Frontier unveils 16 new routes in big South Florida expansion
Frontier Airlines is spreading its wings in South Florida, with a slew of new routes to the Sunshine State.
The Denver-based carrier will once again land in Fort Lauderdale (FLL) early next year with 12 routes, most of which are to destinations in the Northeast.
Frontier will also add a new pin to its route map at Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (BQN), along with two new routes to San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), and three to Cancun, Mexico (CUN), early next year.
Headlining Frontier's latest growth is the South Florida expansion. The Denver-based carrier added Miami to its route map in 2014 and has since classified the city as one of its hubs. Frontier opened a new crew base there last year and now flies to 33 destinations, according to Cirium schedule data.
While Frontier is labeling Fort Lauderdale as a new destination in its press release, the airline last flew there in April 2020 at the outset of the pandemic. In fact, two of the 12 new FLL routes were previously served by Frontier before the pandemic (Islip, New York, and Trenton, New Jersey).
A carrier spokesperson told TPG that "we are returning to FLL with a robust schedule of 12 nonstop routes based on the continued strong demand we see in South Florida for affordable air travel."
Reopening its outstation in Fort Lauderdale — located just about 30 miles from Miami — might surprise some travelers, especially because the airline already serves 10 of the 12 FLL destinations from Miami, according to Cirium data.
However, South Florida has been an attractive destination throughout the pandemic, thanks to its year-round sunshine, a plethora of outdoor activities and relaxed COVID-19 policies. Airlines nationwide have been adding more flights to points all around the Sunshine State, and Frontier's latest growth seemingly fits into the broader theme of pandemic-era expansion in Florida.
But the move also comes just weeks after rival discounter Spirit Airlines entered Miami with a whopping 30 routes. Spirit operates a megahub in Fort Lauderdale and is poised to become the second-largest carrier in Miami after its expansion there is complete.
While this isn't necessarily a tit-for-tat move from Frontier — only two of its new FLL routes are operated by Spirit — it does feel like a competitive play to entrench itself in Fort Lauderdale.
As for the six other new routes, Cancun and Puerto Rico are the big winners. The airline will expand its service from Cancun to Hartford, Connecticut (BDL); Buffalo, New York (BUF); and Providence (PVD), bringing its total destinations served from this popular leisure city to over 20.
These latest routes keep fast-expanding Frontier in growth mode. Over the summer, the airline announced two big enlargements, including 20 new routes and five new cities followed by 15 new routes and one new international destination. That followed a springtime expansion spree in which Frontier announced 32 routes and eight new cities during a two-week stretch in April.
It hasn't exclusively been good news for Frontier, though.
Come early next year, both Newark (EWR) and Washington Dulles (IAD) will lose service from Frontier Airlines. The carrier's senior vice president of commercial, Daniel Shurz, blamed the decision on high operating costs at these two airports.
Additionally, earlier this year, the Denver-based carrier pulled out of Los Angeles (LAX) and San Jose, California (SJC), and instead consolidated its operations at nearby airports.
Frontier Airlines' latest nonstop routes
Cancun (CUN)
- Hartford, Connecticut (BDL): Service begins Feb. 17; three times weekly.
- Buffalo, New York (BUF): Service begins Feb. 18; three times weekly.
- Providence, Rhode Island (PVD): Service begins Feb. 19; one time weekly.
Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Atlanta (ATL): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Buffalo, New York (BUF): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Islip, New York (ISP): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Orlando (MCO): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Philadelphia (PHL): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Providence (PVD): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Stewart, New York (SWF): Service begins Feb. 17; three times weekly.
- Trenton, New Jersey (TTN): Service begins Feb. 17; daily flights.
- Albany, New York (ALB): Service begins Feb. 18; three times weekly.
- Rochester, New York (ROC): Service begins Feb. 18; two times weekly.
- Green Bay, Wisconsin (GRB): Service begins Feb. 19; one time weekly.
- Portland, Maine (PWM): Service begins Feb. 19; one time weekly.
San Juan (SJU)
- Boston (BOS): Service begins Feb. 17; four times weekly.
- Hartford, Connecticut (BDL): Service begins Feb. 18; three times weekly.
Aguadilla (BQN)
- Orlando (MCO): Service begins March 24; three times weekly.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.