Turf warfare: 2 US airways go head-to-head with main expansions in Puerto Rico
The mercury is rising in Puerto Rico, and that is not essentially as a result of spring is approaching.
As an alternative, a heated turf warfare for dominance within the territory’s aviation market seems to be unfolding between America’s two largest ultra-low-cost carriers.
Spirit Airways introduced Wednesday that it is including 5 new routes and boosting service on 4 others to San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín Worldwide Airport (SJU), as you’ll be able to see within the desk under.
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| Vacation spot | New/present | Frequency | Begin date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta. | New | Every day. | Could 5. |
| Baltimore. | Further flights. | Twice each day. | Frequency will increase Could 5. |
| Chicago. | New. | Every day. | Could 5. |
| Dallas. | New. | Every day. | Could 5. |
| Detroit. | New. | Every day. | Could 5. |
| Fort Lauderdale. | Further flights. | Twice each day. | Frequency will increase April 5. |
| Hartford. | New. | 3 times weekly. | June 7. |
| Newark. | Further flights. | Twice each day. | Frequency will increase June 7. |
| Orlando. | Further flights. | 5 instances each day. | Frequency will increase Could 5. |
As soon as the brand new service launches, Spirit will turn out to be the second-largest provider by locations, seats and accessible seat miles to the island territory.
By June, the Miramar, Florida-based provider will provide as much as 21 each day departures from San Juan. General, Spirit will now serve 16 whole nonstop routes from the three airports it serves within the territory.
“Spirit Airways has served the Puerto Rican neighborhood for greater than 20 years, providing inexpensive fares to attach household and buddies throughout the USA,” John Kirby, vice chairman of community planning, stated in a press release. “Puerto Rico is our primary vacation spot within the Caribbean, with its wealthy historical past and tradition, famend seashores, tropical rainforest and the world’s brightest bioluminescent bay.”
Spirit first landed on the island in 2001 with service to San Juan and has since grown its Puerto Rico route map to incorporate Aguadilla in 2007 and Ponce, returning to the latter in 2022 after beforehand serving it from 2007 to 2008.
As a part of Wednesday’s announcement, the airline was additionally eager to say its involvement in the area people, which incorporates work with a number of nonprofits and donations of over $100,000 for hurricane reduction efforts.
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Whereas Puerto Rico has lengthy been a well-liked vacation spot within the Caribbean, Spirit’s newest enlargement there comes on the heels of the same announcement from one in all its largest rivals, Frontier Airways.
Two weeks in the past, Frontier introduced its personal main enlargement within the territory, with the addition of eight new routes, all launching in Could, as you’ll be able to see within the desk under.
| From | To | Begin date | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Hopkins Worldwide Airport (CLE). | Luis Muñoz Marín Worldwide Airport (SJU) | Could 4. | 4 instances every week. |
| Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). | SJU. | Could 5. | 4 instances every week. |
| Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). | SJU. | Could 4. | Every day. |
| Halfway Worldwide Airport (MDW). | SJU. | Could 4. | Six instances every week. |
| Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW). | SJU. | Could 4. | Every day. |
| Cancun Worldwide Airport (CUN). | SJU. | Could 25. | 3 times every week. |
| Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO). | Mercedita Worldwide Airport (PSE). | Could 4. | 3 times every week. |
| Tampa Worldwide Airport (TPA). | Rafael Hernández Worldwide Airport (BQN). | Could 4. | 3 times every week. |
With these new flights, Frontier will provide a complete of 19 nonstop routes to the island, crowning the airline as the biggest provider serving Puerto Rico by the variety of markets served.
Frontier’s enlargement maybe caught the eye of the community planners at Spirit, who weren’t able to let one in all its no-frills opponents acquire a share in a key market.
So, it is seemingly no shock that Spirit is retaliating by including new or expanded service in all however one of many new San Juan markets that have been simply introduced by Frontier. Moreover, Spirit is including a route from San Juan to Atlanta, which occurs to be one in all Frontier’s largest focus cities.
Additional pushing again in opposition to its rival, Spirit will launch most of its new flights on Could 5, simply someday after Frontier’s huge enlargement commences.
It will be fascinating to see whether or not the 2 airways can preserve all this new service. Nonetheless, the most important winners are vacationers who’re searching for low-cost tickets to and from Puerto Rico.
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Frontier’s enlargement got here with introductory fares beginning at $49, and now Spirit’s new flights will begin at simply $59.
In fact, whichever airline you select, you will be on the hook for what may very well be tons of of {dollars} in extra charges for seat assignments, baggage, modifications and extra.
When it comes to the passenger expertise, Spirit positively has the higher hand — the airline provides (almost) fleetwide Wi-Fi, in addition to the flexibility to buy spacious and cozy Huge Entrance Seats.
That stated, Frontier is poised to turn out to be Puerto Rico’s largest provider, however Spirit is busy closing that hole.
