Summary
- Spirit Airlines new daily service between Birmingham, Alabama, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, begins on October 10th.
- Introductory fares start at $69 each way, and the 1 hour and 45-minute flight offers a more convenient alternative to driving.
- This marks Spirit’s first time serving Alabama and will complement Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport’s 20 destinations.
Spirit Airlines has announced a new route between Birmingham, Alabama, and Fort Lauderdale, launching this fall as a daily service. The ultra-low-cost carrier will be the only airline providing nonstop service on this route, with fares starting at $69 each way.
Spirit’s new daily Birmingham-Fort Lauderdale service
The airline will begin its daily service between Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) on October 10th, opening up easy and affordable access to Florida and onward connections to the Caribbean and Latin America. John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines, commented,
“We can’t wait to welcome aboard Birmingham travelers looking for both an affordable and convenient way to enjoy Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful beaches. Our new daily service will make flying to Fort Lauderdale more accessible and will provide an attractive alternative to driving. It will also make it easier for our Florida Guests to enjoy Birmingham’s southern hospitality.”
Photo: Spirit Airlines
The 650-mile flight has a block time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, considerably shorter than the 11-hour drive it usually takes. Spirit will deploy its modern Airbus A320neo fleet on this route, which can seat up to 182 passengers, including eight Big Front Seats. The full schedule is as follows:
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
The airline is offering low introductory fares starting at $69 each way valid on flights between October 10th and November 19th. The carrier has also introduced some new policies for passengers to make the journey easier – this includes no change or cancelation fees, extended travel vouchers and upping checked bag allowances to 50 lbs.
First time in Alabama
This new route will mark the first time Spirit Airlines has served the state of Alabama and its first foray into the state’s biggest airport, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth. BHM has been on an upward growth trajectory in recent years, recording a 14% year-on-year passenger increase in 2023 with over 3 million travelers served. The two major players at the airport are Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, which together make up almost two-thirds of seat capacity at BHM.
Related
Spirit Adds Flights To South Florida But Cuts Cleveland to LAX Route
While Spirit opens a new route between Birmingham and Fort Lauderdale it suspends the Cleveland to LAX route.
Photo: Spirit Airlines
Darlene Wilson, Vice-Chair of the Birmingham Airport Authority Board, said,
“This is a great day for our community. Spirit Airlines is showing a tremendous amount of confidence in this market, and we are thrilled to have this new option available to travelers.”
BHM now offers flights to 20 destinations – including three other Florida airports in Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO) and Tampa (TPA) – and its growth looks set to continue next year. The airport will also benefit from $4 million in funding as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, which will be spent on terminal and taxiway repairs.
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