Spirit unveils Houston as its 10th crew base, bringing 500 jobs
Everything is bigger in Texas, including Spirit Airlines' operation.
The Miramar, Florida-based carrier announced plans on Tuesday to open a dedicated crew base at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) later this fall. Spirit will staff about 150 pilots and 300 flight attendants in the new base, with additional crew, supervisors and support functions to follow in the coming months.
Opening a crew base in Houston follows news earlier this year of Spirit opening a new aircraft maintenance facility in Houston, which is serviced by more than 50 full-time employees. In addition to Houston, Spirit also performs aircraft maintenance at its hangars in Detroit.
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By stationing crew members in Houston, the carrier will seemingly be able to grow in the market, as most pilots and flight attendants start and end their day at the same base. Spirit's Houston base is the 10th for the carrier, joining existing ones in Atlanta (ATL), Atlantic City (ACY), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Detroit (DTW), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS), Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO).
"In total, we are bringing about 500 good-paying jobs to the Houston marketplace. All of that means growth, we are going to continue to expand here in Houston. There are going to be lots more opportunities for Houstonians to get low fares on Spirit," said Spirit CEO Ted Christie in an interview.
As for why Houston is the ideal location for growing its employee base, Christie mentioned that "it's the perfect location because of the size of the market. Geographically, it's in a really good spot in the country."
Spirit serves 16 domestic and international destinations from Houston, including new service to Monterrey, Mexico (MTY), scheduled to begin this fall.
The move to open a crew base in Houston comes as the bidding war for Spirit has heated up in recent months. Frontier announced plans in February to create a mega-ultra-low-cost carrier by merging with Spirit, while JetBlue has since entered the competition with multiple takeover bids.
Only time will tell which carrier prevails, as the recently rescheduled Spirit shareholder meeting is coming up on July 27.
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There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
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- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
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- Annual Fee is $250.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. |
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Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.60,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and 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, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees