Frontier to launch JFK service, return to Newark in June

Frontier Airlines has revealed the next chapter in its network shakeup. In the coming months, it will launch service to the two largest airports in the New York City area.

Starting in June, Frontier will launch its first-ever service from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier will operate twice daily round trips to Luis Munoz International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

And that's only part of its deeper foray into New York.

The carrier also unveiled plans Tuesday to resume service from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) for the first time in more than two years — also with nonstop service to San Juan.

Frontier served Newark as recently as 2022 but pulled out during the early part of that year, citing high operating costs.

Now, it's making a return and taking on some of the biggest competitors at Newark — and JFK — in the process.

On its Newark-to-San Juan route, Frontier will go head-to-head with JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. United is by far the airport's largest carrier.

Meanwhile, Frontier will take on JetBlue and Delta Air Lines on its new JFK-to-San Juan route.

Frontier's New York market additions

Here's the rundown of Frontier's new routes from the New York market unveiled Tuesday.

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• EWR-SJU — launches June 27, operates 11 weekly round trips
• JFK-SJU — launches June 6, operates twice daily

These new routes out of San Juan will help Frontier continue to scale up its footprint in the city, where it recently established a crew base.

Other routes unveiled

On top of new service from JFK and Newark, Frontier announced two additional routes Tuesday — one from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and another short-hop flight in California.

• PHX to San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) — launches May 16 and operates two weekly round trips
• John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California, to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — launches July 11 and operates four weekly round trips

The Los Cabos route will mark Frontier's first international route from Phoenix, the carrier noted.

Frontier previously flew to Los Cabos from Denver International Airport (DEN) in 2023 as well as from both Denver and Las Vegas in 2022.

Network shakeup continues

Frontier's adding JFK and Newark to its route map is among the more striking changes the carrier has made amid a flurry of network alterations in recent months.

The airline has announced dozens of route cuts and additions since January. It's part of the carrier's strategy to shift some attention away from its longtime stalwart markets like Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas. At those airports, mounting capacity — particularly among budget airlines — has caused fares to fall and made turning a profit difficult for some airlines in those markets.

"We did pile on top of each other," Frontier CEO Barry Biffle acknowledged, speaking about low-cost carriers last week at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference.

"We opened a Sam's Club, a Target, a Costco and a Walmart all on the same block in Florida," Biffle quipped. "You don't make money where Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue and Southwest are all on the route and the capacity's up 100% versus 2019."

Frontier executives have been transparent about the carrier's hope to focus a little less on vacation destinations in 2024 and a bit more on picking up leisure travelers flying to visit family and friends.

Amid that shift, Frontier has added significant capacity in the New York market. Even prior to announcing JFK and Newark service, Frontier's seats out of LaGuardia Airport (LGA) were set to be up 102% over that same span last year, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Frontier's seats from Orlando will be down 11% over that same period.

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