Spirit Airlines cuts 13 routes just days after big expansion

05.03.2024 - 19:01 / thepointsguy.com / Airlines

You won't find a yellow Airbus jet on 13 current routes this summer.

That's because Spirit Airlines — the ultra-low-cost carrier that exclusively flies yellow Airbus A320-family jets — filed plans over the weekend to cut service on more than a dozen routes beginning in April, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.

The cuts are far-reaching and include routes that were supposed to relaunch this summer, as well as flights that have been operating throughout the winter season. Spirit told TPG that these "changes are seasonal adjustments to our network," though the carrier hasn't filed resumption dates for any of the affected routes, according to Cirium schedules.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter.

You'll find the full list of cuts below, but 12 of the affected routes connect domestic markets. Notably, Spirit is exiting three routes from Miami, an airport that it only entered in 2021.

Spirit, which is based in nearby Fort Lauderdale, unveiled a massive growth plan in Miami during the pandemic aimed at disrupting American Airlines' stronghold on the market. American is Miami's only hub carrier, and Spirit went head-to-head against the incumbent on most of its more than 30 routes.

Going forward, Miami to Boston will be served by American, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue, while Miami to Cleveland and Detroit will be served by American, as well as Frontier Airlines and Delta, respectively. It's possible that Spirit felt that these were some of its most competitive markets from Miami, so it decided to cede its traffic to competitors.

Other interesting cuts include international service from Houston to El Salvador. Once the Houston flight ends, Spirit will remain in El Salvador with daily nonstops from Fort Lauderdale.

All of these cuts come just days after Spirit announced seven new routes, including two to Puerto Rico.

That said, it's mostly been bad news for Spirit's network in recent months. Late last year, the airline pulled out of Denver, one of the busiest airports in the country. The airline also postponed plans to fly to Tulum.

In both cases, the airline cited ongoing operational constraints related to the defects on a number of Airbus A321neo engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney as a key reason for the cuts.

Of course, the airline must also start crafting a winning plan B now that the merger with JetBlue has officially been canceled.

Related reading: