
- O’Hare International Airport (ORD)-ATL: One additional daily flight for a total of five daily flights after Sept. 9
- ORD-FLL: One additional daily flight for a total of two daily flights after Sept. 9
- ORD-LaGuardia Airport (LGA): One additional daily flight for a total of 11 daily flights after Oct. 5
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)-FLL: Two additional daily flights for a total of six daily flights after Oct. 5
Avianca
- FLL-El Dorado International Airport (BOG): One additional daily flight for a total of two daily flights, starting June 1
Breeze
- Atlantic City International Airport (ACY)-MCO: New daily service starting July 3
- ACY-Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW): New thrice-weekly service Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, starting Oct. 22
- ACY-Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): New twice-weekly service Thursdays and Sundays starting Oct. 22
- ACY-Palm Beach International Airport (PBI): New thrice-weekly service Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting Dec. 17
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Delta
- Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)-RSW: One additional daily flight for a total of three daily starting Dec. 19
- BOS-Miami International Airport (MIA): One additional daily flight for a total of four daily starting Dec. 19
- BOS-MCO: One additional daily flight for a total of five daily starting Dec. 19
- DTW-ATL: One additional daily flight for a total of 12 daily flights after July 7
- DTW-MCO: One additional daily flight for a total of seven daily flights after July 7
- MCO-ATL: One additional daily flight for a total of 17 daily flights, starting Nov. 9
- MCO-LGA: One additional daily flight for a total of eight daily flights, starting Nov 9
Frontier
- DFW-Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY): New four-times weekly service Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from July 5
- DTW-DFW: Three additional weekly flights for a total of 10 weekly flights starting July 6
- DTW-FLL: New daily service starting July 5
- DTW-LAS: New daily service starting July 5
- DTW-MCO: One additional daily flight for a total of two daily flights starting July 5
- DTW-PHL: New daily service starting July 5
- LAS-Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): 10 additional weekly flights for a total of two daily starting July 5
- LAS-Kansas City International Airport (MCI): New four-times weekly service Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays starting July 5
- LAS-Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): Four additional weekly flights for a total of 18 weekly flights starting July 5
- LAS-Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO): One additional daily flight for a total of two daily, starting July 5
- MCO-Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI): One additional daily flight for a total of three daily starting July 5
- MCO-BOS: New daily service starting July 5.
- MCO-Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): Four additional weekly flights for a total of 11 weekly flights starting July 5
- MCO-John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH): Three additional weekly flights for a total of 10 weekly starting July 5
- MCO-Memphis International Airport (MEM): New thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting July 5
- MCO-Nashville International Airport (BNA): Four additional weekly flights for a total of 11 weekly flights starting July 5
- MCO-MSY: Four additional weekly flights for a total of 11 weekly flights starting July 5
- MCO-Pensacola International Airport (PNS): New daily service starting July 5
- MCO-Richmond International Airport (RIC): New thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting July 5
JetBlue
- FLL-Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS): One additional daily flight for a total of three, starting July 9
- FLL-Rafael Hernandez Airport (BQN): One additional daily flight for a total of two, starting July 9
- FLL-BWI: New thrice-daily service starting July 9
- FLL-Ernesto Cortissoz Barranquilla International Airport (BAQ) in Barranquilla, Colombia: New daily service starting Oct. 1
- FLL-Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO): New daily service starting Oct. 15
- FLL-CLT: New thrice-daily service starting July 9
- FLL-ORD: New twice-daily service starting July 9
- FLL-CMH: New daily service starting Nov. 2
- FLL-Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): One additional daily flight for a total of three, starting July 9
- FLL-DTW: New twice-daily service starting July 9
- FLL-Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): New thrice-daily service starting July 9
- FLL-Indianapolis International Airport (IND): New daily service starting Nov. 2
- FLL-BNA: New thrice-daily service starting July 9
- FLL-Mercedita International Airport (PSE) in Ponce, Puerto Rico: New daily service starting July 9
- FLL-Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU): One additional daily flight for a total of three, starting July 9
- FLL-Cibao International Airport (STI) in Santiago, Dominican Republic: One additional daily flight for a total of two, starting July 9
- FLL-Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo: Two additional daily flights for a total of three, starting July 9
- Luis Muñoz MarÃn International Airport (SJU)-BWI: New daily service starting Nov. 2
Southwest
- LAS-BOS: New service starting March 2027
- LAS-McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS): New service starting March 2027
- LAS-MIA: New service starting March 2027
- LAS-PHL: New service starting March 2027
While none are former Spirit routes, a Southwest spokesperson said the additions are in response to the discounter’s collapse.
United
- IAH-FLL: Two additional daily flights for a total of six daily, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, starting July 1
- LAX-FLL: New five-times weekly service on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Nov. 1
- EWR-DTW: One additional daily flight for a total of seven daily starting Nov. 1
- EWR-LAS: One additional daily flight for a total of nine daily starting Nov. 1
- EWR-RDU: One additional daily flight for a total of seven daily starting Nov. 1
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
