Summary

  • Spirit Airlines continues reducing its flight schedule to Florida, which now includes cuts in November and December 2024.
  • Orlando International Airport (MCO) should see the largest cuts during the two months.
  • However, the airline has also added flights to many other airports throughout the country, including Boston and Las Vegas.

Spirit Airlines has revealed its flight schedule for November and December 2024, which indicated that the low-cost carrier has continued to cut Florida-bound flights, with weekly flights to The Sunshine State being cut as much as 19% during one of the two winter months.

Further Florida cuts

Over the past few months, Spirit Airlines has been forced to redeploy its capacity from Florida and focus on other destinations within the US and nearby countries. Cuts have continued in November and December 2024, with data from the aviation analytics company Cirium unveiling the extent of the cuts to its Florida-bound flights.

While the airline has not uploaded its schedules for the remainder of the upcoming winter season, which begins on October 26, Spirit Airlines schedules showed that in November, it will have 19% fewer weekly flights to Florida. Subsequently, this will result in 17.8% fewer seats and 17.5% fewer available seat kilometers (ASK), measuring total capacity.

Spirit Airlines Airbus A320neo landing at DFW shutterstock_2256371149

Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

In terms of specific airports, some, such as Pensacola International Airport (PNS) or West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), will barely be impacted by Spirit Airlines’ schedule changes. Year-on-year (YoY), the pair will have two and seven fewer flights, respectively. However, Orlando International Airport (MCO), Miami International Airport (MIA), and Tampa International Airport (TPA) will see the largest capacity cuts in November. The low-cost carrier has scheduled 151, 68, and 46 fewer weekly flights to the three airports, respectively. Overall, Spirit Airlines is planning to operate 1,404 weekly flights to seven airports in The Sunshine State.

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December reductions

The carrier’s changes in December are not as drastic. Still, MCO, MIA, TPA, and now, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) are some of the airports most affected by the latest schedule filing by the low-cost carrier, as shown in the table below. Only Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) should have more flights compared to the same month a year prior.

Weekly flights in December 2023

Weekly flights in December 2024

YoY Change

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

702

737

5%

Orlando International Airport (MCO)

624

442

-29.2%

Miami International Airport (MIA)

160

91

-43.1%

West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)

14

7

-50%

Pensacola International Airport (PNS)

16

14

-12.5%

Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)

80

36

-55%

Tampa International Airport (TPA)

156

119

-23.7%

Overall

-17.5%

At the same time, it comes as no surprise that Spirit Airlines has to cut capacity. After all, the accelerated removals and inspections of the PW1100G engine have resulted in the airline expecting to ground around 25 aircraft throughout 2024. The Pratt & Whitney powerplant is one of the options for airlines operating the Airbus A320neo aircraft family.

However, data has shown that there was barely any difference in flights operated by the A320neo and A321neo to Florida. In November, Spirit Airlines has scheduled 27 fewer A320neo/A321neo weekly flights, while in December, the state will receive 18 fewer frequencies operated by Airbus’ latest-generation single-aisle jet family.

Spirit Airlines Airbus A320neo departing FLL shutterstock_2436315101

Photo: HMBSoFL Photography | Shutterstock

Thus, Florida, which was the focus market for Spirit Airlines and other US-based airlines throughout the pandemic years, has become a place of discomfort. Still, overall weekly flights to Florida will only decrease by 2.6% in December.

Three carriers have cut the most flights to Florida during the month: Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. Meanwhile, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Allegiant Air, and even Breeze Airways added more flights YoY, with American Airlines leading the way with 374 additional weekly flights during the last month of 2024.

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Las Vegas’ gain

Nevertheless, while Spirit Airlines’ Q1 report outlined that its full-year capacity should stay flat or go up by low-single digits, it has continued readjusting its network, adding flights elsewhere. The airports with the highest gain in December are Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

Weekly flights in December 2023

Weekly flights in December 2024

YoY Change

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

101

168

66.3%

Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)

503

553

9.9%

Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

175

222

26.9%

Spirit Airlines aircraft at LAS shutterstock_2439227217

Photo: GingChen | Shutterstock

Overall, Spirit Airlines should have 4% and 1.8% fewer weekly flights in November and December, respectively, with its full-year capacity, measured in ASKs, growing by 1.9%. The schedules could change as the year continues, and the carrier potentially adjusts its network according to demand and the PW1100G-related groundings.

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Liquidity concerns

The low-cost carrier business model is based on growth, scale, and comparatively lower operating costs. As a result, Spirit Airlines’ capacity staying flat or growing by a few single digits could cause liquidity concerns for the airline, especially as its competition is actively growing. Still, Ted Christie, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Spirit Airlines told the company’s shareholders during an annual meeting on June 7 that the airline was not planning to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Spirit Airlines aircraft

Photo: Spirit Airlines

That was not the first time that Christie had to deny the airline’s plans or intentions to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Shortly after a judge ended the JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger, the latter airline’s CEO stated that speculation about the airline’s liquidity issues was a misguided narrative.

At the end of 2023, Spirit Airlines had $1.4 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash. By the end of Q1 2024, the airline’s cash reserves dwindled down to $898 million. Scott Haralson, the executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) of Spirit Airlines, who has now departed the company, emphasized at the airline’s Q1 earnings call that its liquidity should be more than enough to turn the airline’s fortunes around and make sure it was cash flow positive in Q2 and beyond. In 2023, Spirit Airlines issued its Q2 2023 results on August 3.

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