Spirit Airlines doubles down on Kansas City with 4 new routes and expanded service
Kansas City is the big winner in Spirit Airlines' latest network adjustment.
On Thursday, the Miramar, Florida-based carrier announced that it will add four routes from Missouri's Kansas City International Airport (MCI) to the following destinations in Florida:
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Fort Myers (RSW)
- Pensacola (PNS)
- Tampa (TPA)
Service to Tampa begins on June 9, while flights to the remaining three Florida cities begin one day later on June 10.
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Spirit will serve its Fort Lauderdale hub with daily flights, while the remaining three routes range from three- to four-weekly frequencies. By offering daily service to FLL, Spirit can connect flyers to the broad international network it flies from there.
"Fort Lauderdale is Spirit’s largest gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, which means nonstop flights from MCI come with easy connections to countries and territories throughout Latin America and the Caribbean," Spirit said in its press release.
In addition to the new routes, Spirit will also boost existing Kansas City routes, doubling its capacity at MCI compared to 2019.
Flights to Orlando (MCO) and Las Vegas (LAS) will both go from 1x daily to 2x daily, while service to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (MYR), will go from 2x to 3x weekly.
Spirit's growth in Kansas City comes as the carrier is seeing increased demand for air travel, especially from local flyers looking for an adventure. In recent weeks, pandemic-weary travelers have taken to the skies in numbers previously unseen since early 2020.
For many, the destination of choice has been Florida, so if the trend continues, it makes sense for Spirit to add flights there. In fact, Pensacola is one of Spirit's newest destinations, opening for the airline on June 10 with eight routes. It'll have nine with the Kansas City addition, a sign that travelers are still looking to relax in the Florida panhandle.
More growth: Spirit Airlines adds 2 new cities in 12-route expansion
"Our Kansas City Guests told us they’re ready to get out and travel as vaccination efforts continue, and we’re responding with an unbeatable list of options stretching from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale,” John Kirby, Spirit's vice president of network planning, said in a statement.
Despite the pandemic, Spirit's network has undergone a growth spurt. The carrier has added new pins to its route map, including Milwaukee (MKE); Louisville, Kentucky (SDF); Pensacola (PNS); and St. Louis (STL).
Spirit has also boosted flights to New York LaGuardia (LGA), where it just moved into a second terminal. The carrier is also slated to launch a Saturday-only transcon LGA to LAX route — poised to become LGA's longest — in the coming weeks.
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees