Frontier to launch 8 new routes this summer, bolstering DFW presence

04.04.2024 - 20:35 / thepointsguy.com / Airlines

Frontier Airlines is doubling down on its strategy shift in 2024 with another round of route announcements.

The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier unveiled eight new routes Thursday, which will launch this summer.

In keeping with the tune of its recent approach, nearly all of the new flights will touch an airport that is among the largest in the U.S. — and, in many cases, is a major hub of one of the "Big Three" legacy carriers (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines).

Most of the new routes launch in June, with some taking to the air in July.

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Here's the full rundown of Frontier's new routes announced Thursday.

Of these route announcements, three are technically resumptions. Frontier flew a limited amount of service between Denver and Savannah in 2021 and more frequently before the COVID-19 pandemic.

It flew between Ontario, California, and Sacramento as recently as 2022.

Frontier offered service from Chicago to Salt Lake City briefly in 2021 and also in 2017 and prior.

Frontier will add three new destinations out of DFW, where it has placed a lot of focus in 2024 as part of its network shakeup.

Adding to an already highly bolstered schedule at American's home base, Frontier will compete with American on new nonstop routes to St. Louis, Seattle and Sacramento.

Even prior to Thursday's announcement, the budget carrier was poised for significant growth at DFW. It already had plans to grow its schedule capacity by 69% in June, July and August versus last year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

For a visual comparison, check out what Frontier's route map out of DFW looked like in June 2023.

Here's what it will look like this June.

Of Frontier's five other routes announced Thursday, four will also touch a major hub of American, Delta or United; this includes new service from PHL (American), ORD (United and American), DEN (United) and SLC (Delta).

In recent months, the carrier has scaled up in numerous large cities in an effort to escape plummeting fares in prime leisure destinations — most notably Orlando.

Frontier executives have spoken publicly about wanting to capture more leisure travelers flying to visit friends and relatives as part of a push for profitability.

On top of its DFW growth, Frontier was already set to grow its scheduled seats departing ORD by 164% this summer (prior to this new route announcement) and by 44% out of PHL, according to Cirium data.

At the same time, its scheduled seats are scheduled to drop by 19% out of Orlando International Airport (MCO), by 12% out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and by 23% out of Cancun International Airport