Spirit adds Charleston to its network in 3-route expansion
Spirit Airlines is touching down in Charleston, South Carolina, early next year.
The Miramar, Florida-based carrier announced on Wednesday that it's adding South Carolina's most populous city to its route map on April 5, 2023. Spirit will fly three daily routes from Charleston International Airport (CHS) to:
- Fort Lauderdale.
- Newark.
- Philadelphia.
Charleston will become Spirit's second route-map pin in South Carolina, joining service to Myrtle Beach that's operated for more than 25 years.
"We're excited to connect the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina, with three of the biggest metro areas on the East Coast," said John Kirby, Spirit's vice president of network planning in a statement.
Spirit is marketing the new flights as being great for locals and visitors alike. The airline will offer plenty of one-stop connections from Charleston to popular cities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean via its gateway in Fort Lauderdale. Meanwhile, service to Philly and the New York City area will help locals get more access to major cities in the Northeast.
Plus, "the Northeast and Florida have consistently been top areas of origin for visitors," said Helen Hill, chair of Charleston's aviation authority, meaning that Spirit can likely tap into a robust market of those looking to visit Charleston from key cities along the East Coast.
Charleston has grown in popularity in recent years as a destination, especially among leisure travelers looking for outdoor-focused adventures. The city and its nearby coastline, golf courses and other attractions have led to an influx of visitors.
Perhaps the most interesting route is the one from Newark. That's where Spirit recently won some hotly contested slots that were abandoned after Southwest Airlines left the airport in 2019. The Department of Transportation awarded these takeoff and landing permissions to Spirit in the hopes of increasing competition at the airport, especially against United Airlines' leading position there.
Historically, United has been the only carrier flying between Newark and Charleston, so Spirit's service will go head-to-head against the incumbent.
In Philadelphia, Spirit will go up against American Airlines and soon-to-relaunch service from ultra-low-cost rival Frontier Airlines, which will commence seasonal service from Philly to Charleston on March 9, 2023, Cirium schedules show.
Spirit will face quite a bit of competition in Fort Lauderdale, where JetBlue Airways and Silver Airways already fly between Charleston and South Florida.
In addition to Spirit, CHS has recently been in the news for winning a new airline service from startup Breeze Airways, which counts the city as one of its bases. In its 18 months of operation, Breeze has already expanded from Charleston multiple times.
Another startup carrier, Avelo Airlines, also recently began flying to Charleston from its base in New Haven, Connecticut. That service operates roughly twice a week.
Either way, Spirit is hoping to make a (yellow) splash into the new market with attractive introductory fares, starting at $39 for one-way travel to and from Philadelphia and at $49 for one-way travel to and from Fort Lauderdale and Newark.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.