Spirit Airlines Suspends More Than 30 Routes

Ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit Airlines
will be making major changes to its route network in the next few months. Beginning next month, the airline will suspend over 30 routes from several markets.

Spirit has frequently added and canceled routes to assess its profitability. However, the carrier has reportedly been in crisis this year as it struggles to manage its finances.

Inside the routes

According to Adrian Waltz, who tracks route changes indicated by aviation data and analytics provider Cirium, some routes are set to end after October, while others will be cut after November and December. Additionally, there are some routes that have “all future flights removed.”

Photo: Around the World Photos | Shutterstock

Boston will be impacted the most, with eight routes cut. Dallas/Fort Worth will see four routes cut, while Charleston and Las Vegas will see three route exits.

With all flights
set to end before the end of the year, there could be a possibility that they could return as seasonal routes in 2025.

Dallas/Fort Worth has a different situation, as three out of its four route cuts have no indication of a future return.

Flights from Charleston to Las Vegas and New York City will end after November and December, while all frequencies to Detroit have been pulled.

Sin City will say goodbye to Louisville and St. Louis after October and November. Flights to Minneapolis–St. Paul have been removed.

Leaving the seats to American & United

Some of the other route exits include Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Miami International Airport (MIA) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), which will begin after November. Bradley International Airport (BDL) will no longer be connected to Orlando International Airport (MCO) by Spirit after November, while all flights between Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and Portland International Airport (PDX) have been removed.

Photo: Leonard Zhukovsky | Shutterstock

Spirit’s highly competitive service with American Airlines
and United Airlines
between Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) will end after next month. All future flights between Columbus and Dallas/Fort Worth, another route going head-to-head with American, have also been removed. Spirit’s service competing with United between Columbus and Newark will conclude after November.

Financial struggles

Flights between Detroit and Kansas City have been removed, as well as between Fort Lauderdale and Salt Lake City. Similar to Las Vegas, Spirit will suspend flights between Los Angeles and Louisville after November. Also after November will be the conclusion of flights between New York LaGuardia and Pittsburgh. On the West Coast, Spirit will end flights from Portland to San Diego and San Jose after October, while all future flights between San Diego and Salt Lake City have been removed.

Simple Flying contacted Spirit on Saturday for comment on its decision to slash the routes, but the carrier did not immediately respond.

Spirit’s bankruptcy rumors began earlier this year after its planned merger with JetBlue Airways fell through. This past summer, the carrier said that it adjusted its revenue outlook for the third quarter of this year. Barclays analysts said earlier this month that for Spirit to support its unit revenue outcomes and have sustainable profitability, it would need a “reduction of 25-30%,” according to The Street.