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Spirit Airlines adds 1 new city, 6 new routes in latest expansion spree

Feb. 16, 2022
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4 min read
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Spirit Airlines keeps adding new dots to its route map. The latest: Rochester, New York.

The new destination – revealed Tuesday – was followed by a broader expansion Spirit announced Wednesday for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. From its base there, Spirit will add five new destinations – including previously announced Rochester – and resume service on four others. All nine of the Myrtle Beach (MYR) routes will be seasonal.

“Lots of people are looking to head out to great leisure destinations like the South Carolina beaches this summer, and we’re excited to launch some new routes and resume others to help our Guests get their fun in the sun,” John Kirby, Spirit’s vice president of network planning, said in a statement. “These new routes, in addition to our existing schedule, makes Spirit the leading carrier to Myrtle Beach.”

In total, that gives Spirit six new routes that have been announced since Tuesday.

As for Rochester (ROC), Spirit's first flights there will begin June 24, when the airline starts service on two routes. Year-round service to Orlando (MCO) will be daily while seasonal flights to Myrtle Beach will operate four days a week.

News of Rochester and the Myrtle Beach expansion comes just a week after Spirit and Frontier announced their plans to merge. The blockbuster deal would create an ultra-low-cost behemoth that would become the nation’s fifth-largest airline. Before that can happen, however, regulators must approve the deal – a process that could take as long as a year. Until then, Spirit and Frontier will continue to operate separately and compete in markets where they overlap.

Merger mania: Frontier, Spirit announce blockbuster merger that would create giant ultra-low-cost airline

Will the Big Front Seat survive? Are fares going to get higher? Making sense of the Spirit-Frontier merger

Spirit has been on an expansion tear, adding dozens of new destinations and routes during the past two years.

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The Miramar, Florida-based company kicked off 2022 by announcing new service from Salt Lake City (SLC), where it will take on Delta and its fortress hub there.

Spirit has aggressively expanded elsewhere in 2021, adding new cities like Milwaukee (MKE), St. Louis (STL) and Louisville, Kentucky (SDF). One of the carrier's splashiest announcements came in October, when Spirit announced it would begin flying from Miami with plans for a whopping 31 routes — taking on American at hub it has long dominated.

Wish list: 3 things I hope will stick around with the merged Frontier, Spirit

As for its latest additions, details of Spirit’s new flights are below.

A Spirit Airlines aircraft is seen at Dallas/Fort Worth airport in May 2017. (By Ben Mutzabaugh, TPG)

New flights from Rochester, New York

  • Orlando: Daily service begins June 24
  • Myrtle Beach: Four weekly flights begin June 24 (seasonal)

New flights from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

  • Louisville (SDF): Service begins May 26, with up to three flights a week (seasonal)
  • Manchester, Hew Hampshire (MHT): Daily service begins April 20 (seasonal)
  • Milwaukee (MKE): Service begins May 27, with up to three flights a week (seasonal)
  • Rochester, New York (ROC): Service begins June, with four flights a week (seasonal)
  • St. Louis (STL): Service begins May 26, with up to three flights a week (seasonal)

Resuming flights from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

  • Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH): Resumes May 26, with up to three flights a week (seasonal)
  • Indianapolis (IND): Resumes May 25, with four flights a week (seasonal)
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP): Resumes May 26, with up to three flights a week (seasonal) Niagara Falls, New York (IAG): Resumes April 22, with up to four flights a week (seasonal)

Featured by Zach Griff/The Points Guy.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • 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 $6,000 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.
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  • 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.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.