Spirit Airlines collapse: See all the new flights rivals have added since the shut down
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):AmericanO’Hare International Airport (ORD)-ATL: One additional daily flight for a total of five daily flights after Sept. 9ORD-FLL: One additional daily flight for a total of two daily flights after Sept. 9ORD-LaGuardia Airport (LGA): One additional daily flight for a total of 11 daily flights after Oct. 5Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)-FLL: Two additional daily flights for a total of six daily flights after Oct. 5SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYAviancaFLL-El Dorado International Airport (BOG): One additional daily flight for a total of two daily flights, starting June 1ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUYBreezeAtlantic City International Airport (ACY)-MCO: New daily service starting July 3ACY-Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW): New thrice-weekly service Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, starting Oct. 22ACY-Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): New twice-weekly service Thursdays and Sundays starting Oct. 22ACY-Palm Beach International Airport (PBI): New thrice-weekly service Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting Dec. 17A Breeze Airways Airbus A220. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYDeltaBoston Logan International Airport (BOS)-RSW: One additional daily flight for a total of three daily starting Dec. 19BOS-Miami International Airport (MIA): One additional daily flight for a total of four daily starting Dec. 19BOS-MCO: One additional daily flight for a total of five daily starting Dec. 19DTW-ATL: One additional daily flight for a total of 12 daily flights after July 7DTW-MCO: One additional daily flight for a total of seven daily flights after July 7MCO-ATL: One additional daily flight for a total of 17 daily flights, starting Nov. 9MCO-LGA: One additional daily flight for a total of eight daily flights, starting Nov 9A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 pushes back at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYFrontierDFW-Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY): New four-times weekly service Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from July 5DTW-DFW: Three additional weekly flights for a total of 10 weekly flights starting July 6DTW-FLL: New daily service starting July 5DTW-LAS: New daily service starting July 5DTW-MCO: One additional daily flight for a total of two daily flights starting July 5DTW-PHL: New daily service starting July 5LAS-Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): 10 additional weekly flights for a total of two daily starting July 5LAS-Kansas City International Airport (MCI): New four-times weekly service Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays starting July 5LAS-Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): Four additional weekly flights for a total of 18 weekly flights starting July 5LAS-Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO): One additional daily flight for a total of two daily, starting July 5MCO-Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI): One additional daily flight for a total of three daily starting July 5MCO-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 5MCO-John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH): Three additional weekly flights for a total of 10 weekly starting July 5MCO-Memphis International Airport (MEM): New thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting July 5MCO-Nashville International Airport (BNA): Four additional weekly flights for a total of 11 weekly flights starting July 5MCO-MSY: Four additional weekly flights for a total of 11 weekly flights starting July 5MCO-Pensacola International Airport (PNS): New daily service starting July 5MCO-Richmond International Airport (RIC): New thrice-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays starting July 5Frontier Airlines aircraft at Denver International Airport (DEN). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYJetBlueFLL-Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS): One additional daily flight for a total of three, starting July 9FLL-Rafael Hernandez Airport (BQN): One additional daily flight for a total of two, starting July 9FLL-BWI: New thrice-daily service starting July 9FLL-Ernesto Cortissoz Barranquilla International Airport (BAQ) in Barranquilla, Colombia: New daily service starting Oct. 1FLL-Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO): New daily service starting Oct. 15FLL-CLT: New thrice-daily service starting July 9FLL-ORD: New twice-daily service starting July 9FLL-CMH: New daily service starting Nov. 2FLL-Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): One additional daily flight for a total of three, starting July 9FLL-DTW: New twice-daily service starting July 9FLL-Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): New thrice-daily service starting July 9FLL-Indianapolis International Airport (IND): New daily service starting Nov. 2FLL-BNA: New thrice-daily service starting July 9FLL-Mercedita International Airport (PSE) in Ponce, Puerto Rico: New daily service starting July 9FLL-Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU): One additional daily flight for a total of three, starting July 9FLL-Cibao International Airport (STI) in Santiago, Dominican Republic: One additional daily flight for a total of two, starting July 9FLL-Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo: Two additional daily flights for a total of three, starting July 9Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU)-BWI: New daily service starting Nov. 2A JetBlue plane at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGESSouthwestLAS-BOS: New service starting March 2027LAS-McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS): New service starting March 2027LAS-MIA: New service starting March 2027LAS-PHL: New service starting March 2027While none are former Spirit routes, a Southwest spokesperson said the additions are in response to the discounter’s collapse.KEVIN CARTER/GETTY IMAGESUnitedIAH-FLL: Two additional daily flights for a total of six daily, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, starting July 1LAX-FLL: New five-times weekly service on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Nov. 1EWR-DTW: One additional daily flight for a total of seven daily starting Nov. 1EWR-LAS: One additional daily flight for a total of nine daily starting Nov. 1EWR-RDU: One additional daily flight for a total of seven daily starting Nov. 1AL DRAGO/GETTY IMAGESEditorial 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.
