Spirit Airlines Axes 37 Routes in Shakeup

Spirit Airlines will eliminate more than three dozen routes in early 2023, Airline Weekly reports. 

The route cuts include flights in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. However, the changes will affect Florida the most, where at least 25 routes will be discontinued. 

Spirit Rains on the Sunshine State 

With such a large presence in Florida, it is understandable that a large reduction in capacity would disproportionately affect the state. 

Among the hardest-hit airports are Tampa International (TPA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL), and Southwest Florida International (RSW), which are losing eight, seven, and seven routes respectively. 

Additional routes will be eliminated from Orlando International (MCO) and Miami International (MIA). 

The Complete List of Route Cuts

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) to:

1. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
2. Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to:

1. Bradley International Airport (BDL)
2. Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE)
3. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT)
4. Tocumen International Airport Panama (PTY)
5. Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)
6. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to:

1. Denver International Airport (DEN)
2. La Aurora (Guatemala City) International Airport (GUA)

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to:

1. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)

Orlando International Airport (MCO) to:

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
2. El Salvador International Airport (SAL)

Miami International Airport (MIA) to:

1. Atlantic City International Airport (ACY)
2. Bradley International Airport (BDL)
3. Orlando International Airport (MCO)

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to:

1. Rafael Hernández Marin International Airport, Puerto Rico (BQN)
2. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to:

1. Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
2. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
3. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) to:

1. Bradley International Airport (BDL)
2. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
3. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
4. John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
5. Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport (MSP)
6. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
7. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) to:

1. Atlantic City International Airport (ACY)

Tampa International Airport (TPA) to:

1. Bradley International Airport (BDL)
2. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
3. John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
4. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
5. Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE)
6. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
7. Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport (MSP)
8. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

But Is It Really That Big of a Deal? 

To put it simply, it depends on who you ask. If you’re a city like Latrobe, Pennsylvania (LBE) – whose sole carrier is Spirit and is losing service to TPA and RSW – the cuts hurt. After the recent (seasonal) elimination of service to Myrtle Beach International (MYR), that leaves MCO as the only city the carrier will serve out of LBE. 

Conversely, airports like MCO and TPA won’t feel the effect of the route cuts as much as an airport like LBE. 

It is also worth noting that the elimination of 37 routes from the Spirit system isn’t necessarily as drastic a shakeup as it seems. Many routes flown by Spirit are flown on a less-than-daily basis. For instance, cutting a twice-weekly flight between two cities served by Spirit would result in far less of a seat reduction than if a major airline were to eliminate daily service. 

Case in point, the route cuts will only result in a five percent reduction in capacity during 1Q23 than 4Q22. Moreover, capacity will be up 11 percent over the year, and 35 percent compared to 2019, according to Airline Weekly. 

Will the Cuts be Permanent ?

While nothing is set in stone, it is possible that at least some of these routes could be reinstated once the carrier extends its booking schedule beyond May 2023.

A spokesperson for the Miramar, Florida-based low-cost carrier told Airline Weekly that the capacity reduction is a product of continued supply chain issues plaguing the industry. Specifically, the spokesperson says aircraft deliveries, engine manufacturing, and overhauls are facing delays.

In addition, staffing issues continue to affect Jacksonville Center, which oversees flights in Floridian airspace. Just last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged airlines to utilize over-water Atlantic routes between North Carolina and Florida in an effort to ease congestion. 

Once those issues are resolved, Spirit and other airlines will most likely reevaluate their strategy and see where service can be reinstated. 

Of course, the other elephant in the room is what JetBlue plans to do with its route structure after its $3.8 billion merger with Spirit is completed in early 2024. 

That merger will propel JetBlue to America’s fifth-largest airline.